The never ending Scan for Steam games updates

05-22-2009, 10:59 AM

Hey guys, I'm having trouble with Steam. BIG TROUBLE. I can launch Steam itself just fine, I'm able to access my friends, my community page, and the Steam store. HOWEVER, I cannot access my games, media, or tools.

Whenever I select their respective tabs I'm greeted with an empty games/media/tools list and the text "Scanning for Steam games/media/tools updates..."

I've had this problem for two days now (Since the TF2 update) and it's starting to get on my nerves. I want to be able to play my games, but none of them are even appearing! Steam just sits here and scans for game updates but never, EVER actually finds any. It just keeps on scanning.

If anyone has any ideas on how to fix this, I would be forever grateful for your assistance!

Sierra Oscar · 05-22-2009, 11:15 AM

Are you running any firewall, or any program listed here?

05-22-2009, 11:25 AM

First, thanks for the quick reply Sierra!

I checked that list of programs and I'm running avast antivirus and Daemon tools lite. I've turned off Daemon tools, but I'm on the fence as to whether I should turn off avast or try to tell it to exclude/ignore Steam. Any suggestions?

Sierra Oscar · 05-22-2009, 11:30 AM

You should try adding Steam to Avast's ignore list to begin with.

05-22-2009, 11:45 AM

Done & done, but as of yet Steam's STILL scanning for them updates.. I'm going to try a system restart, but keep the ideas flowing!

05-22-2009, 12:02 PM

Finished restarting my PC, but Steam is still having the same issue.
I'm stumped, I'd really like to jump in to the new TF2 update, heck, ANY game would be nice. It's Senior Skip Day and I haven't even been able to do any slacking off/gaming yet! :P

Is there any way I can bypass the update scan and play some other game without resorting to offline mode?

05-22-2009, 12:31 PM

ARGH, still nothing... Any more suggestions guys?

06-09-2009, 09:47 PM

As this was never continued. I'll mention that I am currently stuck with the issue as well.

I have been running it in offline mode for the past week due to something being wrong with my internet jack. It was working the previous work before when I had net staying with a friend. The only thing I did would be Defrag the hard drive using Win7's multi-pass defragmentation method.

06-10-2009, 09:14 AM

Unfortunately I found how to fix this, it might be your steam account. I just completely uninstalled Steam and decided to create a new account since I did not have any games yet, it fixed it.

10-30-2009, 12:26 AM

I got this issue too but instead it goes for about 15 mins, I think its related to a recent update (yesterday for me) so if the developers are reading this, please revert the update or fix it.

Evolon · 11-17-2009, 08:58 AM

I just got this issue too. Logged out steam about 10 hours ago. In the meanwhile left4dead2 releases and when I want to log back in it says in 'My Games' screen :
"Scanning for Steam game updates".

I have bought l4D2, perhaps they are related.. I don't know. All I know is I can't play ANY game, and I 'm waiting half an hour now and it still says 'Scanning for Steam games updates'

Wow.. lol.. just got my games list back

.. So its ok I guess

05-23-2010, 04:57 AM

Just delete the "ClientRegistry.blob" file, then restart steam and you can play again.

coolman166 · 05-30-2010, 12:28 PM

It still doesn't work after I delete "ClientRegistry.blob"

srvrsyde · 05-30-2010, 04:19 PM

do this, go into your steam folder and delete everything except for steam.exe and the steamapps folder. don't worry, your games will be safe, i promise.

after, just restart your computer and then start steam again. it'll update and ba boom, all done. my friend had this exact problem and this was how i fixed it.

Humping Bear · 12-04-2011, 08:10 PM

i had this problem aswell after downloading Skyrim, all i did was delete the ClientRegistry.blob, and then delete the file from your recylin bin.

05-22-2009, 10:59 AM	#1
Dm4544 Guest Posts: n/a	The never ending Scan for Steam games updates Hey guys, I'm having trouble with Steam. BIG TROUBLE. I can launch Steam itself just fine, I'm able to access my friends, my community page, and the Steam store. HOWEVER, I cannot access my games, media, or tools. Whenever I select their respective tabs I'm greeted with an empty games/media/tools list and the text "Scanning for Steam games/media/tools updates..." I've had this problem for two days now (Since the TF2 update) and it's starting to get on my nerves. I want to be able to play my games, but none of them are even appearing! Steam just sits here and scans for game updates but never, EVER actually finds any. It just keeps on scanning. If anyone has any ideas on how to fix this, I would be forever grateful for your assistance!

