Trouble getting downloaded games to work

[Jas]

So i bought a 32GB usb 3.1, and i downloaded borderlands 1 plus all DLC but i didn't put it on the flash drive via steam, i moved it from SSD to the steam folder on my flash drive under common same as on the SSD, and when i opened the drive as a steam library it it saw the game i downloaded via steam straight to my flash drive and it saw it as a game, but the game i moved there even when i added it as a non steam game, it wouldn't load even the menu or give error log
how can i make it look for the game files before it downloads them
and yes there were no err transferring the files

[The Giving One]

It is not recommended to use external drives (flash drives) with Steam 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.

EDIT.....

External Hard Drives

External hard drives are not recommended for use with Steam or Steam's games. Aside from many potential performance issues, external hard drives may connect or disconnect from the computer at inopportune times as part of their normal operations. If you encounter this issue with an external drive, install Steam and your games to an internal drive instead.

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=8379-RYIP-2998

[Jas]

im aware of the performance issues, this is literally to play games in my free time on school computers and to bypass the admin
but thanks very much :)

[The Giving One]

It's not just about poor performance. The drive can go to sleep at inopportune times, and have security issues with software on your PC, maybe. (antivirus, for example)

The easy way around this is, to STORE the files there, instead of installing the games there. That way, you can click and drag what game you want to play each time, to the internal drive where Steam would be installed. (as well as the relevant .acf file in steamapps)

Not the best solution, if you have a drive space issue, but it gets around the issues I mentioned above.

Test a game from Steam that is (hopefully) installed on your internal drive in the Steam folder. See if you have any issues with that game, as the support pages suggest.

[Jas]

Originally posted by The Giving One:

It's not just about poor performance. The drive can go to sleep at inopportune times, and have security issues with software on your PC, maybe. (antivirus, for example)

The easy way around this is, to STORE the files there, instead of installing the games there. That way, you can click and drag what game you want to play each time, to the internal drive where Steam would be installed.

Not the best solution, if you have a drive space issue, but it gets around the issues I mentioned above.

Test a game from Steam that is (hopefully) installed on your internal drive in the Steam folder. See if you have any issues with that game, as the support pages suggest.

problem is that the IT admin lets us play and install externally but not on the internal drive

[The Giving One]

Originally posted by Eatthedead7:

problem is that the IT admin lets us play and install externally but not on the internal drive

You "can" do this from that external, as it "is" possible, but everything has to be set up perfectly to not have issues. Just so you are aware.

Also, in case there is ever an admin issue if there is not now :

If games need updates, that school network can also be a problem. As well as Steam itself. School networks usually block Steam and features of Steam.

So even if the games could work now, that does not mean there won't ever be a problem. For example only :

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=1456-EUDN-2493

Note:

Many university networks and proxies block required ports for Steam operation - please consult your network administrator to ensure the required ports are open if you are using a university network or a proxy. Ports required for Steam can not be re-mapped to HTTP or reconfigured to a custom port range.

EDIT..........

Also, you can't just move the game files around like this. You also must have the relevant .acf file for Steam to see that game as installed.

.acf files are kept in the steamapps folder. Without these files, Steam will not see that game as installed. That might be your problem here, if you did not also keep that/those files.

[Jas]

Originally posted by The Giving One:

Originally posted by Eatthedead7:

problem is that the IT admin lets us play and install externally but not on the internal drive

You "can" do this from that external, as it "is" possible, but everything has to be set up perfectly to not have issues. Just so you are aware.

Also, in case there is ever an admin issue if there is not now :

If games need updates, that school network can also be a problem. As well as Steam itself. School networks usually block Steam and features of Steam.

So even if the games could work now, that does not mean there won't ever be a problem. For example only :

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=1456-EUDN-2493

Note:

Many university networks and proxies block required ports for Steam operation - please consult your network administrator to ensure the required ports are open if you are using a university network or a proxy. Ports required for Steam can not be re-mapped to HTTP or reconfigured to a custom port range.

EDIT..........

Also, you can't just move the game files around like this. You also must have the relevant .acf file for Steam to see that game as installed.

.acf files are kept in the steamapps folder. Without these files, Steam will not see that game as installed. That might be your problem here, if you did not also keep that/those files.

yea, i didnt realise that was missing, is there a way to download it without gettinng the whole game?

[The Giving One]

Originally posted by Eatthedead7:

yea, i didnt realise that was missing, is there a way to download it without gettinng the whole game?

Well, while they are actually installed on that flash drive, I am not sure this will work but you can try this :

Open up the game folder for a game, found in the common folder. Find the .exe of that game, and with Steam open and running and you logged in, right click that .exe file and run that game directly from that game's folder this way. See if Steam can then fix the issue of the missing .acf file and then "see" the game as installed.

[Jas]

Originally posted by The Giving One:

Originally posted by Eatthedead7:

yea, i didnt realise that was missing, is there a way to download it without gettinng the whole game?

Well, while they are actually installed on that flash drive, I am not sure this will work but you can try this :

Open up the game folder for a game, found in the common folder. Find the .exe of that game, and with Steam open and running and you logged in, right click that .exe file and run that game directly from that game's folder this way. See if Steam can then fix the issue of the missing .acf file and then "see" the game as installed.

ive tried running as a non steam game and tried running without steam, none worked but i did see that someone said if i try download it to the drive it might detect the files as pre downloaded

[The Giving One]

You don't need those workarounds, if you have the game folder and relevant files in the common folder, and then that game's .acf file in the steamapps folder.

Don't move files manually with Steam open, either, in case you ever are. Close Steam fully before manually moving files to /or from Steam.

You can't run most games without Steam, and you don't have to add it as a non-Steam game as long as the above is correct and the right files are in the right place.

The .acf file number for a game is the same number as in the URL of that game in the Steam Store page. (top left)

[Jas]

Originally posted by The Giving One:

You don't need those workarounds, if you have the game folder and relevant files in the common folder, and then that game's .acf file in the steamapps folder.

Don't move files manually with Steam open, either, in case you ever are. Close Steam fully before manually moving files to /or from Steam.

You can't run most games without Steam, and you don't have to add it as a non-Steam game as long as the above is correct and the right files are in the right place.

The .acf file number for a game is the same number as in the URL of that game in the Steam Store page. (top left)

I tryed to download the game and it saw all the files and just need the app manifest now

[The Giving One]

Originally posted by Eatthedead7:

I tryed to download the game and it saw all the files and just need the app manifest now

That "should" have fixed it, and created the relevant .acf file, then. Have you tried to check your library to see if "play" or "install" is there for that game ?

If there is a "play" button, verify the game files first.

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

[Jas]

Originally posted by The Giving One:

Originally posted by Eatthedead7:

I tryed to download the game and it saw all the files and just need the app manifest now

That "should" have fixed it, and created the relevant .acf file, then. Have you tried to check your library to see if "play" or "install" is there for that game ?

If there is a "play" button, verify the game files first.

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

yea, it had to redownload files for the edits i did to make the normal agaon but it was working, didnt have time to install them all

[The Giving One]

Feel free to post if you need further help, but please keep in mind that you may encounter further issues if you use a flash drive and that school network. Maybe not now, but in the future.

You can play games from a flash drive, but everything has to be done exactly right, and you may have to update Steam and/or games from time to time, which could present a problem by way of that school network.

Just want to be sure you are aware of these possibilities, please.