Error 126 when launching from steam. Possible Symbolic Link issue?

[draz0000tathille]

When attempting to launch the game from steam two windows pop up.

First

Unable to Start Game​

A game file appears to be missing or corrupted. In the Steam client go to the game's properties. In the 'Local Files' tab select 'Verify Integrity of the Game Cache' to have Steam double-check the game's installation.

After hitting OK a second message immediately appears.

Error​

CAppSystemDict:Unable to load module tier0 (Dependency of VApplication001), error 126

I have tried verifying the integrity of the cache as it requests, along with making sure windows is updated, manually uninstalling and reinstalling all Visual C++ redistributable and restarting the PC in-between actions. The problem persists.

I am able to launch and play the game by navigating to the project8.exe file.

Unverified but possible source of the problem. I do not install steam games to the typical location on the C drive, I have the steam game install folder symbolic linked to install games at C:\Users\"User"\Games\Steam

 

[mineportal]

I have the same problem, but this is definitely not a non-standard path, since my laptop only has one system drive and the installation path is standard for Steam. I’ve been playing since June, and the problem suddenly appeared around September 4th, along with it came stuttering, but most likely they are not connected in any way. Sry for english, i used a Google translate.

 

[nickolaus206]

please update your system

Update your GPU driver
make sure windows is up to date.
lastly update your microsfot c++ redistributable .

Latest supported Visual C++ Redistributable downloads

This article lists the download links for the latest versions of Visual C++ Redistributable packages.

learn.microsoft.com

please use the latest one and make sure you are downloading ONLY From microsoft.

 

[mineportal]

please update your system

Update your GPU driver
make sure windows is up to date.
lastly update your microsfot c++ redistributable .

Latest supported Visual C++ Redistributable downloads

This article lists the download links for the latest versions of Visual C++ Redistributable packages.

learn.microsoft.com

please use the latest one and make sure you are downloading ONLY From microsoft.

All of this was done primarily in an attempt to fix the issue, including reinstalling the game, but to no avail. The game can still be launched using project8.exe from the directory, but when launched through Steam, it shows the same error. It seems to me that the problem lies in Steam's file path detection

 

[nickolaus206]

have you tried "moving the game installed files" from the steam client. which should rebind the symlink. makes sure you make a new folder on one of the recognized drives and its not in C: or documents.

 

[mineportal]

have you tried "moving the game installed files" from the steam client. which should rebind the symlink. makes sure you make a new folder on one of the recognized drives and its not in C: or documents.

Unfortunately I only have one drive. Is there another way to change the symlink, besides reinstalling Windows?

 

[logre216]

Bump, I just encountered this error today.

Pretty weird, since I last played 2 days ago and my computer hasn't updated or restarted, and I haven't installed anything new. Like the people above, the game still launches and works fine if I use project8.exe, but not through my Steam library or the taskbar tray icon. My game is installed in the typical default Steam path, and I did the "Verify Integrity of the Game Cache" but it didn't change anything.

Mine is also error 126, but it says something slightly different:
"CAppSystemDict:Unable to load module filesystem_stdio (Dependency of application), error 126"

Edit: after one of the last updates, I think when Mirage was added, the problem magically went away. odd

 

[digitalsmear]

I also have my games installed to a non-standard path via a symlink I created in "C:\games\Steam Library\" - makes organizing between GOG, steam, epic, Amazon (thanks Twitch free games...) easier, especially when I want to mod some games.

This causes zero issues with any other game besides Deadlock, and deadlock runs just fine when I launch it from the local directory. The game must be doing some really bizarre low level stuff if it's some how breaking itself because of a symlink, since symlinks should be otherwise invisible to applications as far as pathing goes.