Disk Write Error

[Eko]

I'm having a problem where a game is due and update, a few MB will be downloaded and then it stops with Disk Write Error. I resume the download and its the exact same thing; a few MB download and then it gives up.

After googling the problem, I've tried everything!

Restarting Steam
restarting the PC
freeing up space on the SSD
verifying game integrity
Launching Steam as an Admin
Allowing Steam full control on Windows
adding and/ or removing ReadOnly privileges
Clearing the download Cache
running Diagnostic scans on the SSD (provided by Samsung Magician)
uninstalling the specific game (Which lead to the game not even downloading at all now, because of the same issue)


Theres absolutely nothing wrong with my SSD, I download games from other game stores all the time with no problems.

This is literally driving me insane and I have no idea what else to try

[factorx]

Having the same issue here. Preloaded Total War: Warhammer 3 and then disk write error on installation. Since then having the same issue with downloads starting, stopping all the time. I've done everything to fix it, going so far as to uninstall Steam, remove all games, fresh install on the HDD of my steam library etc and now encountering the same issue re-downloading any game.

Everything comes back as normal - will try a defrag but at this stage I'm at a loss on how to fix this besides reinstalling windows.

[factorx]

Follow up on this. Turns out it was a problem with the drive - I tried downloading/installing to another drive and it worked fine - so backed up the drive, formatted and now it's working like a dream :-)

[Sadie The Sadist]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von factorx:

Follow up on this. Turns out it was a problem with the drive - I tried downloading/installing to another drive and it worked fine - so backed up the drive, formatted and now it's working like a dream :-)

How might one attempt this solution if the drive in question is the one that windows is installed on?

[Sadie The Sadist]

Better yet, how I can even back a game up or move the install if it requires an Update because Steam is, ya know, frustrating.

[Elucidator]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Sadie The Sadist:

How might one attempt this solution if the drive in question is the one that windows is installed on?

hm.... Considering they formatted their disk, it does seem like its caused by some kind of file (being in the way), but considering the uninstalled steam (and hopefully removed the steam folder and all remains) before reinstalling, -- it makes me wonder if there is a folder outside of the Steam folder Steam uses.
whichever it is, it shouldn't be nessecary to format the entire drive completely at least.

Edit: you may want to check all the log files in Steam/logs/
you may need to launch steam with the commandline options: -fs_log -fs_logbins -lognetapi
(it makes steam generate even more logs, but these may give hints as well)

[factorx]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Sadie The Sadist:

Better yet, how I can even back a game up or move the install if it requires an Update because Steam is, ya know, frustrating.

I was lucky in that my Steam app was installed on my main SSD which only houses Windows, whilst my Steam Library (where the downloads were writing to) was housed on my HDD which was only used for storage and gaming. I moved all that stuff onto an external and simply formatted the storage drive.

Whilst that may seem extreme, I was getting desperate after 24 hours of trying everything I could think of, removing all trace of steam for a fresh install, and still having the problem.

Short of re-installing Windows (because who the hell has time for that?!), I thought I'd give a format a shot as it may correct any issues with the drive that was causing a write error etc.

Should be noted that all tests on the drive prior to a format came back saying there was nothing wrong with the drive... so *shrug* I have absolutely no idea why this worked.

Also should be noted, I'm not very computer savvy.

[Iceira]

Anything lesser then 120 GB available space *5 is seen as user own problem for lack of free space + 10% rule on a 2TB drive is 200gb.( this will fail with a even on a 150 to a 500gb SSD
steam use supercompressed files and need work space.) 750gb+ to 1TB drive free space should be enough.

and sense this post dont even bother with what disk size and total disk size , thats is seen as user own mistake , sense that game has gwet past 100+ gb install ( such game require way more then 2TB+ disk drive that is seen as outdate tech sense HDD is past 8TB+ HDD )

such games is seen past 25gb HDD 10 years ago and ppl keep buy tiny disk.

Either i miss the total disk size, and whats free but that is OP faulth for not have in Topic.
now post is past 2 page and most will not read such,

any other issue like Antivirus app or cable or check disk is still user own problem or things added to qurrantine Folder is still your faulth ( disk write error is a statement ) and you cant write file thats blocked or no free room left, in unpacking or wrong formated disk, do not have any FAT flash stick or been on linux even they have been caugth in not in a true NTFS system.
its simple matter of system, not even that is in topic win10 user, or did i have to dig it out through the post.

im sure even Elucidator want such info on the subject.

im not support and just work with network and its security and seen this so many times. then things dont work as it should. + as many other know old ways from the past in how things work.

just because we all can assume you have 2TB SSD disk as boot OS and slave disk as 4TB+ dont mean you have such and is on win10, this dont explan free space at all.

###################################################################

welcome to the new age in game size that require 1TB free space atleast + 10% or 200gb on a 2TB disk.
what will you do if game patch is added after install, so free space is a most and not a steam issue.

this dont explan dlc and devs extra event content like xmas and easter egg and added Extra content or game collection down the road.( and mods in top of this )

[Iceira]

digging tech out from sub post

my setup is Windows 10 (up todate) with two internal Samsung QVO 1tb SATA SSD's. Steam games are downloaded onto the second SSD, the first is only used to documents and Windows files. And this is the only instance of Steam installed on the entire PC, theres no other Steam Folders anywhere

as i said dont explan free space left or lack of it. ( tiny HDD issue )any such disk size is over 20 years ago atleast, and no i dont bother look up then such was seen as big disk.
from bad build or pc build setup now bite you in the butt as we say today.

and the "We" is gamers that know such from many years of pc build and is seen as hardcore gamers today.

if im not mistaken english person will say toaster harddisk drive from the past
or cheap man HDD size, whatever term you are not the first and wont be the last.

[factorx]

500gb ssd which is running windows only and a 4tb hdd that only held steam games - had about 2tb of free space before attempting to download a 112bg game which caused all the issues.

It seems the HDD continues to have a problem even after formatting (downloaded two games fine and then started the same problem again), so I'm now downloading to a 6tb external drive with no issues.

Am going to simply replace the 4tb hdd with a new 4tb internal ssd.

[Annihilator]

Is happen to me in random times but is enough press, in my case, resume and work.


Nothing special for me but understand you need a fix :)


Edit: Also i have 6 ssd x 2 pc = 12 ssd :) + notebook(with external ssd) and father computer(with 2 ssd).

[Elucidator]

Just a tip, remove or completely disable onedrive to avoid microsoft trying to put stuff in there when you download with steam.

[Icarus]

Having the exact same issues and I have also gone through all the steps just as you did. cant seem to find a fix.

[factorx]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Icarus:

Having the exact same issues and I have also gone through all the steps just as you did. cant seem to find a fix.

I think it's an issue with the actual HDD. I didn't end up replacing it as the issue just resolved on it's own, however by that time I'd moved my steam library to an external drive and only have multimedia on the internal - I'm noticing it's lagging when trying to access files - time for an upgrade!

[natsurizu]

I'm probably late to this thread but i still have this problem. Seems like the problem still exists even until now. This is getting annoying.

[factorx]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von natsurizu:

I'm probably late to this thread but i still have this problem. Seems like the problem still exists even until now. This is getting annoying.

Have you tried to move the Steam library to a new drive? Mine was definitely a problem with the actual HDD