steam interview questions
Top steam frequently asked interview questions
Where does Steam download apps to on Mac? (What's the save path?)
Where is the local content stored?
Source: (StackOverflow)
Which ip addresses and/or ports/protocols do I need to block at my firewall to prevent Steam downloading updates?
I want to prevent my housemates from inadvertently downloading Steam updates when our internet access is at peak rate. They tell me there is no way to configure Steam to download updates only at specified times.
(My firewall runs Ubuntu lucid, so I know I could block the traffic if only I knew what to block.)
Source: (StackOverflow)
I'm not sure if this is more proper in stackexchange, but how do programs such as steam (the game overlay) and FRAPS overlay data over a window? I've noticed that the overlay/fraps can only work on windows that are driven by opengl/directx, or is the overlay just a feature int he windows api? Also, how does fraps get the fps of the window?
Source: (StackOverflow)
I have a 120GB SSD and a 2.0TB HDD. I love how steam has added the ability to specify where I can install my games. For most games when I go to install I get this option:
To which I can then select my HDD:
This works really well and I love it however for some games I simply get this:
I was just wondering if I could enable this lovely feature for ALL of my games or is this a bug or what?
Source: (StackOverflow)
My school requires a proxy for all internet access. If you want to use the internet, it is impossible to not use a proxy. This makes it a problem for many programs that don't seem to let you enter proxy settings.
How can I use Steam when I am behind a proxy? Is it possible to somehow enter the details into a configuration file, or force it to get the settings from Internet Explorer?
If not, does software exist for creating a 'virtual' network adapter which will pass all traffic (or all protocol x traffic) through the proxy?
Although I am facing this specific problem on Windows 7, solutions for all operating systems are welcome.
Source: (StackOverflow)
How can I read my old conversations with my Steam friends?
Facebook and Google Chat (whatever it's called now) let me review old conversations
Source: (StackOverflow)
Can an NTFS Junction Point between HDDs cause a bottleneck? Or will the junction be cached in memory?
Specifically, I want to install Steam on a magnetic HDD. This means all the games will be installed there. To benefit from my SSD, I will junction point the games I am actively playing from Steam's directory on the HDD to the SSD.
I was wondering if this would cause performance issue. Every time the game accesses a file, does it need to read the HDD, read the junction point, resolve the new path on the SSD, then get the true file? Or will it the OS cache this re-direction so the performance penalty is only hit the first time?
Thanks!
Source: (StackOverflow)
My friends say it's just me, but whenever Steam updates or downloads - which can take hours - it uses 99% of the CPU, makes everything else slow, and is itself glacial to respond at all. Does anyone else get this and have you ameliorated it somehow?
Even after the update and despite the download finishing six hours ago, Steam continues to run at 99% CPU. I had to exit Steam and restart it to get under 90% usage (now it's 2%). However this behavior is frequent enough that I see it as a problem I need to avoid from recurring. Right now, one of the other differences is that the VM size grew from ~15,000K to 84,116K and settled, whereas last time you saw it grew to 229,264K.
My machine has an AMD Athlon 64 3000+ CPU (not dual core), 2GB of RAM, an NVIDIA GeForce 7600-something and 500GB disk space.
Source: (StackOverflow)
UPDATE: This question lives on at gaming.stackexchange.com.
So – I just bought the new game Supreme Commander 2. This question is not about the game, but about the online software installation platform that it seems to require. I haven't bought a game in a long time, and I'm puzzled: Apparently, SC2 is a "Steam"-powered game.
When I went to install the game, it asked me to either create a new Steam account, or log in with an existing account. I clicked "Cancel" because I don't plan to play online and I don't want anything unnecessary installed on my computer, since I only plan to play single player!
However, after clicking "Cancel", the installer asked for my confirmation that I indeed wanted to cancel installation of the game! I thought I was just canceling the "online" portions!
So I really want to know:
- How do "Steam" powered games work?
- Is this essentially a form of DRM (Digital Rights Management)?
