15 Solutions For Steam Disk Write Error

Steam is a well-known social gaming platform that allows you to buy, play, and discuss games.

The game is being installed or downloaded on Steam. When it cannot be written to the disk/drive, a Steam Disk Write error occurs. Users try to install a game through the Steam client. They see the following error messages:

• An error has occurred while updating.
• An error has occurred while installing.

Depending on the issue your PC was having, there could be various explanations for “steam disk write error.” The most popular option is to uninstall Steam and reinstall the complete program. For Windows 10 users, the issue is likely to be pretty common.

What Is the Steam Disk Write Error?

The Steam ” Disk write errors ” problem occurs during the installation or update procedure of steam games. Steam is unable to locate, write, or change the game files in their original place. It could be attributed to a variety of factors. It could be an issue with Steam’s installation, the game, an update, or even your operating system. 

What Causes Steam Disk Write Error?

There can be many unknown reasons for this “steam disk write error.” According to the reports and other details, I have compiled some common errors. 

Antivirus Interference Is At The Root Of The Problem

It’s conceivable that your active antivirus will prevent you from downloading the game via Steam. It is most commonly reported to happen with Windows 10’s built-in antivirus. Both the main Game executable and the main Steam executable must be whitelisted.

Game Installation Files That Have Been Corrupted

It’s not uncommon for this error number to appear as a result of file corruption. It will have an impact on the game’s Steam installation. You can fix the problem by running a Steam integrity check.

Failure Of A Disk Drive Or An Issue With A Disk

You’re having problems with other Steam games as well. The error occurred because your computer’s disk may have sector flaws and is beginning to fail.

Solutions To Fix Disk Write Errors On Steam

1. Restart Steam And Computer 
2. Clear Download Cache From Steam Games
3. Run Steam As An Administrator
4. Disable Your Antivirus Program
5. Verify Integrity For Steam Game Files
6. Check And Repair Steam Disk Bad Sectors
7. Update Your Drivers and Windows
8. Move Steam Game Folder To Another Drive
9. Remove Write Protection From The Steam Drive
10. Check Hard Drive Health
11. Delete The 0 Kb File
12. Delete Corrupted Files In Log
13. Run Chkdsk File Checker
14. Set Steam Folder Security To Full Control
15. Reinstall Steam To Fix “Steam Disk Write” Error

1. Restart Steam And Computer

Restarting can always aid you when you’re stuck in a bind. For instance, PC blue screens, blank screens, disk errors, and so on, and Steam disk errors are not to be expected. The first step is to restart Steam and your computer.

To restart Steam, follow these steps:

• Activate any Steam window.
• To open a drop-down menu, click the word “Steam” in the top-left corner.
• Select “Exit” (Windows) or “Quit Steam” (Mac) from the drop-down menu (Mac). Steam will be turned off.

• If you’ve been logged out, reopen Steam and log back in.
• After that, you can attempt again to see if the disk write error occurs.

The next option is to restart your computer or the system on which Steam is installed. Restart your machine and close any applications that may be interfering with Steam.

• Select the “Start” button.
• “Shut down or sign out > Restart” is the option.

2. Clear Download Cache From Steam Games

Clearing the download cache is another option for resolving the issue. This action forces the Steam client to clear locally cached configuration data and re-download it from the Steam server.

To clear the Steam download cache, follow these steps:

• Go to “Settings” in “Steam.”

• Select “Clear Download Cache” from the “Downloads” menu.

• Try reopening Steam after that to see if it works.

3. Run Steam As An Administrator

It may be sufficient to run the application in administrator mode to resolve any issues resulting from a user access restriction. 

You may not be an administrator at times, and you will be unable to access specific programs. Running software as an administrator grants it more permissions and can resolve a variety of issues.

• Right-click Steam.exe in your Steam folder and select “Properties.”
• Select the “Compatibility” tab from the menu.
• Check “Run this software as an administrator” under Privilege Level.

• “Apply then OK” should be selected.

4. Disable Your Antivirus Program

Antivirus/firewalls are known to cause a variety of troubles for computer games. Disabling the antivirus/firewall for a while to rule that out is a smart idea.

Your antivirus program may be preventing you from writing files to your hard drive. You can always turn off your antivirus and try again to download the games. Adjust your antivirus settings and make a scan exception for Steam.

Change your firewall/antivirus settings at your own risk, as doing so can expose your PC to fraudulent, viral, or malicious attacks.

