Question about moving some games to a different hard drive

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Joseph Apr 25, 2017 @ 9:18pm

Question about moving some games to a different hard drive

I bought a Seagate External Harddrive on Amazon. What I want to do is move some games over to that drive. For example, is it possible for me to move Borderlands 2 over to that drive without re-installing it? Or do I have to go through a long process to move it to a different driver?

Last edited by Joseph; Apr 25, 2017 @ 9:19pm

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The Giving One Apr 25, 2017 @ 9:21pm

It is not recommended to install Steam/games to external drives. Some do and it works, but it is still not recommended.

Moving a Steam Installation and Games

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=7418-YUBN-8129

It is not recommended that you install Steam to an external hard drive, due to potential performance issues.

Adding another library folder, using that option under your Steam settings, is one way to do it.

Steam in the top left, then settings, then downloads. Library folder options button is on top there.

Last edited by The Giving One; Apr 25, 2017 @ 9:21pm

Joseph Apr 25, 2017 @ 9:22pm

If I uninstall Borderlands 2 and re-install it to an external driver, would that be better instead of just copying and pasting it into the external driver? I don't want to move EVERY SINGLE game to the new driver. I just want to move a few games.

Last edited by Joseph; Apr 25, 2017 @ 9:25pm

The Giving One Apr 25, 2017 @ 9:25pm

Originally posted by Joseph:
Why is not recommonded? I mean, if I uninstall Borderlands 2 and re-install it to an external driver, would that be better instad of just copying and pasting it into the external driver?

As it says, due to performance issues. Externals can become inactive depending on Windows settings, for example, and also because many external drives that are HDD and not SSD are very slow.

And you cannot just copy and paste the game folder. You have to make a new library folder that is empty and then exit Steam and then drag over the game folder for Borderlands into that new folder, as well as the .acf file for Borderlands.

The .acf file is the file that tells Steam where and if the game is installed.

Joseph Apr 25, 2017 @ 9:28pm

So when you say I have to make a new Library Folder, can I just change the download path, uninstall Borderlands, and then install the game to the external driver?

Seven7 Apr 25, 2017 @ 9:28pm

for using external HDD - disable energy saving for hdd, usb port and hub: generic usb hub + root usb hub (you will determine, which port and hub used in USB Mass Storage Device in Properties, Common tab Port# Hub#) + will fix letter in disk manager
+ instead built-in moving, use built-in backup - restore function - it more stable and predictable.

Last edited by Seven7; Apr 25, 2017 @ 9:36pm

The Giving One Apr 25, 2017 @ 9:32pm

Originally posted by Joseph:
So when you say I have to make a new Library Folder, can I just change the download path, uninstall Borderlands, and then install the game to the external driver?

Have you even clicked the link I posted for you above ? It explains how to do this with adding a library folder.

You don't have to uninstall the game using Steam. That will delete the files and you will have to download them all over again. I am telling you a way to do it without having to download one single thing.

Make a new library folder.
Exit Steam after logging out.
Go to where you have Steam installed on your computer.
Open up the Steam/steamapps/common folder and cut the Borderlands game folder. It is usually a good idea to make a backup first before doing anything. Keep the backup on your desktop for example.
Now manually navigate to the new library folder that you added. Open it up and place the Borderlands game folder in the EXACT same place as you previously removed it from.

Now, do the same thing for the .acf file for Borderlands. The .acf file number is the same as the URL number on the store page for that game. This is how you find the correct .acf file for the corresponding game. You place the .acf file in the steamapps folder though, in that new library folder that you created.

Joseph Apr 25, 2017 @ 9:43pm

I just screenshotted how I'm going to do this. Just to clairfy. Can you tell me if I'm doing this correctly? So I do it like this?

http://prntscr.com/f0wkyt

The Giving One Apr 25, 2017 @ 9:45pm

Originally posted by Joseph:
I just screenshotted how I'm going to do this. Just to clairfy. Can you tell me if I'm doing this correctly? So I do it like this?

http://prntscr.com/f0wkyt

In the right, did you create that folder titled "new folder" using the method I described and linked to you above ? It almost looks like you made that manually.

