What happens to Steam files during a system refresh?

[TheDraconicBard]

So today I finally updated to Windows 8.1 which I avoided doing until I suddenly did on a whim. Now after about an hour for the whole thing updating and piddling around, I discover that I hate the additions it brings and that it screws up stuff on my computer, including my home internet. (My city provides very slow free wifi as well, which is how I am currently posting this discussion). It says that my connection is limited and when looking at the Microsoft page it says that I need Windows 8.1 Pro or Enterprise in order to use the internet...?

But after spending several hours looking around the internet for a fix and finding absolutely nothing, my only choice seems to be reverting back to Windows 8. I'm perfectly fine with this because as I said, I hate Windows 8.1. However, it seems the only way to go about getting it back is by doing a system refresh. Now I've looked at a ton of articles about what exactly goes on during a system refresh, but it's very nonspecific and rather vague, and I have no idea what would happen to my game saves and such.

Here is what my computer says regarding the refresh: "Refresh your PC without affecting your files. If your PC isn't running well, you can refresh it without losing your photos, music, videos, and other personal files."

Now from that it would seem that my games and such would be safe, but then it says that any "apps," as they call it, will be uninstalled. This applies to Steam games, and Steam itself. Is there a way to prevent this? If not, what exactly happens once they are uninstalled? Do I lose my saved game data? Will I have to wait hours for Skyrim and its DLC to download (because those particular games took around five hours the first time, though that could be blamed on slow internet) like I did when I first purchased it? Since it won't delete documents (which is the only fact my Googling has brought me) if I put my files in the document folder, would they be spared? I've scoured the internet and I've yet to find an answer to these questions, and I would really appreciate some answers and possibly some advice.


TLDR; what happens during a PC system refresh and can I stop certain things from being uninstalled

[HLCinSC]

Did you not do a clean install of Win 8.1?
For some people the Win 8.1 update will overwrite their recovery portion.
Your applications will all be gone includin Steam and its games. Your saves will vary. A lot of games save to your my documents folder or steam cloud. Those should be safe. Any other games may be at jeapordy depending on where they save them.

[TheDraconicBard]

Originally posted by HLCinSC:

Did you not do a clean install of Win 8.1?
For some people the Win 8.1 update will overwrite their recovery portion.
Your applications will all be gone includin Steam and its games. Your saves will vary. A lot of games save to your my documents folder or steam cloud. Those should be safe. Any other games may be at jeapordy depending on where they save them.

I'm not sure what you mean by clean install. Since I had Windows 8, it was giving me this large banner across my screen every so often telling me that I could update to Windows 8.1 for free, with the option to go to the Store and download it, or the option to "tell me again later". I got fed up and just followed the button to the store and downloaded it from there.
If things in my documents are safe, would I be able to save other things in that folder as well, and use it as a bunker while everything is refreshed?

[HLCinSC]

Originally posted by TheDraconicBard:

Originally posted by HLCinSC:

Did you not do a clean install of Win 8.1?
For some people the Win 8.1 update will overwrite their recovery portion.
Your applications will all be gone includin Steam and its games. Your saves will vary. A lot of games save to your my documents folder or steam cloud. Those should be safe. Any other games may be at jeapordy depending on where they save them.

I'm not sure what you mean by clean install. Since I had Windows 8, it was giving me this large banner across my screen every so often telling me that I could update to Windows 8.1 for free, with the option to go to the Store and download it, or the option to "tell me again later". I got fed up and just followed the button to the store and downloaded it from there.
If things in my documents are safe, would I be able to save other things in that folder as well, and use it as like a bunker while everything is refreshed?

Yeah it should preserve any files in those folders. Clean install means a disk format which is basically what you are about to do anyway.

[Mends]

omg that's hard bro

[spoof]

if you are a gamer upgrading an operating system over an old is not the best thing to do.
always many hidden problems.

edit: not sure if that is possible with these windows versions I don't think so thinking about it.

[TheDraconicBard]

Originally posted by HLCinSC:

Originally posted by TheDraconicBard:

I'm not sure what you mean by clean install. Since I had Windows 8, it was giving me this large banner across my screen every so often telling me that I could update to Windows 8.1 for free, with the option to go to the Store and download it, or the option to "tell me again later". I got fed up and just followed the button to the store and downloaded it from there.
If things in my documents are safe, would I be able to save other things in that folder as well, and use it as like a bunker while everything is refreshed?

Yeah it should preserve any files in those folders. Clean install means a disk format which is basically what you are about to do anyway.

Okay, thank you for the help. The system refresh is kind of my last-ditch effort, but now I'm less worried about having to use it

[spoof]

you must do a fresh install if you upgrade from windows 7 or lower.
only windows 8 can be upgraded to 8.1 on the fly.

so your good :)
did not see you had windows 8.