Is Steam spyware?

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DaveL

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Jun 2, 2001
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Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

I don't bash Valve. They made a great game. Well worth the money. But I
have been wondering about that mysterious, blank entry that is listed in
msconfig, startup tab. I do not have Steam setup to launch with Windows but
it is still there. Don't believe me? Run msinfo32. It identifies Steam as
the mysterious startup program. First question is why does steam need to be
in my run registry? Second and more important question is why does it have
to run cloaked?

DaveL
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

"DaveL" <dave1027@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:h4mdnc_rv6MxKX3cRVn-hA@comcast.com
> I don't bash Valve. They made a great game. Well worth the money.
> But I have been wondering about that mysterious, blank entry that is
> listed in msconfig, startup tab. I do not have Steam setup to launch
> with Windows but it is still there. Don't believe me? Run msinfo32.
> It identifies Steam as the mysterious startup program. First
> question is why does steam need to be in my run registry? Second and
> more important question is why does it have to run cloaked?
>
> DaveL

Interesting. that didn't show up last week. You're right though, its
there now. X-Setup Pro also sees it. That's how I know it wasn't there
last week. X-Setup can disable and even delete that entry, if you
like.
http://www.x-setup.net/ in case you're interested.
McG.
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

DaveL wrote:
> I don't bash Valve. They made a great game. Well worth the money. But I
> have been wondering about that mysterious, blank entry that is listed in
> msconfig, startup tab. I do not have Steam setup to launch with Windows but
> it is still there. Don't believe me? Run msinfo32. It identifies Steam as
> the mysterious startup program. First question is why does steam need to be
> in my run registry? Second and more important question is why does it have
> to run cloaked?
>
> DaveL
>

Dave : try and buy a clue on ebay. When you get one, come back to us.
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

"DaveL" <dave1027@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:h4mdnc_rv6MxKX3cRVn-hA@comcast.com...
>I don't bash Valve. They made a great game. Well worth the money. But I
> have been wondering about that mysterious, blank entry that is listed in
> msconfig, startup tab. I do not have Steam setup to launch with Windows
> but
> it is still there. Don't believe me? Run msinfo32. It identifies Steam
> as
> the mysterious startup program. First question is why does steam need to
> be
> in my run registry? Second and more important question is why does it
> have
> to run cloaked?
>
> DaveL

I dont believe it is spyware and if you run adaware or spybot Im sure
it wont show up as spyware but I did remove it anyway as Im fussy
about running my system lean. Use regcleaner.
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

"DaveL" <dave1027@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:h4mdnc_rv6MxKX3cRVn-hA@comcast.com...
>I don't bash Valve. They made a great game. Well worth the money. But I
> have been wondering about that mysterious, blank entry that is listed in
> msconfig, startup tab. I do not have Steam setup to launch with Windows
> but
> it is still there. Don't believe me? Run msinfo32. It identifies Steam
> as
> the mysterious startup program. First question is why does steam need to
> be
> in my run registry? Second and more important question is why does it
> have
> to run cloaked?
>

I've run msconfig and that entry isn't there.
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

Thank's Gramps,

Xsetup knocked it out. That's a good utility to have handy. It's funny
that Xsetup had that Steam thing listed in the "Virtual Paranoia" and
"Hijacker Places" sections.

DaveL


"McGrandpa" <McGrandpaNOT@NOThotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ih3Ed.18545$q4.3966@fe1.texas.rr.com...
> "DaveL" <dave1027@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:h4mdnc_rv6MxKX3cRVn-hA@comcast.com
> > I don't bash Valve. They made a great game. Well worth the money.
> > But I have been wondering about that mysterious, blank entry that is
> > listed in msconfig, startup tab. I do not have Steam setup to launch
> > with Windows but it is still there. Don't believe me? Run msinfo32.
> > It identifies Steam as the mysterious startup program. First
> > question is why does steam need to be in my run registry? Second and
> > more important question is why does it have to run cloaked?
> >
> > DaveL
>
> Interesting. that didn't show up last week. You're right though, its
> there now. X-Setup Pro also sees it. That's how I know it wasn't there
> last week. X-Setup can disable and even delete that entry, if you
> like.
> http://www.x-setup.net/ in case you're interested.
> McG.
>
>
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

DaveL wrote:
> I don't bash Valve. They made a great game. Well worth the money. But I
> have been wondering about that mysterious, blank entry that is listed in
> msconfig, startup tab. I do not have Steam setup to launch with Windows but
> it is still there. Don't believe me? Run msinfo32. It identifies Steam as
> the mysterious startup program. First question is why does steam need to be
> in my run registry? Second and more important question is why does it have
> to run cloaked?

what on earth does that have to do with spyware? Steam has an option
to load on startup, which is enabled by default.