- Can I trust this software platform?
- Has anybody done any independent verification on how this platform works? (I'm very leery of any DRM after the Sony BMG CD copy protection scandal. Thank goodness for Mark Russinovich.)
- Does the "Steam" platform install anything particularly nasty or unwanted on my computer?
Source: (StackOverflow)
I got this pop-up from the Windows firewall. What is "C:2\" in the path? The real path is D:\Steam\SteamApps\common\...
I tried cd /d C:2\ in cmd and got "The system cannot find the path specified."
I also tried cd C:2\ in Powershell and got "Set-Location : Cannot find path 'C:\2\' because it does not exist."
So how is "C:2\" a shortcut for "D:\"?
Update:
I tried searching for C:2 in the registry, as @Tyson suggested.
There are a lot of irrelevant search results when I search for C:2 in the registry with "Match whole string only" unchecked and no results with "Match whole string only" checked. Yet I found the key, it's in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\FirewallRules and its value is v2.10|Action=Allow|Active=TRUE|Dir=In|Protocol=17|Profile=Private|App=C:2\steam\steamapps\common\sonic & all-stars racing transformed\asn_app_pcdx9_final.exe|Name=asn_app_pcdx9_final.exe|Desc=asn_app_pcdx9_final.exe|Defer=User|. There is a rule for D:\Steam\SteamApps\common\Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed\ASN_App_PcDx9_Final.exe in Windows Firewall with Advanced Security > Inbound Rules. I also found a rule for Team Fortress 2, which is v2.10|Action=Allow|Active=TRUE|Dir=In|Protocol=6|Profile=Private|App=C:0\steam\steamapps\common\team fortress 2\hl2.exe|Name=hl2.exe|Desc=hl2.exe|Defer=User| in the registry and D:\Steam\SteamApps\common\Team Fortress 2\hl2.exe in the Windows firewall rule list. Other games installed in D:\Steam\... have D:\ both in the registry and Windows firewall rules. So it's probably how Steam makes aliases for drives other than C:\, but I'd like to know how it works, and why in one case it was C:2\, in another C:0\, and in the third one just D:\. I guess it's probably because it's an external HDD, and sometimes Steam couldn't find it the moment Windows woke up after sleep, so Steam assigned different aliases for it.
But what actually makes those aliases work? There are no folders called 2 or 0, it's just D:\Steam\...
Source: (StackOverflow)
When you download the client it does not weigh too much, and seems to do very little. Inside the app bundle there is a script that—upon inspecting the environment and deciding you're not running Linux—launches the client, which downloads the full support environment and resources. For this to happen (all of this is saved inside the bundle, the app bundle gets updated in this process) Steam wants Universal Access for Assistive Devices, and your password.
Cacheable resources, preferences (like keyboard shortcuts), support files (like game hardware requirement lookup tables) live inside the bundle, not in ~/Library/{Application Support|Preferences|Cache}; games' data get dumped into ~/Documents/Steam Content.
I'd describe myself as a bit OCD (which really says a lot), and I wouldn't care that much still. I'd go comb this hairy mess and find out where stuff is, when and if I need to, even if it's in an unfamiliar place; that does not actually tick me off. Well, a little bit.
What makes me concerned is the way Steam needs both Access for Assistive Devices, and my password to run for the first time. The former gives it the ability to talk very intimately with running apps and the underlying system; while the latter (admin account) could very well give it and it's publishers unrestricted access to all my software, hardware and data. With publishers like Rockstar using scene NOCD cracks to publish their games on Steam, I'm not so sure I'm OK with this.
I'd like more games made available for the MacOS X and all the pretty machines that run it, but this arrangement does not seem very Mac-like to me. It looks like Valve is going around system security measures and best practices, foregoing sandboxing, code signing, relatively sane structured organization; all the things that would appeal to someone who's no fun at parties at all, and will die alone, in his long dead mother's basement… wait. Right. Anyway.
