Half-Life 2

[AiponGkooja]

I have another post here about a couple other programs, but right now I just want to get HL2 working... I installed Half-Life2, CS: Source and updated my video drivers, and here is what happens. I run Steam and everything downloads and updates. Then when I go to "play game" and select HL2, it says "Preparing to launch...", then that screen disappears, then NOTHING happens. I can go into Task Manager and see hl2.exe, and when I try to play it again it says either "You can only have one instance of this game running" or "This game is not available at this time." But it won't let me "end task" on the hl2.exe that is already running, so if I want to try again I have to restart my computer.

I think that's everything of importance...sorry for the jumbled-uppedness of it all, and just ask if you need more information.

Thank you,
Aip

 

[Fistandantilis]

try to uninstall and reinstall, I know it is a pain in the @ss but I think that steam intended it to be a pain in the @ss

 

[AiponGkooja]

Originally posted by: Fistandantilis
try to uninstall and reinstall, I know it is a pain in the @ss but I think that steam intended it to be a pain in the @ss

Tried that twice already. No go.

 

[imported_Traxis]

In Steam on the HL2 properties page, does it say 'Offline Mode: Ready'? If not, the game isn't entirely updated yet. Did you install it from CDs? If so, you may want to try deleting the local game content and download/install the game from Steam. I had a similar problem, (the game started but all I got was a black screen) and redownloading the game from Steam fixed it for me.

 

[AiponGkooja]

Originally posted by: Traxis
In Steam on the HL2 properties page, does it say 'Offline Mode: Ready'? If not, the game isn't entirely updated yet. Did you install it from CDs? If so, you may want to try deleting the local game content and download/install the game from Steam. I had a similar problem, (the game started but all I got was a black screen) and redownloading the game from Steam fixed it for me.

It does say "Ready", and I did load it off of CD's. I don't get a black screen though, I get the "Preparing blah blah" and then that little pop-up window goes away and then nothing else happens (I can still continue to do other things on my computer though). I will try the install from Steam however, thanks for the suggestion.

 

[GullyFoyle]

If you have a firewall program running, try shutting it off first.

 

[MmmSkyscraper]

Originally posted by: DanDeighan
If you have a firewall program running, try shutting it off first.

:thumbsup:

 

[AiponGkooja]

I think I may have installed my drivers improperly (as I can't right click on the icon in the system tray), so what is the RIGHT way to install them. If I remove all nVidia drivers before installing the new one, I end up having to get the IDE drivers from the CD again, which messes things up sometimes. Do I only have to remove the "display driver" and then load the new one? It has directions on the nVidia driver site, but it says "find the 'nVidia Drivers' program and remove ALL" or something like that.

PS: I hate computers...

 

[Slick5150]

Yes, you can just remove the display drivers.

It would also be a good idea to run DriverCleaner after you do that as well. Then install the new ones

 

[XNice]

Originally posted by: AiponGkooja
PS: I hate computers...

problem found....

 

[AiponGkooja]

Drivers installed properly, still no go. About the firewall...I'm not going through a router at the moment, so I only have a windows xp firewall and a norton 2005 firewall...probably not the safest thing to disable those? It does pop up with a "HIGH RISK" "hl2.exe is trying to connect to a DNS server" when I try to play, but when I choose "always allow this program to connect" it just thinks for a bit, the window goes away, and nothing else happens again.

 

[gorcorps]

Originally posted by: AiponGkooja
Drivers installed properly, still no go. About the firewall...I'm not going through a router at the moment, so I only have a windows xp firewall and a norton 2005 firewall...probably not the safest thing to disable those? It does pop up with a "HIGH RISK" "hl2.exe is trying to connect to a DNS server" when I try to play, but when I choose "always allow this program to connect" it just thinks for a bit, the window goes away, and nothing else happens again.

For 1, it's NEVER a good idea to have 2 software firewalls running at the same time. Unless you have them configures properly to run w/ each other, they will both clash and mess up most of your security. If you have norton, you can turn off windows firewall.

2nd: you can risk 30secs of no firewall time to see if that's the problem. Turn if off, boot the game and see if it gets any further. If it boots right, then you know it's a norton problem (which makes perfect sense and has happened before).

 

[AiponGkooja]

That worked, thank you. Where is a good place to read about firewalls so I can figure out how to keep it on but still be able to play? Also, if I just hook up my router will I need either one of the windows/norton firewalls?