Corrupt disk when downloading some of my games

[RaioBoss]

Hello there. Some of my games in the library give me this error while downloading. I've tried to clear the download cache, reinstall steam, and repair the library folder. I've alos checked for errors on my drive and windows tells me they are repaired. Some of the games work, others don't. do I need to change HDD or something?

[_I_]

drive could be failing

start -> computer -> right click on c drive (or drive with steam library), properties -> tools tab -> error checking
reboot if necessary

[RaioBoss]

Originally posted by _I_:

drive could be failing

start -> computer -> right click on c drive (or drive with steam library), properties -> tools tab -> error checking
reboot if necessary

i've already done that multiple times..

[[☥] - CJ -]

Could be the HDD, or it could even be faulty RAM
As RAM works with the HDD/SDD thats a possibility as well.

How long have you had the HDD for?

[RaioBoss]

Originally posted by ☥ - CJ -:

Could be the HDD, or it could even be faulty RAM
As RAM works with the HDD/SDD thats a possibility as well.

How long have you had the HDD for?

at least 6 years

[[☥] - CJ -]

Some HDDs can still work normally at that age, but yeah it is possible you may need a replacement just to be safe.

[Eldin]

Do you have this problem always with the same games?
If some games can be downloaded without problem and some give you an error, it might be that they can't access specific folder they need.

[Randox]

Download something like CrystalDisk and check the drive that that. At 6 years, it would be quite likely the drive has started to fail.

[RaioBoss]

Originally posted by Eldin:

Do you have this problem always with the same games?
If some games can be downloaded without problem and some give you an error, it might be that they can't access specific folder they need.

apparently it's the same games over and over.

Originally posted by Randox:

Download something like CrystalDisk and check the drive that that. At 6 years, it would be quite likely the drive has started to fail.

I'll take a look at that

---

also, the HDD works just fine outside of steam... I Just get errors and similar when downloading games.. shouldn't it bother me even if I installed other softwares and similar actions, if it was failing?

[[☥] - CJ -]

Games would strain the HDD more than normal programs would so not necessarily.

I also suggest using CrystalDiskMark to bench your HDD's speeds and reliability, if its a HDD issue you'll probably pinpoint it that way

[Eldin]

Originally posted by CDRaioBossIT:

Originally posted by Eldin:

Do you have this problem always with the same games?
If some games can be downloaded without problem and some give you an error, it might be that they can't access specific folder they need.

apparently it's the same games over and over.

Give me the list of games that can be installed and list of games that can't be installed.
We have to figure out what they have in common.

Maybe it's not your HDD that's causing the problem.

Do you have multiple drives or partitions?
If you do, can you install those games on other drives/partitions?

[RaioBoss]

Originally posted by ☥ - CJ -:

Games would strain the HDD more than normal programs would so not necessarily.

I also suggest using CrystalDiskMark to bench your HDD's speeds and reliability, if its a HDD issue you'll probably pinpoint it that way

i've ran the program and everything looks green.. does that mean that It's ok or is it always green? lol

Originally posted by Eldin:

Originally posted by CDRaioBossIT:

apparently it's the same games over and over.

Give me the list of games that can be installed and list of games that can't be installed.
We have to figure out what they have in common.

Maybe it's not your HDD that's causing the problem.

Do you have multiple drives or partitions?
If you do, can you install those games on other drives/partitions?

i have one smaller partition for OS. I'll try install the games there. So far I've managed to install Darkest Dungeon, Deep Rock Galactic, Hunt Showdown.

Games that I can't install: Squad, Divinity 2, Rising Storm 2. Insurgency sandstorm gets installed but then it crashes when finding a match and gives me the error.

[Eldin]

Originally posted by CDRaioBossIT:

Originally posted by Eldin:

Give me the list of games that can be installed and list of games that can't be installed.
We have to figure out what they have in common.

Maybe it's not your HDD that's causing the problem.

Do you have multiple drives or partitions?
If you do, can you install those games on other drives/partitions?

i have one smaller partition for OS. I'll try install the games there. So far I've managed to install Darkest Dungeon, Deep Rock Galactic, Hunt Showdown.

