How to stop Fallout 4 from updating (Steam/GOG/Xbox)

[Mixxie67]

Can someone please share what to do once your game has actually updated (if anything is possible)? I'm trying to follow this person's instructions but am confused by the part where I have to paste the individual Data folders into the main game. I can't copy the folders from the browser which is the only way I can open the locations Steam gives for the downloads. I know I'm missing something major here but the person has't responded yet (it's only been about 1/2 hour). Here's why I have the problem...
My game updated today (April 30 2024) even though I only ever launch thru Steam and I had set my Steam to update only on launch weeks ago. I'm so furious. I couldn't understand why all of a sudden my game was crashing like mad in the last hour. 

Finally, I rebooted my laptop and started Vortex and immediately got warnings about plug-ins not loading properly and that the game had updated. WTF??? I have no idea how this happened. I'm livid as I'm finally experiencing a bug-free playthru of SS2 since they did some major fixes recently. 
So, anyone thinking they are safe by setting Steam to update only on launch and then not loading thru Steam is in for some heartache. 

Edited May 1 by Mixxie67
clarification and to ask a question

[worm82075]

3 hours ago, Mixxie67 said:

 I know I'm missing something major here

What you are missing is that the address you are opening in your browser can only be downloaded from through the steam console. Once you enter the command in the console and press enter the files will be downloaded to Steam/Steamapps/Content. It is from there that you will copy the files into your game folder.

[r4v1n6m4d]

Another update for CK was posted yesterday. Assuming Steam haven't updated and your (appmanifest_1946160.acf) is still read-only, it shouldn't be difficult to fix. Make sure Steam isn'r running  then change to the new Manifest IDs (there's two) as listed in the SteamDB depository here.

Don't forget to make the manifest read-only again after changing, before starting Steam again.

[Spirif]

Could you please give me an idea of how long it might take to fix all of this mess?

I forgot to back up the files due to work and overall lost track of news, so now I'm not sure if it's worth waiting for fixes and updates to start with my saves and progress, or if it's a lost cause and I can  delete the game?

[spaloodacate]

I’ve followed the instructions to stop the next gen update and it worked but with the new path for it today how can stop that too? I’m also concerned that I won’t be able to stop the download in time as it’s small and steam will think that I have the next gen update… my app manifest os still read only. Any ideas? 

[spaloodacate]

On 5/5/2024 at 3:04 AM, r4v1n6m4d said:

Another update for CK was posted yesterday. Assuming Steam haven't updated and your (appmanifest_1946160.acf) is still read-only, it shouldn't be difficult to fix. Make sure Steam isn'r running  then change to the new Manifest IDs (there's two) as listed in the SteamDB depository here.

Don't forget to make the manifest read-only again after changing, before starting Steam again.

How exactly do I do this please? I have no idea what to do with that information. Is this to stop the patch that releases today? Thank you. 

[r4v1n6m4d]

5 minutes ago, spaloodacate said:

How exactly do I do this please? I have no idea what to do with that information. Is this to stop the patch that releases today? Thank you. 

No that was for CK (Creation Kit) that is a suite of tools for making mods. A new update was released for the game a few hours ago though.

If you have kept your manifest (appmanifest_377160.acf) set to read-only (right click->properties), it's easy to fix. For the english version there were only 2 manifest ids that needed to be edited (for the exe and content b). For other languages there might be an additional id to change.

Look at SteamDB for the new manifest IDs. The instructions on page 1 are still valid so just follow those.

If your game has already updated, switching to GOG might be the best future proof method. Or you can try this.

[spaloodacate]

26 minutes ago, r4v1n6m4d said:

No that was for CK (Creation Kit) that is a suite of tools for making mods. A new update was released for the game a few hours ago though.

If you have kept your manifest (appmanifest_377160.acf) set to read-only (right click->properties), it's easy to fix. For the english version there were only 2 manifest ids that needed to be edited (for the exe and content b). For other languages there might be an additional id to change.

Look at SteamDB for the new manifest IDs. The instructions on page 1 are still valid so just follow those.

If your game has already updated, switching to GOG might be the best future proof method. Or you can try this.

