install --beta=preaquatica always installs latest public

[alisadco]

install --beta=preaquatica always installs latest public

"arkmanager start --noautoupdate"is used to start
"arkmanager update --beta=preaquatica --validate" downgrades to aquatica

[klightspeed]

What is the output of arkmanager update --beta=preaquatica --validate --verbose?

[alisadco]

`arkmanager update --beta=preaquatica --validate --verbose
Attempting to drop privileges; re-running as steam
Running command 'update' for instance 'main'
Checking for update; PID: 14149
Downloading ARK updateExecuting /home/steam/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh +@NoPromptForPassword 1 +force_install_dir /ark/staging +login anonymous +app_update 376030 -beta preaquatica validate +quit
Redirecting stderr to '/home/steam/Steam/logs/stderr.txt'
Logging directory: '/home/steam/Steam/logs'
[ 0%] Checking for available updates...
[----] Verifying installation...
UpdateUI: skip show logo
Steam Console Client (c) Valve Corporation - version 1769026246
-- type 'quit' to exit --
Loading Steam API...OK
"@NoPromptForPassword" = "1"

Connecting anonymously to Steam Public...OK
Waiting for client config...OK
Waiting for user info...OK
Update state (0x5) verifying install, progress: 2.35 (442898107 / 18885862830)
Update state (0x5) verifying install, progress: 9.52 (1798751802 / 18885862830)
Update state (0x5) verifying install, progress: 12.77 (2411771471 / 18885862830)
Update state (0x5) verifying install, progress: 20.44 (3859942011 / 18885862830)
Update state (0x5) verifying install, progress: 28.16 (5317602529 / 18885862830)
Update state (0x5) verifying install, progress: 35.38 (6681752998 / 18885862830)
Update state (0x5) verifying install, progress: 43.15 (8148892894 / 18885862830)
Update state (0x5) verifying install, progress: 50.67 (9570201084 / 18885862830)
Update state (0x5) verifying install, progress: 59.75 (11284399930 / 18885862830)
Update state (0x5) verifying install, progress: 69.40 (13105869008 / 18885862830)
Update state (0x5) verifying install, progress: 78.63 (14849670743 / 18885862830)
Update state (0x5) verifying install, progress: 86.16 (16272715450 / 18885862830)
Update state (0x5) verifying install, progress: 90.82 (17152603417 / 18885862830)
Update state (0x5) verifying install, progress: 96.25 (18177919228 / 18885862830)
Update state (0x61) downloading, progress: 0.66 (6 / 906)
Update state (0x0) unknown, progress: 0.00 (0 / 0)
Success! App '376030' fully installed.
Unloading Steam API...OK
Warning: staging directory update was unsuccessful
The server is already stopped
Applying update from staging directory
Update to 13834083 complete`

[klightspeed]

What is the output of arkmanager --version?
That output looks like you're on 1.6.64 or older, which did not handle the --beta option to arkmanager install and did not have the workaround to steamcmd not waiting for the app cache when trying to get the latest version.

That 18885862830 bytes in the "verifying install" stage and the 906 bytes in the "downloading" stage during an update matches what I get for the preaquatica branch. and 13834083 matches the buildid for the preaquatica branch.