Steam client updates flood my desktop w. useless Steam icons/90% of games in library not listed as installed any more

[melliecarma]

01. My so far clean desktop (Win 7 x67 SP1) is flooded upon every Steam client update with steam install icons like:

logs, package, servers, bin, tenfoot, clientui, controller_base, drivers, friends, graphics, html5app, public, ressource, skins, steam, steamui, crashandler.dll, crashhandler64.dll, CSERHelper.dll, d3dcompiler-46.dll, d3dcompiler-46-64.dll, fossilize-filters-engine.json, GameOverlayRenderer.dll, GameOverlayRenderer64.dll, GameOverlayUI, icui18n.dll, icuuc.dll, libavodec-57.dll, libavformat-57.dll, libavresample-3.dll, libavutil-55.dll, libswscale-4.dll.

This happens with every new Steam client update (now for the third time in a row). It's extremely annoying especially if I have to clean up the mess only to find the same ♥♥♥♥ happens again with the next update. I notice this bug since the New Steam Library is in place, never encountered this before.

These should be in some Steam folders in one of my two Steam-dedicated harddrives of my NAS or maybe in a Steam folder of my internal drive on my notebook but the're surely not meant to clutter my desktop. They fill up every available space not reserved by an icon... Really strange.
Before that I always had clean installs with no additional icon on the desktop.

02. In my Steam account are 1.530+ games. All of them were installed but the library shows 90+% as non-installed now. This is serious. The library seems to have lost the installation paths to those 2 aforementioned Steam-dedicated harddrives on my NAS. Is there a way to scan those drives for games missing i.e. verify install? I don't want to have to manually verify every single game but rather each harddrive in one verification run each (each hd 4 TB in size)?

For example, I've got 97 games under the letter 'A' but only 11 are listed as installed. It should be 97...

[Zukabazuka]

The steam.exe also act as an installer, if they can't find any of those files in the folder it is in, it will make them. You sure you made shortcut for steam and not just put the steam.exe file straight on the desktop?

Also if you have the option "show only installed games" on it will not show games that are not installed.

[AmsterdamHeavy]

You have Steam installed on your desktop. This is a "duh" action.

Install it in a proper directory.

Your games "disappear" because either A) Steam is not shut down properly (forced) or

B) Steam isnt seeing those NAS drives when it launches.


Also, as someone with more games trhan you, keeping them all installed is...very near useless unless you have clinical lack of patience and impulsivity. In other words, no one needs 1500 games installed. Yes, when you punch yourself in the face...it hurts.

[melliecarma]

I just try to log into Steam via the client, then it automatically starts the client update process beforehand + clutters my desktop. If I try to delete one of those icons right then I'm told I can't because the file/drawer is in use... I can login only after the update process is finished. I can delete those icons only if I close the client again but not while it is still running. And maybe I have to terminate any Steam-related process in my tak manager (I use System Explorer as my standard task manager). If I would cancel the update I couldn't log in.

[ReBoot]

Originally posted by melliecarma:

I just try to log into Steam via the client, then it automatically starts the client update process beforehand + clutters my desktop. If I try to delete one of those icons right then I'm told I can't because the file/drawer is in use... I can login only after the update process is finished. I can delete those icons only if I close the client again but not while it is still running. And maybe I have to terminate any Steam-related process in my tak manager (I use System Explorer as my standard task manager). If I would cancel the update I couldn't log in.

That's because you are, for whatever reason, running Steam from your desktop. Delete everything there, delete the (broken) shortcut you're using to start Steam and double click Steam.exe in the folder where you want Steam to be installed.
I repeat: you aren't starting Steam! You're starting a shortcut that sets the desktop as the working directory and then starts Steam.

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

Sounds like you mess up somewhere, and for whatever reason you install Steam location on your desktop, instead of the default location.

[aiusepsi]

To reconfirm what others have said: it sounds like you tried to make a shortcut to Steam on your desktop, but actually just moved steam.exe there instead, thus effectively creating a new installation of Steam. This explains both your symptoms:

1) Lots of files being dumped onto your desktop. In a brand-new Steam install, the only file is steam.exe, which downloads the rest when you run it. The new Steam install you've created on your desktop is missing the rest of the Steam client, so it's downloading it.

2) This new Steam install doesn't know about your installed games because it's a brand-new install of the Steam client. All your games are installed in the old installation of the Steam client.

The solution here is to move steam.exe back to where it came from.

[melliecarma]

No, I definetely haven't installed Steam on my desktop. Why would I? Although it seems that the Steam client tries to install to the desktop. The install should take place either in the S:\ (i.e Steam) or V:\ (i.e. Valve) harddrives of my NAS while some files might be placed on the internal hd of my notebook.

