Steam Fatal Error - **Fixed**

I've tried uninstalling, reinstalling, regediting, changing the DNS manually with notepad in system32, nothing has worked, NOTHING. I've spent a couple hours, and feel like I get some pretty good answers here, so I'm posting here first, and right after I finish, copy/paste the essentials to valve. Will go to valve customer support here soon.

Anyway, my steam has been working fine, no issues in the 3-4 years I've had it. I just bought a steam controller to test it out, and when i plugged it in and tried to update the firmware, what do you know, I now have this magical error:

Steam Fatal Error: Steam needs to be online to update. Please check connection, blah blah blah.

My connection's fine, I've rebooted the router, I've uninstalled and reinstalled 5 times now, manually and through the control panel, everything they said would work on these forums from 2013 hasn't done a thing for me. Hopefully someone can help me!

Since you didn't mention it, have you deleted ClientRegistry.blob from your Steam installation folder? I cannot explain how many times that has fixed random steam issues for me that even reinstalls didn't catch.

This is what I mean by results lol. No, but give me a sec.

Quickiest solution is always going to be reinstalling windows

Don't have it, only steam.exe, uninstall.exe and these folders:

bin - steamservice.exe
logs - bootstrap_log.txt
package - empty
public - languages.txt

I've got alotta crap I don't wanna get rid of tho lol, unless there's a quick way to move everything and then back again

External Hard drive? If you don't have a spare then you're kind of screwed, should always a back up for your stuff man

Try a system restore

Here's the bootstrapper log:

[2015-11-20 23:11:08] Startup - updater built Jun 4 2015 10:36:34
[2015-11-20 23:11:08] Verifying installation...
[2015-11-20 23:11:08] Unable to read and verify install manifest C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\package\steam_client_win32.installed
[2015-11-20 23:11:08] Verification complete
[2015-11-20 23:11:08] Downloading Update...
[2015-11-20 23:11:08] Checking for available update...
[2015-11-20 23:11:09] failed to load manifest from buffer.
[2015-11-20 23:11:09] Failed to load manifest
[2015-11-20 23:11:09] Error: Download failed: http error 200
[2015-11-20 23:11:09] Error: Steam needs to be online to update. Please confirm your network connection and try again.
[2015-11-20 23:11:12] Shutdown

[2015-11-20 23:19:28] Startup - updater built Jun 4 2015 10:36:34
[2015-11-20 23:19:28] Verifying installation...
[2015-11-20 23:19:28] Unable to read and verify install manifest C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\package\steam_client_win32.installed
[2015-11-20 23:19:28] Verification complete
[2015-11-20 23:19:28] Downloading update...
[2015-11-20 23:19:28] Checking for available updates...
[2015-11-20 23:19:28] failed to load manifest from buffer.
[2015-11-20 23:19:28] Failed to load manifest
[2015-11-20 23:19:28] Error: Download failed: http error 200
[2015-11-20 23:19:28] Error: Steam needs to be online to update. Please confirm your network connection and try again.
[2015-11-20 23:19:37] Shutdown

[2015-11-20 23:21:40] Startup - updater built Jun 4 2015 10:36:34
[2015-11-20 23:21:40] Verifying installation...
[2015-11-20 23:21:40] Unable to read and verify install manifest C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\package\steam_client_win32.installed
[2015-11-20 23:21:40] Verification complete
[2015-11-20 23:21:40] Downloading update...
[2015-11-20 23:21:40] Checking for available updates...
[2015-11-20 23:21:41] failed to load manifest from buffer.
[2015-11-20 23:21:41] Failed to load manifest
[2015-11-20 23:21:41] Error: Download failed: http error 200
[2015-11-20 23:21:41] Error: Steam needs to be online to update. Please confirm your network connection and try again.
[2015-11-20 23:21:42] Shutdown

[2015-11-20 23:25:02] Startup - updater built Jun 4 2015 10:36:34
[2015-11-20 23:25:02] Verifying installation...
[2015-11-20 23:25:02] Unable to read and verify install manifest C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\package\steam_client_win32.installed
[2015-11-20 23:25:02] Verification complete
[2015-11-20 23:25:02] Downloading update...
[2015-11-20 23:25:02] Checking for available updates...
[2015-11-20 23:25:02] failed to load manifest from buffer.
[2015-11-20 23:25:02] Failed to load manifest
[2015-11-20 23:25:02] Error: Download failed: http error 200
[2015-11-20 23:25:02] Error: Steam needs to be online to update. Please confirm your network connection and try again.
[2015-11-20 23:25:03] Shutdown

are you able to look on steam & see if anyone is having your similar issue?

"Scoured, no working solutions" Yes. Sadly. None that fix mine.

It honestly doesn't look like a connection issue...

When I hooked up my steam controller, updated and stuff, it told me to opt into steam beta. Well, in this log above, I notice that it says "Opted in to client beta 'publicbeta' via beta file"
Well, I've set my shortcut to "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\Steam.exe" -clearbeta
And it still looks like it's trying to connect via the beta.

Have you tried running steam as an administrator or in any compatibility mode? Have you tried deleting steam entirely, like uninstall then delete all steam files? You can move the "steamapps" folder (game storage) elsewhere so you don't have to redownload games.

I also found something in regards to a proxy on your internet connection and this issue.

yes, have tried all those things. Even the proxy thing. I saw a video on it, already unchecked. :/ I KNOW it has something to do with the beta because I don't have that package it's talking about.

I think you're correct. It looks like a decent amount of people are complaining about the beta not functioning within the past few hours. Try reinstalling Steam without the beta.

I've tried reinstalling but it just doesn't want to do anything. I mean I've uninstalled manually, went through and deleted all the files, save steamapps, now in /downloads folder. regedit and deleted Valve under HkeyCurrentUser and LocalMachine, restarted, download the installer and reinstall. Nada.

Really, really doubt it's a connection issue now. Just turned on my vpn, nothing. Am pinging some of their servers and getting replies, so yeahhhh

As odd as it sounds, try disabling your internet connection and then start up steam. See if you can force it to open up into offline mode. Then possibly you can opt-out of the beta. Or you can "break" the installation by deleting a few key files besides the executable. See if it will rebuild itself properly.

Nice try, I do say lol. Nope D;

Reboot in safe mode with networking?