10-30-2009, 12:26 AM	#10
Earl_Yoist Guest Posts: n/a	I think I know whats causing the issue I got this issue too but instead it goes for about 15 mins, I think its related to a recent update (yesterday for me) so if the developers are reading this, please revert the update or fix it.

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05-22-2009, 11:15 AM	#2
Sierra Oscar Volunteer Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Reputation: 6291 Posts: 44,645	Are you running any firewall, or any program listed here?

05-22-2009, 11:25 AM	#3
Dm4544 Guest Posts: n/a	First, thanks for the quick reply Sierra! I checked that list of programs and I'm running avast antivirus and Daemon tools lite. I've turned off Daemon tools, but I'm on the fence as to whether I should turn off avast or try to tell it to exclude/ignore Steam. Any suggestions?

05-22-2009, 11:30 AM	#4
Sierra Oscar Volunteer Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Reputation: 6291 Posts: 44,645	You should try adding Steam to Avast's ignore list to begin with.

05-22-2009, 11:45 AM	#5
Dm4544 Guest Posts: n/a	Done & done, but as of yet Steam's STILL scanning for them updates.. I'm going to try a system restart, but keep the ideas flowing!

05-22-2009, 12:02 PM	#6
Dm4544 Guest Posts: n/a	Finished restarting my PC, but Steam is still having the same issue. I'm stumped, I'd really like to jump in to the new TF2 update, heck, ANY game would be nice. It's Senior Skip Day and I haven't even been able to do any slacking off/gaming yet! :P Is there any way I can bypass the update scan and play some other game without resorting to offline mode?

05-22-2009, 12:31 PM	#7
Dm4544 Guest Posts: n/a	ARGH, still nothing... Any more suggestions guys?

06-09-2009, 09:47 PM	#8
sobe Guest Posts: n/a	As this was never continued. I'll mention that I am currently stuck with the issue as well. I have been running it in offline mode for the past week due to something being wrong with my internet jack. It was working the previous work before when I had net staying with a friend. The only thing I did would be Defrag the hard drive using Win7's multi-pass defragmentation method.

06-10-2009, 09:14 AM	#9
jmj45 Guest Posts: n/a	Unfortunately I found how to fix this, it might be your steam account. I just completely uninstalled Steam and decided to create a new account since I did not have any games yet, it fixed it.

11-17-2009, 08:58 AM	#11
Evolon Banned Join Date: Oct 2009 Reputation: 16 Posts: 105	I just got this issue too. Logged out steam about 10 hours ago. In the meanwhile left4dead2 releases and when I want to log back in it says in 'My Games' screen : "Scanning for Steam game updates". I have bought l4D2, perhaps they are related.. I don't know. All I know is I can't play ANY game, and I 'm waiting half an hour now and it still says 'Scanning for Steam games updates' Wow.. lol.. just got my games list back .. So its ok I guess

05-23-2010, 04:57 AM	#12
Zer0double Guest Posts: n/a	Just delete the "ClientRegistry.blob" file, then restart steam and you can play again.

05-30-2010, 12:28 PM	#13
coolman166 Join Date: May 2010 Reputation: 2 Posts: 150	It still doesn't work after I delete "ClientRegistry.blob"

05-30-2010, 04:19 PM	#14
srvrsyde Banned Join Date: Mar 2010 Reputation: 30 Posts: 328	do this, go into your steam folder and delete everything except for steam.exe and the steamapps folder. don't worry, your games will be safe, i promise. after, just restart your computer and then start steam again. it'll update and ba boom, all done. my friend had this exact problem and this was how i fixed it.

12-04-2011, 08:10 PM	#15
Humping Bear Join Date: Nov 2011 Reputation: 0 Posts: 7	i had this problem aswell after downloading Skyrim, all i did was delete the ClientRegistry.blob, and then delete the file from your recylin bin.