Steam tries to update constantly, but doesn't seem to do anything

[Falzarr]

Every single time I turn on my computer, the first thing that pops up is a little white window telling me that steam is downloading an update. The window sits there and does nothing for about 3-5 minutes and then just goes away. The progress bar is not actually a real progress bar either. It just loops that one animation of a thing green line going from one side to the other.

Nothing actually seems to get downloaded, and since this happens every single time I turn on my computer, not just once a day, it is getting really annoying since this fake update makes my computer run really really slow while trying to finish starting up.

I am not subscribed to the steam beta either, however a few days ago, even though I am opted out of the beta, I got a message thanking me for participating in the beta. So I'm getting fake updates that slow down my computer and apparently I'm getting put into Betas I did not want to be in.

Any ideas how to fix the fake update thing? The forced beta doesn't bother me as much right now, but I figured I'd include that info in case it mattered.

[Falzarr]

I don't know if "fake" was the right word, but It's definitely not actually downloading any files. I've even started checking the exact file size of my steam folders every time and it never changes by even 1KB. The little window pops up and tells me it is downloading an update, it does not tell me what update, for what reason, the % completed, the file sizes, nothing. The little green bear just loops over and over and then after a few minutes the window closes itself.

If this happened only once per day, and maybe, somehow, it was just changing existing files and keeping all the file sizes the exact same, then that's understandable. It's unreasonable, but I suppose it could happen. My problem is that it does this every time I turn my computer on. So anywhere from 3-5 times a day depending on how many times I leave my house and turn off my computer on the way out.

This has been going on for a week or so and it drastically slows down my computer for the few minutes steam is trying to update even though it doesn't actually do anything.

[Firask]

same problem here, any fix yet?

[Falzarr]

Not that I know of, and it appears this thread isn't getting enough posts for anyone to notice it, so I doubt we will get any help here...

[swarmhq]

it's been doing this endless update since the 15th got down to 80,812 kb then quit again, it's not fake puts zip files in your package but sadly reinstalling ,repair, setting your hair on fire doesn't help no fix even though steam had a downtime yesterday amaazing!

[Falzarr]

For me it doesn't actually download anything. The patch a week or so ago finished perfectly fine for me, but now I'm getting this problem.

[Miyamoto Musashi]

I found a way to fix this, go to your installation folder of steam and DELETE everything except:
"Steam.exe" and you "Steamapps folder", this way you delete all steam related files except the executable and your games.
Start up steam.exe and it will fully redownload steam (fully up to date bug free).

I hope this helps! Worked for me (also works when you encounter other bugs steam related, like not able to start steam)

[ermgerd42]

It's not fake it just takes a long time to check for updates and the progress bar you are seeing is just the normal windows bar (it looks similar to the one on steam for linix and mac)