Transferring steam games from one computer to another

[^1R^0e^1a^0p^1e^0r]

I recently purchased a gaming PC after using a non-gaming PC for several years for my steam gaming. I have had a number of crashes with games on my non-gaming PC over the years - it only had integrated graphics and did not support a graphics card, plus its internal storage was small.

So after I got my gaming PC, the only way I knew how to transfer my games from the non-gaming PC to it, was use a way steam suggested by linking both PCs and then mirroring the games over from the non-gaming PC to the new one via some "cloud" link. It was like a virtual umbilical cord between my two PCs, which I did not understand fully and did not want. I thought the linkage would only be used to transfer the games, but it seems that the linkage must always be active between both PCs. This means that both PCs Still have file folders for the games ON BOTH MACHINES. This also means that I have 90+ GB of storage wasted on my non-gaming PC that I can never use, but will never play those games on again. When I try to delete those game files on my non-gaming PC, they get deleted on my new gaming PC automatically.

How can I totally clean my non-gaming PC of all steam game files, while keeping them playable on my new gaming PC? Just move the actual games and files to my new PC, and remove them completely from my first PC? I use my original steam account on my gaming PC now, so it is not moving games from one account to another. Any help would be appreciated.

[Alice Liddell]

It is pretty simple.

There is the Steam Client way which is not very good and there is the manual way which I find best which I will state below for reference:

Steam\steamapps

libraryfolders.vdf (open with Notepad, I prefer Notepad++)

Then simply direct where the drive and Steam folder is in the "path" variable that holds the library, such as this main Steam library/client directory folder:

"path"		"H:\\Steam"

or this specialty/custom folder:

"path"		"G:\\Steam Library - Game Development"

Remember to save the file afterwards.

Now my question is:

Are those files already present on the other newer system but directed to the wrong place, if so, this solution above will work; however, if not, the procedure below will work best with LAN Networking (which used to be called, "HomeGroup" sharing).

Perhaps, 'Symbolic Cloning' could have come in handy, I have clones of "AppData" and "Documents" on my archival drive for the big move to Win11.

[Iceira]

Just enable LAN trasfer, ( it will use other pc files as a installment from local network )

Even MS update do this, its the new world ways, even i and other have seen multi sources packet being old news for us , but its new to steam and windows update.
idea is you dont have to copy files manual.

steam guide
https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/46BD-6BA8-B012-CE43

ps.
Dont forget save game files can have more diffrent location depend on each game devs chose in how they did it.

[^1R^0e^1a^0p^1e^0r]

Reading the LAN network option, it appears to be similar to what I have already done. Which is NOT what I am wanting.

To be clear, are you saying that using the LAN transfer option, the game files will be transferred from my original (non-gaming) PC to my new gaming PC, putting ALL associated game files onto that gaming PC, and when it is done, my original (non-gaming) PC will NO LONGER have any Steam game files on it, and will NO LONGER have any association/connection with any current or future Steam games I wish to play, or with my new gaming PC, moving forward? Basically cutting the LAN network umbilical cord after the file transfers are complete?

Because, THAT is what I am looking for..........

[Iceira]

Unauthorized old pc then you are done, its that simple, save game and mods is still the issue no matter if you do old game copy, some game devs use Documents and windows profile location.

Things is not just copy there is alot of knowhow in this.( even Alice Liddell point out )
" Remember the save file afterwards." i change here statement becuase i bet that was she ment.

also why you should check do every work before you say byebye to old pc.

lan transfer is here to stay, NO DL server as fare as i know will could beat your own local lan transfer, unleess you have way bigger wan lines then own lan transfer, some has this most do not.

ps.
dont forget lan 10g is next gen local lan, so you see its not that simple most here do not have 10g+ wan lines. ( we cant afford it, ) someday maybe most will not have this.

i and other have seen over the many years 10/100/1000gbit was higher then our wan lines, nothing new here.

