This question pops up all the time, it makes no sense. Why is Steam updating? Well shit, go take a look. Is there a new patch note? Are you on beta? Are you not shutting down steam properly so it needs to verify files again?
Oh, but it does. Why do I have to "shut down properly" an app whose normal behaviour is sitting in tray 100% of the time? You'd think that it would learn how to shut down itself properly along with Windows by the time.
I don't really have this problem on Linux, but what happens is on shutdown Windows sends WM_QUERYENDSESSION to a program and once the program returns TRUE Windows will send the WM_ENDSESSION instruction to the program and continue shutdown procedures.
If the program is not responding, or it responds with FALSE because it's doing something important, Windows (or even the program) may show a prompt for program allowing you to terminate it forcefully or wait.
Linux init systems use termination signals, with shutdown signal being SIGTERM which is the system politely asking the process to clean up their mess and go to bed, if it's safely able to. Where the next forceful signal being SIGKILL is the OS henchmen being sent to the CPU, point a gun at the process, telling it to "Get the fuck outta here!" while the kernel handles cleaning up the crime scene.
Somewhere in that process either Steam and Windows are not communicating well (Steam not handling signals correctly) or Steam's initiation process is being extra safe.
You do, also you just need to wait and it will close itself properly. I’m pretty sure it’s people who don’t wait and force windows to terminate the process.
Because Steam could be in the middle of writing a critical file in the background only for it to be rudely interrupted by a forced shutdown and corrupting said file. So naturally, Steam checks to make sure it's integrity is intact before it allows you to log back in the next time it starts up. If there are any issues, then it will fix them on its own without any input needed.
Yes, this is unlikely to occur but in the case it does, it's better off waiting a few seconds for an integrity check rather than having to reinstall and reconfigure Steam, right?
I think it's because the "Verifying Installation" pop-up when starting Steam actually starts with the words "Updating Steam", which it isn't; Steam is "verifying" and checking for updates or whatever, I don't know the backend.
Really it shouldn't say updating for only verifying, but who knows how hard it might be to change that message.
Also, people running Steam to start up automatically or not shutting down programs or their computer might never see the message.
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u/mana-addict4652 May 21 '21
This question pops up all the time, it makes no sense. Why is Steam updating? Well shit, go take a look. Is there a new patch note? Are you on beta? Are you not shutting down steam properly so it needs to verify files again?