[SOLVED] Internet applications problem - background processes?

[Dianeva]

Hi. This might not be specifically a gaming problem, so sorry if it's in the wrong section.

I've had Starcraft 2 installed for a while, and recently was 'gifted' Left 4 Dead 2 through a Steam account, which I played a couple times with no problems.

For a few days now, neither of the 2 games will load. The Starcraft 2 update screen comes up, and it says that certain updates are being installed, but they don't actually install, and nothing happens.

Left 4 Dead 2 won't load either. I'm in the Steam account, and press 'Play'. A box comes up that says "Preparing to launch Left 4 Dead 2", it dissappears, and nothing happens.

With both of these games, after I've tried and failed to launch the game, if I go into task manager and look at processes, it will say Starcraft2.exe or Left4Dead2.exe is running, like they're running as background processes or something (under processes, but not under applications). If I try to press 'Play' Left 4 Dead 2 again, it alerts me that only 1 instance of Left 4 Dead 2 can run at a time. Also, at this time, a friend on Left 4 Dead 2 tells me it says I'm in the game, signed in.

Additional Info
I've tried running non-online games (Tomb Raider Underworld, Caesar IV) and they load up fine.

I've reinstalled Starcraft 2 but that didn't help.


Any help is appreciated, even if the problem can't be fixed but someone can tell me how to bring background processes to the foreground (if that is what's really happening). Thanks for reading.

[Felix_Violo]

Hi,

I'm not much of a PC gamer, nor am I familiar with Steam... but here's my two cents.

Assuming you do not need Steam to execute either of the games, assure that Steam or any game is in your start up processes [start > run > msconfig.exe > startup tab].
Restart the system. Click on the game's launcher or type in "game".exe and see if it loads.

Also, did you try to disable any process of a game that wasn't working and then try to restart the game process once again?

_FV.

[Dianeva]

Thanks for the reply.

Steam is in the list of startup processes, but neither of the two games are. If it would help, how would I add them to the list? I don't see an option.

Starcraft 2 I installed through a CD, not with Steam.

I've tried disabling the process (which seems to be running in the background, left4dead2.exe). Nothing happens when I do this. The process is still there but it doesn't alert me of anything. It's impossible to end the process, as far as I can tell, until I restart the computer.

[Dianeva]

(I posted the problem in a different section, but realize now it isn't an online gaming problem.)

All applications which connect to the internet seem to be having problems. Two online games (Starcraft 2 and Left 4 Dead 2) do not apparently boot up. One says it needs to update a patch, but upon pressing okay nothing happens. The other simply doesn't load when I press play. But, with both of these, if I go into task manager under processes it says starcraft2.exe or left4dead2.exe is running, and a friend says that the game says I've signed on.

If I try to end the process, nothing happens. It doesn't end, and no alert box comes up explaining why. The process won't end until I restart my computer. (There's no issue with other non-online games, they load up fine.)

Now, I've realized that iexplorer.exe is doing something similar. Right now, I have one browser open, but taskmanager says there are three instances of iexplorer.exe running. Every few hours, no website will load on my browser, and I have to restart the computer.

It seems these processes are running as background processes or something, but I know almost nothing about Vista, if something like that would even be possible. Is there some Windows program that controls when processes run in the background? Does anyone have an idea of what's going on?

Thanks in advance.

[jcgriff2]

What anti-virus/ firewall is installed?
Is Internet connection Ethernet or wifi?
Have you updated networking drivers?
Is Vista SP2 installed?

[Dianeva]

What anti-virus/ firewall is installed?
Shaw Secure anti-virus with firewall

Is Internet connection Ethernet or wifi?
Ethernet

Have you updated networking drivers?
Not exactly sure what those are, but not that I know of (and no one else uses this computer).

Is Vista SP2 installed?
Yes

I appreciate any attempts to help. I've posted this in case anyone happens to know the problem, but if not I might just reformat my hard drive and hope the problem is fixed.

[Dianeva]

It's solved. I don't know what caused it. I just uninstalled in add/remove programs all programs that it didn't look like I needed, then after restarting the problem was gone.