I'm unable to setup a Steam Account, it won't accept any of my passwords

Well this is weird.  I can't seem to setup a Steam Account.  I'm gold up to point where I try to enter a password after entering my password, any password, any configuration, I get a message that my password is not allowed and to try a new password of at least 8 characters my passwords are always much larger than 8 characters, but for grins I've tried everything from as many as 35 all the way down to 8.  Nothing works.  Their support page does not address this specific issue that I'm experiencing and they do not seem to have a contact page. I'm off to google, to try an find answers.  Has anyone else run into this.

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Added this second screen pic, because it also just happened.

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Edited by Not_Applykable, 28 June 2024 - 11:54 AM.

Gen Info.  More Info.

Louis

Hey there Louis,

I appreciate the help.  I read the article you linked me to and I'd read the Steam instructions earlier. As I'll explain in more detail, I've done what they both say to do.

This is the weirdest thing because I'm following the directions to the letter, double adding my email address, doing the reCAPTCHA, and checking the age box and clicking continue (no flags). Then opening the email and clicking on the Verify Email button, getting the okay,  and returning to my sign up screen, entering a username and double entering a password. Then when I click continue I get the unusable password message. I've tried registering on both the website and with the Steam PC App / software. The results were the same.  I tried different passwords. The result was the same each time until finally, I guess I tried one to many times and it cut me off on the email address page with the message, "There was a problem creating your Steam account, Please try again later."  

Based on that last message, I'm hoping that Steam is just having a little problem and maybe later when I give it another try I sail right in. That's my hope anyway.

In my google searching I've learned that I'm not the only one who's experienced registration problems. In one case a guy made video about how he finally succeeded and it involved deleting his browser cache and doing a DNS flush.  So on the bright side, as of today I know what DNS is and does and why flushing it every so often is a good thing.

I just built this computer and I just did my clean install of Windows 11 Pro on Monday and loaded all of my drivers, etc. It's hard to conceive that either the cache or the DNS is the problem, but I've already dumped the cache and I'll flush the DNS right after this post.

I am using Google Chrome as my browser at the moment, do you think that could be an issue?  I do have a stand alone VPN, but I it's not even on. One last thought, I use LastPass as my password creator and keeper.  It's never presented an issue, but... could it be a problem?

Regards,

Pete   

P.S. I also saw your malware thread link, I've got unrelated questions which I'll follow that up in the Security > antivirus forum.

Hi, Suggest do it in Edge or any other Browser you have not been using and does not have any Extensions installed or Privacy Settings set up.

You are correct it could be them. If mouse over gives a address off the Submit button can check that : https://www.isitdownrightnow.com/downforeveryoneorjustme.com.html

I'd never considered browser extensions. I can see how that could have something to do with it, but then, how would it explain it not working when I took the same steps using the Steam app?  Maybe the damage was baked in at that point.  As for LastPass, I set it up to generate passwords of several different lengths and configurations, I had it generate passwords that had special characters, letters and numbers and I had it generate passwords that did not include special characters, so I don't think it was ever about the passwords. When I used the Steam app I was not able to use LastPass in the same way.  I had to copy and paste the passwords, so LastPass was not generating the passwords within the Steam app. Who Knows?  I certainly hear both of you though, when I try again, based on your suggestions, I will do it from the Steam app exclusively, and I'm pretty sure I can makeup a random string of characters password. Just to be on the safe side I think I'll turn off all of my chrome browser extensions first. Fingers crossed! :-D 

Regards,

Pete 

Select a Strong Password
A strong password is a necessary first step toward ensuring the security of your account. Your password should meet all of the minimum requirements listed below:

Use at least 6 characters
Use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters.
Include at least one number within the password
Do not use a name, a word that could be found in the dictionary, or a series of letters as it appears on the keyboard ("qwerty" and "12345" are not secure passwords)
Use unique passwords
Make sure you are using a different password for your Steam account and your contact e-mail address.

Thanks cryptodan, understood and I couldn't agree more.

When allowed my passwords are always at least 21 characters, or at least the max amount allowed if less, and as you described.  Which is what I love about LastPass. It will generate them for me and store them. Besides my Master password I don't even know or care what my passwords are they are long, random and crazy strong.  Again as you suggest, all of my different accounts that I use on the regular, including, banking, credit cards, forums, email accounts, Ebay, Amazon, Newegg, etc. have vastly different passwords. Without Lastpass (in my case) those passwords would, IMO, probably be weaker and less secure, because I would have to keep them in a different way.

So, here's a screen print of my latest attempt using only the Steam PC app. The reCAPTCHA box was originally checked also. I can't even get my email verified at this point let alone the password. I think I'll try the Steam mobile app and see what happens. Also, I did not do the ipconfig/flushdns. So, I still have options.  It's starting to really feel like a challenge at this point.    Kind of like a game even. 

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Regards,

Pete    

Edited by Not_Applykable, 28 June 2024 - 10:10 PM.

Following up!

Well, I got it done a short time ago, at about 5:42pm. To my knowledge, I didn't do anything much different. Before I started, I flushed the DNS cache. Exactly what difference that made, if any, I couldn't say, as I did not even open my browser at all this time, but someone on Reddit said it worked for him, so...

This time I used the Steam App on my pc and used the email app on my phone, so I wouldn't have to open my browser, to respond to the email verification. I used a 16 character password made up of jumbled upper and lowercase letters and numbers. I used my mobile LastPass, to generate it, but typed it into the pc Steam app twice manually, again to avoid opening my browser, and miraculously didn't screw that up.

Actually, to be factual, I did try the mobile phone app once before trying the pc app today, and it wouldn't even go back to the account creation screen on the phone app after the email verification phase, it wanted to start over. So, I cannot say for sure why today was better than yesterday except maybe Steam was having a better day.  My grandson suggested it might have been because Steam's summer game sale began yesterday.  I have no idea. 

An important thing is that I did notice that it changed my account name to all lowercase letters.  I discovered that when right after it created my account it wouldn't let me sign back in. I had to submit that I had forgotten my account name and or password. When I received the recovery email I noticed that my account name was now in lowercase, and I discovered that account names are case sensitive, nowhere is this mentioned. That is why I could not sign-in after my account was created. So, yeah, Steam!  You were Quite the unnecessary challenge. Hahaha 

I'm wondering if my problem was using caps in my account name to begin with?  My suggestion, to any Steam Newbies like me is to avoid using caps in your account name.

Thanks for pitching suggestions and ideas to me.

Regards,

Pete  

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