protonscr

Couldn't set up Steam data - please contact technical support

steamclosed Distro Family: UbuntuDistro-provided steam package
ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux#6094 · opened 2019-02-16 by gituser823 · updated 2026-04-02 · 10 comments · github
Ggituser823 2019-02-16 github

Your system information

  • Steam client version (build number or date): steam:i386 (1:1.0.0.54+repack-5ubuntu1)
  • Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu): Linux Mint 19.1
  • Opted into Steam client beta?: [Yes/No] Yes (in Windows Client)
  • Have you checked for system updates?: [Yes/No] Yes

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:

I expect steam to open, it doesn't. Instead I get the Errormessage.

Steps for reproducing this issue:

  1. Install Steam via apt-get install steam or download the *.deb and isntall with gdebi.

When I run "steam" it says
Running Steam on linuxmint 19.1 64-bit
STEAM_RUNTIME is enabled automatically
Pins up-to-date!

but the Client does not open.

Kkisak-valve maintainer 2019-02-16 github

Hello @gituser823, please confirm that any 32 bit opengl application like glxinfo from mesa-utils:i386 works.

Which package are you currently trying to get working?

Did you purge the previous package before trying the other?

steam --reset should make steam act like it's being run for the first time, but if that doesn't make a difference, you can try to move/remove ~/.steam and ~/.local/share/Steam.

Ggituser823 2019-02-16 github

glxinfo and glxgears work fine.
at the moment I have installed the package from ubuntus sources via apt-get install steam.
Yes, I already tried steam --reset, it doesn't help.

I have now removed the package, removed ~/.steam and ~/.local/share/Steam, but I am still getting the same error, when I try to launch it.

JJesseTG 2019-02-20 github

I also have this issue.

Ffosterushka 2019-04-19 github

Guys try it

cd ~
rm -rf .steam

start steam & Enjoy :+1:

RRene2LeLorrain 2019-06-18 github

It seems I made a big mistake ... To install a new SSD nvme card for my OS, i move all my games to a new SATA III SSD since I did not have enough room on the nvme to have every thing I had on the old HDD.

Since I have Linux, I put in my home directory a logical pointer to the .steam directory on the other drive ( see attached file), now my problem:

When I try to start the program /usr/bin/steam, I get this error message "Couldn't set up Steam data - please contact technical support". I re-installed the Steam Client but I get the same message! Everything worked fine before, including SteamPlay...

Can you help me? I would not want to have to re-install all my games...

RD

System:
M.B.: Asus TUFF Gaming z390-Pro
CPU: Intel i7-8700 @ 4.3Ghz
RAM: 16GB PC3600
GPU: nVidia GTX
directory of steam.txt
1070ti
O/S : Ubuntu 18.04.2

Kkisak-valve maintainer 2021-07-02 github

Hello @gituser823, are you still experiencing this issue on an up to date system?

Unfortunately, it's not really clear how Steam's bootstrap failed here, and the opening post reads more like what happens when you're using the nVidia proprietary driver, and recently updated the video driver version without rebooting. In that case the running nVidia kernel module isn't the same version as the userspace libraries and OpenGL applications can hang waiting on the video driver like that.

Kkisak-valve maintainer 2021-08-13 github

Closing pending feedback.

HHicks79 2024-08-02 github

Guys try it

cd ~
rm -rf .steam

start steam & Enjoy 👍

Thanks so much!

I turned on the computer and when I opened steam I didn't see any game (steam/steamapps folder empty).

I restarted. And then when running steam I got an error "Couldn't set up Steam data - please contact technical support" deleting this folder, steam runs the correct folder.

Maybe regresion in Steam with the last update @kisak-valve ?

Ggituser823 2024-08-15 github

I am now using Fedora, where I dont experience the issue anymore.

Llaustoic 2026-04-02 github

Guys try it

cd ~
rm -rf .steam

start steam & Enjoy 👍

thank you, it worked on arch

Nothing extracted yet.