How to Fix the Corrupt Disk Error on Steam

Have you started updating a game in Steam, and it ran normally for a while but then presented the"Corrupt Disk"error? Have you encountered this error when downloading a game on Steam? If so, the download or update process has been interrupted.

This interruption usually occurs because of a problem with your hard drive, Steam client, or Windows settings. However, there is no need to panic; fixing this error is simple. This article will discuss several solutions you may apply to resolve this error and download or update your game successfully.

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1. Run Steam as Administrator

Your antivirus software or Windows Defender may interrupt the process of updating or downloading an app on Steam. It’s more likely to happen if Steam is installed on the same drive that houses your operating system.

The best way to avoid this is to run Steam as administrator, which will prevent your security software from blocking Steam client processing. To run Steam as administrator, type"Steam"in Windows Search, right-click the Steam icon, and selectRun as administrator.

Corrupt Disk Error on a Steam Client on Windows

If running Steam as administrator fixes the problem,set the app to always run as administrator.

2. Run Repair Folder in Steam

Steam offers a helpful utility for repairing corrupt Steam directories. Repairing them may also fix the “Corrupt Disk” error you’re experiencing. Follow these steps to perform the repair:

3. Rename the Steamapps' Subfolder

Renaming a subfolder named"Downloading"in the Steamapps folder has fixed this error for many Reddit users. So, you should also try it. Follow these steps to rename this folder:

Then, update the game; hopefully, you won’t encounter this error again.

Run Steam as an Administrator

4. Clear the Download Cache in Steam

Steam’s download cache saves information about active downloads and updates until game files are copied to the final destination. If a game is not downloading or updating correctly after an interruption, you can clear the download cache to rule out the cache as a possible culprit.

To clear the Download cache, launch the Steam client, click on theSteammenu, and then chooseSettings. In theSettingspanel, select theDownloadstab and click theClear Download Cachebutton.

Go to Settings in Steam Client

After that, click onOKto confirm. You may need to sign in again, so do that, and then try updating or downloading the game again.

5. Relocate the Game to a Different Drive

You may encounter the “Corrupt Disk” error if your hard drive is on the verge of failure. If you hear strange noises from your drive, your files frequently get corrupted, or you run into disk drive errors repeatedly, your hard drive could be defective. You can test your hypothesis by moving your Steam games to a different drive.

To do that, open Steam, click on theSteammenu in the top-left corner, and go toSettings. Then, go to theDownloadstab on the left and clickSteam Library Foldersto open the storage manager.

Open Steam Library Folders in the Downloads Tab of Steam Settings

See how many drives are listed here. If you see only one drive that houses the error-presenting game, you need to add a new one. To do this, click the"+“icon, choose the other drive (or a specific location in the new drive) where you want to move the game and create a folder called"SteamLibrary.”

Doing so will add a new drive to the storage manager. After that has been added, you can move the game there. To do that, check the box next to the game you would like to move, click on theMovebutton, choose the location where you want to relocate the game, and click on theMovebutton again.

The relocation process may take a long time, depending on the size of the game. Therefore, be patient.

6. Don’t Let Your Hard Drive Go to Sleep

Windows comes with a handy power manager that lets you customize how your system should consume power. Besides many useful customizations, it also enables you to save energy by turning off the hard disk after some idle time. If one of your hard drives remains inactive for a long time, this is a helpful way to save power.

Unfortunately, this customization doesn’t always work in our favor. If the hard drive turns off accidentally during the game download or update process, the installation might get corrupted. Consequently, it may present this error. To prevent this from happening, follow these steps:

7. Update Steam

Steam releases frequent updates to introduce new features and fix existing bugs. Steam client updates usually take place automatically, but sometimes you need to do some manual intervention. To check if your Steam client is up-to-date, run it, open theSteammenu at the top left, and click onCheck for Steam Client Updates.

If the Steam client is already up-to-date, you will see the message"Your Steam client is already up-to-date."

If there are new updates you haven’t installed yet, Steam will do that automatically for you when you open theCheck for Steam Client Updateswindow.

Successfully Update or Download Steam Games

Seeing the Steam game update or download stuck in the middle and displaying the “Corrupt Disk” error is enough to ruin our fun. If it’s not a hardware issue with your hard drive, the above fixes will likely help you fix the issue, and you’ll be able to download and update games on Steam successfully.

Getting technical assistance from a technician is a good idea when the problem is hardware-related. If you need to replace your hard drive, choose a quality one this time that lasts a long time.

There’s nothing worse than hard drive failure. Protect your data by choosing one of the most reliable hard drives.

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