Disabling Downloads? Steam's gone mad!

[Edcrab]

Once upon a time all I had to worry about was checking that the "Automatic updates" box was set to "Do not automatically update this game", as Steam would repeatedly default to "Always keep this game up to date" whenever I ran it. With this option, even at 100% completion, games would lag to hell, as apparently Steam felt the need to continously check for updates.

I got used to that- lets face it, its hardly crippling- and then some servers began lagging inexplicably for me. I put it down to new rate limiting policies added by servers that had suddenly developed anti-HPB policies, and had to learn to live with that too.

Now, after this latest update, I can't play Steam games. Regardless of the apparent changelog claim that background trickling will cease during gameplay, I can't stop it updating the oversized Day of Defeat. It means I lag to hell whenever I try to play, and I can find no way of disabling it short of uninstalling DoD, TFC, and all my other neglected mods. Help me!

 

[Dr. Freeman]

i don't have a solution for u.. but.. hmm. how about u leave ur comp on over night or something and let Steam update the games all it wants?

i mean.. at some point the updating will/should stop..
my Steam does not update every time i play.. and it doesn't lag me.. so i my suggestion is to leave it on one night and let it update til the cows come home!

after that.. u shouldn't..technically have any updating problems.

 

[Kyorisu]

Just let it update you'll be fine afterwards.

 

[Edcrab]

I'm a 56ker with a two hour disconnect. Ah well, time to decide whether or not I spend the next three weeks making this damn thing work or whether I just give in and remove Steam games.

 

[Varsity]

They changed the GCF format slightly, so some people have had to re-download the cache, particuarly if they had 'Do Not Update' on. I had to get Half-Life again, but then on broadband that wasn't a problem for me.

Best thing to do is leave it downloading until the cut-out, rinse and repeat (or wait for a coverdisk). You're just going to have to go outside or something...:O

 

[Kirkburn]

Edcrab - why do you have a 2 hour disconnect? That's pretty rubbish now - i'd recommend you change ISP if that's what's controlling it!
(or get broadband, if possible, obviously. Haven't got it yet myself, time to convice the parents)

 

[Kyorisu]

/edit Your a 56k user... What kind of Ping do you get on a good server?

Time to convice the parents)

Being a Teenager sucks

/Me Cries

 

[Edcrab]

Kirkburn: Thank God! SOMEONE FEELS MY PAIN! Or at least understands my situation; I'm yet to find an "anytime" service provider without some form of connection limit- which pisses me off.

I get about 180-280 ping depending on server/connection quality. I can easily cope with up to 400, if necessary. Try and manipulate parents, because once you're out on your own you're stuck with the problems of personal funding and locale. Bah. In other news, the problem fixed itself- I think DoD made itself guilty and decided to put the updates on hiatus.

 

[Kirkburn]

Who are you with at the mo? I use a little known ISP called Freeola (www.freeola.net, run by Special Reserve who I'm sure many here have heard of. Great thing for me is their head-office is in my little town ), never known them to have a cut-off period.

 

[Edcrab]

Been with Freeserve (Wanadoo now of course) for years: I'll check Freeola out, I'll probably be moving house at some point anyway (if you could call this hole a house).

...you know, I must be the only guy here who can shift his own thread off-topic with such unerring ability. Ah well, problem solved, I guess...