Are you getting the Steam incomplete installation error (3) when downloading or installing a game? If you, you’re in luck as this article will help you fix this problem.

This error is typically fixed easily although in some cases, more advanced solutions may be needed. Learn what you can do below to fix this problem.

Causes of Steam Incomplete Installation error

You’ll have to check several factors if you want to fix this Steam error. These are the things that might cause the problem:

Steam server outage or maintenance.

When a game download is interrupted and Steam shows that the installation is incomplete, it may be due to a problem with Steam servers. This means that the cause is outside your control.

Any download or installation that you’ll do will most likely end up with a problem so all you need to do is wait until the issue is resolved.

Local network issue.

The other possible reason for this problem can come from your own local network. Your local network consists of your modem, router, computer and anything in between. When troubleshooting any Steam connectivity issues, checking for any possible local network issue must be performed.

Slow internet connection problem.

If your internet connection is slow or intermittent, Steam-related activities like online gaming, browsing, downloading/installation, or streaming may suffer.

The same can be said if you have low bandwidth allocation on your PC. This happens if your computer experiences slow connectivity issue because other devices in your network is hogging all the bandwidth. Devices that stream HD or ultra HD videos or download large files may be using all that bandwidth leaving your PC with little to nothing.

Firewall not set up correctly.

In some instances, Steam incomplete installation error may be attributed to incorrect firewall setup in your computer or network. If you are using Steam for the first time, your firewall may be preventing your PC from connecting to Steam network.

Interference from third party software.

Certain programs may block Steam and Valve games from being downloaded and installed. If you have a security software (antivirus, anti-spyware, etc.) installed, you should check if one of them is causing the Steam issue you’re having.

Malware

Some malicious software are designed to attack Steam or steal Steam credentials. If there’s such a malware in your machine, this may be the reason why Steam is crashing or not connecting properly.

Below are the telltale signs that you should be aware of to know if your PC is infected with a virus or malware that attacks Steam:

unrelated, random ads appear when Steam is launched or opened
browser opens and leads to an ad or website when clicking something on Steam
“Access Denied: You don’t have permission to access http://steamcommunity.com on this server.” error keeps popping up

If you experience any of these things in your PC, you may have a malware issue at hand.

Solutions to fixing Steam incomplete installation error

There are a number of troubleshooting steps that you must do in order to fix Steam incomplete installation error. Learn what you need to do below.

Restart Steam application.
Rebooting the Steam client is often an effective way to refresh the application and address bugs. Try to force quit a running Steam application via Task Manager application and see if that will fix the problem. Just open Task Manager, find and right click the Steam application under Processes tab, then hit End Task. If there are multiple Steam programs running, make sure to close all of them.
Check for Steam outage.
You can visit Steam’s official server status page to know if there’s any current outage or maintenance. No technology is perfect so servers are sometimes taken offline for upgrades or fixes. If you are getting frequent timeouts when trying to download or install games, or when accessing Steam sites, there’s probably a Steam server issue.
Perform a router power cycle.
Steam connection issues are sometimes caused by your local network equipment. Try restarting your modem or router and see if that will fix the problem.
Also, try to make sure that your router runs the latest firmware version to avoid issues.
If your machine is using a wireless setup, it may be having Steam installation issues due to interference. Try to connect your PC directly to your router with a wire and see if that will work.
Run a speed test.
You can check the internet speed on your PC to know if the cause of your problem is related to slow connection. On your web browser, just visit speedtest.net and run a test. If your PC is not getting the speed you are paying for, it may due to a lot of other devices using your local network. Disconnect other devices from your network run a speed test again. If the speed improves and the Steam incomplete installation error goes away, you may have slow connection or low bandwidth issue.
On the other hand, if the speed does not improve even though no other devices is connected to your local network, it may be due to an ISP issue. Contact your Internet Service Provider and get help in fixing your internet problem.
Investigate the firewall.
Firewall-related topic is an advanced topic that many non-tech savvy users may find a bit difficult to understand. Typical firewall setup in homes is of software type and can be configured using your computer. Try to visit this Steam guide on how configure your firewall.
If you are an advanced user with a physical firewall, you may still need to troubleshoot your firewall if it’s your first time to use Steam or play Steam games.
Turn off or delete third party software.
Some software may cause interruptions in Steam. Certain programs like antivirus or anti-malware may block Steam client from connecting to remote servers. In other cases, Steam may be blocked from running completely. Try to disable or remove your security software to see if it’s the one causing your Steam problem.
Investigate for possible virus or malware infection.
In some rare cases, Steam may keep crashing, won’t open, or won’t connect to servers due to a virus or malware.
If you’re getting signs of malware infection on your computer as well as significant performance degradation of the system, there may be a malicious software in your machine. You must clean up or remove the virus first before using Steam again.
IMPORTANT: Some third party “virus removal” tools are actually malware themselves so be careful when getting help to remove a virus infection. Do some research by visiting official websites and use official antivirus or security software only.

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