HL2 via steam

[blockers]

Hi.

I have tried 5 times to download half life 2 and everytime it hasnt worked. Basically the first couple of times i downloaded with steam and it loaded HL2, but the first video couldnt not be uncompressed, so it was just like a checkerboard effect with the music playing. It then loads the main menu splash screen but crashes.

Then next couple of times i tried it just crashes before it has even loaded the game, on the "preparing to play HL2...." screen.

Now i have just downloaded it again it is saying that it cant uncompress the video, and then crashes on the splash screen, as per the first couple of times.

Spec's:
r9700 pro @ stock - Omega v2.6.12 drivers
xp1600-m @ 2ghz
2x256mb pc2700 @ 180fsb
win2k3 without sp1.

I have just completed far cry and it plays bf:v fine.

Can anyone shed any light on this problem?

Thanks
Will.

[Ferral]

Try knocking the overclocking back to stock speeds and see if that works

[rajagra]

Might be worth downloading Counterstrike Source - it comes with a video stress test.
Also check if HL2 runs on W2K3 without service packs?

I would certainly hope that something like Steam that is heavily dependant on downloads would use CRC checking to ensure DLs are good, and tell you if they aren't!

[Trippledence]

I would say it was the OS. Seems most likely.

[XA04]

Validate your cache.

http://steampowered.custhelp.com/cgi...hp?p_faqid=282

[blockers]

Changed the drivers to the latest omega ones, that didnt do anything. And validated the cache, everything said it was ok.

In my first post i said that it couldnt decompress the video, but it actually says "Video not availible, cannot find 'vids.cvid' decompresser"

Sorry for the slight change there.....

[Dooms]

i always found that even after it 1st says its completed downloaded it actualy hasnt (and so doesnt work) - need to leave it a couple days and its working

[blockers]

hi, right.....i found that it was only 65% complete, so just left steam running and it has slowly been downloading. however now it is at 99% and status "complete", so tried running HL2 and the same thing happened, is there a way to force steam to update?

Also, i ran the CSS video stress test fine.

Anymore ideas?

[Lee H]

If it sticks at 99% - go to properties and change it to "do not keep this updated" and log out.

Log back into steam and switch it back to "always keep this updated" and this should fix it and update it to 100% after a small think about it.

This has worked for me on a few occasions when steam likes to be a pain

[blockers]

It seemed to go to 100% just took a couple of hours.....a little odd.

However now i can play the game now so excited about giving it a good blast this evening.

thanks for the help all!
Will.

[suryad]

Honestly, while Steam is not a bad idea...that way the devs get all the money, downside being u need a fast connection, still they need to make it so that when it says download is done...they actually mean the download is done...and u can play the game...sheesh