But it might be a kind of connection problem. During startup I have to switch on my NAS first, then my notebook. If I switch the notebook on first Windows will find the internal harddrive C:\ and the system partition F:\ thereon only. If I then turn on the NAS as second device it will recognize the four 4TB harddrives after some seconds. I suppose both problems could be related. So if the client finds only drive C:\ present at startup it will probably try to install there. But I still don't understand why it wants to install on the desktop. I only have a shortcut to the client on it. But when I wanted to login into Steam this morning I started both devices in the right order, first the NAS, then the notebook.

If the boot order of both devices is the culprit it would mean that one false startup could mess up any further correct update/install. I usually don't shutdown my computer but go rather in standby mode. I normally shut it down only for Windows updates. Maybe I should try to shut him down completely (some Win updates are due again) and see if that changes anything. I might also check where the client is actually installed and if that desktop shortcut is indeed an exe folder.

Yeah, you're right about the forced showdown. Opera was misbehavin` recently (didn't load any pages, not even settings, so I couldn't even delete the cache. So I used Firefox instead until it stopped working, too. You couln't close any windows either, you couldn't shutdown properly due to overheating so I used the power off button. The problem with Opera has mysteriously vanished now, however.

The client is set to show all games (wether installed *white* or not *grey*, software, tools, videos + music.

I'm aware of B) - that shouldn't be a problem. But I think that Shutdown in Standby Mode is not enough. I've to shutdown it entirely (so power off), clean my desktop, verify that the desktop shortcut really is no exe file and find out where the latest client is actually installed. Maybe delete older versions (or all) of the client and/or make a clean fresh install after I verified the boot order is right and all 5 drives (+ the system partition are recognized properly.

Regarding A) (forced shutdown) - How can I fix it? AFAIK there is an option to scan entire folders/partitions/drives for those. I guess I find this function somewhere by clicking on the Steam tab on the upper left. I'll check that out.

Anyway, thanks to you guys for your suggestions so far.

[melliecarma]

Okay, I checked the desktop shortcut, it's indeed an exe file. Deleting the whole crap on my desktop now.

[melliecarma]

Well, I've got to close the client and (probably terminate the process in System Explorer, too) before I can delete anything. Should have known - so logging out now...

Bye for now

[melliecarma]

Yeah, perfectly understand that now as it's an exe file. Maybe I dragged the wrong icon to the desktop without noticing it. Okay thanks guys, main problem solved. If I don't post any more updates take it as a sign that I managed to fix it all. Thanks again for the speedy delivery of information, tips + solutions. I might have eventually figured it out alone (I mostly do) but it would have probably taken considerably more time. You guys rock!

*logging out now*

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

Originally posted by melliecarma:

Okay, I checked the desktop shortcut, it's indeed an exe file. Deleting the whole crap on my desktop now.

Originally posted by melliecarma:

Well, I've got to close the client and (probably terminate the process in System Explorer, too) before I can delete anything. Should have known - so logging out now...

Bye for now

At least you realize your brain fart.

[melliecarma]

Deleted the exe on my desktop as well as those crap icons, replaced it with a correct desktop shortcut, backed up the desktop config, run the shortcut as administrator. The client then detected the location of the game files by itself. I missed my vids, tools and software at first but found them finally, all there but a bit different to access due to the New Steam Library. I created some collections (Faves/Vids/Software/Tools), so far all good.

The only thing missing are the music files (You could add some audio files like the soundtracks of games and also import your own audio files before.) I'm updating about a hundred games now (client set to manual install only - for a reason). So everything back in working order again.

THX to Steam support for repeatedly claiming installing to an external hd, i.e. NAS is not supported. I don't f...ing care! While I had probs in the beginning I never had them anymore once I figured out an effective configuration. My notebook works perfectly (internal hd 750 GB) with my Sharkoon 8-bay NAS (equipped with 4x4 TB of storage so far, so 16,75 TB in total on my system). Connection is done via USB 3.0 cable. This equals to 1.535 games (plus software, vids + tools) on Steam, 1.105 games on Gog and 535 on Desura (Yes, Desura is long dead + gone but provided you downloaded + activated both the games as well as the offline mode you can still play them today. I checked one game recently + to my surprise it worked. I will have to check if this is true for Indieroyale/Dailyroyale as well as Shinyloot titles, too.

So problem solved, I rest my case.

[Uueerdo]

Originally posted by melliecarma:

Deleted the exe on my desktop as well as those crap icons, replaced it with a correct desktop shortcut, backed up the desktop config, run the shortcut as administrator. The client then detected the location of the game files by itself. I missed my vids, tools and software at first but found them finally, all there but a bit different to access due to the New Steam Library. I created some collections (Faves/Vids/Software/Tools), so far all good.

