This was weird - I’ve had some positive loading but I can’t find out why - It makes little sense, but here’s what happened…
I just updated docker-desktop and then shut it down.
I then managed to start steam 4 times in a row. Not just without error, but quickly. I considered that possibly docker was interfering in the background somewhere, despite no containers running. Docker desktop uses qemu in the background … maybe?
1 cautious TimeShift backup, CPU perf. tweak with CPU Power GUI and reboot later my woes re-emerged.
Steps taken…
- Prevent Steam (Runtime) from trying to run on startup (at least for now) - Without the terminal I have no idea what it’s doing.
- Start Docker Desktop, remove the “Start on sign in” option, and then exit docker from the context menu.
Steam is now starting quickly and reliably again (twice) and I’m now getting solid 4K gaming performance at 60Hz on Pillars of Eternity on my Intel Integrated GPU.
On reboot my woes have returned (again) - Docker is definitely not running this time.
6 attempts to start Steam have all failed.
Reset both Docker desktops startup Command (pretty sure that doesn’t do anything though) AND added Steam back to the Startup Applications.
Another reboot but still no success initially.
Startup speed when starting Steam is definitely a thing here, which suggests that something is blocking the Steam startup process, which leads to a timeout of some kind. The question is… what?
I tried again about 5 minutes later (after starting and closing docker again like a good luck charm) and now it’s running (and well) again - I can stop and start it repeatedly.
This suggests something (maybe or maybe not docker desktop related) causing blockers at startup time. After a while or some twiddling Steam becomes “unlocked”