Steam.exe (main exception): ERROR: delete of Steam.exe failed

zulu9812 · 02-15-2010, 03:54 PM

I've had occasion to reinstall Steam, but when I do so I get the following error message:

Code:

Steam.exe (main exception): ERROR: delete of Steam.exe failed, Win32 Error 5 "Access is denied"

Specifically, Steam will install and then attempt an update. The update will terminate at 27% with the above error message. This is in Windows 7 64-bit, under an administrator account.

Any thoughts?

bobsbarricades · 02-15-2010, 04:02 PM

Man, I've had that before under XP and can't remember how I fixed it....danggit.

Have you tried going through registry/search and deleting all Steam files and redownloading?

zulu9812 · 02-15-2010, 05:06 PM

Fixed it!

Here's what I did:

ran the installer, waited for it to terminate with that error.

rebooted into safe mode (using msconfig)

ran steam.exe from the the installation directory

the update still terminated at 27%, but a second update screen immediately ran

successful reinstall!

bobsbarricades · 02-15-2010, 05:14 PM

huzzah! glad to hear it was that easy.

jaxx0rr · 07-15-2010, 07:26 PM

no need to go through all that trouble

after you get the error just go to steam folder and start steam.exe.. it should now close ok and start updating..

Florio · 08-02-2011, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaxx0rr

no need to go through all that trouble

after you get the error just go to steam folder and start steam.exe.. it should now close ok and start updating..

I had the same problem as the OP.

The solution above worked for me. To be more specific about this solution, I right clicked Steam.exe and chose "Run as administrator".

-=Sgt. Fopper=- · 09-23-2011, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Florio

I had the same problem as the OP.

The solution above worked for me. To be more specific about this solution, I right clicked Steam.exe and chose "Run as administrator".

This worked for me fine, as well!

07-16-2010, 09:12 AM

I'm having the same problems as the OP, i've tried installing from safe mode and from the steam folder after the error has occurred, neither worked, any more help would be much appreciated

Edit: I have lodged a question with support, but any help would still be appreciated

07-17-2010, 08:34 AM

OK, fixed it. For anyone else having this problem, I found this solution on another forum, worked fine for me, and I hope it helps for anyone else out there:

1. Remove any old versions of Steam.
2. Download the Steam client.
3. Run task manager or any other process viewer
4. Run the Steam.exe
5. You'll see Steam.exe listed in Process Viewer as a running process.
6. Watch it closely.
7. Soon, you'll see SteamTmp.exe launch. When you see this launch, immediately Kill the Steam.exe manually.
8. The SteamTmp.exe will close, and then continue running again as Steam.exe (a new Steam.exe not the one you killed in Step 8 above).
9. Continue updating as normal, and close Process Viewer.
10. Steam should finish updating as normal

Nightingale · 05-13-2011, 06:51 PM

Its not really that hard. CHeck your folder isn't on Read only

if its not that then try this fix.

07-23-2011, 05:28 PM

I found that all I had to do was delete the steamtmp.exe in the main steam directory and it worked fine after that!

07-31-2011, 09:10 AM

Do you have any antyvirus software? Try to shut it down. When I had the Eset software, everything was ok, but now I'm trying the new Kaspersky IS and when I kill it, update went without errors.

deadman01 · 08-01-2011, 05:55 PM

Got the same problem and none of the above tips are helping, anyone else got any idea not already listed in this thread?

satasonic · 08-01-2011, 05:57 PM

Guys, please help! My Steam.exe has just deleted itself, I now cant find the icon at all!

kenn213 · 08-02-2011, 06:03 AM

I had this error as well. My solution was as simple as:

1) Browsing to the steam.exe directory
2) Make sure there is a Steam.exe, SteamTmp.exe and SteamNew.exe
3) Drag Steam.exe out of the folder (or delete)
4) Rename SteamNew.exe to Steam.exe
5) Run the new Steam.exe

This is basically just manually deleting steam.exe when the installer gets hung up.