• Turn off your antivirus software.
• Disable your Firewall.
• Check to see if the Steam Disk Write Error has been resolved.
• If that’s the case, make an exception in the antivirus/firewall settings for the Steam folder. After that, make sure the antivirus/firewall is turned on.

5. Verify Integrity For Steam Game Files

If any files in your game installation are corrupt, you may run into this problem. Antivirus programs have also removed them as false positives. So you can check the game files for integrity to see if it resolves the issue.

• Restart your computer and then launch Steam.
• Right-click the game that causes disk issues and select “Properties” from the “Library” tab.

• The “Verify Integrity Of Game Files” button appears after clicking the “Local Files” tab. Simply press the button.

• Steam will begin checking game files, which could take a few minutes.

• Please keep in thought that some files may fail to validate, which is common with Steam games. These files are local configuration files that cannot be changed as part of this procedure.
• After all, the files have been confirmed. You can attempt installing updates again to determine if the disk error has been resolved.

6. Check And Repair Steam Disk Bad Sectors

If your Steam drive has defective sectors, you can get a disk write error when playing Steam, Origin, or other games. Check to see whether your hard disk has any faulty sectors.

Check Bad Sectors on the Steam Disk

You’ll need the assistance of a free third-party partition manager tool. EaseUS Partition Master is a helpful utility. First, the Surface Test function makes screening for faulty sectors elementary. To check for defective sectors, follow the procedures below.

• EaseUS Partition Master should now be open. Right-click the disk you want to examine. Now, select “Advanced” then “Surface Test” from the drop-down menu.
• The procedure will be carried out right away, and all poor sectors will be highlighted in red.
• If no errors are discovered, return to Steam and check if the game update is still stuck.

Replace Failing Steam Hard Drive

You may discover an error that is causing the Steam problem. Cloning the drive to another HDD and replacing it is a good option.

Use EaseUS Partition Master’s clone disk function to replace a failing hard drive with a new one:

• Choose a source disk.
• Right-click the disk you wish to copy or clone and select Copy or Clone from the menu. Then choose “Clone.”
• Choose the destination disk.
• To continue, select the desired HDD/SSD as the destination and click “Next.”
• Edit the target disk partition size and view the disk layout.
• Then, when the application cautions that it will wipe out all data on the target disk, select “Continue.”

7. Update Your Drivers and Windows

The operation of any application or hardware on your computer is likely on the updates and drivers. Follow these simple steps to update your computer’s drivers.

Update Windows

• Select the Setting Icon from the Start menu.
• The settings page for Windows 10 will appear. From the settings page, select the “Updates and Security” option.

• The page for Windows updates will now open. To check for updates, click the Check for Updates button.

• Windows will now begin looking for fresh updates.
• Multiple updates will now be displayed in Windows, and you may choose which one you want to install.

Windows Drivers Update

• Select Update & Security from the menu under Settings.
• Select View optional updates from the menu.
• Select the Driver Updates tab.
• Pick the driver that needs to be renewed.
• Select “Download and install” from the drop-down menu.
• The latest driver will automatically download and install on your device once you’ve completed the steps.

8. Move Steam Game Folder To Another Drive

It’s a good idea to move the game folder to a different folder location. There are any conflicting local files in the game file’s location. The problem will be fixed because the entire application will have a new local area.

• Go to the Steam menu and select “Settings” to repair the original folder.

• Click “Steam Library Folders” under the “Downloads” section.

• Click the “Steam Library Folders” your games are presently saved. Now, select the Settings icon. Choose “Repair Library Folder” from the drop-down menu.

• If you want to change the path, go through the same procedures again, but this time select “Add Library Folder.”
• After you’ve named your new route, click on it to see it by default.

9. Remove Write Protection From The Steam Drive

It may be impossible to edit a disk that has been written-protected. Formatting, writing data, and installing programs are just a few examples. To eliminate the problem, simply run the diskpart command to remove write protection.

• To open “Command Prompt,” press “Win + R” and write cmd.
• In the command prompt, write “diskpart” and press enter.
• Now, type “list disk” and press enter.

• Write “select disk 0 (replace 0 by the number of the write-protected disk) and press “Enter.”

• At last, write “attributes disk clear readonly” and press the Enter key.

• Once the write protection removal operation is complete, type exit to close the diskpart window.
• Restart your computer device and check if you can get back into Steam.