Games that I can't install: Squad, Divinity 2, Rising Storm 2. Insurgency sandstorm gets installed but then it crashes when finding a match and gives me the error.

As I suspected, all games you can't install have workshop and games you can install don't have it. (I don't know why is Insurgency Sandstorm crashing)

Try deleting this folder and then try to download games again
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\workshop

If this doesn't help try this:
I guess your Steam is Installed on C:
Move these folders to your other partition (I guess it's D)
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata

If you moved them to D:\ type this into CMD
mklink /J "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps" "D:\steamapps"

You should see
Junction created for C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps <<===>> D:\steamapps

Do same for userdata folder
mklink /J "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps" "D:\userata"


After it's done try to download games

[RaioBoss]

Originally posted by Eldin:

Originally posted by CDRaioBossIT:

i have one smaller partition for OS. I'll try install the games there. So far I've managed to install Darkest Dungeon, Deep Rock Galactic, Hunt Showdown.

Games that I can't install: Squad, Divinity 2, Rising Storm 2. Insurgency sandstorm gets installed but then it crashes when finding a match and gives me the error.

As I suspected, all games you can't install have workshop and games you can install don't have it. (I don't know why is Insurgency Sandstorm crashing)

Try deleting this folder and then try to download games again
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\workshop

If this doesn't help try this:
I guess your Steam is Installed on C:
Move these folders to your other partition (I guess it's D)
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata

If you moved them to D:\ type this into CMD
mklink /J "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps" "D:\steamapps"

You should see
Junction created for C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps <<===>> D:\steamapps

Do same for workshop folder
mklink /J "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps" "D:\workshop"


After it's done try to download games

I'll give it a try and let you know. Right now I'm trying to install one of the games on my C (my steam is on D) and see what happens. Thanks!

[Eldin]

Originally posted by CDRaioBossIT:

I'll give it a try and let you know. Right now I'm trying to install one of the games on my C (my steam is on D) and see what happens. Thanks!

OK, let me know can you install those games on C.
If Steam is on D (larger partition) you won't be able to move whole steamapps folder to C (smaller partition)
In this case just move workshop and userdata to C and link them back to D with mklink /J

If everything fails, move steamapps and userdata somewhere safe on D, fully uninstall Steam and install it on C.
Then make new library on D, move games there, and move userdata folder to where you installed Steam on C

[Randox]

Originally posted by CDRaioBossIT:

also, the HDD works just fine outside of steam... I Just get errors and similar when downloading games.. shouldn't it bother me even if I installed other softwares and similar actions, if it was failing?

It looks like someone found a more likely issue, but to answer the question; yes.

At least in my experience, the most obvious symptom from the user standpoint that something is wrong will be persistent bad sectors. Normally, the hard drive detects sectors that are no longer usable and labels them so that it doesn't use them in the future. Once the hard drive starts to fail, it seems either that this process doesn't always work as it should, or else bad sectors just start occuring so frequently that it's more likely to cause noticeable issues like Windows launching into Chkdsk (check disk) when the computer boots. I've had a couple hard drives bite the dust in my current computer (in fairness, I run multiple HDD's so I'm likely to see more failures).

My reason for pointing this out is to suggest that you should still take a look with CrystalDisk, just to make sure the drive actually is healthy. If that program flags issues, it doesn't mean the drive is about to start dying, but it's a good prompt to start making preparations.

More to the point, the most pain free method of replacing a drive, in my opinion, is to clone it. Cloning makes a perfect copy of the drive itself, as opposed to a normal backup which only saves data. Once cloned, you can unplug the original HDD and swap in the clone and your computer will carry on as if nothing happened. This process works a lot better if done before the drive starts to fail, to avoid the possibility of copying any errors. You could keep the original drive as a sort of historical backup, or if you have a mounting point for a second HDD in your computer, you could wipe it and use it for non critical storage until it gives up (you could for example install steam games to it, which can help with loading times compared to having games run off the same drive that windows is on).