02-15-2010, 03:54 PM	#1
zulu9812 Join Date: Jan 2010 Reputation: 0 Posts: 15	Steam.exe (main exception): ERROR: delete of Steam.exe failed I've had occasion to reinstall Steam, but when I do so I get the following error message: Code: Steam.exe (main exception): ERROR: delete of Steam.exe failed, Win32 Error 5 "Access is denied" Specifically, Steam will install and then attempt an update. The update will terminate at 27% with the above error message. This is in Windows 7 64-bit, under an administrator account. Any thoughts?

07-16-2010, 09:12 AM	#8
Uncout Guest Posts: n/a	I'm having the same problems as the OP, i've tried installing from safe mode and from the steam folder after the error has occurred, neither worked, any more help would be much appreciated Edit: I have lodged a question with support, but any help would still be appreciated Last edited by Uncout: 07-16-2010 at 12:34 PM.

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02-15-2010, 04:02 PM	#2
bobsbarricades Join Date: Oct 2008 Reputation: 557 Posts: 4,077	Man, I've had that before under XP and can't remember how I fixed it....danggit. Have you tried going through registry/search and deleting all Steam files and redownloading?

02-15-2010, 05:06 PM	#3
zulu9812 Join Date: Jan 2010 Reputation: 0 Posts: 15	Fixed it! Here's what I did: ran the installer, waited for it to terminate with that error. rebooted into safe mode (using msconfig) ran steam.exe from the the installation directory the update still terminated at 27%, but a second update screen immediately ran successful reinstall!

02-15-2010, 05:14 PM	#4
bobsbarricades Join Date: Oct 2008 Reputation: 557 Posts: 4,077	huzzah! glad to hear it was that easy.

07-15-2010, 07:26 PM	#5
jaxx0rr Join Date: Dec 2008 Reputation: 6 Posts: 7	no need to go through all that trouble after you get the error just go to steam folder and start steam.exe.. it should now close ok and start updating..

07-17-2010, 08:34 AM	#9
Uncout Guest Posts: n/a	OK, fixed it. For anyone else having this problem, I found this solution on another forum, worked fine for me, and I hope it helps for anyone else out there: 1. Remove any old versions of Steam. 2. Download the Steam client. 3. Run task manager or any other process viewer 4. Run the Steam.exe 5. You'll see Steam.exe listed in Process Viewer as a running process. 6. Watch it closely. 7. Soon, you'll see SteamTmp.exe launch. When you see this launch, immediately Kill the Steam.exe manually. 8. The SteamTmp.exe will close, and then continue running again as Steam.exe (a new Steam.exe not the one you killed in Step 8 above). 9. Continue updating as normal, and close Process Viewer. 10. Steam should finish updating as normal

05-13-2011, 06:51 PM	#10
Nightingale Join Date: Jun 2010 Reputation: 0 Posts: 16	Its not really that hard. CHeck your folder isn't on Read only if its not that then try this fix.

07-23-2011, 05:28 PM	#11
Reverendshot777 Guest Posts: n/a	I found that all I had to do was delete the steamtmp.exe in the main steam directory and it worked fine after that!

07-31-2011, 09:10 AM	#12
senseitbk Guest Posts: n/a	Do you have any antyvirus software? Try to shut it down. When I had the Eset software, everything was ok, but now I'm trying the new Kaspersky IS and when I kill it, update went without errors.

08-01-2011, 05:55 PM	#13
deadman01 Join Date: Feb 2011 Reputation: 0 Posts: 26	Got the same problem and none of the above tips are helping, anyone else got any idea not already listed in this thread?

08-01-2011, 05:57 PM	#14
satasonic Join Date: Dec 2008 Reputation: 41 Posts: 908	Guys, please help! My Steam.exe has just deleted itself, I now cant find the icon at all!

08-02-2011, 06:03 AM	#15
kenn213 Join Date: Aug 2010 Reputation: 4 Posts: 25	I had this error as well. My solution was as simple as: 1) Browsing to the steam.exe directory 2) Make sure there is a Steam.exe, SteamTmp.exe and SteamNew.exe 3) Drag Steam.exe out of the folder (or delete) 4) Rename SteamNew.exe to Steam.exe 5) Run the new Steam.exe This is basically just manually deleting steam.exe when the installer gets hung up.