Failed to apply update, reverting... (persists even after resetting Windows)

[Denise]

I noticed in December that the Steam client stopped updating games. Any game that required an update would queue the update, the download would fail, and the game wouldn't open.

Upon investigation, it appeared that my Steam client had not applied any of its updates since July (even though I faithfully allowed it to restart itself daily, thinking 'wow there are a lot of updates'). I would get a short error message "Failed to apply update, reverting..." and then Steam would open normally, but the update wouldn't be applied. Maybe it had been happening for months and I hadn't noticed.

Here's the stats on my machine:
OS: Windows 10 (10.0.16299 Build 16299)
Processor: Intel i7
Graphics: NVIDIA Geforce GTX 660
Network: Ethernet to router, using Verizon Fios

Here are the troubleshooting steps that I've tried; none work.
Restart Computer
Run Steam as Administrator
Reinstall Steam in same location
Reinstall Steam in different location
Move Steam game folder
Uninstall and reinstall Steam
Check systems for updates (OS, graphics card)
Turned off Windows Defender (and run as admin)
Add the Steam client as an exception in Windows Defender
Check hard drive for errors
Check memory for errors

Then my husband got involved; he works in infosec and has more specialized knowledge than I do. He did the following things, but none worked:
Refresh local hardware
He watched the connection through wireshark and couldn't find anything unusual
Load into safe mode w/networking and run Steam
(he may have done other things he didn't mention to me)

At the end of his troubleshooting, Steam would not even open anymore. We were both stumped. He said it looked like there was something preventing Steam from writing to disk, but we could not figure out what it was.

So I told Windows to reset itself, removing all programs and settings (keep personal files). I downloaded Steam, and was able to download and install a game, but the Steam client tells me there's an update available and won't install it.

Then I then did the reset where it doesn't keep your personal files, and Steam is still not updating itself (even when run without Windows Defender and as administator). It's giving me the following information:
Built: Dec 15 2017
Steam API v017
Steam package versions: 1513371133

I have BASICALLY a fresh machine, nothing else is installed except Windows and Steam. Our connection can't be causing the issue because my (Linux) laptop and my husband's (Windows) desktop both run Steam fine. I'm hesitant to spend time setting up this machine again when Steam is clearly still not working. I can play games now, but in a month or two when one of my games releases an update? I don't want to reset my computer again.

[lumberaly]

I am also experiancing this problem. Did you find a resolution?

[Denise]

Windows has different "levels" of resetting and I had to go full delete everything to get it to work again. I never figured out what setting was causing the problem.

[Johnny1nOnly]

I've been having this issue for months. I'm able to download and install games but Steam itself has this update problem.

[darth_nikon]

I've been having this problem at least since February 18, that's the build Steam says is installed. I get nonsense like this in my bootstrap_log.txt every time I start Steam:


[2019-04-23 19:37:14] Startup - updater built May 21 2018 14:21:49
[2019-04-23 19:37:14] uninstalled manifest found in C:\Program Files\Steam\package\steam_client_win32 (1).
[2019-04-23 19:37:14] Found pending update
[2019-04-23 19:37:14] Installing update...
[2019-04-23 19:37:15] Extracting package...
[2019-04-23 19:37:38] Installing update...
[2019-04-23 19:37:52] Committing NTFS transaction (2069 non-transactional backup files)
[2019-04-23 19:37:52] Failed to apply update, reverting...
[2019-04-23 19:37:53] Verifying installation...
[2019-04-23 19:37:53] Unable to read and verify install manifest C:\Program Files\Steam\package\steam_client_win32.installed
[2019-04-23 19:37:53] Verification complete
[2019-04-23 19:37:53] Downloading update...
[2019-04-23 19:37:53] Checking for available updates...
[2019-04-23 19:37:54] Download complete.
[2019-04-23 19:37:54] Extracting package...
[2019-04-23 19:38:22] Installing update...
[2019-04-23 19:38:27] BCommitUpdatedFiles: failed to rename package\tmp\.\resource\layout\gamespage_details_achievements_locked.layout_ -> ./resource/layout/gamespage_details_achievements_locked.layout (error 6701)
[2019-04-23 19:38:27] BCommitUpdatedFiles: failed to process ./resource/layout
[2019-04-23 19:38:27] BCommitUpdatedFiles: failed to process ./resource
[2019-04-23 19:38:27] Failed to apply update, reverting...
[2019-04-23 19:38:33] Background update loop checking for update. . .
[2019-04-23 19:38:33] Checking for available updates...
[2019-04-23 19:38:34] Download complete.
[2019-04-23 19:41:32] Shutdown


[2019-04-23 19:43:57] Startup - updater built May 21 2018 14:21:49
[2019-04-23 19:43:57] Verifying installation...
[2019-04-23 19:43:57] Unable to read and verify install manifest C:\Program Files\Steam\package\steam_client_win32.installed
[2019-04-23 19:43:57] Verification complete
[2019-04-23 19:43:57] Downloading Update...
[2019-04-23 19:43:57] Checking for available update...
[2019-04-23 19:43:57] Download Complete.
[2019-04-23 19:43:57] uninstalled manifest found in C:\Program Files\Steam\package\steam_client_win32 (1).
[2019-04-23 19:43:57] Extracting package...
[2019-04-23 19:44:23] Installing update...
[2019-04-23 19:44:34] BCommitUpdatedFiles: failed to rename package\tmp\.\resource\vgui_koreana.txt_ -> ./resource/vgui_koreana.txt (error 6701)
[2019-04-23 19:44:34] BCommitUpdatedFiles: failed to process ./resource
[2019-04-23 19:44:34] Failed to apply update, reverting...
[2019-04-23 19:44:36] Background update loop checking for update. . .
[2019-04-23 19:44:36] Checking for available update...
[2019-04-23 19:44:36] Download Complete.
[2019-04-23 19:50:25] Background update loop checking for update. . .
[2019-04-23 19:50:25] Checking for available update...
[2019-04-23 19:50:26] Download Complete.
[2019-04-23 19:51:27] Shutdown


