Fix: Steam thinks its running in compatibility mode

[l3ea5t]

Thank you. I couldn't fix it at first but I tried re-adjust the steam properties--> compatibility

 

I unchecked "Run this program in ..." and the problem was solved.

 

Nice guiding, thumbs up!

 

^___^

[VigilanteSilver]

Thanks for this fix; I didn't have this problem until I installed Office 2013. I have no idea if the two are related, but I can't otherwise explain why Steam went from working yesterday to not working today. This fix solved the issue.

[fryerlawrence]

Duuuude! Zero! I can't even begin to thank you enough for this fix. I am not an IT professional and I am a noob when it comes to fixing stuff. I cannot tell you just how many hours, and MONTHS, I have spent trying to fix this whole steam issue from just even working period on my laptop. Steam would start up but the game would not even start up. Then I found out through another posting on the web that it was a compatibility issue and that I could run it using "Compatibility Mode" Just today I found out through a steam support that they do not recommend running in "Compatibility Mode". (Arrrrrrrg!) Then in the update for today, that they "allegedly" fixed the issue? (Running Windows 7 Home Premium x64) In the beginning I had spent HOURS on the steam support site with no luck, because they sure did not make anything easy. :boxing:So I gave up. :ranger:Started again etc. Thennnn....lol.... after all of this, I could not run the "Big Picture" mode due to the compatibility error that steam gave. Really??? They suggested that I turn off the UAC setting to off. So I did that. Then I also found steam.exe files in the registry like you suggested in BOTH places. I deleted 3 instances. One in the Current Users and Two in the Local Machine. For some reason the Bold in this blog will not go away...lol...sorry.... I tried. Well anyway... thank you so VERY much for your help. I am going to credit you with this fix. It worked like a charm and I signed up just to thank you! Thanks -fryer Edited March 29, 2013 by fryerlawrence

[Jones141]

i know this post already 3 years but hey thank's man

 

P.S i signed up just to say that

Edited March 31, 2013 by Jones141

[gamer4545]

hi! I have a problem.... I dont have 'layer' folder at the end of the link.... just 'persisted' (and there is no steam exe in this persisted one...) so how can I reach this layer folder to delete steam exe?

[nefilindsay]

THX ZereHour!!! It worked!

[lxchmbrln]

Yo,

 

Cheers for that homes, bloody champion

[Dusty]

Thanks for this work around. Its been bugging me for weeks. Dunno how it started but i know how it ended!!! Good job ZeroHour

[Paulsifer42]

I also created an account to thank you for posting this. I'm really not very computer savvy and never would have figured this out on my own.

[PutThatInYaPipe]

Hi Zero,

When i look for -HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers, i do not have a layers folder and when I use HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers, I can find it but it does not let me get rid of it... Any tips?

Edited June 24, 2013 by PutThatInYaPipe

[JackNasty]

An hour of screwing around, find this site, and boom! Fixed

Created an account to say thank you.

 

So:

 

Thank You ZeroHour!!!!

[blonDeBeard]

thank you

[Ejtastic]

I've tied both ways and cant find steam.exe in both layers folders. I've also tried changing the compatibility via the properties of the steam icon. But i think i know the culprit, i downloaded an emulator a few days ago and it messed with the compatability. i don't know the specifics of that either. Please help, i'm deciding over just performing a hard reset.

[Dillemma]

Hi Zero Hour, I have had this exact problem but am unable to follow your fix as I am using Windows 8. Is there any chance that you would be able to translate this fix into Windows 8? It would be much appreciated by myself and my 9 year old Steam User. Thanks

[Arthur]

I have had this exact problem but am unable to follow your fix as I am using Windows 8.

I don't see any reason why the fix wouldn't work for Windows 8 and 8.1.

 

Just type 'regedit' when you have the Start Screen visible. Everything else will be the same from then on.

Edited May 9, 2014 by Arthur

[Rhea]

It is almost July of 2014 and your original post is still helping people. Thank you.

[RoberLebowski]

ZERO HOUR, I made this account just to say THANK YOU VERY MUCH from Spain and 2014 XD There should be more people like you! (:

[OPC_SchizmzGrl]

Somehow I just started having this problem with steam and I'm not sure how it came about.

However, I went thru the steps you listed but in the end I see no entry path to steam.exe.

I only see some default thing that says valve not set, and I'm not sure what to do...lol

Any advice?

[Pea]

Hi there this cant work for me

 

Gyazo - ba74d6072798ea7b71faa0e994e3b4a0.png

Gyazo - ea5d73ca4ea2acf859afd6acf349e04f.png

 

these are whats in each of them for me... any other ideas?

[mitch12340]

Hey, I cant seem to find the Layers when I do both solutions please help? :/

[nicknitro123]

thank you so much works in windows 10 as well . i think this is a steam update issue it was fine until steam updated yesterday then i was stuck in compatibility mode checked the steam advice did as it said and was still stuck found this thu web search

and worked so happy will be back if i have any more problems.

[vintagegamer14]

I cant find the compatibility tab. I'm using windows 10 pls help

[LordBlade]

So I just "updated" to Windows 10, mainly because my free update time was about to expire.

 

I'm having the Steam in compatibility mode problem, which mostly is stopping it from running when my computer starts up as it used to on Windows 7.

 

I tried the regedit thing in the first post, and there were not entries for Steam there.

I checked the file itself, and compatibility IS NOT checked.

 

But no matter what, it still tells me it's being made to run in compatibility mode.

[PennStateMikkey]

I can't find the Reg file i need to delete for Steam ?... All it shows is Default. That's it... But Thank you for posting this Thread. !

[Androcles]

Many thanks ZeroHour. That fixed my problem too.