Steam unable to launch (webhelper not responding)

General system Gaming, sound and video
1

As the title says, I’m unable to launch Steam due to webhelper not responding. I’m running the latest native version of Steam. Here’s the output that occurs when I launch it from terminal.

steam.sh[6586]: Running Steam on endeavouros rolling 64-bit
steam.sh[6586]: STEAM_RUNTIME is enabled automatically
setup.sh[6659]: Steam runtime environment up-to-date!
steam.sh[6586]: Steam client's requirements are satisfied
tid(6756) burning pthread_key_t == 0 so we never use it
[2024-03-22 12:54:45] Startup - updater built Mar  6 2024 20:27:25
[2024-03-22 12:54:45] Startup - Steam Client launched with: '/home/jordan/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_32/steam'
minidumps folder is set to /tmp/dumps
03/22 12:54:45 Init: Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1709846872)/tid(6756)
[2024-03-22 12:54:47] Loading cached metrics from disk (/home/jordan/.local/share/Steam/package/steam_client_metrics.bin)
[2024-03-22 12:54:47] Using the following download hosts for Public, Realm steamglobal
[2024-03-22 12:54:47] 1. https://client-update.akamai.steamstatic.com/, /, Realm 'steamglobal', weight was 1000, source = 'update_hosts_cached.vdf'
[2024-03-22 12:54:47] 2. https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/, /client/, Realm 'steamglobal', weight was 1, source = 'update_hosts_cached.vdf'
[2024-03-22 12:54:47] 3. https://cdn.steamstatic.com/, /client/, Realm 'steamglobal', weight was 1, source = 'baked in'
[2024-03-22 12:54:47] Verifying installation...
[2024-03-22 12:54:47] Verification complete
UpdateUI: skip show logo
Steam logging initialized: directory: /home/jordan/.local/share/Steam/logs

XRRGetOutputInfo Workaround: initialized with override: 0 real: 0xdd563dc0
XRRGetCrtcInfo Workaround: initialized with override: 0 real: 0xdd562500
steamwebhelper.sh[6775]: === Fri Mar 22 12:54:50 PM PDT 2024 ===
steamwebhelper.sh[6775]: Starting steamwebhelper under bootstrap sniper steam runtime at /home/jordan/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_64/steam-runtime-sniper
CAppInfoCacheReadFromDiskThread took 213 milliseconds to initialize
Steam Runtime Launch Service: starting steam-runtime-launcher-service
Steam Runtime Launch Service: steam-runtime-launcher-service is running pid 6846
bus_name=com.steampowered.PressureVessel.LaunchAlongsideSteam
steamwebhelper.sh[6937]: === Fri Mar 22 12:55:03 PM PDT 2024 ===
steamwebhelper.sh[6937]: Starting steamwebhelper under bootstrap sniper steam runtime at /home/jordan/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_64/steam-runtime-sniper
steamwebhelper.sh[7054]: === Fri Mar 22 12:55:14 PM PDT 2024 ===
steamwebhelper.sh[7054]: Starting steamwebhelper under bootstrap sniper steam runtime at /home/jordan/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_64/steam-runtime-sniper
steamwebhelper.sh[7138]: === Fri Mar 22 12:55:24 PM PDT 2024 ===
steamwebhelper.sh[7138]: Starting steamwebhelper under bootstrap sniper steam runtime at /home/jordan/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_64/steam-runtime-sniper
src/steamUI/steamuisharedjscontroller.cpp (546) : Failed creating offscreen shared JS context
src/steamUI/steamuisharedjscontroller.cpp (546) : Failed creating offscreen shared JS context
03/22 12:55:24 Init: Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1709846872)/tid(6756)
assert_20240322125524_29.dmp[7201]: Uploading dump (out-of-process)
/tmp/dumps/assert_20240322125524_29.dmp
assert_20240322125524_29.dmp[7201]: Finished uploading minidump (out-of-process): success = yes
assert_20240322125524_29.dmp[7201]: response: CrashID=bp-7947bc8d-cec3-4b92-9b28-894c22240322
assert_20240322125524_29.dmp[7201]: file ''/tmp/dumps/assert_20240322125524_29.dmp'', upload yes: ''CrashID=bp-7947bc8d-cec3-4b92-9b28-894c22240322''
BRefreshApplicationsInLibrary 1: 1ms
[1:04 PM]
steamwebhelper.sh[7236]: === Fri Mar 22 12:55:34 PM PDT 2024 ===
steamwebhelper.sh[7236]: Starting steamwebhelper under bootstrap sniper steam runtime at /home/jordan/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_64/steam-runtime-sniper
steamwebhelper.sh[7328]: === Fri Mar 22 12:55:44 PM PDT 2024 ===
steamwebhelper.sh[7328]: Starting steamwebhelper under bootstrap sniper steam runtime at /home/jordan/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_64/steam-runtime-sniper
src/steamUI/steamuisharedjscontroller.cpp (546) : Failed creating offscreen shared JS context
src/steamUI/steamuisharedjscontroller.cpp (546) : Failed creating offscreen shared JS context
reaping pid: 7138 -- unknown
src/steamexe/main.cpp (264) : Assertion Failed: ReapProcess: waitid failed: 'No child processes'. Possibly leaking a zombie.

src/steamexe/main.cpp (264) : Assertion Failed: ReapProcess: waitid failed: 'No child processes'. Possibly leaking a zombie.