[^1R^0e^1a^0p^1e^0r]

Originally posted by Alice Liddell:

It is pretty simple.

There is the Steam Client way which is not very good and there is the manual way which I find best which I will state below for reference:

Steam\steamapps

libraryfolders.vdf (open with Notepad, I prefer Notepad++)

Then simply direct where the drive and Steam folder is in the "path" variable that holds the library, such as this main Steam library/client directory folder:

"path"		"H:\\Steam"

or this specialty/custom folder:

"path"		"G:\\Steam Library - Game Development"

Remember to save the file afterwards.

Now my question is:

Are those files already present on the other newer system but directed to the wrong place, if so, this solution above will work; however, if not, the procedure below will work best with LAN Networking (which used to be called, "HomeGroup" sharing).

Perhaps, 'Symbolic Cloning' could have come in handy, I have clones of "AppData" and "Documents" on my archival drive for the big move to Win11.

To answer your question, the game files were moved to the same file folders in Windows directory on my new gaming PC that they are located in on my older PC: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\Steamapps\Common.

On my older PC's desktop, in place of the game shortcut logos/icons for each game, there are planet earth icons with a little cloud icon in the bottom left of each icon, and each shortcut is labeled for each Steam game I have. On my new gaming PC the games logos are shown for each shortcut. WHen I tried to delete those planet Earth shortcuts, the shortcuts for the games on my new gaming PC automatically disappeared from its desktop, indicating that both PCs are linked (via LAN Network??). I had to go into my older PC's recycle bin and restore those deleted shortcuts, and then the game shortcuts on my new gaming PC reappeared on its desktop. All of this is NOT what I am wanting for my two PCs......

[^1R^0e^1a^0p^1e^0r]

Originally posted by Iceira:

Unauthorized old pc then you are done, its that simple, save game and mods is still the issue no matter if you do old game copy, some game devs use Documents and windows profile location.

Things is not just copy there is alot of knowhow in this.( even Alice Liddell point out )
" Remember the save file afterwards." i change here statement becuase i bet that was she ment.

also why you should check do every work before you say byebye to old pc.

lan transfer is here to stay, NO DL server as fare as i know will could beat your own local lan transfer, unleess you have way bigger wan lines then own lan transfer, some has this most do not.

ps.
dont forget lan 10g is next gen local lan, so you see its not that simple most here do not have 10g+ wan lines. ( we cant afford it, ) someday maybe most will not have this.

i and other have seen over the many years 10/100/1000gbit was higher then our wan lines, nothing new here.

I'm sorry none of this makes any sense to me. Did you use an online translator to translate this into English? I'm sorry, but "unauthorized old pc then you are done, its that simple" makes absolutely no sense at all to me......

I have no issue with LAN transfer, as long as the files are ACTUALLY TRANSFERRED. Keeping the files on BOTH PC simultaneously and not allowing for them to be truly deleted from older PC without impacting the files on the newer PC is NOT "here to stay", if the PC owner does not wish it to be. If I am still ME, and still use the original Steam account on my new PC that I purchased those games with, there shouldn't be an issue with moving games to the newer PC. PCs do not last forever, and often Steam games will outlast the original PCs they were downloaded onto.

There should be a simple way to move the game files from my old PC to my new PC, without those games always being attached to that old PC, taking up GBs of HD space whether I like it or not. That is insanity........

[Alice Liddell]

Originally posted by ^1R^0e^1a^0p^1e^0r:

Originally posted by Alice Liddell:

It is pretty simple.

There is the Steam Client way which is not very good and there is the manual way which I find best which I will state below for reference:

Steam\steamapps

libraryfolders.vdf (open with Notepad, I prefer Notepad++)

Then simply direct where the drive and Steam folder is in the "path" variable that holds the library, such as this main Steam library/client directory folder:

"path"		"H:\\Steam"

or this specialty/custom folder:

"path"		"G:\\Steam Library - Game Development"

Remember to save the file afterwards.

