Add already installed games to Steam on Ubuntu instead of reinstalling

[hisanimations]

I recently installed Ubuntu on my computer, but gave it little space, around 15 GB. I only installed it to see how games would perform differently, so i mainly used it for steam. I installed it with the hopes of being able to add my games directory into the library, so i can play it without installing it again. When I tried to do it, it told me that the directory has to be empty to add it. Is there a way that i can add my games folder to Steam on Linux so i can play it with no problem?

[Cat on Linux]

right. exit steam. rename your directory. create directory with old name,
open steam. add this empty directory. exit steam
remove empty directory. rename your old directory to original name
load steam. everything should be working now

[ack0329]

Good Info Cat!!
and to add, Steam just doesn't like to add a new FOLDER OPTION unless it is "Empty", but just add all your games after (obvious I know) ... but

If your games still are NOT recognised (A common pROBLEM FOR years WITH sTEAM) ...
You can select to add the game and at this point it SHOULD look for exhisting files and just add what is Necessary

Trying to help, Mark

[Marlock]

you are trying to add a steam library that sits within a windows partition right?

it is most likely formatted as ntfs, so you might have issues with it even after doing what @cat and @ack instructed...

there is a million recent threads in this community about those issues with ntfs, so if the above doesn't help try to search this forum for "ntfs linux"

that being said, do ask for help here again if things don't improve

and welcome to linux!

[y05h1]

I have a ntfs external 2tb hard drive that has all my steam games on it which I installed on that drive from a Windows machine. I was able to add the path again simply by going through Steam -> Settings -> Downloads -> Steam Library Folders. There I added the path to /steam/ on my external hard drive which had all steam games installed and boom. Worked like a charm on Ubuntu 18.04

[ack0329]

Originally posted by y05h1:

I have a ntfs external 2tb hard drive that has all my steam games on it which I installed on that drive from a Windows machine. I was able to add the path again simply by going through Steam -> Settings -> Downloads -> Steam Library Folders. There I added the path to /steam/ on my external hard drive which had all steam games installed and boom. Worked like a charm on Ubuntu 18.04

Are They ALL or MOSTLY working with "Steam Play / Proton' - If So AWESOME

A new day for Linux INDEED!

Mark

[hisanimations]

Originally posted by Cat on Linux:

right. exit steam. rename your directory. create directory with old name,
open steam. add this empty directory. exit steam
remove empty directory. rename your old directory to original name
load steam. everything should be working now

Yea, i was thinking about that. The problem is that i can't mount my ntfs drive as r/w, because its where windows 10 operates, and it's "hibernating." It's fine though. I only installed Ubuntu to see how games would operate differently, because i noticed that Ubuntu uses MUCH less resources. I don't really need to. Thank you everyone for your replies

[Cat on Linux]

Originally posted by His Profile (CP7114):

[
Yea, i was thinking about that. The problem is that i can't mount my ntfs drive as r/w, because its where windows 10 operates, and it's "hibernating."

then don't touch anything on that drive or windowoze can fail to boot. one unclean shutdown of drive (it is very bad idea to mount/umount it manually too) and there's no boot for windowoze. ideally you need ext4 drive to play games. I assumed you had such setup because you've mentioned you installed games on Ubuntu.
so much changed since introduction of Steam Play. before that people rarely used NTFS drives to run their Linux games, leave alone using bootable windowoze partition to access their games. now it's spreading like a virus, everyone uses NTFS with all its issues. please search forums for "NTFS Linux" to see which issues our users have faced with such setup and which workarounds possible.

[hisanimations]

weiner and nuts?

[class101 [OLED deck]]

You should have abandonned Windows by that time Still not made the move ?

[Enigmatic]

Originally posted by class101 linux:

You should have abandonned Windows by that time :happymeat: Still not made the move ?

Lol my windows partition was 15 gb before I finally removed it.