workshop continuously trying to update a zero byte file

[Auntystatic 8]

My problem is the workshop continuously trying to update, it is fine but as soon as I subscribe to one single mod in the workshop it goes crazy and continuously tries to update a zero byte file, the only way to get it to stop is to delete all the mods, I have uninstalled steam and Arma twice now but the problem returns as soon as I pick any mod and subscribe to it, here is a short youtube video of the problem https://youtu.be/jz4Ri0HlWbo

As you can see it goes so fast it flickers with its constant download tries, it also uses 20% ish cpu power and continues even if I start a game, my settings are to stop downloads when in game, I'm pulling my hair out over this and have spent hours searching google, steam and these forums for an answer, if anyone can help me with this I would be so grateful.

 

Thanks

Auntystatic

[domokun 515]

I can confirm.

This has affected my Steam install for the last week or so.

I have tried switching the download location and clearing the download cache but neither of these helps.

After 10+ years of satisfaction on Steam, this has dented my confidence.

So anyone got any other solutions?

[Auntystatic 8]

I have had a lot of suggestions on how to fix this from my gaming community, but none have worked so far, it must be something that is tied to my account as reinstalling everything still brings up the same fault, I even unsubscribed from every mod I had to see if that would work and it didn't, I can't see anything in the logs but I'm no expert, but this is worrying all these attempts per second to update.......

 

[2017-02-21 07:33:40] [AppID 107410] Starting Workshop download job
[2017-02-21 07:33:40] [AppID 107410] Finished Workshop download job : No Error
[2017-02-21 07:33:40] [AppID 107410] Starting Workshop download job
[2017-02-21 07:33:40] [AppID 107410] Finished Workshop download job : No Error
[2017-02-21 07:33:40] [AppID 107410] Starting Workshop download job
[2017-02-21 07:33:40] [AppID 107410] Finished Workshop download job : No Error
[2017-02-21 07:33:40] [AppID 107410] Starting Workshop download job
[2017-02-21 07:33:41] [AppID 107410] Finished Workshop download job : No Error
[2017-02-21 07:33:41] [AppID 107410] Starting Workshop download job
[2017-02-21 07:33:41] [AppID 107410] Finished Workshop download job : No Error
[2017-02-21 07:33:41] [AppID 107410] Starting Workshop download job
[2017-02-21 07:33:41] [AppID 107410] Finished Workshop download job : No Error
[2017-02-21 07:33:41] [AppID 107410] Starting Workshop download job
[2017-02-21 07:33:42] [AppID 107410] Finished Workshop download job : No Error
[2017-02-21 07:33:42] [AppID 107410] Starting Workshop download job
[2017-02-21 07:33:42] [AppID 107410] Finished Workshop download job : No Error
[2017-02-21 07:33:42] [AppID 107410] Starting Workshop download job
[2017-02-21 07:33:42] [AppID 107410] Finished Workshop download job : No Error
[2017-02-21 07:33:42] [AppID 107410] Starting Workshop download job
[2017-02-21 07:33:42] [AppID 107410] Finished Workshop download job : No Error
[2017-02-21 07:33:42] [AppID 107410] Starting Workshop download job

[domokun 515]

Believe it or not but this worked for me:

 

[Auntystatic 8]

Tried domokun's suggestion but all it did was cause steam to download 68gig of files with no change to my problem

[Xandroid2L 0]

Yes, I am having the same issue. Since the problem started, some mods are updating but new items aren't being recognized by the launcher. New items are downloading into the iWorkshop folder. But, the items do not move from the folder to the launcher. I added the workshop folder to my launcher scan, but most titles are numbers.  Its an annoyance.

[road runner 4344]

On 2/24/2017 at 3:11 AM, Auntystatic said:

Tried domokun's suggestion but all it did was cause steam to download 68gig of files with no change to my problem

I bet your hard drive loved that!!

[orcinus 121]

The STEAMing pile of *** has fscked up yet again. Logged on after a hiatus & the crock of *** [1] said I had 36.3 GB  of  'updates' to download (which would seriously fsckup my monthly bandwidth) and that I didn't have enough space on my 500 GB EVO SSD (!).

 

Start rant/

 

Looked at my A3 installation and this STEAMing crock of suppurating skunk smegma has duplicated the 107140 folder into a total of 3 locations and has downloaded content into all of them.

 

What a pile of shit (my preferred expletive) STEAM is.

 

Valve's software QoS is virtually non-existant, judging by mine and others' experiences over the last year or two. What does it comprise, a bunch of spotty adolescent onanists masturbating each other's flabby overblown egos about how 'cool' they are, rather than doing something remotely competent? 

