Fix: Steam thinks its running in compatibility mode

[matiaspw92]

Wow, thank you VERY much for posting a fix for this problem! Registered now (like other people too, I see) just to thank you.

[mjelcus]

Thanks alot! I didn't use regedit, but for some reason steam started running in compatibility mode for windows vista? I run Windows 7 64bit, so I have no idea what happend... But thanks again, this thread and this forum helped me alot!!

 

PS: I know this thread is old, but it seems like its still activity here ;-)

[frankiez]

Hey thanks for the help! I made an account just for this! I appreciate it.

[JIMINY]

Hi Zero Hour, Like the rest I registered to say thanks as it worked the two times I needed it.It seems my video card will not support most games so when I removed them I had the issue with compatibility. The rest is history. ROCK ON ! from the USA.

[tangbaba]

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

EDIT: And yes, I registered just for this message, but will keep my eye on this forum!

Edited November 1, 2011 by tangbaba
Forgot a tidbit

[thankyouZEROH]

Never heard of this site before, only stumpled upon it while googleing the Steam Windows problem.

I tried the method and it worked then like many others before me I created an account here just for one purpose.

My username says it all. Thank you thank you thank you, ZeroHour.

[ThePhenomenalEx]

I'd like to say my thanks. I didn't know what was going on when I got the message.

[VeinValix]

Hi

Just thought I would post a solution to a problem I had with Steam on Windows 7 RC x64 (but I believe it can happen in vista as well)

Everything was working in steam for weeks until I went to close it down last night, when I exited steam windows poped up with a message stating it was going to apply compatility settings to steam as it detected a problem (no cancel or way to stop it doing this)

When I relaunched steam it poped up with a message telling me:

Running Steam in Windows compatibility mode is not recommended. Please remove any Windows compatibility settings for all users under file properties for Steam.exe and restart Steam. Press 'Cancel' to premanently ignore this warning and continue.

 

Reinstalling steam made no difference as well as trying to set compatibility settings under the shortcut. I eventually had a go of the application compatibility tool microsoft gives out to see that the settings saved on the machines local database and that triggering when I ran steam. I had a hunt through the registry and found the area where the keys are kept and deleted the key and my problems were gone.

 

To fix the issue:

1. Hit start->run->regedit
   
2. Go to key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers
   
3. Look for a entry with your path to steam.exe
   
4. Delete that entry
   
5. If you dont find it there try HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers
   

Hope this helps if you get the issue.

 

None of this actually helped with the problem though it seems it has for many. What i did was simply go to Control Panel for windows 7 then to Programs and Features and i simply Repaired Steam

[ficklebrau]

like others, I registered to thank you for this information and will certainly come back even if just to read and learn. Many thanks!!!

[Killgore]

When I read your fix, I thought I had finally found the answer to my problem. Unfortunately steam is still freezing my entire computer when I click on the steam.exe file.

I have done a number of things to try and remedy the problem. I have searched countless forums and tried many things with no success. If anyone has any suggestions, I am desperate to get steam working again. I cannot begin to describe how frustrated I am. I will try to briefly summarize what I've already done.

 

It seems the problem started when I closed steam quickly one day. I just shut down the computer without shutting steam down first. I guess this made problem?

 

From then on, whenever I try to launch steam, it just freezes the whole computer.

First, I deleted the clientreg.blob file from the steam folder. No affect. I did start getting error message of the clientblob serielized something header missing on steam.exe.

Then, I deleted everything in steam folder except app folder and steam.exe. No affect.

Then, I uninstalled steam completely and completely formatted the drive that steam and it's games were installed on. Reinstalled steam. The first message I get is that I need to turn off all compatibility settings for steam.exe. There were no compatibility settings checked in the properties box. I found ZeroHour's message about deleting registry values and tried that. No affect, it just freezes the whole computer when I click on steam.exe.

 

PLEASE HELP!!

I don't know what else to try.

 

sincerely... a truly frustrated gamer.

[BabyKhan]

Hi ZeroHour,

 

Just created an account so I could say thank you very much man.

Helped me, and a lot of others, can´t express my gratitude for your effort enough, so I'll just say it again, Thank You Very Much!

