Fix - Updating Executable

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A few weeks ago I shared a fix on Reddit for the updating executable error, which seemed to help a lot of people. Just wanted to make a seperate guide on Steam so that it's also accessible here.

For anyone who's interested, you can find the original Reddit post here.

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When clicking 'Play', Steam will try to update the Civilization V executable files, which is necessary due to the removal of the 2K launcher. However, this process will fail most of the time, because it will not update all 3 necessary executables (sometimes, it doesn't update any of them). This will prevent the game from launching.

1. Go to the Civilization V folder on your PC (in Steam: Select Civilization V in your library -> Gear icon -> Manage -> Browse local files).
   
2. In this folder, there are three executables named CivilizationV.exe, CivilizationV_DX11.exe and CivilizationV_Tablet.exe (there's also a fourth one called Launcher.exe which you can ignore). These are the three executables which need to be updated by Steam.
   
3. Remove these three executables completely.
   
4. After removing the executables, go to Steam and verify the game files (select Civilization V in your library -> Gear icon -> Properties -> Installed Files -> Verify integrity of game files). This process will re-download the three executables. Note: the game won't work yet, this is just a way to keep track of the updating process.
   
5. After verifying the files, you should see the three executables again in the Civilization V folder. Take note of the time at which these files were modified, which will make the next steps a bit easier. Keep this folder open for now.
   
6. Now, try to launch the game normally via Steam. You can select any of the DirectX versions.
   
7. When the game is being launched, pay attention to the Civilization V folder and look for any changes to the executables. Sometimes you will see that one of the three executables will be updated. You can verify this by looking at the time at which an executable got modified; if the file is newer than the previously downloaded executables, it has been updated.
   
8. Wait until you can press 'Play' again.
   
9. Repeat steps 6-8 until all three executables have been updated. (For me this took 10-15 tries). Note: If, after a couple of tries, none of the executables are updating, consider changing the read-only setting as described in the Tips section of this guide.
   
10. When all three executables have been updated, you can launch the game again and it should boot right up.

• I tried to untick the mark next to the 'Read-only' box inside the properties of the folder while performing these steps. Not sure if this actually worked, but if none of the executables are being updated, you can try to do the same by right-clicking on an empty area in the Civilization V folder -> Properties -> untick the 'Read-only' check inside the General tab and click Apply.
  
• If you successfully managed to update one or two of the executables, but the last one doesn't want to update: Copy the updated executables to a place that you can find them again, then do steps 1-9 again. The goal is to let Steam also update the remaining executable. When that happens, you can copy the two earlier updated executables back to the Civilization V folder. The game should now boot.

Just keep on trying to launch the game in Steam and eventually the game will boot right up. Patience is key :) As mentioned by u/FrowningGamer, you can also try to use an auto-clicker to automate the process. This is a method I haven't tried myself so I can't give any recommendations regarding an auto-clicker. However, if you already downloaded one you can try one of the following options:

• Use an auto-clicker within Steam: See the edit I added to this post on 13-1.
  
• Use an auto-clicker on one of the executables: On Steam, right-click on Sid Meier's Civilization V -> Manage -> Add desktop shortcut. Now, you can setup an auto-clicker on this shortcut and make it repeatedly click the shortcut. This will apparently also launch the game after a while. You can also look at the edit from 13-1, for additional information. :)

Another addition by u/FrowningGamer:

Also, please note that verifying the integrity of game files will replace the updated .exe files (not sure why—this seems to be an issue with Steam). This means you’ll need to repeat the steps to fix the "Updating Executable" issue. Downloading the game again from Steam will also result in the same problem.

To avoid this hassle in the future, I strongly recommend backing up the three executables:

• CivilizationV.exe
  
• CivilizationV_DX11.exe
  
• CivilizationV_Tablet.exe

Improved auto-clicker method as suggested by u/FrowningGamer:

After selecting the launch option (as long as it’s not "Ask when starting game"), make sure to position your mouse cursor over Sid Meier's Civilization V in your Steam library (so on the left side of your screen, where you can select a game), not on the Play button. If you position it on the Play button, the auto-clicker will just toggle between Play and Cancel, and it won’t work.

Here's how I do it now, without needing to create or use a desktop shortcut:

1. Right-click on Sid Meier's Civilization V in your Steam library and select Properties. In the General tab, under Launch Options, change the Selected Launch Option to anything other than "Ask when starting game".
   
2. Open OP Auto Clicker and set the Click type to Double and the Click interval to 1 second.
   
3. In your Steam library, position your mouse cursor over Sid Meier's Civilization V.
   
4. Press F6 (the default hotkey) to start the auto-clicker.
   
5. Let the auto-clicker run for about 30 minutes to give Steam multiple chances to update the executables.

Please let me know if it worked for you or if you have any questions!