F.A.Q - Frequently asked questions

Frequently Asked Questions
This page is provided to help users before asking help. Please read it carefully!
revised 28 October 2011

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Question 1: Can I play on legit Steam servers with DarkSteam?
Sometimes, only if the auth-server is down you can play on all servers. But most of the time you can't play on legit servers, you need to find cracked servers. (more info click me)

Question 2: I'm getting a error related to dll load exception. What to do?
It's most likely that your antivirus program deleted the dll (the dynamic link library that loads the cracked client). Without that file your DarkSteam installation will always load in normal mode (without games).
In this case is most recommended that you reinstall DarkSteam.

Question 3: How can I fix the "Steam servers are too busy to handle your request"?
There is NO fix for that error. The "Steam Busy Error" is normal. What this error message means, is that you're trying to download a game with a cracked Steam client, without you actually owning it. Only some games can be downloaded directly through cracked Steam

Question 4: How can I fix the "This Steam account does not own this game. Please login to the correct Steam account" error?
There is NO fix for that error. What that error means is, that you are trying to connect to a legit (most likely, VAC2 secured) server using a cracked Steam client. Cracked clients don't allow you to play on legit servers, you can only play on cracked servers. However, some games can be played on all servers (such as FlatOut2, Dark Messiah, Prey etc.).

Question 5: Where can I get all the Steam games for free?
You have four options: either download the game directly from cracked Steam (if it's available), download the game from our forum (if it's uploaded, of course), use DarkSteam's Preloader™ (again if game is there and uploaded), or if you want the game so badly and can't find it anywhere - just BUY it!

Question 6: Is DarkSteam safe?
No crack is a 100% safe. So NEVER use your legit account on cracked Steam, instead create a blank Steam account for your cracked Steam games. There is a slight chance that your account will get disabled for doing this. Use everything you download from here at your own risk.

Question 7: Where can I find cracked Steam servers?

1. Copy MasterServers.vdf to config directory

* For CSS: steamappscounter strike sourcecstrikeMasterServers.vdf

2. Make MasterServers.vdf read-only

* Right-click over MasterServers.vdf, select "Properties" and check "Read-only"


Question 8: Why can't anyone from the Internet connect to my server?
It's a common problem, really. In order to fix it, you need to forward your port. Check this website for more information.

Question 9: What are GCFs/NCFs?
GCF stands for Game Cache File and NCF stands for No Cache File. These files are used for all games in Steam, and are required in order for you to play a certain game. Please note, that in order to play games based on No Cache Files, you'll also need the "common" folder of the game.

Question 10: What does "Steam Validation rejected" mean?
Whenever you join an Server, the server uses the API of the Steamclient.dll which has many checks such as "Has Ticket", "Has Game", "Is Logged In", and whenever those functions return No Success, you will receive this Steam Validation rejected message. The ONLY way to bypass this, is joining cracked servers or actually host a cracked server. Without modifying the API or atleast engine.dll on the Server, you will be NEVER able to join.

Question 11: It seems I can't connect to Steam Network! What can I do!?
Well this can happen in several cases. DarkSteam (and here I refer as the steam.exe found in DarkSteam) can't connect to internet because router or firewall blocks connectivity. In order to fix this, add some connectivity rules. Second way to fix this (if you don't have connectivity errors), is by deleting ClientRegistry.blob and AppUpdateStats.blob, then restart DarkSteam. Make sure DarkSteam is closed when you do that!
In DarkSteam v3 make sure the offline mode check box is unticked in DarkSteam Launcher also
You can also open up Lanuncher and click the reset CFG button that will get setup to restart at next DarkSteam launch.

Question 12: Downloaded a game and it is at 100% in DarkSteam, but when I load the game I only see the loading splash screen then it gets out! What can I do?
This error is caussed by DEP that is present in Windows OS

Disable Data Execution Prevention (DEP) completely
First method:
First run the command prompt in admin mode (Vista and Windows 7).
To do that go Start->Run and type cmd
Next type this code in bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx AlwaysOff and restart your PC
To restart your Data Execution Prevention service again, type in bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx AlwaysOn (do this only if you have issues)

Other method:

Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
Under Pick a category, click Performance and Maintenance.
Under or Pick a Control Panel icon, click System.
Click the Advanced tab, and in the Startup and Recovery area, click Settings.
In the SystemStartup area, click Edit.
In Notepad, click Edit and then click Find.
In the Find what field, type /noexecute and then click Find Next.
In the Find dialog box click Cancel.
Replace the policy_level (for example, "OptIn" default) with "AlwaysOff" (without the quotes).