10. Check Hard Drive Health

Your hard drive has faulty sectors or is nearing the end of its useful life. It can result in a slew of issues. It’s possible that checking and fixing your hard disk errors will solve the problem.

SFC is a powerful built-in utility in Windows. The system file scanner will access the internet and download an online manifest. It compares the local version with the online version and corrects any inconsistencies.

• Type the following command at the command prompt (Admin), then press ENTER.
  • sfc /scannow 

• Don’t cancel the SFC command until it’s finished.
• All protected system files will be scanned with the sfc /scannow command. 
• It replaces corrupted files with a cached copy stored in a compressed folder in the %WinDir%\System32\dllcache.
• Now launch Steam and see whether the ‘steam disk write error” is appropriately resolved.

11. Delete The 0 Kb File

The 0KB (zero KB) file can trigger a software problem, resulting in a steam disk write error. The 0KB file is a blank white file with the game’s name you’re having trouble registering on it.

It can be found in the steamapps folder’s shared folder. There is no extension on this file; it is simply a blank white file with no contents and a size of 0KB. It’s possible that deleting this file will solve the problem.

• Make sure no Steam-related processes are running in Task Manager.
• Navigate to the following section in File Explorer.
  •  C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common
• Scroll to the bottom of the page to find the file with the game’s name. If it is present, it will have a size of 0KB. If it is, remove the file.
• Now launch Steam and see if the error has been resolved.

12. Delete Corrupted Files In Log

This “disk write error” could potentially be caused by corrupt Steam log files. So we can see if there’s one and delete it if there is.

• Hold the Windows logo key and R together on your keyboard. Then click OK after copying and pasting %ProgramFiles(x86)% into the box.

• Double-click on Steam, then logs, and finally content log.

• Scroll to the bottom of the document. Examine for a failed disk write error.
• If that’s the case, look up the error’s name and path, and delete the corrupted file.
• Check if the problem is resolved by repeating the download/update.

13. Run Chkdsk File Checker

There’s a chance that some of the sectors on your hard drive are corrupted. Your hard drive is nearing the edge of its life. It also displays a “disk write error Steam.”

Without any settings, CHKDSK will simply verify the status of the drive. It can fix a variety of hard drive issues when applied with the right parameters. It substitutes unused sectors for faulty HDD sectors.

Use CHKDSK to check and repair logical problems on your hard drive:

• File Explorer can be accessed by right-clicking on the Start menu in the bottom left corner and selecting it.

• Right-click the partition on which Game is installed, then select Properties.
• After that, go to Tools and then to “Check.”

• If faults are discovered, your system will inform you about mistakes.

14. Set Steam Folder Security To Full Control

You can receive a “disk write error” if you don’t have the required permissions to operate Steam. So, for your user account to have full access, you must do the following.

• Completely shut down Steam.
• Hold the Windows logo key and R together on your keyboard. Then click OK after copying and pasting %ProgramFiles(x86)% into the box.
• Right-click Steam and select Properties from the drop-down menu.

• Before you start, uncheck the box. Only read-only (Only applies to files in the folder).

• Then, under the Security tab, select Edit.

• Click your user account, then select the box Allow for Full Control under Group or user names.

• Apply and then OK.
• Type steam into the Windows logo key. Then right-click Steam and select Run as administrator from the context menu.

Hopefully, the “disk write error” is no longer an issue.

15. Reinstall Steam To Fix “Steam Disk Write” Error

The Steam client must be uninstalled and then reinstalled. The games you have installed on your PC will be completely erased if you reinstall Steam. You will be removed from the system.

Make a copy of the library folder you want to utilize for the next installation.

• Press the Windows key, type Control Panel, and then select Control Panel from the list that appears.
• Now select Uninstall a Program from the drop-down menu.
• Locate and choose Steam, then pick Uninstall from the drop-down menu. To complete the uninstallation, follow the directions on the screen.
• Restart your computer.
• Download the Steam client once again.
• Launch the downloaded file after it has finished downloading. To complete the Steam installation procedure, follow the directions on the screen.

Hopefully, the Steam Disk Write Error is no longer an issue. If not, deactivate your GPU’s overclocking as the last option. Also, ensure the drive has enough free space.

Conclusion

Steam is a fantastic platform for downloading games, but it is not without flaws. The “disk write error” might happen for a variety of causes. With the ways described above, you can simply solve it.

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