I'm wondering if anyone else is having this issue...

I opened steam today and wanted to check if the L4D2 demo was available. Steam told me I had to first apply an update and I have to restart to apply it. OK.

The update doesn't appear to occur and Steam continues to tell me I have to apply the update. I just doesn't seem to install or recognize that it is/isn't installed.

Looking at the About Steam window, I have
Built: Oct 23 2009
Speam API: v008
Steam package versions: 55/994

I know there is an update as of yesterday.

Ugh.. nevermind.
I deleted the AppUpdateStats.blob and the ClientRegistry.blob and this solved the problem.

Steam is F'd up this week.

I was downloading the new L4D2 demo and a patch was released for the demo and steam at the same time and it crashed.

I can't start it again.

So I used your method... as a last ditch effort (yeah I restarted the PC first with no luck). And now it starts with a Steam Update bar that gets to 3% then craps out.

Uninstalling Steam now, valve can *insert profanity here!*

I tried to update the game for my buddy while he's out sick so he can play when he gets back.
Steam kept reporting that the servers were busy and to try again in a few hours.
All day it didn't work. I canceled the download and changed the location (of where it downloads from). When I restarted Steam, the game and the pre-load were gone from his computer.
I checked his account from my account and it states he already has the game.

If he has the game, where is it?

I deleted the blob files and restarted Steam. I can't continue since I don't know his password. Now I wait for him to return to start the whole process over again.

Unlucky, well hopefully he'll be able to get into the actual steam interface again.

I kept restarting it (as there appears there is no uninstall?) and it got to 32% ... then went back to 31%.

I can't get to my game or my friends list which makes this horrible. I can understand the servers being full today..... BUT that's why we pay ridiculous prices on our games FOR the steam service.....

As usual valve servers are falling apart at crucial moments.

Most likely the reason for the constant delays. I am unable to use my desktop at the moment but I will check to see if I am getting the same/similar issues when I can.

I uninstalled steam, removed the entire directory (fun) and destroyed every last Steam infected file. I downloaded steam again, installed.. started it up, tried to Log In..... CRASH.

Did it again... updating 10% (for the last 10 minutes).

I'm going to go play tetris.. that'll teach me to rely on a single service to power most of my games.