--
Ben Cottrell AKA Bench
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

On 1/8/2005 9:27 PM McGrandpa brightened our day with:

>"DaveL" <dave1027@comcast.net> wrote in message
>news:h4mdnc_rv6MxKX3cRVn-hA@comcast.com
>
>
>>I don't bash Valve. They made a great game. Well worth the money.
>>But I have been wondering about that mysterious, blank entry that is
>>listed in msconfig, startup tab. I do not have Steam setup to launch
>>with Windows but it is still there. Don't believe me? Run msinfo32.
>>It identifies Steam as the mysterious startup program. First
>>question is why does steam need to be in my run registry? Second and
>>more important question is why does it have to run cloaked?
>>
>>DaveL
>>
>>
>
>Interesting. that didn't show up last week. You're right though, its
>there now. X-Setup Pro also sees it. That's how I know it wasn't there
>last week. X-Setup can disable and even delete that entry, if you
>like.
>http://www.x-setup.net/ in case you're interested.
>McG.
>
>
>
>
Though the registry run key for steam remains, if you take a closer look
you'll notice that there is no command line in the value data. That is
what is altered when you disable start with windows from within the
steam settings.
This is what it looks like:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
"Steam"=""

Notice the bit of emptiness there between the "" after the =.
Usually when you disable a windows/current version/run entry the entire
key is removed, in the case of steam merely the value data has been
removed. I don't know why they did it this way, but it isn't
suspicious, just having an entry in the registry doesn't do anything if
there isn't something attached to it.

Spyware paranoia isn't necessarily a bad thing, but one should endeavor
to be an informed paranoid. First off, depending on your point of
view, Steam isn't spyware, even if it was, the above registry setting
wouldn't represent a system compromise.

--
Steve ¤»Inglo«¤
www.inglostadt.com
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

"LymanAlpha" <ioo@??.¿¿¿> wrote in message
news😀3bEd.104$8Z1.65@newssvr14.news.prodigy.com...
> On 1/8/2005 9:27 PM McGrandpa brightened our day with:
>
> >"DaveL" <dave1027@comcast.net> wrote in message
> >news:h4mdnc_rv6MxKX3cRVn-hA@comcast.com
> >
> >
> >>I don't bash Valve. They made a great game. Well worth the money.
> >>But I have been wondering about that mysterious, blank entry that is
> >>listed in msconfig, startup tab. I do not have Steam setup to launch
> >>with Windows but it is still there. Don't believe me? Run msinfo32.
> >>It identifies Steam as the mysterious startup program. First
> >>question is why does steam need to be in my run registry? Second and
> >>more important question is why does it have to run cloaked?
> >>
> >>DaveL
> >>
> >>
> >
> >Interesting. that didn't show up last week. You're right though, its
> >there now. X-Setup Pro also sees it. That's how I know it wasn't there
> >last week. X-Setup can disable and even delete that entry, if you
> >like.
> >http://www.x-setup.net/ in case you're interested.
> >McG.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> Though the registry run key for steam remains, if you take a closer look
> you'll notice that there is no command line in the value data. That is
> what is altered when you disable start with windows from within the
> steam settings.
> This is what it looks like:
> Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
>
> [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
> "Steam"=""
>
> Notice the bit of emptiness there between the "" after the =.
> Usually when you disable a windows/current version/run entry the entire
> key is removed, in the case of steam merely the value data has been
> removed. I don't know why they did it this way, but it isn't
> suspicious, just having an entry in the registry doesn't do anything if
> there isn't something attached to it.
>
> Spyware paranoia isn't necessarily a bad thing, but one should endeavor
> to be an informed paranoid. First off, depending on your point of
> view, Steam isn't spyware, even if it was, the above registry setting
> wouldn't represent a system compromise.
>

That's why I asked. I did not say it was spyware. I thought the thing
looked suspicious. I've seen stuff like this in other peoples computers
which were infested. But you have the same nagging question that bothers
me. "Why did they have to do it that way"?