 

 

THANKS A LOT FROM PORTUGAL M8

[Killgore]

It seems the problem started when I closed steam quickly one day. I just shut down the computer without shutting steam down first. I guess this made problem?

 

From then on, whenever I try to launch steam, it just freezes the whole computer.

First, I deleted the clientreg.blob file from the steam folder. No affect. I did start getting error message of the clientblob serielized something header missing on steam.exe.

Then, I deleted everything in steam folder except app folder and steam.exe. No affect.

Then, I uninstalled steam completely and completely formatted the drive that steam and it's games were installed on. Reinstalled steam. The first message I get is that I need to turn off all compatibility settings for steam.exe. There were no compatibility settings checked in the properties box. I found ZeroHour's message about deleting registry values and tried that. No affect, it just freezes the whole computer when I click on steam.exe.

 

I found my fix! It was all about the Creative drivers on my Asus G73 laptop. I uninstalled the two programs by Creative and everything is beautiful. I knew before that some people had complained about the Creative suite messing with Steam. But I didn't think that could be my issue because Steam worked fine for a long time without me messing with the Creative suite... go figure why all of a sudden it started messin with me??? I wish I hadn't formatted the whole drive now trying to fix the problem!! LOL I had saved like 80 GB of games but I didn't have the space to save all 350GB of games I had downloaded... Oh well. At least it's working again.

 

If anyone has an Asus G73 laptop, the drivers for the Creative suite can interfere with Steam!!

 

Good luck to all!

[Svaerks]

Please someone help me, I don't know what the heck im supposed to do. I don't understand what you mean with this Start and then Run since i dont even have run at the start button...

 

I just installed APB then i wanted to uninstall it but it all and then i quitted steam.

 

When I tried to start up the program again it just said "It is adviced you don't run in compatability mode with STEAM EXE and like that"

 

Thing is... Steam.exe dont run in compatability mode and i can't find the APB's program that makes so i can deactivate if its in compatability mode and if its linked to each other.

 

Please help me I just want to fix my steam... I should've never installed APB... :censored:...

 

Sorry if my language is rude but I'm very of and this day haven't been overall great I just want help.

 

( If you find this comment somewhere else i posted it wrong i wanted to post it here. HELP PLEASE )

Edited December 12, 2011 by ZeroHour
Nerfed swearing - ZH

[ZeroHour]

Please someone help me, I don't know what the heck im supposed to do. I don't understand what you mean with this Start and then Run since i dont even have run at the start button...

 

I just installed APB then i wanted to uninstall it but it all and then i quitted steam.

 

When I tried to start up the program again it just said "It is adviced you don't run in compatability mode with STEAM EXE and like that"

 

Thing is... Steam.exe dont run in compatability mode and i can't find the APB's program that makes so i can deactivate if its in compatability mode and if its linked to each other.

 

Please help me I just want to fix my steam... I should've never installed APB... :censored:...

 

Sorry if my language is rude but I'm very of and this day haven't been overall great I just want help.

 

( If you find this comment somewhere else i posted it wrong i wanted to post it here. HELP PLEASE )

 

Please no swearing.

 

In Windows 7 there is no "Run" button by default like Windows XP. You have to literally type in the word "run" to the search box just above the windows button (when clicked).

IF you hit the windows button and type in "run" then hit enter it should give you the run prompt like old windows did.

[Arthur]

In Windows 7 there is no "Run" button by default like Windows XP.

The search box replaces "Run" in Windows 7. Click the Start button » type regedit » press Enter.

[Niilo]

When I read your fix, I thought I had finally found the answer to my problem. Unfortunately steam is still freezing my entire computer when I click on the steam.exe file.

I have done a number of things to try and remedy the problem. I have searched countless forums and tried many things with no success. If anyone has any suggestions, I am desperate to get steam working again. I cannot begin to describe how frustrated I am. I will try to briefly summarize what I've already done.

 

It seems the problem started when I closed steam quickly one day. I just shut down the computer without shutting steam down first. I guess this made problem?