 

How could a remotely competent group have unleashed the appallingly shitty "ArmA 3 Launcher"-  a product that is so piss-poor that although BIS-branded, BIS have  - publically and rather shamefully - disowned any responsibility for it and shuffled that onto Valve? Yeah, and good luck chasing that with the STEAM w*nkers.

 

/rant

 

So please would someone post the correct file structure as I have no idea which of the three 107410 file l;ocations is correct. and which to delete.

 

For the avoidance of any doubt, I shall never again buy any game or other content that requires the squalidly incompetent services of this shoddy, sixth-rate STEAM company.

 

Faugh.

 

[1] Please replace the asterisks with your preferred expletive.

[orcinus 121]

23 hours ago, BIS_Wizard said:

Hello orcinus,

if you can post the installation path of your game and the full paths for 107410 folders, I could tell you which are the correct ones.

 

If you have any ideas how to improve Arma 3 Launcher,  we're always listening. There are threads in this forum for that or you can use our feedback tracker.

Hi BIS_Wizard

 

Thanks for the prompt reply.

 

Thanks to Agent Ransack, I now know that there are six 107410 folders. Four of them contain mod folders:

 

O:\Arma 3\SteamApps\workshop\downloads\107410      

42.6 GB, 155 folders, 627 files. This 107410 folder created 03/03/2017 16:01, modified 03/03/2017 16:44

O:\Arma 3\SteamApps\workshop\content\107410            

42.3 GB, 188 folders, 2068 files.  The 107410 folder created 15/02/2017 09:29 modified 18/02/2017 15:39 
Parent directory 'content' also contains a "downloads" and a "temp" directory; both empty, both created 15/02/2017 09:25 modified 15/02/2017 09:29

O:\Arma 3\SteamApps\downloads\107410

13.6 GB, 22 folders, 206 files. Created 15/02/2017 09:59, modified 15/02/2017 09:58

O:\Arma 3\SteamApps\content\107410

293 MB, 20 folders, 20 files. This 107410 folder created 09/04/2015 20:27 modified 19/02/2017 13:18

O:\Arma 3\SteamApps\downloading\107410 - empty.  Created/modified 04/03/2017 18:33

O:\Arma 3\SteamApps\temp\107410 - empty. Created/modified 03/02/2017 16:42

 

Re the first listed: it is impossible impossible that I downloaded 42.6 GB of files yesterday morning - MBB usage was 841 MB before I quit the STEAMing midden.

 

I haven't yet analysed the content - looking for duplicates/outdated files, etc.

 

What is clear is that with these bugger-ups and the imbecilic performance of installing the 64-bit dev, this shoddy software has blown about 100 GB of expensive mobile bandwidth. It ought to carry a wealth warning (serious potential bandwith overruns) and a health warning (potential cardio- and cerebrovascular incidents due to gratuitously-induced frustration/rage).

 

Re the ArmA3 launcher: I haven't used it since the January incident when it decided to redownload all of CUP the day after I had updated all the files (there had not been an intervening update of the mod). So, at least as unfit for purpose as the STEAMing cesspit itself. However, for your information:

 

1. It is appallingly slo-o-o-w. Select a mod and the whole app locks up for 20 - 120 secs for no apparent reason. Occurs even if running offline, so it can't be looking for updates. Oops, I'm forgetting how incompetent the designers are - maybe it is trying to locate STEAM workshop.

 

2. Unstable. Repeat item 1 for ten mods, andgo quietly insane when it then crashes.

 

I have no intention of ever again firing up that excuse for a launcher, so have nothing more to contribute.

 

BIS, please do everyone a favour (including your esteemed selves) and bin the current launcher. Community solutions are infinitely superior. Take a look at ArmAsync as a prime example. Originally a port of Spirited Machine's excellent A2/CO launcher, Major Shepard has ported it to A3 and added considerably to its capabilities. No, it does not include delta patching of STEAM workshop files but I doubt it would be terribly difficult to include if a competent programmer had access to the relevant APIs.

 

There is in English an old adage about not reinventing the wheel. Congratulations BIS/Valve, in the ArmA3 launcher you've not only reinvented the wheel, you've made it an irregular polygon.  Enjoy your bumpy ride :P

 

[orcinus 121]

Thanks very much, BIS_Wizard. I'll spend some hours tomorrow very carefully removing outdated duplicates and collecting the survivors into O:\Arma 3\SteamApps\workshop\content\107410    

 

Is these directories all correct?

O:\Arma 3\SteamApps\workshop\content\107410           
O:\Arma 3\SteamApps\workshop\content\downloads

O:\Arma 3\SteamApps\workshop\content\temp <<this one seems to have migrated

 

 

STEAM has unaccountably but definitely duplicated multiple files & folders - that's the only possible explanation for the 42.6 GB in the folder O:\Arma 3\SteamApps\workshop\downloads\107410

 

It seems clear also that STEAM has been screwing up since at least early January, as various forum posts have pointed out. I am not sanguine about the future...

