Steam Controller.exe not opening

[Brunno-PT]

Steam Controller.exe (actually none of the Steam Deck Tools apps) open

First exception was this

Log Name: Application
Source: .NET Runtime
Date: 26/09/2025 12:21:05
Event ID: 1026
Task Category: None
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: Windows-on-Deck
Description:
Application: SteamController.exe
CoreCLR Version: 6.0.3624.51421
.NET Version: 6.0.36
Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
Exception Info: System.TypeInitializationException: The type initializer for 'CommonHelpers.Instance' threw an exception.
---> System.IO.FileLoadException: Could not load file or assembly 'LibreHardwareMonitorLib, Version=0.9.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null'. Operation did not complete successfully because the file contains a virus or potentially unwanted software. (0x800700E1)
File name: 'LibreHardwareMonitorLib, Version=0.9.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null'
at CommonHelpers.Instance..cctor()
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at CommonHelpers.Instance.RunOnce(String title, String mutexName, Int32 runOnceTimeout) in D:\a\steam-deck-tools\steam-deck-tools\CommonHelpers\Instance.cs:line 164
at SteamController.Controller..ctor() in D:\a\steam-deck-tools\steam-deck-tools\SteamController\Controller.cs:line 73
at SteamController.Program.<>c.

b__0_0() in D:\a\steam-deck-tools\steam-deck-tools\SteamController\Program.cs:line 19
at CommonHelpers.Instance.WithSentry(Action action, String dsn) in D:\a\steam-deck-tools\steam-deck-tools\CommonHelpers\Instance.cs:line 189
at SteamController.Program.Main() in D:\a\steam-deck-tools\steam-deck-tools\SteamController\Program.cs:line 13

Event Xml:



1026
0
2
0
0
0x80000000000000

2631


Application
Windows-on-Deck



Application: SteamController.exe
CoreCLR Version: 6.0.3624.51421
.NET Version: 6.0.36
Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
Exception Info: System.TypeInitializationException: The type initializer for 'CommonHelpers.Instance' threw an exception.
---> System.IO.FileLoadException: Could not load file or assembly 'LibreHardwareMonitorLib, Version=0.9.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null'. Operation did not complete successfully because the file contains a virus or potentially unwanted software. (0x800700E1)
File name: 'LibreHardwareMonitorLib, Version=0.9.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null'
at CommonHelpers.Instance..cctor()
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at CommonHelpers.Instance.RunOnce(String title, String mutexName, Int32 runOnceTimeout) in D:\a\steam-deck-tools\steam-deck-tools\CommonHelpers\Instance.cs:line 164
at SteamController.Controller..ctor() in D:\a\steam-deck-tools\steam-deck-tools\SteamController\Controller.cs:line 73
at SteamController.Program.<>c.<Main>b__0_0() in D:\a\steam-deck-tools\steam-deck-tools\SteamController\Program.cs:line 19
at CommonHelpers.Instance.WithSentry(Action action, String dsn) in D:\a\steam-deck-tools\steam-deck-tools\CommonHelpers\Instance.cs:line 189
at SteamController.Program.Main() in D:\a\steam-deck-tools\steam-deck-tools\SteamController\Program.cs:line 13

I tried disabling Microsoft Security and tried again, same result but different exception

Log Name: Application
Source: .NET Runtime
Date: 26/09/2025 12:26:55
Event ID: 1026
Task Category: None
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: Windows-on-Deck
Description:
Application: SteamController.exe
CoreCLR Version: 6.0.3624.51421
.NET Version: 6.0.36
Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
Exception Info: System.TypeInitializationException: The type initializer for 'CommonHelpers.Instance' threw an exception.
---> System.IO.FileNotFoundException: Could not load file or assembly 'LibreHardwareMonitorLib, Version=0.9.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null'. The system cannot find the file specified.
File name: 'LibreHardwareMonitorLib, Version=0.9.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null'
at CommonHelpers.Instance..cctor()
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at CommonHelpers.Instance.RunOnce(String title, String mutexName, Int32 runOnceTimeout) in D:\a\steam-deck-tools\steam-deck-tools\CommonHelpers\Instance.cs:line 164
at SteamController.Controller..ctor() in D:\a\steam-deck-tools\steam-deck-tools\SteamController\Controller.cs:line 73
at SteamController.Program.<>c.

b__0_0() in D:\a\steam-deck-tools\steam-deck-tools\SteamController\Program.cs:line 19
at CommonHelpers.Instance.WithSentry(Action action, String dsn) in D:\a\steam-deck-tools\steam-deck-tools\CommonHelpers\Instance.cs:line 189
at SteamController.Program.Main() in D:\a\steam-deck-tools\steam-deck-tools\SteamController\Program.cs:line 13

Event Xml:



1026
0
2
0
0
0x80000000000000

2659


Application
Windows-on-Deck



Application: SteamController.exe
CoreCLR Version: 6.0.3624.51421
.NET Version: 6.0.36
Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
Exception Info: System.TypeInitializationException: The type initializer for 'CommonHelpers.Instance' threw an exception.
---> System.IO.FileNotFoundException: Could not load file or assembly 'LibreHardwareMonitorLib, Version=0.9.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null'. The system cannot find the file specified.
File name: 'LibreHardwareMonitorLib, Version=0.9.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null'
at CommonHelpers.Instance..cctor()
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at CommonHelpers.Instance.RunOnce(String title, String mutexName, Int32 runOnceTimeout) in D:\a\steam-deck-tools\steam-deck-tools\CommonHelpers\Instance.cs:line 164
at SteamController.Controller..ctor() in D:\a\steam-deck-tools\steam-deck-tools\SteamController\Controller.cs:line 73
at SteamController.Program.<>c.<Main>b__0_0() in D:\a\steam-deck-tools\steam-deck-tools\SteamController\Program.cs:line 19
at CommonHelpers.Instance.WithSentry(Action action, String dsn) in D:\a\steam-deck-tools\steam-deck-tools\CommonHelpers\Instance.cs:line 189
at SteamController.Program.Main() in D:\a\steam-deck-tools\steam-deck-tools\SteamController\Program.cs:line 13

[General4878]

Seems to be an issue with Windows Defender quarantining dependencies. Exclude the steam deck tools directory and re-extract or reinstall

[Brunno-PT]

Thanks! I had already added it to defender exceptions and rebooted, to no avail. But reinstalling while the folder was in the exceptions fixed the problem.