 

Ive done the exact same steps as this guy, everytime i start my computer steam automatically opens and completly freezes my computer, just before it opens i have to rush and end the process just to prevent the freezing, his solution was a program interferring with steam, i dont have *creative* or any other programs on the list that interfere with steam installed any suggestions? or tips on what might be interferring

 

From then on, whenever I try to launch steam, it just freezes the whole computer.

First, I deleted the clientreg.blob file from the steam folder. No affect. I did start getting error message of the clientblob serielized something header missing on steam.exe.

Then, I deleted everything in steam folder except app folder and steam.exe. No affect.

Then, I uninstalled steam completely and completely formatted the drive that steam and it's games were installed on. Reinstalled steam. The first message I get is that I need to turn off all compatibility settings for steam.exe. There were no compatibility settings checked in the properties box. I found ZeroHour's message about deleting registry values and tried that. No affect, it just freezes the whole computer when I click on steam.exe.

 

PLEASE HELP!!

I don't know what else to try.

 

sincerely... a truly frustrated gamer.

 

 

Ive done the exact same steps as this guy, everytime i start my computer steam automatically opens and completly freezes my computer, just before it opens i have to rush and end the process just to prevent the freezing, his solution was a program interferring with steam, i dont have *creative* or any other programs on the list that interfere with steam installed any suggestions? or tips on what might be interferring

[Moderation]

Omg please help me admin/mods/gods whe i go to APPCOMBATFLAGS after i open that there is no layers folder??? i have win 7 6c bit PLEASE HELP ME!?

[Baconsentry]

I can't find the entry point for some reason. Please give me a specified file name because I can't find it seemly. I deleted some files in "Steam.exe" but they just came back after I deleted them so I think these are the wrong ones. *EDIT* I found the right files and promptly deleted them. Thank you for your help.

[evanw951]

Hey ZeroHour,

 

I'm having a little trouble with the details on numbers one and two on the first solution.

and which program is, "application compatibility tool microsoft gives out" and where can i find it?

[FunnyBunny]

Turns out the setting for the warning is in the following registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Valve/Steam/IgnoreCompatMode (for the value 1 is ignore, 0 is show warning)

 

Removing the key in the first post solved the compatibility problem, thanks!

 

 

Hi. I accidently pressed cancel when i got that compatibility error message from steam. I have followed all the directions and deleted steam.exe from the folders in the registry; but here is where I have been stuck... I would like to have that warning message re-enabled again.

I have followed the path above HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Valve/Steam/IgnoreCompatMode but when I get to the steam folder, I do not see any entry for IgnoreCompatMode.

It is not a folder, nor can I find it within any of the folders there.

I would really like to have this warning re-enabled to confirm that steam is no longer running in compatibility mode; but IgnoreCompatMode is not on that path on my computer.

Can anyone help me please?

Thanks.

[ilikethisplace]

thanx so much i made an account as well just to say thx which i dont dont normally do

[CorpseRender]

I followed this very carefully but I am stumped on the part where I deleted the entry. Do I delete Steam.exe or do I delete the folder that is title just Steam. I have tried both and still got the error.

[CorpseRender]

I followed this very carefully but I am stumped on the part where I deleted the entry. Do I delete Steam.exe or do I delete the folder that is title just Steam. I have tried both and still got the error.

 

This question is directed towards ZeroHour.

[CAM]

EDIT - This post is wrong >.< Edited January 12, 2012 by CAM

[CAM]

Hi. I accidently pressed cancel when i got that compatibility error message from steam. I have followed all the directions and deleted steam.exe from the folders in the registry; but here is where I have been stuck... I would like to have that warning message re-enabled again.

I have followed the path above HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Valve/Steam/IgnoreCompatMode but when I get to the steam folder, I do not see any entry for IgnoreCompatMode.

It is not a folder, nor can I find it within any of the folders there.

I would really like to have this warning re-enabled to confirm that steam is no longer running in compatibility mode; but IgnoreCompatMode is not on that path on my computer.

Can anyone help me please?

Thanks.

 

IgnoreCompatMode is the name of the key. Set it's value to 0 or 1 not sure what will work.

 

If it doesn't exist then create a new value called IgnoreCompatMode with the value of 0 or 1.

Edited January 12, 2012 by CAM