As it turns out, the error message associated with the error code 203 or (-203) does not provide any helpful information as it only states that the application experienced an unexpected problem. In some cases, restarting SteamVR can fix the issue, as mentioned in the error message. However, that is not always fruitful. There are also scenarios where the error message occurs only with certain games. Regardless, the source of the problem usually stays the same, and in this article, we are going to show you how to resolve it without much trouble. However, before we get into that, it is essential to have a better understanding of the issue by knowing the various causes. So, without further ado, let us get right into the causes of the SteamVR error 203. Third-Party Software — One of the reasons that the problem in question can occur is when you have a third-party software meddling with SteamVR in the background. A common culprit, as reported by multiple users, is the Razer Cortex app. Outdated Windows — If you are running an outdated version of Windows on your computer, that can also result in the error message in question. This can be easily rectified by simply updating your system. SteamVR Settings — As it turns out, in some cases, the problem can arise when your SteamVR settings file is damaged or corrupted. When this happens, the app is forced to crash when the file is loaded. To fix this, you will have to delete the settings file from your config folder.Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling — Finally, hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling has also been known to result in the error message. Disabling this from the Windows Settings menu has fixed the issue for various users. Now that we have gone through the possible causes of the issue in question let us start with the different methods you can use to resolve the issue.
1. Disable Razer Cortex Auto Boost (if applicable)
The first thing that you should do if you have Razer Cortex installed on your system is to disable the Auto Boost feature. The Auto Boost feature can be useful as it manages your operating system and other background applications to increase your FPS in-game. This feature has been reported by various users, and disabling it has fixed the problem for them. To do this, follow the instructions given down below:
2. Update Windows
Running an outdated version of Windows is never really a good idea. This is because the system updates often contain security fixes along with quality-of-life improvements that help your computer perform better. In addition to that, running an obsolete version of the Windows operating system may cause several applications not to function as intended. This might be the case here as well, which is why you will have to update your Windows to resolve the issue. To do this, follow the instructions given down below:
3. Delete SteamVR Settings File
As we have stated previously, your SteamVR settings can sometimes result in the mentioned error message. This happens when the local settings file has been damaged or corrupted, which is why, when it is loaded into the application, SteamVR crashes. As such, to fix this, you will have to delete the settings file so that a new file can be generated when you launch SteamVR. To do this, follow the instructions down below:
4. Disable Hardware-accelerated GPU Scheduling
For those unaware, hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling is a feature that offloads your CPU from some work by processing and rendering the visuals and graphics in batches. Typically, your processor would be responsible for offloading such work to the GPU for rendering. However, with hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling, your GPU processor saves your CPU the trouble of offloading such work to it and hence can potentially improve the performance of your CPU. While this can be helpful, there have been several reports of it causing SteamVR to crash with the 203 error code, so you will have to disable hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling. To do this, follow the instructions given down below:
5. Try SteamVR Beta
As it turns out, many users have reported that opting into the SteamVR beta has helped them circumvent the error message in question. If the problem persists even after trying all of the methods, we would recommend giving this a shot. However, remember that this is called Beta for a reason, there might be some bugs that you may experience, but you will also have the luxury of trying out new features first. To opt into the SteamVR beta, follow the instructions down below:
6. Reinstall Steam
Finally, if none of the above methods have fixed the problem for you, then as a last resort, we would recommend reinstalling your Steam client. The error message may be triggered due to a problem with the Steam installation files, and as such, reinstalling it should fix the problem. To uninstall Steam, follow the instructions given down below:
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