Pi 4 - "Couldn't download archive, aborting update"

[Scipio]

I'm getting the error stated in the title when trying to run the steam link on my Pi 4. I'm on version 10.4 of the OS (Buster). Error occurs ~half way through attempting updating while launching.

Anyone have any ideas what I should try? Already tried a fresh install of the OS, updating the OS, and a few misc things.

[Scipio]

Buster with desktop. I followed the linked comment line by line, then ran steamlink once to update. Update failed the same way it did before, except this time it output something to the terminal --

/usr/bin/steamlink: line 41: xterm: command not found

If I try doing steamlink --skip-update, I get the same output.

I'm gonna search around for a bit on this issue, but if you have an idea, please let me know. Thanks!

[Scipio]

Looking up further on the terminal, when I attempted it earlier (before following your suggestion), it showed the same output. I'm kind of ashamed I didn't notice it earlier... BUT, that's how this stuff goes. So it looks like "/usr/bin/steamlink: line 41: xterm: command not found" is the actual issue. I tried searching around a bit and didn't find anything yet, so here's hoping I can find something (or you know a good fix for this).

I guess to give a little more information (even if it may be unnecessary): I bought the Pi 4 yesterday, so my install is fresh and the only thing I've really tried to do so far is get the Steam Link going. OS was installed using NOOBS, which I grabbed off the raspberry pi website. Also my internet connection is absurdly slow because I won't actually have internet until Wednesday (hopefully), so I have the Pi connected via ethernet to a 7 year old laptop that I freshly installed windows on yesterday, and the laptop connected to wifi via a smartphone hotspot. So I'm at around 70 kB/s, in case the slow speed has anything to do with issues.

Also, I haven't used Linux before this, so sorry if I ask some stupid questions during this.

[Scipio]

Yup, I did make sure to do that. Tried doing it again and still the same issue.

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Tried it, didn't work, unfortunately. Hopefully someone else finds this thread and can help out -- would greatly appreciate it.

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All I've really figured out is it isn't finding the xterm command. From googling around, this should be something that's around by default. Do you have an xterm command in your /usr/bin folder?

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I used sudo apt-get install xterm and now it gets a little further, but still not there. Now I'm getting

xterm: cannot load font "-misc-fixed-medium-r-semicondensed--13-120-75-75-c-60-iso10646-1"

Any ideas?

[Scipio]

Alright I did some dumb stuff to fix the font thing, but unfortunately that was more of an fyi than an error.

Since I installed xterm, the current issue is that a second terminal window shows up that says:

Couldn't download Steam Link application, aborting
Press enter to continue:

So, I guess that's where I am now.

[Scipio]

There is only one alternative in link group x-terminal-emulator (providing /usr/bin/x-terminal-emulator): /usr/bin/lxterminal
Nothing to configure.

^that's the output when I type in that command after removing xterm and the font stuff.

[Scipio]

1.0.7, so I guess I'll try out 1.0.8 in the morning, then

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I got caught up in other stuff all day, just got to my computer now, and was going to do just that on another SD card. I'm using the imager this time instead of NOOBS in case that makes any difference. Hopefully it all goes well this time!

Also going to try downloading 1.0.8 now. I will make sure to update this with my results, in hopes that if someone else has the same issue they can get it solved.

[Scipio]

Downloading the new image is forever, so I'm trying other stuff in the mean time.

Can you go to the file manager, click on the edit drop down, go to the preferences menu, go to advanced, and let me know if it says anything for the Terminal emulator and Format command lines? They're both blank for me and I feel this is a possible lead to the solution to the problem.

[Scipio]

Tried downloading 1.0.8, same error regarding xterm command. Currently at 15% on writing to that other sd card with the fresh install, so it's definitely gonna be a bit before I can try that...

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Tried just manually putting that in with no success, just gonna hope that new image fixes it. In the meantime I got Moonlight working on it so at the very least I have an alternative.

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Still not working, so I'm going to just hope that someone else pops in with a solution or there's an update at some point. But, since I got Moonlight working, at least I can still do what I want to do with the steam link now. Thanks for all of your help, Xeno!

Btw, after reinstalling the OS altogether, my terminal emulator in preferences did become x-terminal-emulator %s and the second line is still blank.

[Scipio]

I rescind my previous comment, it works now!
Solution: Using the installer instead of NOOBS. Or at least I'm pretty sure that was the solution. So yeah, thanks a bunch! And if anyone else has this issue, I guess make sure not to use NOOBS? Idk, this stuff can get complicated.