Error downloading Class 50

[chriscooper]

Today I purchased the Class 50, as it's another one that I was waiting to get when it was removed from steam. I clicked to install though, and after checking progress it was showing "paused". I kept trying again but it kept pausing, despite the progress bar seeming to have finished. When I tried to start Railworks it then came up with the "preparing TS2013" dialogue, then came up "disk read error". I decided to verify cache, and after finding about 2000files (probably mostly due to AP packs and other mods), it started to download. Again it got almost to the end before "disk read error".
Does anyone have a clue what this means? Up until this time, RW has been working fine, in fact I have installed and used a few new bits of DLC recently (including L2F and the 465). It's on it's own drive with plenty of free space. The drive is old, but has never shown any signs of trouble before. I've run checkdick and it's not found any issues.
For a start, anyone know where steam downloads files to initially? The way it's happening makes me wonder if it's downloaded and is now having problems reading the downloaded files to install.
Also, if it comes to a re-install, does "delete local content" remove user modified files, or will I have to go through and back up all my altered/created scenarios? Tempted to do it anyway to clear out and get rid of some older freeware (pre-2012) that I never use.

[DaveDewhurst]

Steam\SteamApps\Downloading
is where the stuff is downloaded to.

Dave

[AndyM77]

Also, if it comes to a re-install, does "delete local content" remove user modified files, or will I have to go through and back up all my altered/created scenarios? Tempted to do it anyway to clear out and get rid of some older freeware (pre-2012) that I never use.

Delete Local Content will remove files that are listed within the .acf file (the new version of the .ncf). In other words, the "Steam Client" is only aware of the files contained within the game(s) .acf file and will only delete the files related to that.

So you'll find that any file you've installed that has not been installed by Steam (i.e UKTS files, 3rd party devs, etc.) will still be left behind. Quite simply delete the leftovers once you've deleted the local content.

[chriscooper]

Trying a full re-install. Also using is as a chance to use steams recent ability to install in different folders, instead of using a hack to do that as before.

[ihavenonamenoreallyidont]

chriscooper, I had exactly the same issue. I had to totally delete my original 80gb installation in the end (tried all sorts of tricks initially but my original installation simply refused to work) and reinstall the game. Going through the pain of re-installing a huge number of non-Steam payware add-ons this morning.