Can we get some input on Steam for Mac security at the end-user machine, from someone who understands how Accessibility API works, whether games distributed on Steam can read and write outside the user homefolder, collect data from other running apps, or similar?
Source: (StackOverflow)
I am able to surf the web and my LogMeIn client is not reporting any errors, but I cannot connect to Battle.net or Steam. (I can still visit Battle.net and Steam via my web browser.)
I was actually logged into BOTH of these services earlier this morning, but now they will not connect. (For those who do not game: these services are unrelated and hosted by two separate companies.)
My setup:
- Comcast Cable Internet
- Motorolla SB6120 DOCSIS 3.0 Modem
- Gentoo Router (built years ago following this guide)
- Dell PowerConnect 2724 24-port gigabit switch
- Windows 2003 Domain Controller / DNS Server (recursing to OpenDNS)
- Windows 7 x64 desktop computer (where I am attempting to access the games from.)
- There is absolutely no antivirus or security software running on my gaming computer.
Steps I have taken:
- Rebooted modem, router, domain controller and desktop computer.
- Tried removing OpenDNS and using my ISP's DNS from the Domain Controller
- Tried changing DNS on my client computer to my ISP's DNS (normally, my computer's only DNS entry is the DC).
- Double checked that the Windows Firewall was in fact still disabled for all profiles.
- Double checked that Windows Defender is still turned off.
I am completely perplexed and not sure what to try next? Has anyone seen this before?
Update:
- I called Comcast (they are not blocking any gaming services)
- I installed Steam on another computer in my house and it CONNECTS
- I tried to do a System Restore to a random checkpoint made last week (did not fix it.)
- I am thinking the Windows Firewall is somehow misbehaving. After the system restore, I went into check the firewall settings again and it told me that the snap in could not load because the Windows Firewall was not running. Once I started the Firewall service, I enabled and disabled the firewalls. Still cannot connect to Steam or Battle.net, though.
And I got this message when trying to do a repair install on Steam:
Source: (StackOverflow)
I am currently running OS X 10.7.2 on a MacBook Air. As a quick note, while this program was installed through Steam, I don't think it's a Steam issue.
Background: Through Steam, I recently downloaded the Team Fortress 2 Beta to this Mac and then removed it via Steam's "Delete Local Game Content." This has left the "Team Fortress 2 Beta" icon stuck on the Launchpad, and I cannot remove it.
All of the typical methods for removing an icon have not worked (i.e., dragging to trash, Control+Option+Command+Left-Click, holding down left-click over the icon until icons start shaking, et cetera). I have uninstalled Steam (dragging icon in "Application" folder to trash) and removed all game content (deleted associated Steam directory in "Application Support") and that has not deleted the icon.
I have deleted the "Application Support" folder to try and force the Launchpad to reset itself; it did reset, but the icon remained there. There is also not an icon in the Application folder for the game. Clicking on the icon in the Launchpad does nothing, now that Steam is removed.
How do I remove this orphan icon from the Launchpad?
Source: (StackOverflow)
I've been playing L4D recently and people usually get irritated when you play without a proper headset. Instead of running out and buying one, can i use my existing BT headset (jawbone), pair it to my PC, and use it on Steam? How would I go about setting that up?
Just an FYI, i had paired it and while it shows up in Windows, it does not show up in Steam.
Source: (StackOverflow)
I have a fresh install of the KDE spin of fedora 22. Quite simple install instructions are given here to install steam:
However I get a bunch of conflicts as steam.i686 depends on other .i686 libraries and being a 64 bit install I have x86_64. The conflicts are
(of the form file <something> from install of <i686> conflicts with file from package <x86_64>):
elfutils-libelf-0.163-4.fc22.i686
fontconfig-2.11.94-4.fc22.i686
freetype-2.5.5-2.fc22.i686
gdk-pixbuf2-2.31.6-1.fc22.i686
gnutls-3.3.18-1.fc22.i686
krb5-libs-1.13.2-8.fc22.i686
libidn-1.32-1.fc22.i686
libstdc++-5.1.1-4.fc22.i686
p11-kit-0.23.1-2.fc22.i686
pam-1.1.8-19.fc22.i686
pango-1.36.8-6.fc22.i686
I'm quite certain I don't want to replace my system with the 32 bit versions, but I definitely had steam installed fine on my last system. Does anyone know how steam should really be installed, or maybe how I could get these packages installed just for steam?
