I'm worried about storage after multiple download resets.

[willaux]

TLDR: After multiple download resets and recoveries, the game folder and downloading folder for Baldur's Gate 3 are taking up a lot of space when I check the properties, but the download is starting at 0%. Do I need to be worried about storage?

Context: My internet is pretty slow. A big game like Baldur's Gate 3 takes about three days of nonstop downloading to finish, which isn't an option since other members of my household want to use the internet as well. I've been pausing the download in the evenings, and for one reason or another, the download keeps resetting to 0%. This has happened four times and I've been trying to finish this download for over two weeks. Until now I've been able to recover the files and get some of my progress back using this method:

https://steamcommunity.com/app/208650/discussions/0/594821545181748202/

But this fourth reset, things are being weird. I followed the same steps as usual, moving 72GB out of my downloading folder and onto my desktop, then copying it into a fresh game folder. When I started the download, it validated the files as usual, but started from 0% anyway.

I checked the properties of my folders to see what was going on. I currently have 72GB in my Baldurs Gate 3 game folder (in the common folder), and 134GB in the 1086940 folder (in my downloading folder). After a few hours of feeling sorry for myself I decided to try some troubleshooting. I have no idea why the downloading folder suddenly has so many files. The backup from the third reset is on my desktop and is 134GB, but I haven't touched that folder. It also takes my computer about ten minutes to move folders that big, so I'm very confused how that much data miraculously appeared in my download folder.

Why doesn't Steam want to use these files it validated? More importantly, is it going to download the entire game on top of the data already in the folders? I have over a terabyte of space on my hard drive, but I'm a little neurotic about the storage on my devices. I don't like useless files or files I don't recognize floating around. Between my desktop backups and the files in the Steam folders, I think I'm using about 400GB just trying to get this Baldurs Gate download to finish. Is it time to give up and start over? Any advice would be appreciated at this point.

[Elucidator]

Internet speed has globally improved. If you have 100mbps, then downloading 72GB should take you about 1 hour and 30 minutes... if its slightly slower, 2 hours.

Since the game is 150GB, you can easily, or should be able to easily download it when everyone is asleep, even if you have 50mbps speed. The fact that your downloading keeps failing means something is going on that I'm not aware off.

Something on your machine is likely slowing down your download speed. There is a bug with Intel 12th gen processors that makes it only use e-cores which significantly affects how fast your PC is and its download speed. This could be one of such possibility.
But anyway, I think you need to investigate why you cannot download at Top Speed.
Use TCP Optimizer and tweak stuff to your benefit, if possible. Also inspect the router, make sure someone isn't secretly prioritizing themselves over others in your household.

Anyway...
Normally Steam uses what you downloaded already, but it needs to verify these files, and in order to do that it needs access to the original files, which means... it still downloads a portion of the files and will keep your download at 0 for a while while it is doing so. During this time tries to calculate using an algorithm on the file, to see if it is in tact. If that is the case, it skips and moves on to the next file.
If you move the file out of the downloading folder, then you'll start at 0% for sure.
(You can see it using all of your HDD (or a part of your SSD)'s read speed while it is verifying what it has. (keep in mind Steam uses encrypted connections and channels and decryots files as it downloads.)

Steam may download files in chunks which it later merges to a bigger file, which could explain many files.
It's also possible the publisher changed the download package.

You can use Steam's own file verification tool to verify what you have and don't have, but anyway... I don't think you should mess with the downloading folder in SteamApps, the client tries to keep track of what it has done in vdf files and in the log files, (see logs\content_log.txt), you maybe causing bugs there if you mess with things.

And yes, the Steam Client isn't optimal no.

Edit: A note, that link you placed is from almost a decade ago. Steam went through too many updates and changes. Don't use old information, please.

[Muppet among Puppets]

If you have unlimited internet, i would clear download cache in steam.
Then start the download, and if you shut down the computer, close steam first and wait a moment.
The download should resume and finish by time. No need to move files or something.

[willaux]

Originally posted by Muppet among Puppets:

i would clear download cache in steam.

This was the first thing I tried when my download initially reset. I should probably do it again at this point, though. Thank you for the suggestion.

[willaux]

Originally posted by Elucidator:

Since the game is 150GB, you can easily, or should be able to easily download it when everyone is asleep, even if you have 50mbps speed. The fact that your downloading keeps failing means something is going on that I'm not aware off.

Like I said, I have slow internet. I just did a ping test and my download speed was 3.65mbps, which is pretty normal. My computer is the only machine in the house hooked up via Ethernet, by the way. You aren't the first person to bring up my internet speed; is my internet shockingly bad or something? Full disclosure, I did not have internet at my house growing up and only got into the whole online gaming thing in the past few years. I also did not set up the internet plan at my house. I don't know what a "good" download speed is, nor what was guaranteed to us in our plan.

Originally posted by Elucidator:

that link you placed is from almost a decade ago. Steam went through too many updates and changes. Don't use old information, please.

I used this one because there were comments as recent as 2021 claiming that it worked. There are similar guides from recent years due to this being a known issue; this is just the one I happened to use. Until now I've been able to recover large chunks of my download. But you're probably right that there is something else going on with my internet or computer that is preventing me from finishing this large download. I normally don't have problems like this when downloading, but this is the biggest application I've ever tried to install, lol. Thank you for your thoughtful suggestions, I really appreciate it.

[xarvn]

If the other suggestions have not helped then try limiting the download speed in Steam>Settings>Downloads>"Limit download speed." Note that by default Steam displays download rate in Bytes rather than bits per second. So calculate the correct figure accordingly or select the "Display download rates in bits per second" option. The idea is to reduce download rate below the maximum provided by your ISP so that others in the family have some internet. In this way you can keep the download going without having to pause. I think you might be able to change Steam's download speed limit while the download is in progress but I have not tested it myself. You can test this easily by starting the download and seeing if the download rate changes when you change the setting. If this is possible then you could set speed to maximum during the night and then limit it for the daytime. Assuming you have only 4Mbps internet, then you can for example reduce Steam's quota to say 2Mbps leaving 2Mbps for the rest of the household. This will take more time than otherwise but it beats having to start from scratch.

[Muppet among Puppets]

Originally posted by willaux:

Originally posted by Elucidator:

Since the game is 150GB, you can easily, or should be able to easily download it when everyone is asleep, even if you have 50mbps speed. The fact that your downloading keeps failing means something is going on that I'm not aware off.

Like I said, I have slow internet. I just did a ping test and my download speed was 3.65mbps, which is pretty normal. My computer is the only machine in the house hooked up via Ethernet, by the way. You aren't the first person to bring up my internet speed; is my internet shockingly bad or something?

In steam default, it should be 3,6 mByte. Which is good enough speed, if you have that.
Just make sure to shut down steam before closing the pc down.

Edit: Oh a speedtest, then its around 450kbyte/s. Which is slow. But download should be done after a while though.

And yes, with low speed you should reduce steam speed, otherwise it tends to not leave enough headroom for things.