steam questions

[a dreams forever]

k. I reformated my computer. do I have to re-install the HL cd? or just download steam and enable the games there? if so. do they remember my e-mail address and know what games I own? or do I have to re-enter my cd key?

 

[Admiral Michael]

Your games are linked to your steam account (CDKEY and all). If its HL2 I would suggest just using the CDs since it would be a 4GB download.

 

[a dreams forever]

ok I guess it remembers the cd key cause all I did was type my account in and it lets me install. but when CS is done installing. onlything that comes up is counter-strike source in the servers window. wtf. and when I try to connect to a server. nothing happens. it just sits there trying to connect. then retries. then nothing.

 

[Electronic Punk]

Check the Monitor, although the game thinks it has 100% (that is has 100% to launch) it is still actually downloading more files, so be patient, just let it run in the background.

 

[a dreams forever]

ahh that is exactly what happened. but now when I try to play it. it takes a long time "precaching files". alot longer than it used to. is this cause I just downloaded it off steam and didnt install through the cd? or what? also. the screens out of game. options, servers, connecting screen is a little wavy. it looks like my monitor is getting ready to die. but it doesnt do it anywhere else. just some games. is this my graphic card dying? is there any program out there that lets you test your graphic card to see if its dying or not?

 

[ming]

Well, recently Steam/Valve has not required me to enter my cd key after having formatted my drive and re-installing the HL2+Steam programs.

 

[a dreams forever]

ahh I had virus protection running. could that be why it took so long to load?

 

[ming]

Not really.. Depends on your drive and cpu. It has taken upto 20mins for steam to decrypt the files on my machine before.

 

[American Zombie]

Once you get all your games back in and up to date you should back them up through the Steam back up tool.

So next time you do not have to download all the GCF files again. :up:

 

[a dreams forever]

for some reason. now. it works fine. like it did before. the screen is still waving in any game I play though heh. only at the menus though. oh well. if my card dies, it dies. it's only a $90 card hah.