steam_api.dll is missing

[hurtlingturtle]

Hi All,
I have found a number of people with similar problems but none of the suggested fixes I have found so far have worked. These have included simple restarts, re-installs, game cache integrity checks and even as far as disable windows 8 system protection & running the steam client in administrator mode (also tried running the installer like this just in case.
However I am now completely stumped and Steam support are not responding to me at all. I've been trying to fix this now for two weeks and just want to get SSART working for my son.

Initially, the issue appears as if the game suddenly decides to stop downloading, often gets within 1 to 2 % or less of being complete. Then it just stops and removes the game from the download queue. If you hit play it then responds with the disk write error. But if I look into the content_log.txt file I can see that it is due to the following...

[2015-02-23 22:14:02] Failed to write chunk in file "steam_api.dll", 104872 bytes at offset 0 (File Not Found)
[2015-02-23 22:14:02] AppID 212480 update canceled : Failed updating depot 212481 while writing chunk to "steam_api.dll", offset 0 (File Not Found) (Disk write failure)

It would appear to be unable to create this file but have no idea why, tried changing permissions and everything and hence why I then disabled windows system protection as its a DLL file. But all of this to no avail.

Does anyone know how to fix this?
please help me :)
ta
hurtlingturtle

[DrN0D3]

Ok here are some things to try... 1 delete the all of the files inside the temp file just go to the windows 8 serch bar and type: %temp%,,, if you have not done this for a long time or at all then this could be it, 2 type CMD into the serch bay and right click it going into admin mode then in the CMD window type: sfc/ scannow... just like that this will scan the systum for anything worng... 3 if none of that worked you may have to pay some one to fix the missing dll files or just reinstall steam and/or windows 8... it could be windows 8 becuase some programs make things change on regedit in the computer... it can also have something to do with windows32 like somthing maybe got deleted by mistake? If you need any more help let me know I can also try to fix the computer over the internet by remote if you want? X'D

[hurtlingturtle]

Thanks Nerk,
I've tried all of that and it sadly makes no difference. Seems to be a problem with SSART and Portal 2, if i install Dirt 3 or Burnout Paradise these work just fine. Most odd...
ta

[hurtlingturtle]

ok, this gets really weird now ;)
I've found steam_api.dll online and have downloaded a zip of it. However, if I try and extract it, it fails every time. If I rename it and then extract it (e.g. steam_api.__) then this works fine. Using the command prompt I can rename it to steam_apixx.dll just fine. But as soon as I try to rename it to steam_api.dll I get an Access Denied error. In case you are wondering this is all within a brand new empty folder in my documents area.
This makes no sense to me, any cunning ideas?
ta

[hurtlingturtle]

oh and I purchased the game legitimately, I'm not trying to crack it or anything.

[hurtlingturtle]

ok, after much trawling I am wondering if it is somehow related to Mcafee Anti-Virus....
the way this all happens makes me think that the file is definitely blocked for some odd reason. Even if I add the folder to the exceptions list, Mcafee must still be blocking it. Since it's locked down by the org I work for I cannot disable the access protection. Seems I may be screwed...

[hurtlingturtle]

hmmmm. Ok I decided to start Windows in Safe Mode with Networking, thus avoiding McAfee etc. This meant that the game now completed download and was ready to play. Cannot play in safe mode due to graphics. So back into normal mode and press play. This results in nothing happening..... nothing in logs, no error message, literally nothing...
anyone got any ideas?
ta

[vilkillian]

just reinstall steam

[Eric Cartman]

Arrrrr

[RedLightning]

I recently purchased a brand new laptop. with windows 8.1 on it. installed steam, only to be presented with this error. Turned out to be the crap pre-installed norton/symantec bull.

I disabled norton totally. Steam installed just fine. I wonder why anyone would even bother to use that bloatware anymore.

Take it out. and just install one of the, in my opinion, better free options.

[DrN0D3]

and this is way when ever I get a new pc I always uninstall them and just use windows defender... it comes with windows free and does a good job just dont go all over the internet looking at sites that have you know what lol... but even if you do... just dont install somthing that you think even has an issue... even if it looks safe if its not what you wanted dont do it any way about the missing dll file... uninstall what ever AV you got and just use windows defender... plus they update the thing every month... but do a scan once a week. I build pc all the time plus I do some pc modding. if you dont feel like you will do a scan once a week and forget then just keep what you got... also did you uninstall and then reinstall steam? and if not steam and nothing else is working then I saw just reinstall everything... back up (but not steam) your stuff and just do what works all the time... reinstall windows. I would connect to your pc remotely but I have not been on here lately... sorry... if you want more help msg me on my site at www.nerk.tv... dont worry I am not trying to get money out of you.

[DrN0D3]

also there is more then one steam_api.dll file for steam there are some for games that are for just that game and then there are some that are for just steam... just looked it up in my steam folder... if you are looking up just steam_api.dll for your game then it should be in this folder plus the game you are trying to play... C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\"the game you are trying to play". The steam_api.dll file should be put into this game file... but you may or may not need the steam_api.dll file for just that game meaning that the file will only work with just that game... once again if you want more help please go to www.nerk.tv to get a hold of me... plus if you want I can connect to your pc over the internet if you want and try to help you out.

[asdasdasd1231313]

jag har bara en pungkula trululut