Using Steam with Whisky

Install

Download the .exe file from the Steam download page. You should be able to run this via Whisky.

Usage

• Steam will take a long time to open. This is expected.

Fixes

Downloads not completing

• Restarting Steam when downloads hit 99% and get stuck can work.
• Try changing your bottle settings from MSync to Esync, reopen Steam and wait for the download to finish, and then revert your settings to MSync.

"Steam encountered an unexpected error during startup (0x3008)"

Since Whisky has stopped being actively maintained, newer Steam versions are not supported. If you cannot open Steam (instead being presented with a dialogue to quit or restart steam), follow these instructions:

1. Press Cmd-Shift-K from the Whisky app or go to File > Kill All Bottles.

2. In your Whisky Steam configuration, add the following arguments:

   -forcesteamupdate -forcepackagedownload -overridepackageurl http://web.archive.org/web/20250306194830if_/media.steampowered.com/client -exitsteam
   

   This will restore an older Steam version from 3/6/2025. Running an outdated version of Steam is not recommended by Valve due to possible security risks. Proceed at your own risk.

3. Click the Run button to launch Steam. It will launch, show an update installer dialog, and then close.

4. Replace the arguments you added with the following arguments:

   -noverifyfiles -nobootstrapupdate -skipinitialbootstrap -norepairfiles -overridepackageurl
   

5. Click the Run button again. It should work.

Note that any shortcuts you have made will have to be removed and regenerated.

This fix doesn't work :(

If it still doesn't work, then create a new bottle and reinstall Steam there. You can delete your old bottle if you don't need it anymore.