Can't add steam library: folder must be empty. Easy FIX!

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Baba2k Jul 3, 2018 @ 2:29pm

Can't add steam library: folder must be empty. Easy FIX!

Let's say you have installed all your games on your HDD, then you resetted your PC and need steam to detect your games again. But when you choose library/install folder it says folder must be empty. HERES HOW TO FIX IT:

1. Make a new folder where you want your games to be on your hardrive (example: steamgames)
2. Go to steam settings > Downloads > Steam library folders.
3. Add the game folder, in this case steamgames.
4. Install a small game on your new steam folder. (Just find a free game that seems small)

What this is going to do is make a new steam directory for your games.

5. Move all your previously installed games from your previous steam library folder (steam/steamapps/common) to the new directory where you installed the small game.

Moving all the games won't take any time because its on the same drive.

Now when you press install on one of your steam games that you installed before resetting your PC it will start validating the game. Your games will validate at the speed of your HDD. Usually that won't take long because it will be somewhere around 60 MB/S and upwards.

There you go, fixed!

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Showing 1-15 of 16 comments

Giovanni Nov 16, 2019 @ 6:51am

Thanks <3

Kujomoe Jan 13, 2020 @ 9:55am

Sadly it's taking forever for me and almost feels as if it would take the same time to redownload, am I doing something wrong??

Baba2k Jan 14, 2020 @ 4:16pm

Originally posted by Kujomoe:
Sadly it's taking forever for me and almost feels as if it would take the same time to redownload, am I doing something wrong??

What is taking long, the validating or the transfering?

kanashī Apr 16, 2020 @ 9:19pm

This works just fine. Just make sure to exit and close steam while transferring the game folders to the new library folder.

Belox74 May 10, 2020 @ 10:19pm

Funcionou, muito obrigado!
Thank you!

Lars Aug 23, 2020 @ 11:12am

Thank you so much for having make this post

TiffanyAnderson@gmail.com Sep 1, 2020 @ 5:14pm

thx dude

need4lightspeed May 6, 2021 @ 12:45pm

Okay. I agreed with the OP, and the comments, but why doesn't STEAM just let the Original Game file Download location to load from my External Drive, even after updating hardware on PC or whatever? I meant, it was the same Steamapps location, but the Game is on an External HDD and always lost during Steam Reinstall/install on new PC? If its a game file, let work every time..not reinstall, or move, copy paste every time I hook up a new PC...not sure but its a very simple idea...confusing fix, even if its working properly...

cSg|mc-Hotsauce May 6, 2021 @ 12:49pm

Originally posted by need4lightspeed:
Okay. I agreed with the OP, and the comments, but why doesn't STEAM just let the Original Game file Download location to load from my External Drive, even after updating hardware on PC or whatever? I meant, it was the same Steamapps location, but the Game is on an External HDD and always lost during Steam Reinstall/install on new PC? If its a game file, let work every time..not reinstall, or move, copy paste every time I hook up a new PC...not sure but its a very simple idea...confusing fix, even if its working properly...

You move the entire Steamapps folder, not just the common folder.

NotABottAmRealPerson Aug 28, 2021 @ 1:37am

The only thing that worked for me was:

Going to properties and current user profile was added as owner and permission entry (with full permissions) on the drive the folder was located on (in properties\security\advanced).
Exit steam.
Using steam library manager by revoland to add the library of the folders as a steam library.
Then going into steam and adding the library as well.

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