After the last update I can't seem to join a server. What happens is I go to connect and it goes through the normal checks. It then hangs at "recieving server info" (can't remember exact name) for about 5-10 mins then hangs at "sending client info" and stays there. I've tried different servers, reinstalled Steam, reinstalled CS:S, defragged, scandisked and still nothing worked. Any ideas?

yes the steam server needs updating

don't worry about it, it should be fixed soon enough...play Hl2DM!

You mean the server I'm trying to join? If that's the older version it says "the server is running an older version than you".

i think they mean the steam content servers. But yeah when u uninstalled steam did u delete any files? i find a lot of the time when steam craps out. deleting the clientregistry.blob file. then launching steam and allowing it to update and install a new clientregistry. helps out. i think when it does this it checks files to make sure everything is correct. is it still happening? as i noticed the last post was a couple weeks ago

Still happened as of yesterday. I even downloaded it through Steam itself because they don't require the dvd check since the last patch, but I've still got the same problem. I'm wondering if the auth servers are having a problem with the retail version (even if you download it through steam you still have a retail key). I know I'm not the only person having this problem because theres a huge thread in the steam forums with just people having this problem (last I checked it was 6 pages). I just done another fresh install of windowsxp because I was having problems with drivers and my sound card (sound card broke so I'm now using my onboard one, but I broke my headset in the process of being angry :S) so maybe it could have just been a soundcard problem? Guess I'll see when I go and play next time (hopefully tonight).

Sounds good. so when it hangs. it just freezes up at that loading screen right. where its trying to load ur settings etc? I know i had an external sound card. and it would lock up at the same place. then i switched to onboard and everything worked fine. hopefully that was it.

Seems to be working now :S FPS is a hell of alot better now...40-80 with med settings and 1280x1024 LCD.