Need to move Steam folder off hard drive

[raindog]

Hi, last year I installed a SSD as my new C drive, and now it's nearly full and needs to be "relieved." I notice the Steam folder takes up a huge chunk of the memory. Can I just move the Steam folder to my other (much larger) hard drive without losing access to my three games? Thanks!

[Teotwawki]

I would suggest:

Right click the game name in your Library list
Choose Properties
Click the LOCAL FILES tab
Choose MOVE INSTALL FOLDER

Point it to the new install location and let the client move the files.

I know this works well.

It might be possible to cut/paste the entire folder, then do
Steam > settings > downloads > LIBRARY FOLDERS > ADD LIBRARY FOLDER > select the new location where you pasted the entire steam folder.

I am not sure that is 100% the way to go, though. There may be another appmanifest folder somewhere or something like that.

[Teksura]

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

[ReBoot]

Close Steam, move the whole Steam folder, start Steam from the new locaton. That#s by far the easiest process.

[raindog]

Thanks, everybody.

[Filthy]

copy paste

[raindog]

Well, I followed the instrux to move the game (thanks, Teksura), but when I try to delete the Steam folder from my C drive (after copying it to my bigger S drive), it says, "Can't do this because a file or folder is open in another program." No game or Steam app is open. The games are working fine, but I don't know if it's still happening from the C Steam folder or from the new S Steam folder.

Any thoughts?

[The Giving One]

Originally posted by raindog:

Well, I followed the instrux to move the game (thanks, Teksura), but when I try to delete the Steam folder from my C drive (after copying it to my bigger S drive), it says, "Can't do this because a file or folder is open in another program." No game or Steam app is open. The games are working fine, but I don't know if it's still happening from the C Steam folder or from the new S Steam folder.

Any thoughts?

Sounds like you copied it, as you said, instead of moving it, like the good Reboot above said. So that is probably why you are getting that error, as you have basically it installed in two locations now.

Did you try to delete the old one with Steam closed and not running at all, from any drive or location ?

EDIT............

Originally posted by raindog:

No game or Steam app is open.

Apparently, that is not the case, if you are getting that error.

[raindog]

Well, i just copy/pasted. Should I go through the process for "moving" a folder instead? (i.e., delete the new Steam folder and start over?)

[The Giving One]

Originally posted by raindog:

Well, i just copy/pasted. Should I go through the process for "moving" a folder instead? (i.e., delete the new Steam folder and start over?)

Yea, that's not what you should have done.

You should have moved it instead. But what's done is done now.

Whatever you do, do NOT get rid of your steamapps folder. That is where you would have to redownload all your games if you did that.

There must be a reason why you are getting that error. Boot the PC into safe mode and delete the OLD folder. Keep the new one, and again, whatever you do, make sure not to get rid of the steamapps folder in the new location where you pasted it.

[raindog]

OK, think I got it. Thanks, O Giving One!