Seriously, I've had it with steam...I have a yahoo email that I haven't used in over a year associated my steam account and can no longer get access to and the $250+ worth of games I reluctantly purchased through steam.
I reformated my hard drive yesterday spending at least 4 hours re-installing Windows 7 and all my drivers. Tried to get my steam account back up so I could enjoy some Skyrim and Steam didn't recognize my computer and sent a "code" to the email account I no longer use. I've written customer support several time gave them address and credit card info that is associated with my account and still nothing...this is a freaking nightmare.
Has anyone encountered the same situation, and if so please let me know if there's anything else I can do. Thanks.

I'm not flaming or anything and I can sympathize with the situation but...

...How is this, any of this, Steam's fault?

Why did you tie your account to an address you don't use anyway?

I have to agree with Jerhicco: How is this Steam's Fault?

Did you try recovering your Yahoo account by clicking "Forgot Password/Username" so you can retrieve the code Steam sent?

Hope that helps

Usually people won't but I can think up a few reasons. In the past I have made up email accounts that I barely use for when I need to give an email to someone, but don't really trust them not to spam me, so I use a "Junk" email for this. Another reason is that sometimes people just stop using the account or forget the password but never need as because of auto-login.

I've been trying to prevent this from happening to me, but Steam will not let me change my email or password. Every time I try it gives me an error. I've been trying every so ofter for about a year now.

I didn't say it was their fault but I haven't even received any replies from them aside from the auto replies. Clearly they they should be able to link the info I gave them and that account. I also didn't even think about the email account I had in steam when I re installed all my software on my computer, and I changed my email account over a year ago. They also ask to give a CD key to access the account, but what if, all your CD keys are stored in your Steam account?? Brilliant...

What timeframe are we talking about here? Did you provide only text, or did you take a photo of your card (with all but the last two numbers blanked out, of course) or other ID?

Ah my apologies then.

But still, try recovering your old account so you can get the code Steam sent

I like the alliteration. You just need to play the waiting game, unless you can remember your secret question's secret answer for your email.

i hate steam because i bought terraria and now it wont let me play it without rebuying, screw steam i will NEVER use it again

I would say don't bother with Steam support. They are very nearly useless. I suggest the obvious and just google your question...Google knows all.

Or just try and recover the Yahoo email account.

But how is this your fault if you used an email you haven't used in a year.

I forgot the password to my email associated with my Steam account. Sent a message to Steam Support with the required info and they changed it to my new email address about 3 days later.

I like the philosophy of using Steam to purchase games. It's safer and more convenient for the user and the developers are happy because all their games are accounted for.

That being said, with a system like Steam, it's crucial to be diligent and keep records of all purchased games, product keys, and account information somewhere other than the computer.

More convenient? Yes. Safer? No. If I buy a game brick and mortar, then I have no worries. When using an digital distribution system, my game is now tied to an account (which can be hijacked or closed) as well as another place my credit card information is stored if I'm not careful, meaning another potential place for credit card theft.

Yeah, but you won't lose the game from being mugged on your way home, or your entire collection in a fire .

I can respect your perspective, but for me it's a better system because I don't have to worry when my CDs get eaten up after years of use or damaged from accidents. They'll always be available for download. Of course privacy is an issue, but there's no way to escape that in the age of electronic information. If Steam doesn't have your credit card number, the brick and mortar store does (if you chose to use a credit card in that instance).

Brick and Mortar stores cannot store your credit card information past their next processing, otherwise they are in violation of PCI-DSS.


Ah, but what if the Internet's tubes get clogged? You'll have to wait for a cosmic plumber to show up before you can download your games! And if the big truck crashes, well, it's game over.

A few years ago, I used to work as a waiter for a restaurant where the entire credit card number and expiration date would print out on the duplicate receipts. At the end of the night, they just go in the trash, and straight to the dumpster. It's illegal, but the restaurant still did it, and it'd be a gold mine for any thief. My point is people are careless regardless of policies and laws.


And what about when CD players are no longer made? Instead the only format available is hooking a device up to your brain?

Maybe that's what we're doing right now...

That company is a [censored] and should be seriously fined and people drained of every penny they own in civil suits. Printing out an unprotected credit card number by a payment station is grounds for losing your ability to use payment cards, also all such machines are not lawfully created, as it's forbidden by all the payment card industry. Quite frankly I think you're lying or mistaken (or it's significantly older than a few years).

I still have 5.25 and 3.5 floppy disk readers (no 8-incher, though ) as well as ZIP disk readers. And anyway, optical media isn't going anywhere any time soon. Also if the game is on CD, it's probably a pretty old game, and if it's old, it may have no DRM. If it has no DRM, you can legally make a digital copy of it for your own use (no DMCA exemption necessary, since there's no bypassing of DRM). Virtually all Blu-ray players have DVD playback capabilities, so that's not an issue either for the foreseeable future.

I'm afraid I'm very much telling the truth. I didn't even notice it until one of the guests had asked me about it, but as far as I know, the owner didn't do anything from the time I was there until I left.

The second part of my post was a joke. I don't see CD players ever leaving the scene, and even if they did, there's plenty of them to last us into the next millennium. But l digress, for me, I like Steam and I'll continue to use it, lest they stab me in the back. It's just another alternative to buying games and certainly won't replace physical copies of games and stores.

And let me add one more reason why I purchase through Steam: whenever I go to a game store, they never have the PC game I'm looking for!

Yahoo never deletes email accounts..no matter how inactive they are.

You can easily recover it.

And this is why I will never understand the popularity of steam. You bought those things, but you dont own them.

Sure you may get games cheaper than me, but I am garunteed ownership.

True. Convenience does come at a price!