Installing Games and Hard Drive Space Question

[Zepondrax]

Question, When I go to install a new game or any game It asks me where I would like to install it, so I choose Drive D (my external 10TB drive) or my E Drive (PC Internal drive) which is all fine and good but after install why does 1 GB get removed from my C Drive for each game I install, every time? Is anyone else getting this? I am not sure why 1Gb is removing every time off Drive C (my PC internal drive with Windows Install)

Example I installed The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing, I chose drive D (10TB Drive) and once again, 1GB went from Drive C

Am I missing something her or is this normal?

[SombreroRondO]

I'm not an expert, but a lot of data about games is collected in hidden folder called appdata. Usually on C drive (in my case at least). As far as I remember it's not the only hidden folder in default Windows. I've cleaned it myself, wasn't harmful, some data can be important though. You can make such folders visible somewhere, it's an option but read about it.

[Ferox_Stormdragon]

even though you installed the game on e: steam uses the drive that steam is installed on for appdata (saves, option files etc), shaders, screenshots etc

[Satoru]

Note your save files and other system level things are installed on the c:\

Also how do you know 1GB is 'removed' from your C:\. Also how do you know where that is coming from. Windows might be caching your 500 Chrome tabs or whatever. Correlation is not causation

[Zepondrax]

I do know games like to save data in the App Data folder under LOCAL or LOCAL LOW or Roaming as Ive see these but they are usually save games files and dont take up much space

Originally posted by SombreroRondO:

I'm not an expert, but a lot of data about games is collected in hidden folder called appdata. Usually on C drive (in my case at least). As far as I remember it's not the only hidden folder in default Windows. I've cleaned it myself, wasn't harmful, some data can be important though. You can make such folders visible somewhere, it's an option but read about it.

[Zepondrax]

Steam is installed on both E and D as I have so many games I installed most on E and the other half on D but couldnt understand why every time I install a new game etc 1 Gb seems to vanish off drive C.... mystery to me but maybe its saving something on drive C even though steam isnt even installed on C

Originally posted by Ferox_Stormdragon:

even though you installed the game on e: steam uses the drive that steam is installed on for appdata (saves, option files etc), shaders, screenshots etc

[Zepondrax]

I know as I keep a tab on it. For example i look at my space left before a game install, it might be
115Gb, Ill install a new game from steam to my PC (it usually installs to drive D or E then after installation suddenly my Drive C says 114 GB....weird I know

Originally posted by Satoru:

Note your save files and other system level things are installed on the c:\

Also how do you know 1GB is 'removed' from your C:\. Also how do you know where that is coming from. Windows might be caching your 500 Chrome tabs or whatever. Correlation is not causation

[Elucidator]

The reason is likely because Steam is installed on C:\ or your main library is on C:\ or both.
I know you said "No, it isn't", but-- the question is "Are you sure?"; idk. Hear me a bit.

Steam, when it downloads a file, it downloads this to the main library in chunks. It saves these chunks and assembles the real file later. It moves the file to the proper location (the library of your choice) only after assembly, and extraction.

In any case, the downloading folder is inside Steamapps of your main library. This acts as a temporary cache. I suspect this is on the C:\ drive in your case.

address: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\downloading

Another thing worth mentioning, C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Steam

Edit:
I agree with the others that it could have to do with Chromium, which is bloated and likes placing unnessecary amounts of data inside the C:\ drive. I am not sure how Steam behaves on that front. Feel free to inspect:

Location: C:\Users\(your username)\AppData\Local\Steam

[Zepondrax]

Thanks for the help but nah I checked my C Program Files and Program Files X86 no steam folder exists there at all I have E:\Steam\steamapps and D:\2020 Games\steamapps\common
where all my games are. No Steam Folder is there on my C Drive

I just noriced C:\Users\usernameAppData\Local\steam > but that is only 600MB
Under Roaming I have a steam folder but its 600 bytes,

Maybe I will never get to the bottom of why when I install a steam game to my E or D Drive it removes 1GB each time off my C Drive....its weird....noticed it some time ago but just couldnt be bothered until now

Originally posted by Elucidator:

The reason is likely because Steam is installed on C:\ or your main library is on C:\ or both.
I know you said "No, it isn't", but-- the question is "Are you sure?"; idk. Hear me a bit.

Steam, when it downloads a file, it downloads this to the main library in chunks. It saves these chunks and assembles the real file later. It moves the file to the proper location (the library of your choice) only after assembly, and extraction.

In any case, the downloading folder is inside Steamapps of your main library. This acts as a temporary cache. I suspect this is on the C:\ drive in your case.

address: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\downloading

Another thing worth mentioning, C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Steam

Edit:
I agree with the others that it could have to do with Chromium, which is bloated and likes placing unnessecary amounts of data inside the C:\ drive. I am not sure how Steam behaves on that front. Feel free to inspect:

Location: C:\Users\(your username)\AppData\Local\Steam