DaveL
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

"Ben Cottrell" <bench@bench333.screaming.net> wrote in message
news:34cqa5F4a5eb5U1@individual.net
> DaveL wrote:
>> I don't bash Valve. They made a great game. Well worth the money.
>> But I have been wondering about that mysterious, blank entry that is
>> listed in msconfig, startup tab. I do not have Steam setup to
>> launch with Windows but it is still there. Don't believe me? Run
>> msinfo32. It identifies Steam as the mysterious startup program.
>> First question is why does steam need to be in my run registry?
>> Second and more important question is why does it have to run
>> cloaked?
>
> what on earth does that have to do with spyware? Steam has an option
> to load on startup, which is enabled by default.

That option is off Ben. And that entry in the startup programs exists
after last week. Steam is the program and it's run silently.
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

"LymanAlpha" <ioo@??.¿¿¿> wrote in message
news😀3bEd.104$8Z1.65@newssvr14.news.prodigy.com
> On 1/8/2005 9:27 PM McGrandpa brightened our day with:
>
>> "DaveL" <dave1027@comcast.net> wrote in message
>> news:h4mdnc_rv6MxKX3cRVn-hA@comcast.com
>>
>>
>>> I don't bash Valve. They made a great game. Well worth the money.
>>> But I have been wondering about that mysterious, blank entry that is
>>> listed in msconfig, startup tab. I do not have Steam setup to
>>> launch with Windows but it is still there. Don't believe me? Run
>>> msinfo32. It identifies Steam as the mysterious startup program.
>>> First question is why does steam need to be in my run registry?
>>> Second and more important question is why does it have to run
>>> cloaked? DaveL
>>>
>>>
>>
>> Interesting. that didn't show up last week. You're right though,
>> its there now. X-Setup Pro also sees it. That's how I know it
>> wasn't there last week. X-Setup can disable and even delete that
>> entry, if you like.
>> http://www.x-setup.net/ in case you're interested.
>> McG.
>>
>>
>>
>>
> Though the registry run key for steam remains, if you take a closer
> look you'll notice that there is no command line in the value data.
> That is what is altered when you disable start with windows from
> within the steam settings.
> This is what it looks like:
> Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
>
> [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
> "Steam"=""
>
> Notice the bit of emptiness there between the "" after the =.
> Usually when you disable a windows/current version/run entry the
> entire key is removed, in the case of steam merely the value data has
> been removed. I don't know why they did it this way, but it isn't
> suspicious, just having an entry in the registry doesn't do anything
> if there isn't something attached to it.
>
> Spyware paranoia isn't necessarily a bad thing, but one should
> endeavor to be an informed paranoid. First off, depending on your
> point of view, Steam isn't spyware, even if it was, the above
> registry setting wouldn't represent a system compromise.

Right. Nothing I have from Giant to Spybot S&D shows any of steams
stuff as a problem. I didn't see that entry last week at all. Didn't
realize it wasn't actually running. Should have looked in the task
manager. Still, it's easy enough to remove the entry.
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

Yeah, but like Steve said, in reading the entry, it didn't DO anything.
Just there.
Glad you like X-Setup!

"DaveL" <dave1027@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:Ov2dnWj5OLP1CXzcRVn-rQ@comcast.com
> Thank's Gramps,
>
> Xsetup knocked it out. That's a good utility to have handy. It's
> funny that Xsetup had that Steam thing listed in the "Virtual
> Paranoia" and "Hijacker Places" sections.
>
> DaveL
>
>
> "McGrandpa" <McGrandpaNOT@NOThotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:ih3Ed.18545$q4.3966@fe1.texas.rr.com...
>> "DaveL" <dave1027@comcast.net> wrote in message
>> news:h4mdnc_rv6MxKX3cRVn-hA@comcast.com
>>> I don't bash Valve. They made a great game. Well worth the money.
>>> But I have been wondering about that mysterious, blank entry that is
>>> listed in msconfig, startup tab. I do not have Steam setup to
>>> launch with Windows but it is still there. Don't believe me? Run
>>> msinfo32. It identifies Steam as the mysterious startup program.
>>> First question is why does steam need to be in my run registry?
>>> Second and more important question is why does it have to run
>>> cloaked?
>>>
>>> DaveL
>>
>> Interesting. that didn't show up last week. You're right though,
>> its there now. X-Setup Pro also sees it. That's how I know it
>> wasn't there last week. X-Setup can disable and even delete that
>> entry, if you like.
>> http://www.x-setup.net/ in case you're interested.
>> McG.
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

