Stuck in 'preparing files to install' when installing game

[MW]

Got new computer wanted to download games, the download client stuck in the 'creating local game files' page saying its preparing files to install. After some time it will display 'an error while downloading : connection timeout". It happens on every games I have

Tried reinstalling steam, clear cache, repaire computer drive (steam + windows), run as admin, changing regions and turning off anti-virus etc still can't fix the issue. The internet is fine and the computer is new running Win 10. The drive has ample storage. Would really appreciate for some help if poosible. =(

[The Giving One]

Originally posted by MW:

Got new computer wanted to download games,

New computers often may need much updating and come with bloatware or problematica antivirus installed in some cases.

Yes, even disabling the parent antivirus may not be good enough, if that antivirus comes with child background processes.

What is the antivirus program you have installed, please ?

Are you using a router in your connection ?

Is the OS and all device drivers fully up to date ?

[MW]

The antivirus is Norton, and I do use a router to connect to Steam. Just checked I believe all drivers are up to date.

Strange thing is the game actually started downloading just now after leaving it in download for an hour or so, but its in a cycle, like downloaing peak of 10MB/s for seconds before plunging to 0 for a few seconds and back up.

Anyway thanks a lot for replying, much appreciated.

[The Giving One]

Originally posted by MW:

The antivirus is Norton, and I do use a router to connect to Steam. Just checked I believe all drivers are up to date.

Strange thing is the game actually started downloading just now after leaving it in download for an hour or so, but its in a cycle, like downloaing peak of 10MB/s for seconds before plunging to 0 for a few seconds and back up.

Anyway thanks a lot for replying, much appreciated.

Oh yea, almost surely, there is your problem. Norton.

It is a nortoriously overprotective and problematic antivirus to use with Steam and games.

Just a few examples.....

http://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/1/135508284745669639/?tscn=1486325012#c135508284745775689
http://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/1/348292957936793818/?tscn=1476505156#c348293073006152613
http://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/1/392183857628513359/#c392184289304621591
http://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/1/458607518209700397/?tscn=1453942737#c458607518210063348
http://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/1/392184289304843029/?tscn=1458633705#c392184342868920447
http://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/1/135508284745669639/?ctp=2#c135508292188750093
http://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/1/135508398035252595/?tscn=1486512443#c135508398035441848
http://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/1/1291817208504242788/#c1291817837613083000

And if you disabled it, that still leaves Norton Online Backup in msconfig surely, as I have seen in the past, and that process can still cause this exact problem you have.

EDIT............................................

You can easily test this with two simple steps.........

Run an ethernet cable from the modem to the computer and bypass the router.

Boot the computer into safe mode with networking. It has to be "with networking".

Test Steam there. If the problem goes away, and the Steam files themselves are not damaged due to Norton for example, you have a software conflict in a normal boot, just like that which Norton can cause.

[Muppet among Puppets]

If you got norton with the computer, remove it. Read about uninstalling it, as often just the basic uninstaller wont do it right.
If you got it earlier, do not renew it. And see above.

[MW]

@Puppets yea the Norton 360 did not come with the computer (it was shipped with McAfee), I bought the Norton a few years ago and installed it in this computer. Maybe it is the reason for my slow to near-zero downloading experience. Though I had the same Norton in my old Samsung and it didn't have any issue so its kinda strange

@One Will try to look into the Norton Online Backup and the theads u posted.

Many thanks guys

[Muppet among Puppets]

Then make sure your settings are like before.

[The Giving One]

McAfee is almost as bad, and has child processes that can run in the background also, and still conflict.

To show you further just how bad it is, and to follow what the good Muppet mentiond about having to take special methods to fully uninstall and clean from you system, McAfee usually does take just exactly that......

McAfee Product Removal Tool

https://service.mcafee.com/webcenter/portal/cp/home/articleview;jsessionid=mWFvrUrzN1D-DJkK2u2uVu7xu3vzum8Ksl4Nhen2lhc_2yRiU_EP!1801083531!-53234356?articleId=TS101331&_afrLoop=1845365062456321#!%40%40%3F_afrLoop%3D1845365062456321%26articleId%3DTS101331%26centerWidth%3D100%2525%26leftWidth%3D0%2525%26rightWidth%3D0%2525%26showFooter%3Dfalse%26showHeader%3Dfalse%26_adf.ctrl-state%3D146ndytf2b_4

Anything I cannot just simply uninstall from my computer using the normal methods does not get installed to begin with.

Check msconfig from Windows Start and you will see these child process if they come with the parent antivirus. If there is alos anything leftover from McAfee, that can be even worse, as these processes can also possibly conflict with each other, and with Steam and games.

Feel free to use the forum search for simply "McAfee" or "Norton" and you can see many other cases, just like what I linked above.

Software can conflict with Steam and games, so you have to take note of what is installed and running on your system.

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=9828-SFLZ-9289

After uninstalling or disabling or resolving conflicts, you have to then verify the game files for all games that were possibly affected.

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=2037-QEUH-3335

In some cases, these problematic programs may negatively affect the installation of C++ redist. packages during first time setup of the game also when first launched, causing even more problems, as verifying the game files may not fix that issue, making it necessary to possibly have to manually install them from the game's own folder, if there are further issues after verifying. It taks steps to resolve these issues sometimes.

[flae.ffi]

I've had the same issue and it seems it is something to do with the ISP. I have a backup internet connection from a different provider. I switched to that and the install started right away. The issue doesn't reside with the Router as this happens (game doesn't download) even when I put the uplink/wan cable straight to the PC instead of the router.
Oh and if you have a second ISP and it works through that one but the download is slow, you can swap the ISP on the fly, the game will continue to download on the first ISP once you enable it.

[Chaos9]

I had this error recently and I was able to download onto another drive.

[Lukasssss]

I have the exact same issue, and i have it for almost a year or two now.
Never bothered to rework everything just for steam to work, as the game usually downloaded some way but its completely random and inconsistent.

I am fed up with it, and dont know if it is an issue with the internet provider as stated above, or if its the entivirus problem (i got BitDefender). Still baffling how only steam has got this problem, never had any kind of problems on any other game platforms.