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chrispytoes Jul 31, 2023 @ 12:07pm

Main game drive disappeared

My main drive where I put my games has disappeared this morning, completely. I can see the drive working fine in Windows Explorer, but Steam won't see it anymore. If I try to run a game installed there it asks me to install it again, except the drive I install all my games to is literally gone and doesn't show as an option to add anymore.

I don't mind reinstalling all my games, I just want to know how to reset this drive so that Steam will recognize it again.

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Showing 1-15 of 25 comments

chrispytoes Jul 31, 2023 @ 12:17pm

To clarify too, I've seen the countless other forum posts about people's game drives disappearing like this, but my case is different. In all the other cases I see, all they have to do is add the drive again. My problem is Steam literally does not see that specific drive AT ALL. It's gone, not even an option to add it as a drive anymore.

Edit: I deleted the SteamLibrary folder on that drive and it still won't let me add it!

Last edited by chrispytoes; Jul 31, 2023 @ 12:19pm

Lavie Jul 31, 2023 @ 12:26pm

Hi!
Did you try a Restart of your PC?

Last edited by Lavie; Jul 31, 2023 @ 12:26pm

chrispytoes Jul 31, 2023 @ 12:34pm

Originally posted by Lavie:
Hi!
Did you try a Restart of your PC?

Yes, did not fix it.

chrispytoes Jul 31, 2023 @ 12:42pm

I'm poking around in the Steam config files and I found the "libraryfolders.vdf" file, and I do see my C drive showing here but not my game drive anymore.

AustrAlien2010 Jul 31, 2023 @ 12:44pm

Did your drive letter changed? (A drive letter could be D: or E:, etcetera.)

Last edited by AustrAlien2010; Jul 31, 2023 @ 12:45pm

chrispytoes Jul 31, 2023 @ 12:47pm

Originally posted by AustrAlien2010:
Did your drive letter changed? (A drive letter could be D: or E:, etcetera.)

No it did not, same drive letter and the drive definitely works, all the files are there and I can open them.

AustrAlien2010 Jul 31, 2023 @ 12:51pm

The drive letter from the drive where the other games are installed should be in your libraryfolders.vdf file. If the other drive letter is missing and it only mentions C:, something must be wrong with that file.

Last edited by AustrAlien2010; Jul 31, 2023 @ 12:52pm

chrispytoes Jul 31, 2023 @ 12:52pm

Originally posted by AustrAlien2010:
The drive letter from the drive where the other games are installed on should be in your libraryfolders.vdf file. If the other drive letters is missing and it only has C:, something must be wrong with that file.

Yes that's what I'm saying, but when I try to add the drive again Steam literally does not see the drive I want. It doesn't show as an option to add it.

AustrAlien2010 Jul 31, 2023 @ 12:57pm

And what about the Storage Manager? (At the top-left of the Steam client, go to: Steam >> Settings >> Storage panel.)

Can you repair it from there?

Last edited by AustrAlien2010; Jul 31, 2023 @ 12:58pm

Lavie Jul 31, 2023 @ 1:01pm

To be clear... You have Steam installed on C:, and your games was installed on D: (a internal HD or SSD or a partition?) ? Or your games are also on C:?

Last edited by Lavie; Jul 31, 2023 @ 1:02pm

#10

chrispytoes Jul 31, 2023 @ 1:05pm

Originally posted by Lavie:
To be clear... You have Steam installed on C:, and your games was installed on D: ? Or your games are also on C:?

My C drive is a small 256 GB SSD so I do not have games installed there, but Steam itself is installed there.

My games are on an NVMe drive with the letter "I". The I drive does not show in Steam as an option anymore. The drive still works and I can open other files on it.

My D drive is a normal HDD and that one does show as an option to use as a steam library, but I don't want games on that drive.

#11

chrispytoes Jul 31, 2023 @ 1:07pm

Originally posted by AustrAlien2010:
And what about the Storage Manager? (At the top-left of the Steam client, go to: Steam >> Settings >> Storage panel.)

Can you repair it from there?

No because the drive in question does not show as an option there anymore.

#12

AustrAlien2010 Jul 31, 2023 @ 1:25pm

If you install a title that is not installed, can you still select the other drive during the installation, and before it starts downloading the title?

Last edited by AustrAlien2010; Jul 31, 2023 @ 1:27pm

#13