L4D (the first one) Map load freezing

Subject: L4D (the first one) Map load freezing Tue Dec 01, 2009 1:01 am

So yesterday, or Sunday to be exact my L4D randomly decided that it didn't want to load the maps anymore. I've tried everything from updating my whole system, to checking the game file integrity through steam. Nothing helps. It takes a minute or two to exit the program after it freezes while loading the map through the task manager, and again, nothing I've read about fixing it (which is very little helpful info) helps it any.

The basic problem is, I can adjust all my setting, join lobbies, voice chat in lobbies, text chat, and do all that kind of stuff, but when I join the versus multiplayer part and it loads the map, it start loading, then for no reason that I'm aware of, stops loading exactly halfway up the bar. It never increases, and occasionally it will flash, restart loading, and freeze again.

It's starting to piss me off, and I think Valve is doing it so that they can force me into buying a new copy of L4D, or getting a copy of L4D2, which btw, I do not have, so anyone willing to donate to a poor fella like me, I'd be ever so grateful.

But yea, if anyone knows of a solution to keeping the maps from freezing when loading, it'd be greatly appreciated.

Cheers!