Steam Disk Error is an annoying issue that you may face while downloading, updating, or installing a new game on the Steam client. This is a pretty common Steam error that you would not likely want to see as it puts a stop to all your downloads and updates on Steam games, preventing you from playing what you want and curbing your gaming plans. When this happens, you will one of these error messages:
- An error occurred while installing [game title] (disk write error): C:\Program Files (x86)\steam\steamapps\common\game_title
- An error occurred while updating [game_title]
- An error occurred while installing [game_title]
But what causes this Steam disk error? More often than not, this can be blamed on your computer or Steam lacking the necessary permissions to write any updates to the disk where you store all of your games. It could be your antivirus, or perhaps there’s a setting telling your PC that some folders are just read-only. Worse, it might even mean your hard drive is on its way out or something worse. Want to know where your Steam screenshots go in the system? Check our guide for Steam screenshots folder location.
Don’t worry, though—this guide will walk through the reasons why this error occurs and tell a few troubleshooting methods and fixes to solve this problem.
Basic Troubleshooting Steps to Fix Steam Disk Write Error
It’s better to quickly address it with simple solutions before you think about going for more complex ones.
- Restart Steam Client & Computer: It should seem like a very silly solution, but most of the time this classic method works quite well. Start by closing and reopening the Steam Client. This will help you to fix any immediate application problems. If that didn’t work, then restart your system. It works in many cases when you get an error in software programs or even within the system. Then, go to your Steam app and either download or update the game you originally wanted.
- Run Steam as Administrator: Steam might be lacking the permissions it needs to work properly. Launching it as an administrator can help provide that extra level of access you need to fiddle with files on your hard disk without constantly tripping over permission walls. Close your client and right-click the Steam shortcut, choosing “Run as administrator.” Simple as that.
If these don’t solve the Steam disk error, don’t worry—we have more detailed and advanced solutions up next.
How to Fix the Steam Disk Write Error
These methods are a bit more detailed, so follow along to solve the disk write error on Steam.
1. Remove Write Protection
Sometimes, Steam can’t write to the disk because of write protection settings. If the Steam installation drive or folder is set to read-only. your PC doesn’t allow the application to change, remove, or add files. Here’s how to check and change that:
- Go to the Steam folder on your drive.
- Right-click on the folder and select ‘Properties‘.
- Go to the Security tab, and click on ‘Edit‘ to change permissions.
- Here, click on the checkbox next to the Full control option.
- Click Apply and then OK to save changes.
After removing this restriction, Steam can now have the necessary permissions to write to its directories.
2. Verify Integrity of Game Files
Corrupt game files are also the source of the Steam disk write error. Thankfully, Steam has a built-in tool to fix this:
- Open Steam and go to your Library.
- Right-click on the game that’s causing issues and select ‘Properties‘.
- Click on the Local Files tab, and then select ‘Verify integrity of game files’.
- Steam will then check and replace any corrupt files it finds.
This process can take a few minutes, depending on the size of the game. On completion, check again by downloading or updating the game.
3. Clear Steam Download Cache
A cluttered download cache can interfere with Steam’s operations. So, remove all cache of your Steam client to give it a fresh start:
- Open Steam and click on Steam in the upper left corner, then select Settings.
- Go to Downloads and scroll a bit.
- Click on the Clear Cache button that’s right next to Clear Download Cache. After clicking, a prompt will open, select Confirm to clear the Steam cache.
- Steam client will clean all the cache files and will automatically restart.
You will now have to log in again to the app. Enter into Steam again and try your luck.
4. Repair Steam Library Folder
If there’s an issue with how your games are organized, you might need to repair the Steam library folder:
- In Steam, go to Settings and then move to the Storage tab.
- Select the library folder from the top and then click on three-dots.
- From the menu options, click Repair Library.
Let the process complete and restart your Steam client again. This method is only to make sure that Steam’s library folder is set up correctly and can eliminate disk write errors related to folder issues.
5. Update Steam Client
Just like any other program or Windows, it’s also very important that your Steam client is always up to date. Usually, every time you start the client, it automatically checks for updates and installs them on the spot if there are new ones appear. But maybe, some fresh patches are released when your Steam is running. Here’s how you can manually check the Steam client updates:
- Click on Steam in the upper left corner of the client, then select Check for Steam Client Updates from the drop-down menu.
It will scan for the new updates and if the latest are waiting for installation, you need to follow on-screen instructions to install them.
6. Adjust Antivirus and Firewall Settings
Sometimes, security software can prevent Steam from writing to the disk:
- Temporarily disable your antivirus or firewall.
- Try to download or update the game on Steam.
- If it works, add an exception for Steam in your antivirus or firewall settings.
Remember to turn your security software back on after testing.
Advanced Solutions for Steam Disk Write Error
If the basic fixes haven’t cleared up the Steam disk write error, don’t worry—there are still a few advanced tricks up our sleeve that might just do the trick. Let’s dive into these more involved solutions.
1. Check Disk Errors
When suspecting a deeper issue with your hard drive, Windows offers a Check Disk utility that can scan and repair problems:
- Open File Explorer, right-click on the Steam installation drive, and choose ‘Properties‘.
- Navigate to the Tools tab and click on the ‘Check’ button under the Error checking section.
- Click on ‘Scan drive’ if Windows doesn’t find any errors automatically, or choose ‘Repair drive’ if it recommends fixing issues.
This utility can find and fix problems related to bad sectors, improper shutdowns, or corruption that could be causing the disk write errors.
2. Reset Steam Configuration
Sometimes, Steam’s settings can get tangled up. Resetting Steam to its default configuration might help:
- Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
- Type steam://flushconfig and press Enter.
- A confirmation popup will appear and ask if you want to reset Steam’s configuration, click OK to complete the process.
It clears any settings that may not be confused in the correct way and could interfere with disk operations. Restart Steam, log in again, and download or update any game to see if the disk error gets solved.
3. Check out Corrupt Steam Files
You can manually look for any corrupt or missing Steam file and try to recover it. Follow these steps:
- Head over to the Steam folder, the default location is at C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam. But it will be different if you choose a manual location when installing the Steam app.
- Locate the ‘logs’ folder and open the ‘workshop_log.txt’ file.
- In this text file, look towards the end section for any errors that might point to specific corrupted files and note their paths.
- Visit these locations and delete the corrupted files.
- Once you restart the Steam after that, it will ask to update the game. Allow it and the client will re-download the deleted or missing files.
By identifying and removing corrupted files manually, you can sometimes resolve deeper issues that aren’t fixed through the usual integrity check.
Even though this error might pop up for many users, keep in mind that not everyone’s computer is the same—so what fixes the issue for one person might not work for another. If you’ve tried all the methods in this guide and still have no luck, it might be time to get some expert help. Contact Steam support for assistance, they have access to more specific tools and resources that can help diagnose and resolve the issue.
