Transfer Game Files

[lolxd]

I had to reinstall steam so I copied my game files to my desktop and deleted steam. Then I reinstalled steam and then I transfered the game files to the common folder. Then when I clicked play in the library it said I had to install the game. Can any help me or tell me what I did wrong?

[Alecatt]

I cant help you but im having the same problem as well. I opened up file explorer for my hdd and ssd, moved a game to my ssd and then deleted it off the hdd. I put the games in the steam apps, checked to see if it was there in local files and it was.Steam recognized the game but still tried to download it again.WTF This is some B.S. why do have to download from the internet when its already on the SSD. I dont know if this will be my primary games source anymore if it wont let me transfer my own games! Steam was cool untill I got a new hard drive.

[ReBoot]

Next time, use the Steam backup function.

Now, start downloading, Steam should be able to rediscover existing files.

[💢𝓐ℓ ¢нємιѕт💢]

You have to install the game. It will scan your game folder and sync up with all game data you have and update that you don't.

It won't download all the game data again unless you are doing something wrong.

[EL GRING0]

You might need to check the pathing to the games in the folder, if the game pathing is called something else even just a simple folder it probably wont recognize the games but i'm hardly an expert just hoping to help.

[lolxd]

Originally posted by ReBoot:

Next time, use the Steam backup function.

Now, start downloading, Steam should be able to rediscover existing files.

Yeah, next time, that's way easier.

[HLCinSC]

When you uninstall steam it uninstalls your games so if you do the manual back up and restore it has to run the install process again but it should detect your existing files assuming they were restored to their proper location

[wuddih]

Originally posted by #Let Girls Learn #Sunshine Week:

When you uninstall steam it uninstalls your games

only on default library path.

[💢𝓐ℓ ¢нємιѕт💢]

Its easy..

Copy the common folder and place it in some other drive. After fresh windows and Steam install, close Steam and copy the old common folder over the new one. Then restart Steam.

Then Install each game. When you press install it will scan for old files and resume from there. If there is no new data it won't download anything and you will be ready to play.


Another way is to do what I do. I have whole drive dedicated to Steam. I have 3 different windows drives that have Steam games folder directed to that Steam drive from which they load Steam games from without ever having to install or move anything.

So you can make a steam games folder for installing games in location outside Steam drive. This way whenever you have to reinstall windows or something you can just redirect Steam game folder to that location and its good to go.

The Backup & Restore process is very inefficient. It take double the space (even if temporarily) and it takes a lot of time. You have to spend time backing it up and then restoring it.

Maybe its not an issue for people with few games but for someone like me thats hell lot of work and usually I don't even have that much space even on temporarily basis. I hardly have space for storing the data once.


Note that you also have to save the documents folder for some games where they save your personnel data. Most games now have cloud support but some data is still isn't on cloud like screen shots that you haven't uploaded.

[Tev]

Originally posted by Al Chemist:

Its easy..

Copy the common folder and place it in some other drive. After fresh windows and Steam install, close Steam and copy the old common folder over the new one. Then restart Steam.

Then Install each game. When you press install it will scan for old files and resume from there. If there is no new data it won't download anything and you will be ready to play.


Another way is to do what I do. I have whole drive dedicated to Steam. I have 3 different windows drives that have Steam games folder directed to that Steam drive from which they load Steam games from without ever having to install or move anything.

So you can make a steam games folder for installing games in location outside Steam drive. This way whenever you have to reinstall windows or something you can just redirect Steam game folder to that location and its good to go.

The Backup & Restore process is very inefficient. It take double the space (even if temporarily) and it takes a lot of time. You have to spend time backing it up and then restoring it.

Maybe its not an issue for people with few games but for someone like me thats hell lot of work and usually I don't even have that much space even on temporarily basis. I hardly have space for storing the data once.


Note that you also have to save the documents folder for some games where they save your personnel data. Most games now have cloud support but some data is still isn't on cloud like screen shots that you haven't uploaded.

I'd copy the whole SteamApps -folder; as it contains the appmanifest_<app-ID>.acf files which are re-acquired, thus the whole need for detection of the pre-existing files. If those files exist, that process can be skipped.

Local screenshots you've not uploaded are located in

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\<user-ID>\760\remote\<app-ID>\screenshots\

[arKü]

backup your game and reinstall later if u want to copy

[ReBoot]

The easiest way to move is moving the whole Steam folder.

[椰子]

one

[KinGx]

xD

[Eric]

ok

[💢𝓐ℓ ¢нємιѕт💢]

Originally posted by Teutep:

Originally posted by Al Chemist:

Its easy..

Copy the common folder and place it in some other drive. After fresh windows and Steam install, close Steam and copy the old common folder over the new one. Then restart Steam.

Then Install each game. When you press install it will scan for old files and resume from there. If there is no new data it won't download anything and you will be ready to play.


Another way is to do what I do. I have whole drive dedicated to Steam. I have 3 different windows drives that have Steam games folder directed to that Steam drive from which they load Steam games from without ever having to install or move anything.

So you can make a steam games folder for installing games in location outside Steam drive. This way whenever you have to reinstall windows or something you can just redirect Steam game folder to that location and its good to go.

The Backup & Restore process is very inefficient. It take double the space (even if temporarily) and it takes a lot of time. You have to spend time backing it up and then restoring it.

Maybe its not an issue for people with few games but for someone like me thats hell lot of work and usually I don't even have that much space even on temporarily basis. I hardly have space for storing the data once.


Note that you also have to save the documents folder for some games where they save your personnel data. Most games now have cloud support but some data is still isn't on cloud like screen shots that you haven't uploaded.

I'd copy the whole SteamApps -folder; as it contains the appmanifest_<app-ID>.acf files which are re-acquired, thus the whole need for detection of the pre-existing files. If those files exist, that process can be skipped.

Local screenshots you've not uploaded are located in

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\<user-ID>\760\remote\<app-ID>\screenshots\

If I remember correctly I used to do that but some games would get corrupt and would have to start all over again. Don't know if things have changed.