 

Re Launcher - ah, yes, fairly obvious in retrospect that the downloads are done by STEAM (and hence the duplication I and others have encountered when running Launcher in January, as STEAM is currently not fit for purpose).

 

I have somewhat over 300 installed mods, not allowing for STEAM's AWOL duplicates which can only slow things down. Valve needs to sort that out ASAP.

 

Cheers

 

Orc

[kMaN175 34]

I'm now having the same issues as Auntystatic, who originally started this thread.  I've tried all kinds of fixes and nothing works.

Edited March 5, 2017 by kman_(kya)

[orcinus 121]

Thanks. BIS_Wizard. That image is delightfully unambiguous :)

 

I already found the Maniphest thread https://feedback.bistudio.com/T122973

that was closed as "Not fixable" on Feb 14.

 

Deeply thrilled to see that "Valve has acknowledged the issue with Steam client." Wowee zowee, problem solved....not.

 

 STEAM client has been screwing up downloads since at least the beginning of December, e.g.,

 

and

https://forums.bistudio.com/topic/199870-subscribing-to-new-content-on-sws-does-not-work-anymore-since-update/#comment-3126315

 

(a very strange thread as multiple posts were deleted by some unknown person, without explanation).

 

I have zero confidence in the Steam client, and less in those responsible for producing it. They broke it; months ago. If they can't fix it then FFS why don't these incompetents roll back to an earlier version until they have identified and repaired whatever they broke?

 

It has consequences. For example, I've bought every ArmA product BIS has ever made; including the Karts, solely to support development (it's never been used). I don't fly but would have bought the Jets DLC for similar reasons; but not now. I cannot trust the STEAM client even to update the game; I cannot afford to incur potential b/w over-use charges that could run into GBP100's.

 

I was contemplating buying another game from STEAM, but in future I shall avoid Valve like a dose of Shigella. Any game that is STEAM-only is permanently off my radar.

[Auntystatic 8]

Hi Bis_Wizard, have you seen the video I posted in the first post in this thread, I'm getting pm's and other messages from people who now have this same problem

[road runner 4344]

uninstalling steam or Arma 3 will not make any difference, steam knows what addon's you've subscribed to from it's internal database, so as soon as you open up a new installed copy, it immediately re downloads EVERYTHING you've subscribed to, moving the game to a different drive, same issue, it will recreate the 107410 folder, and unless you've informed steam in the game properties of a drive change, it will keep downloading to both locations.

Now...... if it was me, I'd write down all the addons I'm subscribed to, then go into steam and unsubscribe them all, what you should be left with is empty folders, but the contents will simply be called something like Legacy...... delete them. This is extreme, as it means you're still going to have to download them all again, but you're the one choosing them, not steam.

Restart steam, if there's no addons you've subsribed to, then it will not update, the zero bytes are coming from these legacy addons, some which were removed from steam by steam, or by the authors, but steam sees these "legacy" files, and tried to update them, because it's fucking retarded.

This has happened to me a few times over the years, and normally down to me using the steam game mover tool to move games to other drives, and not configuring the game properties to tell workshop where the new subscribed files need to go/located.

[kMaN175 34]

5 hours ago, road runner said:

uninstalling steam or Arma 3 will not make any difference, steam knows what addon's you've subscribed to from it's internal database, so as soon as you open up a new installed copy, it immediately re downloads EVERYTHING you've subscribed to, moving the game to a different drive, same issue, it will recreate the 107410 folder, and unless you've informed steam in the game properties of a drive change, it will keep downloading to both locations.

Now...... if it was me, I'd write down all the addons I'm subscribed to, then go into steam and unsubscribe them all, what you should be left with is empty folders, but the contents will simply be called something like Legacy...... delete them. This is extreme, as it means you're still going to have to download them all again, but you're the one choosing them, not steam.

Restart steam, if there's no addons you've subsribed to, then it will not update, the zero bytes are coming from these legacy addons, some which were removed from steam by steam, or by the authors, but steam sees these "legacy" files, and tried to update them, because it's fucking retarded.

This has happened to me a few times over the years, and normally down to me using the steam game mover tool to move games to other drives, and not configuring the game properties to tell workshop where the new subscribed files need to go/located.

 

I've tried unsubscribing to all of my ArmA 3 mods, deleting steam, deleting ArmA 3, reinstall of OS, clear Steam cache, clear OS cache, run malware, virus, etc scans.  Nothing seems to work....the problem comes back.  I cannot say when this problem started the first time, but this second time it started immediately after I unsubscribed to the ArmA 3 VSM mods.  :(

 

I've thought about buying a new laptop, since I have already changed SSD's, but I'm not sure I want to deal out $4-6,000 USD for the problem to just return, willy nilly.  :(

 

I'm not sure how this exact same problem is being experienced by several people and STEAM can't figure out a fix.