WARNING: Be sure to enter the text carefully. Your boot.ini file switch should now read:

/noexecute=AlwaysOff
In Notepad, click File and then click Save.
Click OK to close Startup and Recovery.
Click OK to close System Properties and then restart your computer.

This setting does not provide any DEP coverage for any part of the system, regardless of hardware DEP support.

Verifying DEP is Disabled

Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
Under Pick a category, click Performance and Maintenance.
Under or Pick a Control Panel icon, click System.
Click the Advanced tab.
In the Performance area, click Settings and then click Data Execution Prevention.
Verify that the DEP settings are unavailable and then click OK to close Performance Settings.
Click OK to close System Properties then close Performance and Maintenance.

Question 13: I'm getting a "Steam.exe (main exception): Unable to write to the current Steam application folder. Please move Steam to a folder
where you have write privileges". What can I do?
This can happen when you are running a Windows Vista/7 OS. The error says that you can't write data to some required file in the folder where DarkSteam is installed. In order to run DarkSteam in this situation, you need to disable UAC (User Account Control) or run DarkSteam shortcut (from desktop or StartMenu) as Administrator by right clicking on it and click "Run as Administrator".
In order to disable UAC fallow the steps:
Normal User:
a) Disable UAC on Windows Vista
Open up Control Panel, and type in “UAC” into the search box. You’ll see a link for “Turn User Account Control (UAC) on or off”
On the next screen you should uncheck the box for “Use User Account Control (UAC)”, and then click on the OK button.
You’ll need to reboot your computer before the changes take effect, but you should be all done with annoying prompts.

Disable UAC on Windows 7
Windows 7 makes it much easier to deal with UAC settings, and in fact you don’t have to completely disable UAC if you don’t want to. Just type UAC into the start menu or Control Panel search box.
You can simply drag the slider up or down, depending on how often you want to be alerted.
If you drag it all the way down to the bottom, you’ll have disabled it entirely.

Advanced User (command line interface):
Windows needs your permission to annoy the crap out of you
Open the Run window by navigating to Start->Run or by pressing WinKey+R then type:
To disable:

C:WindowsSystem32cmd.exe /k %windir%System32reg.exe ADD
HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesSystem /v
EnableLUA /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

Question 12: Downloaded a game and it is at 100% in DarkSteam, but when I load the game I only see the loading splash screen then it gets out! What can I do?

To enable:

C:WindowsSystem32cmd.exe /k %windir%System32reg.exe ADD
HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesSystem /v
EnableLUA /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f


Question 14: I'm getting a error that says "You do not meet the requirements to load DarkSteam !" What does it mean?
DarkSteam executable uses a complex method of detecting if all your files are up to date. If DarkSteam detects that you do not have all up to date files, or you are missing files, it will show up that error. In order to fix this error, first of all make sure the file GreenLuma.dll is located in DarkSteam install directory. Then check to see if you have winui.gcf and platform.gcf under steamapps directory. If you have them then DarkSteam will load. If is not loading please contact support as soon as possible in order to provide a fix to this issue.

Question 15: My DarkSteam is not loading even if I click Go DarkSteam in DarkSteam Launcher. What should I do?
Just open up Task Manager (CTRL + SHIFT + ESC) in Windows, and move over the Processes tab then find the Steam.exe process and click End Process to kill the process. As soon as you did that, click GO DarkSteam again.

Question 16: What is offline mode?
In some cases, when game is outdated, you need to enable this feature in DarkSteam in order to play the game. Please note that online play is disabled in this mode.

