Steam is a great platform for distributing games, but as a desktop application, it makes it easy to install games on the system. All you really need to do is hit the Install button after you’ve purchased the game and Steam will take care of everything. Once installed, Steam will also take care of the game updates and users have nothing to worry about other than possibly restarting the game.
Seam: 1 file failed validation and will be received again.
Game installation and updates on Steam are mostly done in the background. Steam updates when you open the app, and it installs updates for games before opening the game. If the game is being updated, you will not be able to play it until the update is installed. However, if the game is updated and you get the message “1 file has failed verification and will be re-received” when you try to play it, then there is a problem with the game files.
1. Check the game files.
This is the first fix you should try if we get that Steam 1 file failed validation and we get an error again either when opening Steam or when opening a specific game on Steam.
- Open Steam and go to Library.
- Right-click the game you want to play and select Properties from the context menu.
- Go to the Files tab.
- Click Check Integrity of Files.
- Allow Steam to check files and upload new ones if necessary.
- Restart Steam.
2. Run a disk check.
Check the disk that contains your Steam games / library for errors. The problem could be from disk errors, not Steam.
- Open File Explorer.
- Go to this computer.
- Right click on the Steam library disc and select Properties.
- Go to the Tools tab.
- Click Verify and allow full verification.
3. Disable mods
Game mods can be game-changing for many games, but they can cause problems, especially if they are incompatible with game updates. Try disabling the game mods you have installed and Steam will start working.
In this note, if you have installed applications that modify the game, add cheats to it, or it could be interpreted as a cheating tool, please uninstall it. Steam will mark and block such an application, which may result in the application not working.
4. Reinstall Steam.
Steam is updated frequently and updates are usually successful. However, an update that encountered problems during installation may show that the Steam 1 file failed validation and the error will be repaired. Your best bet is to uninstall and reinstall Steam (this will not delete your game data).
- Open Control Panel.
- Go to Programs> Uninstall a Program.
- Select Steam and click the Uninstall button.
- Reboot your system.
- Download and install Steam again.
5. Remove the controllers.
Controllers, especially unofficial ones, can sometimes cause problems with Steam. If you have a controller connected to your system, disconnect and open Steam. If Steam opens without any problems, remove any third-party profiles / controller configurations you added, uninstall and reinstall the controller.
You can remove the controller from the device manager. Look for it under Bluetooth devices if it’s a Bluetooth controller, or under USB devices if it’s a wired controller. Install the controller again and it should work.
Conclusion
Steam is not immune to problems, but most of its problems are easy to fix. More importantly, problems from one game rarely affect another. However, always back up your games. Make regular backups if you need to restore the library and local game files.