Steam wont update

[branch37]

Everytime I try to open steam, the updater starts and crashes. I get an error message saying "the process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process"  Can anybody help me here? 

[Delirium]

Try looking for another instance in task manager, if that fails, reboot and it will be ok.

Sometimes, Steam hangs and you need to disable the process to restart it.

[branch37]

now its giving me "unable to open "SteamTemp.exe" for writing 

[Raphael]

when something like that happens you can log off steam, go to the folder and delete everything other then the steamapps folder (where all your games are) and the steam.exe
then run the steam.exe and it will force an update, will take some minutes, it will think you are accessing from another computer, so you check your email for the code etc etc and there you go

[branch37]

The update got to 26% and then crashed with the same error message

[branch37]

Now its telling me "Steam.exe(main exception): ERROR: deleted Steam.exe but the file is still there."

 
Can I just completely delete steam and start over?

[Raphael]

you could but that will make you download all your games again ): try making a backup of steamapps before you delete everything then

[branch37]

ok i completley delete everything related to steam that i can find, but upon the new download and install, the update gets to 26% and crashes with the same error message.

[bj229r]

Prolly have to plow through registry and remove all references to it

[branch37]

Prolly have to plow through registry and remove all references to it

so would that be everything that gets put under "Valve" or does it tend to pop up in other places as well?

[Ack-Ack]

Make sure that the Steam service "Steam Client Service" hasn't been disabled.

ack-ack

[MaSonZ]

Prolly have to plow through registry and remove all references to it

be careful with the Registry...

[branch37]

Make sure that the Steam service "Steam Client Service" hasn't been disabled.

ack-ack

It shows in the task manager as stopped and when I start it i get this message,
"The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion."

Its gotten to the point where I just want to get rid of steam completely and start over, but I cant even freakin do that.

[MaSonZ]

It shows in the task manager as stopped and when I start it i get this message,
"The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion."

Its gotten to the point where I just want to get rid of steam completely and start over, but I cant even freakin do that.

the only way to completely remove i would be in the Registry, but you have to be SUPER careful when doing this.

[branch37]

ive tried.  Ive gone through and deleted everything related to steam or valve i can find, I guess im missing something.