TF2 server won't start properly - [S_API FAIL] SteamAPI_Init() failed;

[Ricaz]

After the TF2 update last night my server wouldn't update. I ended up deleting the installation and downloading it from scratch. Now I get this error:

Code:

[S_API FAIL] SteamAPI_Init() failed; SteamAPI_IsSteamRunning() failed.

The server will start up fine (it seems) anyway, except it doesn't load SourceMod and MetaMod. I also crashed a few times (in my TF2 client) when testing on the server.

Here's the console log:

Code:

Console initialized.
Game.dll loaded for "Team Fortress"
Setting breakpad minidump AppID = 440
Forcing breakpad minidump interfaces to load
Looking up breakpad interfaces from steamclient
Calling BreakpadMiniDumpSystemInit
Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(440)/version(5066)
Particles: Missing 'particles/error.pcf'
maxplayers set to 16
No '-replayserverdir' parameter found - using default replay folder.
Replay: Creating thread pool...succeeded.
Replay: Starting thread pool with 4 threads...succeeded.
Cleaning files from temp dir, "/home/rcz/hlds/srcds1/orangebox/tf/replay/server/tmp/" ...no files removed.
Unknown command "r_decal_cullsize"
maxplayers set to 16
Unknown command "startupmenu"
Network: IP 192.168.80.50, mode MP, dedicated Yes, ports 5506 SV / 27005 CL
ConVarRef room_type doesn't point to an existing ConVar
Executing dedicated server config file server.cfg
Initializing Steam libraries for secure Internet server
[S_API FAIL] SteamAPI_Init() failed; SteamAPI_IsSteamRunning() failed.
Looking up breakpad interfaces from steamclient
Calling BreakpadMiniDumpSystemInit
Logging into anonymous gameserver account.
maxplayers set to 17 (extra slot was added for SourceTV)
'etf2l' not present; not executing.
'cp_badlands.cfg' not present; not executing.
Sending CMsgGameServerMatchmakingStatus (state=ServerMatchmakingState_NOT_PARTICIPATING)
Connection to Steam servers successful.
   Public IP is ***.***.***.***.
Assigned anonymous gameserver Steam ID [A-1:4058449923(3094)].
VAC secure mode is activated.
Connection to game coordinator established.
Current item schema is up-to-date with version EA31EC63.
tf_server_identity_account_id not set; not logging into registered account

And the launchstring:

Code:

~/hlds/srcds1/orangebox/srcds_run -game tf +ip 192.168.80.50 -port 5506 +map cp_badlands +maxplayers 16 -steambin ~/hlds/steam -autoupdate

(The +ip option is a fix for my network and it has always worked, please ignore).

Any clues?
Anything would be appreciated.

- Ricaz

[Ethlord300]

I also sort of got the same problem but I did not know u needed to have a long launch string.
So I also have a problem but my problem is that my friends cant join me.
And my friends can't connect. They said its a problem with the ports? They have this problem that failed after 4 retries or like no connection?
I have forwarded the ports 1200 - 1200 ( TCP/UDP ), 3478-4380 ( TCP/UDP ), and 27000-27050 ( TCP/UDP )
My router is a Linksys E1200.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

@ Ricaz why the +ip may I ask ( I might need your help too )

[Ricaz]

(09-24-2012, 10:31 PM)Ethlord300 Wrote:  I also sort of got the same problem but I did not know u needed to have a long launch string.
So I also have a problem but my problem is that my friends cant join me.
And my friends can't connect. They said its a problem with the ports? They have this problem that failed after 4 retries or like no connection?
I have forwarded the ports 1200 - 1200 ( TCP/UDP ), 3478-4380 ( TCP/UDP ), and 27000-27050 ( TCP/UDP )
My router is a Linksys E1200.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

@ Ricaz why the +ip may I ask ( I might need your help too )

You should probably search the forums.
You don't need a long launch string.
I have +ip because my server has multiple interfaces, so it needs to bind to a specific one. You will most likely not need that. If you're running the server on port 27015, you only need to forward 27015 -> 27015 to your machine.
Personally I have forwarded 5506 -> 27015 and 5507 -> 27035 (two servers). Meaning when clients connect to me, they do it with 123.456.789.012:5506 or 5507.

Your problem is probably that you haven't forwarded the ports correctly (many people apparently has no idea how port forwarding works), or that your ISP or setup prevents it.

Connecting and networking is not the problem in my case - it's that the server doesn't start properly (as stated in the title).
I just want an explanation to the error message.

[Ethlord300]

Can anyone help me because when I run my server it says Received XXXXXXXX bytes item schema version DAC65A3F direct data; update is queued.
I have tried downloading the server again, uninstalled it and installed it again, even used a different computer for that purpose.
I have forwarded the port of 27015 => 27015 with no avail. I have also tried opening the update.bat file multiple times. Can anyone tell me what should my update.bat file contain? My server is for a TF2 server.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.