Missing File Privileges

[AllayTheWolf]

Heyo, a few days ago I was unable to do any updates to my steam games, with a "disk write error". I feared the worst about hard drive corruption, but I cannot find a single thing wrong with my hard drive. Now the error has turned to "missing file privileges." I had a look at my steam install directory and I've noticed it does now require admin privileges in order to affect anything inside the folder - which previously it did not, for years.

I don't know why the directory now has this requirement, and what I need to know is how to fix this. I still cannot update anything as steam still doesn't have access, and I can't set steam to always run in admin mode as it flags up as being in "compatibility mode" and won't launch.

Can I get any help at all, please? How can I unset the steam directory into just... a basic folder, rather than an admin-only one?

[Phénomènes Mystiques]

I seen this issue the other day but for a different reason although it could work.

The issue was concerning, "flags up as being in compatibility mode and won't launch."

So, what I did was set it to Admin in compatibility and deleted this one file, but also I had run the Steam setup installation over the current Steam version.

All these things are plausible solutions.


The file in question is:

Steam program installation location:

Steam\userdata\118693378\config\librarycache


Delete this file:

achievement_progress.json


If you do run the setup over the current version of Steam, it will default all settings and fix file corruptions without uninstalling your games.

My money is on this file that is bugged.

[Satoru]

This is generally

1) a permissions issue. run steam as an administrator generally fixes this

2) your anti-virus. whitelist or disable yoru anti-virus then verify the game data

[AllayTheWolf]

Originally posted by Satoru:

This is generally

1) a permissions issue. run steam as an administrator generally fixes this

2) your anti-virus. whitelist or disable yoru anti-virus then verify the game data

I'm not running any antivirus other than windows defender, + as I said in the post, I can't run steam permanently as an admin - yes I can do it once or twice but that'll grow annoying FAST if I have to do it for *every* update or game install.

[Phénomènes Mystiques]

Originally posted by Satoru:

This is generally

1) a permissions issue. run steam as an administrator generally fixes this

2) your anti-virus. whitelist or disable yoru anti-virus then verify the game data

Try reading the post first before responding...

Originally posted by AllayTheWolf:

and I can't set steam to always run in admin mode as it flags up as being in "compatibility mode" and won't launch.

Originally posted by AllayTheWolf:

Originally posted by Satoru:

This is generally

1) a permissions issue. run steam as an administrator generally fixes this

2) your anti-virus. whitelist or disable yoru anti-virus then verify the game data

I'm not running any antivirus other than windows defender, + as I said in the post, I can't run steam permanently as an admin - yes I can do it once or twice but that'll grow annoying FAST if I have to do it for *every* update or game install.

Did you set Steam to pass through the Defender Firewall?

My money is still on that bugged file...

[AllayTheWolf]

Originally posted by Cosa Nostra:

Originally posted by Satoru:

This is generally

1) a permissions issue. run steam as an administrator generally fixes this

2) your anti-virus. whitelist or disable yoru anti-virus then verify the game data

Try reading the post first before responding...

Originally posted by AllayTheWolf:

and I can't set steam to always run in admin mode as it flags up as being in "compatibility mode" and won't launch.

Originally posted by AllayTheWolf:

I'm not running any antivirus other than windows defender, + as I said in the post, I can't run steam permanently as an admin - yes I can do it once or twice but that'll grow annoying FAST if I have to do it for *every* update or game install.

Did you set Steam to pass through the Defender Firewall?

My money is still on that bugged file...

Absolutely no idea if I have or not - everything has been running fine for years until a few days ago where the directory is just randomly admin-only. Will try and get rid of that file if I can, but is that gonna delete all my achievements or something?

[Phénomènes Mystiques]

Originally posted by AllayTheWolf:

Originally posted by Cosa Nostra:

Try reading the post first before responding...




Did you set Steam to pass through the Defender Firewall?

My money is still on that bugged file...

Absolutely no idea if I have or not - everything has been running fine for years until a few days ago where the directory is just randomly admin-only. Will try and get rid of that file if I can, but is that gonna delete all my achievements or something?

It is a redundant file not connected to achievement progress. It simply inputs which current one's have been achieved; however, this is not the main log as every game has their own achievement log too wit.

I even made an executable to throw this file in the recycling bin at will.

[AllayTheWolf]

Originally posted by Cosa Nostra:

Originally posted by AllayTheWolf:

Absolutely no idea if I have or not - everything has been running fine for years until a few days ago where the directory is just randomly admin-only. Will try and get rid of that file if I can, but is that gonna delete all my achievements or something?

It is a redundant file not connected to achievement progress. It simply inputs which current one's have been achieved; however, this is not the main log as every game has their own achievement log too wit.

I even made an executable to throw this file in the recycling bin at will.

Ha, nice. Also, as for reinstalling steam - should I go download a fresh steam installer? Because I do not remember if I even have my steam install exe anywhere.