Question 17: When I open the PreLoader my Windows reports that it crashed. What can I do?
Please run the Preloader link from DarkSteam Launcher to make sure it will load and set you up with data required to load the Preloader

Question 18: I own a VIP subscription. Can I use DarkSteam PLUS?
Yes you can. However we will need to reset your key due to system changes made on the login system. Please use the link provided below to request a key reset.
http://www.darksteam...o=new_post&f=18

Question 19: How do I activate my PLUS subscription?
As from DarkSteam PLUS, the DarkSteam normal and PLUS package is included in same package. This means that after you install DarkSteam will be the normal package. So in order to activate DarkSteam PLUS you need to activate it from Preloader. You need to click the PLUS button link in Preloader to open open up PLUS Login form.
The PLUS Login System will launch and prompt you to input data
After you input all data validation by clicking the login button. A message will show up to confirm authenticity.

Question 20: My subscription seems to be working even if I entered it correctly. What is wrong?

In some cases the system detects that your key is blocked or already activated and disables access to PLUS features. Try to contact support.

Question 21: How do I get PLUS only games?
Just start the Preloader from DarkSteam Launcher and way you go. No hard stuff.

Question 22: What tools are available in DarkSteam and what are they for?

1. Cftoolbox allows you to check for outdated games
If game content is outdated you can post on the forum and request a update

2. The "fix" for playing outdated games is UCL
UCL (Universal content launcher) allows you to load outdated games or load games that you have issues at DarkSteam load time

3. SourceSDK is a set of tools and files archived in a gcf that enables you to play game mods (usually for HL2 engine)

4. Preloader is a tool to download games that aren't available over DarkSteam directly, it downloads the content from our server at high speed, you can download GCF (Game Cache File), NCF (No Cache File), Update patches for outdated games and common folders for non-Valve games.

Preloader is a tool that is only available with a PLUS subscription!

For the people without a PLUS subscription we have the Games Sharing Center (GSC) forum.

Question 23: What can i do if a game that i have downloaded from GSC section is corrupted?

First off, the game is not always corrupted if you get a error message so make sure you are using the latest BETA version of 7-zip if it still fails to open or extract, try to download it a second time but this time instead of extract right click the file, goto 7-zip and click test archive. If then any errors come up report the game in the forum.

Question 24: I can not load any PLUS features anymore and PLUS Login tells me that my key is in use. What can I do?

Well first of all if you are using your DarkSteam PLUS in another system, you need to deactivate the key on that system in order to load it in the new one. In order to do so, just click the PLUS button the the reset button in Preloader.

Question 25: I can't seem to load DarkSteam. What should I do in this case?

Make sure all Steam.exe and DarkSteam.exe processes are closed (see task manager).
Now, open the Launcher and click GO DarkSteam. If it's your first run, DarkSteam will load Steam (in order to make a setup) and you will need to close it as soon as it's open. Now, second time, make sure that no Steam.exe and DarkSteam.exe processes are running. if you see any running, close them.
Now in the loaded Launcher, click GO DarkSteam again. DarkSteam.exe will load up your Steam.exe process, and the Steam (DarkSteam) window should show up. Login with your username and password and way you go.

If you have any issues still, try reconfiguring your DarkSteam again by clicking the "Reset CFG" button in the Launcher.

As a small note, DarkSteam will need .Net 4.0 full to be installed. See Micrsoft website for more info on how to install .Net 4.0.

Question 26: I need general help with issues that are not described in the F.A.Q. What to do?
Well if you got to issues you never encountered before, just ask for help over HelpDesk or HelpForum.
Remember that a quality post always helps better.

Question 27: What is a quality post? How do I submit one?
Lately, more and more members started to ask questions like "Need help", "Not working", "Won't load" and so on.
Guys try to understand that we are no gods and no one can actually know your issue
Post more info, info like, error message, how is this happening, tried to reproduce, are DarkSteam apps allowed to connect to internet, are DarkSteam apps trusted in router/firewall/antivirus/security suits. Even system info can help sometimes.
So help us help you.

Question 28: I have downloaded a game via Preloader, and after opening it, is says that Servers are busy for my request?
Please check CFToolbox to see if game is outdated/updated. If game is outdated, see this forum.

Question 29: I can not download games via Preloader. Always getting a error.log error message.
Make sure you do not use Active connection mode first then try again. Now if issue persists, enable it and add a forward to port 21 to both firewall and router.
For help regarding port forward on routers, see http://portforward.com/