The only thing missing are the music files (You could add some audio files like the soundtracks of games and also import your own audio files before.) I'm updating about a hundred games now (client set to manual install only - for a reason). So everything back in working order again.

THX to Steam support for repeatedly claiming installing to an external hd, i.e. NAS is not supported. I don't f...ing care! While I had probs in the beginning I never had them anymore once I figured out an effective configuration. My notebook works perfectly (internal hd 750 GB) with my Sharkoon 8-bay NAS (equipped with 4x4 TB of storage so far, so 16,75 TB in total on my system). Connection is done via USB 3.0 cable. This equals to 1.535 games (plus software, vids + tools) on Steam, 1.105 games on Gog and 535 on Desura (Yes, Desura is long dead + gone but provided you downloaded + activated both the games as well as the offline mode you can still play them today. I checked one game recently + to my surprise it worked. I will have to check if this is true for Indieroyale/Dailyroyale as well as Shinyloot titles, too.

So problem solved, I rest my case.

"Not supported" does not mean "won't work", it means "if it doesn't, you're on your own".

Also, when people usually mean different things when talking about NAS vs external hard drive. While a NAS technically is an external hard drive. People usually me USB/eSata/Firewire when talking about "external" hard drives. "NAS" stands for "Network Attached Storage", and as the name implies, usually refers to hard drives accessed as network shares from a device on the network (usually really just a barebones Linux configuration set up for the specific purpose.)

The only problems I've ever heard of Steam having with external USB drives is general performance, and games appearing uninstalled when such drives are not attached. Trying to run any program off a NAS can be problematic. For one, many programs just plain won't function, even if the share is mapped to an expected drive letter. For those programs that do function, data transfer issues can still cause unpredictable issues.

[melliecarma]

Well, it does work in my case. You're right, you have to keep an eye on connection issues. You have to power up the NAS (Network Attached Storage) before your computer. The connection speed is an issue especially if you download many GB at once. In my case it can be somewhat between 25 to around 80 GB in one nightly session if Gog has some sale going on. The most I spent so far was 527 Euros on one single purchase so it can be around 47 games or more. As those files are stored on one of my NAS harddrives connection speed between notebook and NAS is an issue. So I would advise to choose the fastest connection possible/affordable. Another issue, however, is download speed which is often painfully slow. This is actually more of a bottleneck to me than the USB connection speed between notebook and the NAS hd's (which technically are external harddrives). There are also rumours that my German ISP (T-Online) is secretly limiting download speeds so that might also be an issue. Sometimes download rates are down to 0.0 MB/sec despite a 50,000 KB/sec download flat. In such a case I pause the download + go asleep + resume it some hours later or the next day. (No use to spend 5 hours awake just to see that my miggy has downloaded not a single KB at all!)

When I started with the NAS idea about 5 years ago I researched a bit on the net and then chose that Sharkoon 8-bay NAS (without drive 300 Euros from Amazon) plus 1 additional 4 TB drive (retail) for another 150 Euros, so 450 Euros in total. I've been very satisfied with that concept ever since as it serves me perfectly. Two drives are exclusively dedicated to Steam, one to GOG and one to Desura. In the future I plan to add 4 more 4 TB drives (one for Linux, one for Amiga/Commodore Operating Systems (Amiga OS, AROS, Morph OS, Coffin OS; GEOS, Wheels , MP4, Jiffy DOS etc.), one for Multimedia and maybe one for Mac OS.

Btw I know I'm not the typical user/gamer. I can spend more time + money on games and (retro) hardware as I'm a single full-time working male (55) not living in a relationship who owns his appartment (paid in cash when I bought it). As I also don't have a car I don't have to pay for rent, petrol or insurance either. And I've never been on drugs/alcohol/tobacco/meds in my entire life. This is money I can spend on more important things - talking about priorities here.

I guess neither Steam nor GOG do support external harddrives officially because there might be many different configurations and diverse connection types and speeds. But what pissed me off was that they said repeatedly it wasn't supported.They could have said that it is doable under certain circumstances/configurations but that I would have to try that on my own. Back then I was asking myself how Steam or Gog do host their game database? Surely they must use such a system like a NAS or more probably a server (cluster) to host it on? I'm just trying do do the same thing on a somewhat smaller scale. So should I someday reach the point where my storage space isn't sufficient enough anymore I would run a cluster of NAS machines or my own server(s).

[乂 И𝙊И𝘼𝙈𝙀_1904乂]

que ficheiro é este? alguem me pode dizer por favor

fossilize engine filters.json

SteamFossilizeVulkanLayer.json