(I have installed nvidia drivers and their 32 bit version just fine, it's just the 32 bit libraries stopping me from actually installing steam)
UPDATE: full output
> sudo dnf install steam
================================================================================
Package Arch Version Repository Size
================================================================================
Installing:
alsa-lib i686 1.0.29-1.fc22 fedora 392 k
atk i686 2.16.0-1.fc22 fedora 259 k
audit-libs i686 2.4.4-1.fc22 updates 96 k
avahi-libs i686 0.6.31-43.fc22 updates 61 k
bzip2-libs i686 1.0.6-14.fc22 fedora 45 k
cairo i686 1.14.2-1.fc22 fedora 756 k
cracklib i686 2.9.1-5.fc22 fedora 84 k
cups-libs i686 1:2.0.3-1.fc22 updates 392 k
cyrus-sasl-lib i686 2.1.26-23.fc22 updates 160 k
dbus-libs i686 1:1.8.20-1.fc22 updates 171 k
elfutils-libelf i686 0.163-4.fc22 updates 212 k
elfutils-libs i686 0.163-4.fc22 updates 295 k
expat i686 2.1.0-10.fc22 fedora 90 k
fontconfig i686 2.11.94-4.fc22 updates 245 k
freetype i686 2.5.5-2.fc22 updates 413 k
gdk-pixbuf2 i686 2.31.6-1.fc22 updates 569 k
glib2 i686 2.44.1-2.fc22 updates 2.2 M
glibc i686 2.21-8.fc22 updates 4.2 M
gmp i686 1:6.0.0-9.fc22 fedora 423 k
gnutls i686 3.3.18-1.fc22 updates 617 k
graphite2 i686 1.2.4-3.fc22 fedora 92 k
gtk2 i686 2.24.28-1.fc22 fedora 3.4 M
harfbuzz i686 0.9.40-1.fc22 fedora 172 k
jasper-libs i686 1.900.1-30.fc22 fedora 149 k
jbigkit-libs i686 2.1-3.fc22 fedora 51 k
keyutils-libs i686 1.5.9-4.fc22 fedora 45 k
krb5-libs i686 1.13.2-8.fc22 updates 853 k
libX11 i686 1.6.3-1.fc22 fedora 617 k
libXScrnSaver i686 1.2.2-8.fc22 fedora 28 k
libXau i686 1.0.8-4.fc22 fedora 33 k
libXcomposite i686 0.4.4-6.fc22 fedora 27 k
libXcursor i686 1.1.14-4.fc22 fedora 34 k
libXdamage i686 1.1.4-6.fc22 fedora 25 k
libXext i686 1.3.3-2.fc22 fedora 42 k
libXfixes i686 5.0.1-4.fc22 fedora 22 k
libXft i686 2.3.2-2.fc22 fedora 62 k
libXi i686 1.7.4-2.fc22 fedora 45 k
libXinerama i686 1.1.3-4.fc22 fedora 18 k
libXrandr i686 1.4.2-2.fc22 fedora 30 k
libXrender i686 0.9.9-1.fc22 fedora 30 k
libXxf86vm i686 1.1.4-1.fc22 fedora 22 k
libattr i686 2.4.47-10.fc22 updates 24 k
libcap i686 2.24-7.fc22 fedora 52 k
libcom_err i686 1.42.12-4.fc22 fedora 45 k
libcurl i686 7.40.0-7.fc22 updates 257 k
libdatrie i686 0.2.8-5.fc22 fedora 32 k
libdb i686 5.3.28-12.fc22 updates 763 k
libdrm i686 2.4.61-3.fc22 fedora 132 k
libedit i686 3.1-12.20150325cvs.fc22 fedora 100 k
libffi i686 3.1-7.fc22 fedora 33 k
libgcc i686 5.1.1-4.fc22 updates 91 k