McGrandpa wrote:
> "Ben Cottrell" <bench@bench333.screaming.net> wrote in message
> news:34cqa5F4a5eb5U1@individual.net
>
>>DaveL wrote:
>>
>>>I don't bash Valve. They made a great game. Well worth the money.
>>>But I have been wondering about that mysterious, blank entry that is
>>>listed in msconfig, startup tab. I do not have Steam setup to
>>>launch with Windows but it is still there. Don't believe me? Run
>>>msinfo32. It identifies Steam as the mysterious startup program.
>>>First question is why does steam need to be in my run registry?
>>>Second and more important question is why does it have to run
>>>cloaked?
>>
>>what on earth does that have to do with spyware? Steam has an option
>>to load on startup, which is enabled by default.
>
>
> That option is off Ben. And that entry in the startup programs exists
> after last week. Steam is the program and it's run silently.

No McG, it was always there.. just that some people never noticed the
checkbox before last week for some reason :)

Anyway, My point was that the option to disable the auto-startup is the
reason why it leaves the blank in the windows startup.. presumably just
a minor bug with the checkbox.

--
Ben Cottrell AKA Bench
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

McGrandpa wrote:

>
> That option is off Ben. And that entry in the startup programs exists
> after last week. Steam is the program and it's run silently.
>
>

The option has been there at least since HL2 was activated for play.

--
Walter Mitty
-
Useless, waste of money research of the day : http://tinyurl.com/6yh2f
http://www.tinyurl.com
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

Ben Cottrell wrote:
> McGrandpa wrote:
>> "Ben Cottrell" <bench@bench333.screaming.net> wrote in message
>> news:34cqa5F4a5eb5U1@individual.net
>>
>>> DaveL wrote:
>>>
>>>> I don't bash Valve. They made a great game. Well worth the money.
>>>> But I have been wondering about that mysterious, blank entry that
>>>> is listed in msconfig, startup tab. I do not have Steam setup to
>>>> launch with Windows but it is still there. Don't believe me? Run
>>>> msinfo32. It identifies Steam as the mysterious startup program.
>>>> First question is why does steam need to be in my run registry?
>>>> Second and more important question is why does it have to run
>>>> cloaked?
>>>
>>> what on earth does that have to do with spyware? Steam has an
>>> option to load on startup, which is enabled by default.
>>
>>
>> That option is off Ben. And that entry in the startup programs
>> exists after last week. Steam is the program and it's run silently.
>
> No McG, it was always there.. just that some people never noticed the
> checkbox before last week for some reason :)
>

like me :) dunno why i didnt see it

--

You're not a God, you're a birthday cake!
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

"Stoned Monkey" <tenny2k@NOSPAMrtennant.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:crv8k5$uqm$1@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk
> Ben Cottrell wrote:
>> McGrandpa wrote:
>>> "Ben Cottrell" <bench@bench333.screaming.net> wrote in message
>>> news:34cqa5F4a5eb5U1@individual.net
>>>
>>>> DaveL wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I don't bash Valve. They made a great game. Well worth the
>>>>> money. But I have been wondering about that mysterious, blank
>>>>> entry that is listed in msconfig, startup tab. I do not have
>>>>> Steam setup to launch with Windows but it is still there. Don't
>>>>> believe me? Run msinfo32. It identifies Steam as the mysterious
>>>>> startup program. First question is why does steam need to be in
>>>>> my run registry? Second and more important question is why does
>>>>> it have to run cloaked?
>>>>
>>>> what on earth does that have to do with spyware? Steam has an
>>>> option to load on startup, which is enabled by default.
>>>
>>>
>>> That option is off Ben. And that entry in the startup programs
>>> exists after last week. Steam is the program and it's run
>>> silently.
>>
>> No McG, it was always there.. just that some people never noticed the
>> checkbox before last week for some reason :)
>>
>
> like me :) dunno why i didnt see it

The checkbox has always been there... and I make sure it's UNchecked too
:) that's why I wondered why suddenly there's a NEW item in my startup
programs... I figured after looking per the OP's post, mine would be
without that 'stealth' ;o) line. Lo and behold, it were THAR! Me
checks Steam options again, yup....that box is still unchecked. Hm.
McG.
 
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