Issues with Starting TC/AP on steam error correcting a missing file

[G0L1AD]

So I'm just going to start off by saying I've looked for 3 days straight no joke forum after forum but nothing has solved my problem so i need help from anyone who can give it. my situation is this: i download TC but game gives me error missing executable. okay i verify cache and Im informed 1 file failed to validate and needs to be reacquired. Problem now is, Steam attempts to download this but it never can, it just keeps looping back to update paused

Sorry for the terrible grammar I'm pretty ticked off

[G0L1AD]

Oh and when i go to manage downloads it says the 1.5mb download is canceled.

[X2-Illuminatus]

Try clearing the download cache. To do so:

• Open the Steam Client.
• Click on the "Steam" main menu item.
• Choose Settings and click on the "Downloads" option.
• At the bottom of the "Downloads" page, click on the "Clear download cache" button.

Afterwards restart the Steam Client. (I think you're being asked to do this anyhow.)

[G0L1AD]

No that didn't help, im still getting the same error. I've tried changing my region many times not a single result

[CBJ]

Could it be overzealous anti-virus software preventing you from downloading the file?

[G0L1AD]

Anti virus is off at the moment

[CBJ]

Just to clarify one thing, if the executable is missing then by definition it's Steam that's giving you the error message, not the game itself. They do have a knowledge base article for this error, but I don't think it has any more suggestions than one ones we've already given you. There's also a lengthy discussion thread covering the same issue with various games. I'm afraid it may be that you have to start a support ticket with Steam, as per the linked knowledge base article, to get more help on this.

[G0L1AD]

yeah ill send a ticket, thanks

[Alan Phipps]

Just to be clear as the thread title says TC/AP but your post only mentions TC. Are you by any chance trying to run X3AP after only installing and validating X3TC?

If that is not anything to do with the issue and it is only the exe file(s) that is/are missing then it does sound as though some sort of security application (AV, Firewall or Windows Defender, etc) is set to high security and so stopping you downloading (or quarantining) executable files.

Have you looked in the Steam gamefolder so see if the exe file(s) actually exist? [Drive:\Steam\steamapps\common\x3 terran conflict and looking for X3TC.exe and X3AP.exe - and not of 0 byte lengths.]

[G0L1AD]

well i tried installing AP as well but the same error occurs, i think if i can solve the base games problem, ill be able to solve the addon's as well. or the addon doesnt have an issue but TC wont allow me to run AP because its not "all there"

I beleive thats the file im missing as well because i dont have any .exe files execpt DXSetup and Uninstall and also vcredist_86x

[Alan Phipps]

OK, then that really sounds like a security settings issue. Something on your system is probably blocking exe file downloads unless it is recognised as a very common and well known trusted exe.

It may even be renaming them to a non-executable file extension so check for that too. Check all your protection applications and OS or modem/router settings that might be doing this to downloaded executable files. (I hate to mention this, but some 'Nanny' parental supervision programs do things like this! Please don't shoot me if that cannot apply in your case!)

I am assuming that all the other gamefiles are there because the Steam validation of TC only wanted to redownload one file and that was probably X3TC.exe.

X3AP will not run if its X3AP.exe is not in the main TC game folder (and not in any subfolders such as where you found the other exes). X3AP does not need or use X3TC.exe at all. It does use the bulk of the remaining TC base gamefiles plus the content of the 'addon' folder and is started with X3AP.exe in the main TC folder - via the Steam pointer. The two missing exes in the TC game folder most probably have the same issue cause.

Good luck in tracking down the reason but it seems fairly conclusive as to what the type of problem is.

Sudden thought: it may help if you are logged on as an administrator in an administrator's account as then you will have wider download and security permissions.