libgcrypt i686 1.6.3-4.fc22 fedora 352 k
libgpg-error i686 1.17-2.fc22 fedora 123 k
libidn i686 1.32-1.fc22 updates 229 k
libjpeg-turbo i686 1.4.0-2.fc22 updates 160 k
libpciaccess i686 0.13.3-0.3.fc22 fedora 31 k
libpng i686 2:1.6.16-3.fc22 fedora 124 k
libpng12 i686 1.2.50-8.fc22 fedora 159 k
libselinux i686 2.3-10.fc22 updates 150 k
libssh2 i686 1.5.0-1.fc22 fedora 148 k
libstdc++ i686 5.1.1-4.fc22 updates 444 k
libtasn1 i686 4.5-1.fc22 fedora 327 k
libthai i686 0.1.21-1.fc22 fedora 193 k
libtiff i686 4.0.3-20.fc22 updates 177 k
libtxc_dxtn i686 1:1.0.0-4.fc22 rpmfusion-free 18 k
libtxc_dxtn x86_64 1:1.0.0-4.fc22 rpmfusion-free 18 k
libverto i686 0.2.6-4.fc22 fedora 21 k
libwayland-client i686 1.7.0-1.fc22 fedora 31 k
libwayland-server i686 1.7.0-1.fc22 fedora 37 k
libxcb i686 1.11-8.fc22 updates 205 k
libxshmfence i686 1.2-1.fc22 fedora 11 k
llvm-libs i686 3.5.0-9.fc22 fedora 8.7 M
mesa-dri-drivers i686 10.6.9-1.20151008.fc22 updates 8.5 M
mesa-filesystem i686 10.6.9-1.20151008.fc22 updates 35 k
mesa-libEGL i686 10.6.9-1.20151008.fc22 updates 98 k
mesa-libGL i686 10.6.9-1.20151008.fc22 updates 213 k
mesa-libgbm i686 10.6.9-1.20151008.fc22 updates 56 k
mesa-libglapi i686 10.6.9-1.20151008.fc22 updates 70 k
ncurses-libs i686 5.9-18.20150214.fc22 fedora 312 k
nettle i686 2.7.1-5.fc22 fedora 339 k
nspr i686 4.10.8-1.fc22 fedora 137 k
nss i686 3.20.0-1.2.fc22 updates 871 k
nss-softokn i686 3.20.0-1.0.fc22 updates 319 k
nss-softokn-freebl i686 3.20.0-1.0.fc22 updates 196 k
nss-util i686 3.20.0-1.0.fc22 updates 81 k
openldap i686 2.4.40-12.fc22 fedora 346 k
openssl-libs i686 1:1.0.1k-12.fc22 updates 944 k
p11-kit i686 0.23.1-2.fc22 updates 148 k
pam i686 1.1.8-19.fc22 updates 730 k
pango i686 1.36.8-6.fc22 updates 296 k
pcre i686 8.37-5.fc22 updates 495 k
pixman i686 0.32.8-1.fc22 updates 266 k
readline i686 6.3-5.fc22 fedora 203 k
sqlite i686 3.9.0-1.fc22 updates 487 k
steam i686 1.0.0.50-2.fc22 rpmfusion-nonfree 2.6 M
systemd-libs i686 219-25.fc22 updates 358 k
trousers i686 0.3.13-3.fc22 fedora 299 k
xz-libs i686 5.2.0-2.fc22 fedora 96 k
zlib i686 1.2.8-7.fc22 fedora 97 k
Transaction Summary
================================================================================
Install 99 Packages
Total size: 49 M
Installed size: 150 M
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Downloading Packages:
... #everything's [SKIPPED] Already downloaded since first run
Running transaction check
Transaction check succeeded.