But other than that, you have the general idea correct. You have to move that .acf file to where the game is going to be installed, but all folders and files have to be in their correct places just as before.

For example, .acf files have to be in steamapps. Game folders have to be in the common folder. I don't see that in your path in the right side there. All I see is "new folder".

Last edited by The Giving One; Apr 25, 2017 @ 9:46pm

Joseph Apr 25, 2017 @ 9:50pm

Like this?

http://prntscr.com/f0wmjs

(ignore the acf question in that screenshot. You already explained that to me, it goes in steamapps)

Last edited by Joseph; Apr 25, 2017 @ 9:53pm

The Giving One Apr 25, 2017 @ 9:56pm

Originally posted by Joseph:
Like this?

http://prntscr.com/f0wmjs

(ignore the acf question in that screenshot. You already explained that to me, it goes in steamapps)

Exactly. Game folders go in "common" and .acf files go in "steamapps", but in the new location.

As long as you keep a backup of the game folder and the .acf file, you cannot really make a mistake that will cause you to have to redownload anything.

You are doing all this while exited out of Steam all the way, correct ? You cannot have Steam open while doing this.

#10

Joseph Apr 25, 2017 @ 9:57pm

I will not be performing this action while Steam is open, no. What do you mean by performance issues? Like if there's an update to the game that is moved, will it not contact the Steam servers to tell the game to update? What do you mean by that?

#11

The Giving One Apr 25, 2017 @ 10:01pm

Originally posted by Joseph:
I will not be performing this action while Steam is open, no. What do you mean by performance issues? Like if there's an update to the game that is moved, will it not contact the Steam servers to tell the game to update? What do you mean by that?

If you are asking about the external drive issue, you need to do what the good Seven7 said above, in Windows settings. You have to make sure the hard drive will not become inactive using a custom power plan, for example, as well as the other suggestions Seven7 posted. For users that are not familiar with it, it is not recommended due mainly to these reasons.

Also, security software such as anitivirus may have issues with externals, if you don't set those up properly also.

In short, it is basically like the support page says. It is not "recommended". You "can" do it, but it is not recommended and it is a bit of a headache to set up properly and fully.

And also, because some external HDD are only 5200 RPM. Loading screens will be much longer, for example, in some games.

#12

Joseph Apr 25, 2017 @ 10:04pm

Ah, alright. Will it affect the games graphics (FPS) as well? Also, when I cut and paste a games directory and acf file to the new driver, is it safe to delete it from the C: drive after I successfully transfered it?

Last edited by Joseph; Apr 25, 2017 @ 10:05pm

#13

The Giving One Apr 25, 2017 @ 10:08pm

Originally posted by Joseph:
Ah, alright. Will it affect the games graphical wise as well? Also, when I cut and paste a games directory and acf file, is it safe to delete it from the C: drive after I successfully transfered it?

No, as far as graphics, that should not affect anything as to what drive the game is installed on. If your computer has an internal SSD and you now have an external HDD, if this was me, I would just bulk store the game files on the HDD for the games I was not currently playing, and then keep Steam on my SSD also. And when I wanted to play a game that I had bulk stored like this, I would just drag over the files after making sure my SSD had plenty of storage of course.

That is one way you can do all this and get the performance out of your internal drive, especially if it is an SSD, when playing games, but keep the huge amount of data that game files take up on your external HDD. That is what I would do if this was me personally.

Yes, after you launch Steam and make sure the new location recognized the files and games as installed, you can delete your backups. All that "may" be necessary is to verify the game files after moving them around.

Verify Integrity of Game Files

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=2037-QEUH-3335

EDIT..You should not have the game folder and .acf file still on C. You should be dragging over or cutting and pasting. NOT copy and pasting. You cannot have them installed in two places at once, of course.

Last edited by The Giving One; Apr 25, 2017 @ 10:10pm

#14