Now my question is:

Are those files already present on the other newer system but directed to the wrong place, if so, this solution above will work; however, if not, the procedure below will work best with LAN Networking (which used to be called, "HomeGroup" sharing).

Perhaps, 'Symbolic Cloning' could have come in handy, I have clones of "AppData" and "Documents" on my archival drive for the big move to Win11.

To answer your question, the game files were moved to the same file folders in Windows directory on my new gaming PC that they are located in on my older PC: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\Steamapps\Common.

On my older PC's desktop, in place of the game shortcut logos/icons for each game, there are planet earth icons with a little cloud icon in the bottom left of each icon, and each shortcut is labeled for each Steam game I have. On my new gaming PC the games logos are shown for each shortcut. WHen I tried to delete those planet Earth shortcuts, the shortcuts for the games on my new gaming PC automatically disappeared from its desktop, indicating that both PCs are linked (via LAN Network??). I had to go into my older PC's recycle bin and restore those deleted shortcuts, and then the game shortcuts on my new gaming PC reappeared on its desktop. All of this is NOT what I am wanting for my two PCs......

I believe this issue pertains more to MS One Drive if you are using C drive as both OS and storage drives as that C drive is protected by One Drive by default.

If you remove something from One Drive, the original location is also deleted, you should look to see if "Protected Folders" is attached to C drive and turned on and if so, make an exclusion for Steam Folder.

It is not recommended nor best practice on Desktop PC's to have OS and storage as the same drive, this works best for Dynamic Disks on laptops.

Just move the files the old fashioned way and manually point to the location in Steam files < Library Folders, it is not hard, might be complex to some normal users but should not be Client/game breaking nor stressful/overbearing nor should this be complex.

But using the OS drive as storage is NOT recommended and this would be one reason why, the issue you are facing, if it is a laptop, then that is really not your fault, if you are using a desktop, know that the OS drive should remain SEPERATE from storage with at least 50GB free disk space for Win10 and 100GB - 150GB free disk space for Win11 at all times for maximum performance.

Basically when using LAN Home Networking (which used to be called, Home Group) you simply are moving/copying files from one PC to another not one Steam Client to another nor from One Drive to another One Drive which I believe is your true issue, perhaps because it was an issue I had with a few music production programs (One Drive kept reverting my save files so to fix that issue in which files were locked on C drive, I used Symbolic Links).

You might be able to temporarily use a Symbolic Clone method but this would just confuse you and many others because it is not a "standard" solution and more rogue than anything.

And lest not forget "Documents" and "AppData".

[Kargor]

Originally posted by ^1R^0e^1a^0p^1e^0r:

There should be a simple way to move the game files from my old PC to my new PC, without those games always being attached to that old PC, taking up GBs of HD space whether I like it or not. That is insanity........

Games are not attached to PCs at all, unless there is some 3rd-party DRM involved. You could just download them again on the new PC; copying them manually or using the LAN-transfer feature merely assumes that transferring data locally is faster than downloading, so if you already have the game in your house, why not download from there to save time (it might also make things a tiny bit cheaper for Steam, of course, since anything you transfer locally does not show up on their internet bill).

If you want to "move" the game via LAN-transfer, install them on the new PC first, then uninstall on the old one.

Things are, of course, different if you're talking savefiles instead of game files. Saves are stored on an individual box, although many Steam games (NOT all of them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) support Steam cloud these days where saves are uploaded to Steam and synced with your other installations. In fact, just to be on the safe side, whenever I uninstall a game I check whether Steam reports that files have been synced, and if there's no Steam cloud for this game I decide whether I want to keep the saves or not.

If a game does not have Steam cloud, you'd have to copy saves manually.I find that PCGamingWiki generally has good information on the location of the savefiles.

[Iceira]

If i get you right you don't want old pc know anything about you,

This require you do " https://store.steampowered.com/account/authorizeddevices "