[road runner 4344]

It's a steam issue, a new laptop won't solve it, have you ever had 2 steam accounts before? Not that it should really make any difference.

 

[kMaN175 34]

6 hours ago, road runner said:

52 minutes ago, road runner said:

It's a steam issue, a new laptop won't solve it, have you ever had 2 steam accounts before? Not that it should really make any difference.

 

 

I have only ever had 1 Steam account.

[domokun 515]

2 hours ago, BIS_Wizard said:

Hello,

I've experienced the same issue for 5 days in row. Then it magically disappeared. I've tried to change download settings, reset the download cache, nothing seemed to work, but the next day the issue disappeared. But I have no clue if was because something I did.

That's nice because I've tried similar settings but nothing seems to have worked

[orcinus 121]

21 hours ago, BIS_Wizard said:

The issue on the feedback tracker was closed, because it's not Arma 3 issue.

 

Yes, that's how I understood it., It's Valve's problem and they need to fix it - fast.

21 hours ago, BIS_Wizard said:

The other issue you refer to (the one that foxhound or Valken had/have) is not new, not even closely, it's just not widespread. I've been tracking it for year maybe two, it happened to small number of users and for all that time we've never been able to reproduce it or find out what was wrong. Only recently I was able to caught Steam with its pants down, so to speak, with it not responding properly to requests, so I was able to create and test a workaround (and my thanks goes also to Valken who provided logs nd tested the first raw prototype of it).

Aha! You managed to catch it in the act? Neat.

 

Does "create and test a workaround" perhaps imply that a fix is in the offing?

 

Good work in any event. Thank you for the update.

 

[kMaN175 34]

42 minutes ago, BIS_Wizard said:

Hello guys,

those who still have an issue with Steam client being stuck in an infinite loop of enqueuing and dequeuing (Arma 3) Workshop content like the OP, could you please send me the file (preferably via PM) <Steam>\steamapps\workshopappworkshop_107410.acf (or <Arma dir>\..\..\workshopappworkshop_107410.acf). I'll pass them to Steam engineers, they're attempting to replicate the issue and those files could help.

 

Hi BIS_Wizard,

I don't know how to attach the file itself to a PM here, but I did send you a message with a copy of the contents of the file above in your lat post.  

 

Thanks for trying to help find a solution for this issue.

[orcinus 121]

8 hours ago, BIS_Wizard said:

Hello guys

Hi BIS_Wizard

 

Before I start deleting the duplicated files/folders from my A3 instaallation, are there any files I could send you that might help (even though it's not an identical issue)?

 

7 hours ago, kman_(kya) said:

Thanks for trying to help find a solution for this issue.

 

+1.  Good news that you're getting some action from the Valve guys.

[domokun 515]

16 hours ago, BIS_Wizard said:

Hello guys,

those who still have an issue with Steam client being stuck in an infinite loop of enqueuing and dequeuing (Arma 3) Workshop content like the OP, could you please send me the file (preferably via PM) <Steam>\steamapps\workshop\appworkshop_107410.acf (or <Arma dir>\..\..\workshop\appworkshop_107410.acf). I'll pass them to Steam engineers, they're attempting to replicate the issue and those files could help.

PM sent

[domokun 515]

42 minutes ago, BIS_Wizard said:

Hello guys, the issue should be fixed it the latest Steam client beta. Could you please switch to it and give it a try and let me know it it worked for you? Here's how you switch https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Betas and you can check the version of you Steam client in Steam - Help/About, row starting with Built: <date>.

I would like to believe you but I updated my Steam client last night (I've been on the the Beta branch for the last 10+ years) and the issue didn't seem fixed.

Can you please share which build fixes this? That way I can cross-ref with my build at home.

Many thanks for your diligence.

[kMaN175 34]

1 hour ago, BIS_Wizard said:

Hello guys, the issue should be fixed it the latest Steam client beta. Could you please switch to it and give it a try and let me know it it worked for you? Here's how you switch https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Betas and you can check the version of you Steam client in Steam - Help/About, row starting with Built: <date>.

 

Hey BI Developer.  I joined the Steam client beta as you said.  Steam restarted and the issue/problem/error was still there.  I then cleared the Steam Client cache which restarts Steam and the issue/problem/error was still there.  :(

[Auntystatic 8]

Built: mar 8 2017 , at 08:06:44

steam api: v017

steam package version 1488992261

 

Loaded it this morning, the problem is still there unfortunately