Among all the common errors associated with steam, this particular one can be very difficult to solve, especially when you don’t know the steps to take to be able to fix it. This error often shows up when updating a steam game.
It signifies the inability of the steam to write update files to the hard disk, hence preventing steam from updating, usually, steam is expected to from time to time update itself.
We seem to have lots of ways to fix this issue. The most effectual way is to simply uninstall and reinstall all the local game content from the beginning. The only problem with the aforementioned process is that it can be time-consuming and can take lots of data to complete the process. However, we are aware that anyone reading this might probably be having this issue and searching for solutions to resolve the error, hence we are going to list some of the easiest and convenient ways to solve the issue. Feel free to try anyone.
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How To Fix The Error
Method One – Repair Corrupt Files
The first ideal thing to do is to locate the corrupted files and treat them. Identify those faulty files and reinstall them afresh. This is an evergreen method to fix any problem.
Steps 1: Exit Steam and go to the Steam directory. You can easily locate it on this default path (C:/Program Files (x86)/Steam).
Step 2: Navigate to the folder ‘logs’ and open ‘txt’.
Step 3: Navigate to the extreme down of the text file and look for recent errors
Step 4: Go to the root folder of the mod, you may like total war warhammer mods, civilization 5 mods.
Step 5: Finally, Restart steam and scroll to the downloads folder. Once you are done restarting, you will discover that Steam will now be asking for an update for the game. Go ahead and update the required files. All is now set.
Method Two – Readjust the Winsok Catalog
To be concise, Winsock is a short form of Windows Sockets API, it is a technical specification that determines how Windows network software should access network protocols such as TCP/IP. This API most times demand a reset and this can prompt this error. Here is how to reset the Winsok.
Step 1: On the Windows Start menu icon, right click and select search
Step 2: Type ”cmd” into the Search field and click on Ctrl+Shift+Enter
Step 3: Type ‘’netsh winsock reset’’ in the command prompt
Step 4: Click enter on the keyboard to lunch the command
Step 5: Restart the PC
Step 6: Lunch Steam and then update
Method Three – Check and Disable Antivirus
The antivirus can as well prompt this error when it sees the Steam files as a virus threat and removes the files. This stops Steam from updating hence you will experience the steam content file locked issue, so to be able to update steam files, you will need to first disable the antivirus. Every anti-virus has a particular to disable it.
If you are using McAfee antivirus, open it and select “Virus and Spyware Protection”. Find the option “Real-Time Scanning”. Click that option and then turn it off. Then follow the following instruction below to verify the integrity of game files.
1. Restart your PC and then relaunch Steam.
2. Scroll to the library section and then right click on the particular game you are having issues with
3. Click on its properties and select the local files tab
4. Click the verify integrity of game files button
If you are making use of Kaspersky antivirus, also know that sometimes it treats Steam as a threat and stops it from affecting any form of change to the hard drive, thereby hindering update.
To fix the error, just scroll to the ‘threads and exclusions’. Go to ‘trusted zone’ and add Steam.exe as a trusted application. Do not forget to change the settings to “Do not restrict application activity” as well as “Do not scan opened files”. This is how you solve the steam content file locked error by disabling the antivirus when using Kaspersky antivirus.
If you are ESET NOD32 antivirus, this also like most other antivirus has the tendency to some treat steam files as malicious and probably quarantine them, resulting in the steam content file locked error. To fix this
1. Navigate to your current steam directory
2. Copy the address
3. Open ESET NOD32 and paste the location in exclude from real-time scanning
4. Verify integrity of game files (use the same method stated above)
5. If None of the above solutions didn’t work for you, you can try method four.
Method Four – Relocate Steam Installation and Game Files
If the above methods didn’t work for you, you might want to try relocating the steam installation and game files. This process is in two parts. The first part is to relocate the steam and then lunch it, believing it will run as expected, if that fails, then will have to resort to reinstalling Steam. Avoid interrupting the copying process, as that will corrupt the files and warrant you to reinstall the client afresh. Below is the procedure for relocating steam installation and game files.
1. On your Steam client and click settings
2. Select ‘Downloads’ and then click on ‘Steam Library Folders’.
3. Click on ‘Add Library Folder’ and then choose a new path where you prefer your Steam to be located.
4. Here give a future path for the installations to take place. Now move existing Steam files to the path you selected.
5. Exit the Steam client.
6. Go to your current Steam directory, the default directory is: (C: \Program Files \Steam).
7. Delete all the files and folders except SteamApps and UserData folders. Don’t delete exe.
8. Cut all the folders and paste them to the new directory you decided above.
9. Finally, launch Steam and login again
In case you had any hitch while moving the steam folder or after you must have launched it, do not worry. Just follow the steps below:
1. Shutdown your Steam
2. Navigate to the location where the Steam has been relocated to
3. Relocate the ‘SteamApps’ folder from that directory to your desktop.
4. Uninstall Steam. (in order to delete the old Steam settings from your PC)
5. Install Steam again to the initial location that you selected.
6. Move the SteamApps folder in the new Steam directory. This will copy all of your game content i.e. saved games and settings.
7. Launch Steam and enter your credentials.
8. Verify integrity of Steam game files and you will be able to play.
Fill free to apply any of these fixes, and you will be good to go.
