Tips to open DEM file

Can't open the DEM file? You are not the only one. Thousands of users face similar problems every day. Below you will find tips on how to open DEM files as well as a list of programs that support DEM files.

DEM file extension

File Name Video Game Demo Format
File Developer Valve
File Category Game Files

The DEM file is supported on 3 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the DEM files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the DEM file on each system platform.

Operating systems
  • 6
  • 2
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is DEM file?

The DEM file has been categorized as Game Files. The creator of this file is Valve. Additionally, the Game Files category contains 1509 of other files. Video Game Demo Format is supported by 3 operating systems. These systems consist of , Mac OS, Windows, although it may occasionally be found on another system, it will be non-functional. There are also 8 alternative programs to handle the DEM file. You can use VirtualDub, Quake, Hexen, Half-Life: Counter Strike in case Counter-Strike cannot be used.

How to open DEM file?

The main problem with Video Game Demo Format is that the DEM file is incorrectly associated with programs. Thus, when you open DEM, the program selection wizard or some other program starts. This can be quickly resolved by following the instructions below.

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the DEM file icon you want to open. If the operating system has an appropriate application to support it and there is also an association between the file and the program, the file should be opened.

Step 1. Install Counter-Strike

An often overlooked issue is to make sure that Counter-Strike is installed on the computer. To do this, enter the name Counter-Strike into the system search engine. In the absence of an appropriate program, its installation in the vast majority of cases will fix the problem. Later in this article you will find a list of programs that can open DEM files.

Step 2. Create association of Counter-Strike with DEM files

If, despite the installed application, the DEM file does not start in the Counter-Strike application, you must create a file association. This option is available from the level of Properties of a specific file available in the context menu. Information about the file and the program that the file is associated with are available here. Using the "Change" button we can set the program to handle this type. The program should be visible in the window, otherwise it should be selected manually using the "Browse" button and the program installation directory should be indicated. However, it is important to check the "Always use the selected program ..." box, this will allow you to permanently associate the DEM file with the Counter-Strike application.

Step 3. Update Counter-Strike to the latest version

If, despite the association of the Counter-Strike program with the Video Game Demo Format file, the file still does not open, check the program version and possibly update it to the newest version.

Step 4. Check for the following problems with the DEM file

If the above steps do not help, you can assume that the file itself is not correct. File problems can be divided into the following:

The DEM file may be unusually small compared to the original file. This suggests truncating the DEM file contents when downloading or copying. Downloading the file again should fix the problem.
The computer may have fallen victim to a computer virus or hacker. Perform a virus scan using available and up-to-date anti-virus software. If this is not possible, you can use the online scanner. However, it is important to scan the entire system, not only the file DEM or the program directory. However, remember that not every infected DEM file can be recovered, so it is important to take care of regular backups.
This can happen especially when the program is dynamically developed and the structure of the DEM files changes over time. Help should be sought from the software developer, as they usually recommend using free file converters or installing an older version of the program.
There can be many reasons for this. Depending on the type of file, it is necessary to repair it accordingly. Some programs offer the option of recovering data from damaged DEM files.
When reading, a message appears that the file was encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted file DEM except for the special designation, works normally, but only on the device where it was encrypted, before transferring it to another machine, decryption is required.
Some operating systems do not allow file operations in certain locations, eg in system directories or directly on the system drive. These directories are write-protected to them and it's very hard to fix this problem. Copying the DEM file to another location will fix the problem.
This problem only occurs with more complex files. Some file types can only be opened in one program at a time. Running programs (including those in the background) should be verified. Sometimes you have to wait for the session to the file DEM to close. However, some background programs may block the DEM file while scanning. If this does not work either, restart the device.