How to accept steam license when installing steam?

Question

As pointed out in how to install steam one is supposed to run:

sudo apt-get install steam

Yet I get the error output that I declined Steam License Agreement:

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  steam:i386
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B/874 kB of archives.
After this operation, 2.662 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Preconfiguring packages ...
(Reading database ... 718351 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../steam_1%3a1.0.0.48-1ubuntu3_i386.deb ...
dpkg: error processing archive /var/cache/apt/archives/steam_1%3a1.0.0.48-1ubuntu3_i386.deb (--unpack):
 subprocess new pre-installation script returned error exit status 30
Installation terminated: Steam License Agreement was DECLINED.
Errors were encountered while processing:
 /var/cache/apt/archives/steam_1%3a1.0.0.48-1ubuntu3_i386.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

How to accept the steam license and install steam via apt-get install steam? There was no popup information, no selection to make. It just defaults to declined.

I know I can download the deb file yet I want to use the repository.

This appears to be a known bug: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/steam/+bug/1530491 — You'reAGitForNotUsingGit, Nov 29 '16 at 15:42
If you run sudo apt-get purge steam followed by sudo apt-get purge steamcmd and then sudo apt-get update and then sudo apt-get install steam and finally sudo apt-get install steamcmd does it work then? — You'reAGitForNotUsingGit, Nov 29 '16 at 15:44

David Foerster · Answer 1 · 2017-11-05T12:48:16.913

3

This is supposed to work around the issue:

sudo apt purge steam steamcmd
sudo apt install steam steamcmd

I compiled these commands according to this bug tracker comment:

If you purge both steam and steamcmd and then do an apt install steam followed by an apt install steamcmd, both commands will succeed without errors.

edited Nov 05 '17 at 12:48

answered Dec 07 '16 at 15:35

David Foerster

36,264
56
94
147

score 2 · Answer 2 · edited Dec 12 '16 at 18:35

2

When asked with options of I Accept or I Decline, use the → and ← arrow keys to select I Accept

Then use TAB to select OK below the options

Finally, press ENTER.

edited Dec 12 '16 at 18:35

TheOdd

3,012

answered Dec 12 '16 at 16:48

fm2617

121

The popup won't show up for this bug. – k0pernikus Dec 12 '16 at 16:57
I experience the exact issue with you but the purge command that the others posted fixed it for me – fm2617 Dec 14 '16 at 03:44
I was able to hit Ok following this answer advice – Char Jan 03 '19 at 17:04

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 21 '18 at 03:09

1

You can also "preseed" the answers to the license agreement via debconf so that it doesn't get hung up.

https://askubuntu.com/a/1017487/318507

answered Mar 21 '18 at 03:09

dragon788

1,556

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Jun 09 '22 at 16:55

0

You have to scroll down and click "i agree" ,then 'continue'.

answered Jun 09 '22 at 16:55

the man

1

1

The popup won't show up for this bug. – k0pernikus Jun 13 '22 at 21:40

How to accept steam license when installing steam?

4 Answers4