[Phénomènes Mystiques]

Originally posted by AllayTheWolf:

Originally posted by Cosa Nostra:

It is a redundant file not connected to achievement progress. It simply inputs which current one's have been achieved; however, this is not the main log as every game has their own achievement log too wit.

I even made an executable to throw this file in the recycling bin at will.

Ha, nice. Also, as for reinstalling steam - should I go download a fresh steam installer? Because I do not remember if I even have my steam install exe anywhere.

Just grab the setup installation:

https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/099E-F5D1-8780-4778

And run it. This way it will repair itself without removing your games nor having to move your games manually.


My money is still on that file...

When I got this error, I had done the reinstallation and even installed another Steam Client as I had a restart loop issue with the client.

After removing .json, Steam worked properly and even rectified the high RAM usage issue.

[Satoru]

Originally posted by AllayTheWolf:

Originally posted by Satoru:

This is generally

1) a permissions issue. run steam as an administrator generally fixes this

2) your anti-virus. whitelist or disable yoru anti-virus then verify the game data

I'm not running any antivirus other than windows defender, + as I said in the post, I can't run steam permanently as an admin - yes I can do it once or twice but that'll grow annoying FAST if I have to do it for *every* update or game install.

Note that if running steam as an admin doesnt permanently fix the issue, it means you've someonw set the permissions on the base folder incorrectly. You can either manually fix that, or you can simply uninstall the game, delete teh folder, then reinstall it.

[Phénomènes Mystiques]

Originally posted by Satoru:

Originally posted by AllayTheWolf:

I'm not running any antivirus other than windows defender, + as I said in the post, I can't run steam permanently as an admin - yes I can do it once or twice but that'll grow annoying FAST if I have to do it for *every* update or game install.

Note that if running steam as an admin doesnt permanently fix the issue, it means you've someonw set the permissions on the base folder incorrectly. You can either manually fix that, or you can simply uninstall the game, delete teh folder, then reinstall it.

Or just add the Admin group or even take full control of that folder, but this is nonsense.


Steam Folder Security Permissions (Default):

Authenticated Users
System
Administrators
Users

(First one has everything but full control)

(Last three have full control)

[AllayTheWolf]

Originally posted by Satoru:

Originally posted by AllayTheWolf:

I'm not running any antivirus other than windows defender, + as I said in the post, I can't run steam permanently as an admin - yes I can do it once or twice but that'll grow annoying FAST if I have to do it for *every* update or game install.

Note that if running steam as an admin doesnt permanently fix the issue, it means you've someonw set the permissions on the base folder incorrectly. You can either manually fix that, or you can simply uninstall the game, delete teh folder, then reinstall it.

I haven't touched the file permissions ever, nor would I know how. I *have* tried to touch the permissions now when I noticed the problem, but kept running into errors so I cancelled out before I broke anything important. I'd much rather not reinstall all my games, as my internet is absolutely trash and would take me weeks to reinstall everything, IF that even fixes the issues.

[Phénomènes Mystiques]

Originally posted by AllayTheWolf:

Originally posted by Satoru:

Note that if running steam as an admin doesnt permanently fix the issue, it means you've someonw set the permissions on the base folder incorrectly. You can either manually fix that, or you can simply uninstall the game, delete teh folder, then reinstall it.

I haven't touched the file permissions ever, nor would I know how. I *have* tried to touch the permissions now when I noticed the problem, but kept running into errors so I cancelled out before I broke anything important. I'd much rather not reinstall all my games, as my internet is absolutely trash and would take me weeks to reinstall everything, IF that even fixes the issues.

Remove that damn file. I'm telling ya...

[AllayTheWolf]

Originally posted by Cosa Nostra:

I seen this issue the other day but for a different reason although it could work.

The issue was concerning, "flags up as being in compatibility mode and won't launch."

So, what I did was set it to Admin in compatibility and deleted this one file, but also I had run the Steam setup installation over the current Steam version.

All these things are plausible solutions.


The file in question is:

Steam program installation location:

Steam\userdata\118693378\config\librarycache


Delete this file:

achievement_progress.json


If you do run the setup over the current version of Steam, it will default all settings and fix file corruptions without uninstalling your games.

My money is on this file that is bugged.

Also, I've just taken a look - this file is in my other hard drive that ISN'T having the issues, rather than the drive that has the directory with the problem. One of my hard drive directories is fine - the other has the issue.

[Phénomènes Mystiques]

I give up...

[AllayTheWolf]

Originally posted by Cosa Nostra:

Originally posted by AllayTheWolf:

I haven't touched the file permissions ever, nor would I know how. I *have* tried to touch the permissions now when I noticed the problem, but kept running into errors so I cancelled out before I broke anything important. I'd much rather not reinstall all my games, as my internet is absolutely trash and would take me weeks to reinstall everything, IF that even fixes the issues.

Remove that damn file. I'm telling ya...

Actually sorry, just realised - I don't have a "118693378" folder in the path you specified.