Running transaction test
The downloaded packages were saved in cache till the next successful transaction.
You can remove cached packages by executing 'dnf clean packages'.
Error: Transaction check error:
file /usr/share/gcc-5.1.1/python/libstdcxx/v6/printers.py from install of libstdc++-5.1.1-4.fc22.i686 conflicts with file from package libstdc++-5.1.1-1.fc22.x86_64
file /usr/share/gcc-5.1.1/python/libstdcxx/v6/printers.pyc from install of libstdc++-5.1.1-4.fc22.i686 conflicts with file from package libstdc++-5.1.1-1.fc22.x86_64
file /usr/share/gcc-5.1.1/python/libstdcxx/v6/printers.pyo from install of libstdc++-5.1.1-4.fc22.i686 conflicts with file from package libstdc++-5.1.1-1.fc22.x86_64
file /usr/share/gcc-5.1.1/python/libstdcxx/v6/xmethods.py from install of libstdc++-5.1.1-4.fc22.i686 conflicts with file from package libstdc++-5.1.1-1.fc22.x86_64
file /usr/share/gcc-5.1.1/python/libstdcxx/v6/xmethods.pyc from install of libstdc++-5.1.1-4.fc22.i686 conflicts with file from package libstdc++-5.1.1-1.fc22.x86_64
file /usr/share/gcc-5.1.1/python/libstdcxx/v6/xmethods.pyo from install of libstdc++-5.1.1-4.fc22.i686 conflicts with file from package libstdc++-5.1.1-1.fc22.x86_64
file /usr/share/doc/freetype/CHANGES from install of freetype-2.5.5-2.fc22.i686 conflicts with file from package freetype-2.5.5-1.fc22.x86_64
file /usr/share/doc/fontconfig/README from install of fontconfig-2.11.94-4.fc22.i686 conflicts with file from package fontconfig-2.11.93-2.fc22.x86_64
file /usr/share/fontconfig/conf.avail/10-scale-bitmap-fonts.conf from install of fontconfig-2.11.94-4.fc22.i686 conflicts with file from package fontconfig-2.11.93-2.fc22.x86_64
file /usr/share/doc/fontconfig/fontconfig-user.html from install of fontconfig-2.11.94-4.fc22.i686 conflicts with file from package fontconfig-2.11.93-2.fc22.x86_64
file /usr/share/doc/fontconfig/fontconfig-user.txt from install of fontconfig-2.11.94-4.fc22.i686 conflicts with file from package fontconfig-2.11.93-2.fc22.x86_64
file /usr/share/man/man1/fc-query.1.gz from install of fontconfig-2.11.94-4.fc22.i686 conflicts with file from package fontconfig-2.11.93-2.fc22.x86_64
file /usr/share/man/man1/fc-scan.1.gz from install of fontconfig-2.11.94-4.fc22.i686 conflicts with file from package fontconfig-2.11.93-2.fc22.x86_64
file /usr/share/man/man5/fonts-conf.5.gz from install of fontconfig-2.11.94-4.fc22.i686 conflicts with file from package fontconfig-2.11.93-2.fc22.x86_64
file /usr/share/locale/de/LC_MESSAGES/elfutils.mo from install of elfutils-libelf-0.163-4.fc22.i686 conflicts with file from package elfutils-libelf-0.161-6.fc22.x86_64
file /usr/share/locale/en@boldquot/LC_MESSAGES/elfutils.mo from install of elfutils-libelf-0.163-4.fc22.i686 conflicts with file from package elfutils-libelf-0.161-6.fc22.x86_64
file /usr/share/locale/en@quot/LC_MESSAGES/elfutils.mo from install of elfutils-libelf-0.163-4.fc22.i686 conflicts with file from package elfutils-libelf-0.161-6.fc22.x86_64
... #ran out of 30k char limit
Error Summary
-------------
Source: (StackOverflow)