How to get steam to realize i have a game installed.

[maxkidd]

Got a new SSD put OS and everything on it and left some games on old HDD. Steam says old hdd doesn't have any games, tried launching the game (tf2) can't because tf2 doesn't have a exe and no other solution has worked. Any help?

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

When you install a game, a .acf file is made which explain / tell Steam the state the game in such as download or update progress, uninstall, install, up to date, or not up to date.

If you're missing those .acf files, Steam client will think your game is uninstall.

Also for external devices, if you load Steam before the external storage device is active, and readable, Steam will not be able read those .acf that stored on that external storage device if you had installed games on that external storage device, making it think they're uninstall, as long the .acf file is not alter, or deleted, a simple restart of the client may fix the issue.

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

Originally posted by politediligence:

Your Team Fortress 2 folder doesn't have HL2.exe? Could be your antivirus misbehaving I suppose. Start the installation process, Steam should check for existing files and only download what is missing.

^This. TF2 should have a .exe file, without an .exe then means something happen.

[maxkidd]

Originally posted by Dr.Shadowds 🐉:

Originally posted by politediligence:

Your Team Fortress 2 folder doesn't have HL2.exe? Could be your antivirus misbehaving I suppose. Start the installation process, Steam should check for existing files and only download what is missing.

^This. TF2 should have a .exe file, without an .exe then means something happen.

it has the hl2.exe but i cant launch from that to force steam to "see" tf2

[The Giving One]

Sounds like you broke the old path to the HDD when you installed the OS ( and I assume Steam) on the new SSD.

You might have to re-add that library folder so Steam can see the games.

EDIT...

Steam in the top left, then settings, then downloads. Manage library folders button is on top.
You can add the old library on the HDD, but the folder has to initially be empty when you do this. So you can do this one way as follows :

Just make a new, empty folder on the HDD. Call it whatever you want. Now navigate to that folder from the "manage library folders" menu as I explained above. Add it as a new library folder.

Exit Steam after logging out. Now, drag the contents of the old library folder into that new folder that you just created. MAKE SURE you place everything from that old library into that newly created folder.

Now, run Steam and log back in and Steam should now see the games.