03/22 12:55:54 Init: Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1709846872)/tid(6756)
assert_20240322125554_38.dmp[7418]: Uploading dump (out-of-process)
/tmp/dumps/assert_20240322125554_38.dmp
steamwebhelper.sh[7421]: === Fri Mar 22 12:55:55 PM PDT 2024 ===
steamwebhelper.sh[7421]: Starting steamwebhelper under bootstrap sniper steam runtime at /home/jordan/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_64/steam-runtime-sniper
assert_20240322125554_38.dmp[7418]: Finished uploading minidump (out-of-process): success = yes
assert_20240322125554_38.dmp[7418]: response: CrashID=bp-ec16a513-0e87-4220-baf3-d08032240322
assert_20240322125554_38.dmp[7418]: file ''/tmp/dumps/assert_20240322125554_38.dmp'', upload yes: ''CrashID=bp-ec16a513-0e87-4220-baf3-d08032240322''
steamwebhelper.sh[7506]: === Fri Mar 22 12:56:05 PM PDT 2024 ===
steamwebhelper.sh[7506]: Starting steamwebhelper under bootstrap sniper steam runtime at /home/jordan/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_64/steam-runtime-sniper
steamwebhelper.sh[7587]: === Fri Mar 22 12:56:15 PM PDT 2024 ===
steamwebhelper.sh[7587]: Starting steamwebhelper under bootstrap sniper steam runtime at /home/jordan/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_64/steam-runtime-sniper
steamwebhelper.sh[7700]: === Fri Mar 22 12:56:25 PM PDT 2024 ===
steamwebhelper.sh[7700]: Starting steamwebhelper under bootstrap sniper steam runtime at /home/jordan/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_64/steam-runtime-sniper
steamwebhelper.sh[7793]: === Fri Mar 22 12:56:36 PM PDT 2024 ===
steamwebhelper.sh[7793]: Starting steamwebhelper under bootstrap sniper steam runtime at /home/jordan/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_64/steam-runtime-sniper
steamwebhelper.sh[7877]: === Fri Mar 22 12:56:46 PM PDT 2024 ===
steamwebhelper.sh[7877]: Starting steamwebhelper under bootstrap sniper steam runtime at /home/jordan/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_64/steam-runtime-sniper
[2024-03-22 12:56:55] Background update loop checking for update. . .
[2024-03-22 12:56:55] Checking for available updates...
[2024-03-22 12:56:55] Downloading manifest: https://client-update.akamai.steamstatic.com/steam_client_ubuntu12?t=1756111289
[2024-03-22 12:56:55] Manifest download: send request
[2024-03-22 12:56:55] Manifest download: waiting for download to finish
[2024-03-22 12:56:55] Manifest download: finished
[2024-03-22 12:56:55] Download skipped: /steam_client_ubuntu12?t=1756111289 version 1709846872, installed version 1709846872, existing pending version 0
[2024-03-22 12:56:55] Nothing to do
March 23, 2024
2

I’ve been having a similar (or the same) problem for the last few weeks or so, but I always get a little box that asks me if I want to relaunch steam, restart webhelper, and a few other options.

Do you get the little box with choices?

3

By the arch linux page the steam package is recommended over the native package, have you tried this?

4

Installation

Enable the multilib repository and install the steam (recommended) or alternatively the steam-native-runtime package for running Steam with native system libraries. See /Troubleshooting#Steam runtime.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/steam

5

Yep, I do.

6

I tried both of them, and they seem to be having the same issue.

7

Okay, If this was happening to me I would create a new user and see if the issue occurs there, it will help rule out any config/settings that may be causing it

8

Okay, so I created a new user. And Steam seems to be working now. The question is, what might have caused it to not work on my user.

9

I can’t really diagnose it any further but this would say to me that one of your settings or themes(if any have been applied) is causing it.

10

I have been using this theme that has caused flatpaks to not work, so I should probably just change it.

11

That may be it, give it a shot and see if anything changes. Slowly go through the differences in the settings if this doesn’t help in both steam and system and you should be able to find the culprit.

12

You could also try to remove /home/jordan/.local/share/Steam/ before you do that you need to move your installed games if they’re installed in that directory.

1 Like
13

Or just rename this directory temporally as steam should recreate it and you can easily restore

1 Like