Thank you for the reply. I haven’t downloaded the next gen update as I stopped the download and then edited the app manifest as per the instructions here. I just copy and pasted the file changes that where posted here. I don’t really know how to do it by looking at the steamDB… 

[cVcNEX]

1) search: Steamless

2) use Steamless

optional

Spoiler

3) Honestly, *expletive* Todd and Gaben for wasting everyone's time, 'updating' a 2015 release with the sole purpose of rinsing it's user base to sell them she-eye-t that nobody wants, using an extremely extortionate price scaling, re-hashing works from a dedicated modding community and rebranding said works as 'creation club' content, while selling a product that the end user has no control over, yet releasing 'triple a' content that is soo funked it requires an entire community of amateur game developers to fix, to then turn around a say 'funk you!' to the very people that keep their content relevant... "er yes, sorry sir but your new car works just fine however we're not going to include it's wheels, you can download them thanks to our loyal community but please take heed, at an undetermined, random date in future, we will change the axles on your car so your community made wheels will no longer work, but fear not, we will sell you wheels made by our car manufacturer and charge you pretty much the same price as your entire car originally cost... that you don't actually own... and don't forget... your car, without our wheels is useless...

p.s. if you don't like our wheels, you can write an in-punctuated, lengthy rant on your community board which will do nothing, change nothing and prove yet again that you're wasting your time on a company that doesn't give 3 toots to a blow back

4) always do the right thing

 

[agentj3di]

On 4/25/2024 at 3:34 PM, agentj3di said:

This was a little confusing at first, but I think I figured it out  , but after everything was said and done, Fallout 4 is no longer asking to update, and I was able to successfully play my modded game all last night without any problems and seemingly subverting the update. 

So, I thought I would share my method for anyone else who might have also been confused. I wasn't sure if you were supposed to change the manifest ID for all of the Depots, or just the last one until I went to the SteamDB page and clicked around a bit.

Here's what I did:

1) Yesterday I set the appmanifest_377160.acf file to Read Only (and changed Updates frequency to Only when launching) as directed in the OP.

Today, Fallout 4 showed [  Update Required ].

2) Since I don't want the update (at least, not now) - using the Depot ID and Manifest ID for -each- row from my .acf file, I changed the Manifest ID to the new one.
(If you click on the Manifest ID link on the right of your matching Depot ID, you will see:

Example for Depot ID 377161 from the SteamDB page: https://steamdb.info/app/377160/depots/?branch=public (as directed)

Depots

ID	Configuration	Manifest ID	Size	DL.
228984	Windows Shared InstallDepot from 228980 VC 2012 Redist		No size
228990	Windows Shared InstallDepot from 228980 DirectX Jun 2010 Redist		No size
377161	Fallout 4 content_a	7332110922360867314	5.67 GiB	5.21 GiB

3) So for the first Depot 377161: the link on the left will take you to a page that has the following on the bottom:

 Manifest ID changed – 7497069378349273908 › 7332110922360867314

Aha, now I could see that my (original) file matched the OLD ID: 7497069378349273908

"InstalledDepots"
    {
        "377161"
        {
            "manifest"        "7497069378349273908"
            "size"        "6092666130"
        }

4) So I changed the "manifest" in the file (with Notepad) to the NEW ID from the website:  7332110922360867314

It now reads:

{
        "377161"
        {
            "manifest"        "7332110922360867314"
            "size"        "6092666130"
        }

5) I then did the same steps for each of the remaining Depots and Manifest IDs. I only have VANILLA (NO DLC), so there were only 4 matching Depot Manifest IDs to change.
6) I exited Steam, Unset the Read Only for the appmanifest_377160.acf file, and then SAVED the changes in Notepad.

7) After saving -- I RESET the Read Only on appmanifest_377160.acf --- otherwise, Steam might try and get the 'real' update.

Upon launching Steam, Fallout 4 now shows [  Play ] -- so I believe Steam thinks FO4 is current, and I'm set. 

Hope this helps someone! 

 

 

Quoting myself, but it looks like Bethesda is at it again. Opened up FO4 to another Update Required -- Yeahhhhhh, no.

I have just re-prevented my (DLC-less) install that I previously prevented from updating (I have been playing my modded game happily since my before my original post) -- and have NO interest in their updates and breaking my game, sO --- I thought I would update with the NEW manifest details that I used.

I pretty much used the method above to copy in the new data to the manifest file -- as below: Only a few changed.

{
        "377161"
        {
            "manifest"        "7332110922360867314"
            "size"        "6092666130"
        }
        "377162"
        {
            "manifest"        "5698952341602575696"
            "size"        "65503104"
        }
        "377163"
        {
            "manifest"        "8681102885670959037"
            "size"        "19539383766"
        }
        "377164"
        {
            "manifest"        "8492427313392140315"
            "size"        "3815537394"
        }
    }

Once complete, I unset Read Only, Saved the changes, RESET Read Only and Re-Launched Steam

Voi'la -- Ready to Play again.