[2019-04-23 19:51:27] Startup - updater built May 21 2018 14:21:49
[2019-04-23 19:51:27] uninstalled manifest found in C:\Program Files\Steam\package\steam_client_win32 (1).
[2019-04-23 19:51:27] Found pending update
[2019-04-23 19:51:27] Installing update...
[2019-04-23 19:51:27] Extracting package...
[2019-04-23 19:51:54] Installing update...
[2019-04-23 19:52:02] BCommitUpdatedFiles: failed to rename package\tmp\.\tenfoot\resource\images\icon_cart.png_ -> ./tenfoot/resource/images/icon_cart.png (error 6701)
[2019-04-23 19:52:02] BCommitUpdatedFiles: failed to process ./tenfoot/resource/images
[2019-04-23 19:52:02] BCommitUpdatedFiles: failed to process ./tenfoot/resource
[2019-04-23 19:52:02] BCommitUpdatedFiles: failed to process ./tenfoot
[2019-04-23 19:52:02] Failed to apply update, reverting...
[2019-04-23 19:52:02] Verifying installation...
[2019-04-23 19:52:02] Unable to read and verify install manifest C:\Program Files\Steam\package\steam_client_win32.installed
[2019-04-23 19:52:02] Verification complete
[2019-04-23 19:52:02] Downloading update...
[2019-04-23 19:52:02] Checking for available updates...
[2019-04-23 19:52:02] Download complete.
[2019-04-23 19:52:02] Extracting package...
[2019-04-23 19:52:28] Installing update...
[2019-04-23 19:52:34] BCommitUpdatedFiles: failed to rename package\tmp\.\resource\layout\gamespage_details_subheader.layout_ -> ./resource/layout/gamespage_details_subheader.layout (error 6701)
[2019-04-23 19:52:34] BCommitUpdatedFiles: failed to process ./resource/layout
[2019-04-23 19:52:34] BCommitUpdatedFiles: failed to process ./resource
[2019-04-23 19:52:34] Failed to apply update, reverting...
[2019-04-23 19:52:36] Background update loop checking for update. . .
[2019-04-23 19:52:36] Checking for available updates...
[2019-04-23 19:52:36] Download complete.
[2019-04-23 19:57:33] Shutdown

Three consecutive startup/update attempts, every time a different file for "failed to rename" error.

There's piles more since this happens on every startup, different file in each case.

Restart/reinstall/run as admin all make no difference. And I'm in Win 7.

[Ivar418]

Sorry for reviving an old thread but I had the same issue.
I noticed the following: "BCommitUpdatedFiles: failed to rename package\tmp\.\tenfoot\resource\images\icon_cart.png_ -> ./tenfoot/resource/images/icon_cart.png (error 6701)"

What I did then was remove the tenfoot folder (actually moved it as a backup) and then launched steam again. Now it successfully updated. Seems somewhere permissions got messed up or something.

[Iceira]

Originally posted by Ivar418:

Sorry for reviving an old thread but I had the same issue.
I noticed the following: "BCommitUpdatedFiles: failed to rename package\tmp\.\tenfoot\resource\images\icon_cart.png_ -> ./tenfoot/resource/images/icon_cart.png (error 6701)"

What I did then was remove the tenfoot folder (actually moved it as a backup) and then launched steam again. Now it successfully updated. Seems somewhere permissions got messed up or something.

No you dont get it, OP issue is on win10, and it look like bad old driver from backthen or migration issue to win10 from a win7.

and later we learn the win7 drop in network issue, sense i and other dont have that anymore and system is dead by MS its end there.

and now you post here with things that dont fit to either OP or that win7. and technicaly that win7 user hijack the thread with diffrent OS,

you post lost rights sure i belive that, but we are many that seen that before, problem is what cause it. ( its all been blaimed on addware ( adult site to things down this road ) problem is proof it.

only reason i post this, is not to hammer you down, but noone has a clue why it happend, its like be eating by ants and to late then you notice it, thats very hard to ID, role back to previous system restore point or backup , for just to discover its also there, and when did it happend, only reason i post it, so maybe someday a steam user notice work yesterday and now it dont and all i did was this or that, untill then its seen as something cause this but with what.

last time i lost a win7 OS was way before win10, and i still blaim it on addware and all the security that could not keep up. ( to understand all of this require very skilled person )
i doubt normal user know all this, he will be lucky to catch or know something about all this or talk to right person about it.

this post will be closed by steam moderator im sure of this, to many diffrent OS issue with it. and very OLD even. and OP might have solve this in a long time ago.


i can make it more clear, user might have kept drivers and software in the reset of win10, and kept the error with things dont work in win10, This is know as Fresh install, and no one told her this back then, still part of bad migration from previous software that did it.

why bother with this now, same BS all over again going from win10 to win11 could do same then upgrading, ( win11 is still seen as new OS and it can be problem that win10 dont have.

this is also why i bother reply here.

gl with it.

ps.
old advice reinstall Fresh OS and i bet problem is gone, most here will not accept change user rights, because what did this in the first place, its like a lost trust to that installed OS.

many do this.