Why do games keep making files in C Drive despite setting D drive?

[DuelShockX]

Hello, since I've installed steam on my pc I made sure to have it all install onto my D drive and any games that get installed save there as well. Yet recently I noticed in the Appdata folder of my C drive there are a lot of game folders with their save files in there. Why does steam ignore my setting for which hard drive to save and how can I fix that?

[rawWwRrr]

Because Steam doesn't control where games save their files.

Games' save files are typically defaulted to save to your appdata folder.

[nullable]

Right, Steam let's you control where you install games too. Each game controls where configs, user data, saves and sometimes even mods go. Steam can't override those things.

[Dranak]

Other option move Document folder to other drev, but many dont like such other ways or idea's.

But you don't explan why it's a problem other then it do it. ( small disk size at boot disk maybe )

ps.
buy bigger and better boot disk with 2TB ( solve almost all possible usage, afaik, unlees you DL so many file. )

[Furada]

however what steam teaches. having fun playing games?

[Armorip]

Why This Happens:
AppData Folder:
Steam and many games store some files in the AppData folder located in your C drive. This includes configuration files, user settings, and save data. Even if your games are installed on your D drive, certain files related to user settings and game saves might still be stored in the AppData folder (e.g., C:\Users[YourName]\AppData).

Steam Cloud Saves:
If the game supports Steam Cloud, it may store save files and settings in the cloud and also create local backups in the AppData folder on your C drive. This is to ensure that your progress is safe and synced across multiple devices.

Game-Specific Save Locations:
Some games may choose to save data in other directories, like the C drive, regardless of where the game is installed. This behavior is game-specific and not necessarily related to Steam settings.

How to Fix It:
Check Steam Library Folders:
Double-check that all of your Steam library folders are set to your D drive. You can do this by following these steps:

Open Steam.
Go to Settings > Downloads > Steam Library Folders.
Ensure your D drive is set as the primary location, and remove any extra library folders on the C drive.
Move Game Save Files Manually:
If a game is saving files to your C drive, you can often move those files manually to the D drive, but you may need to adjust settings in the game itself to point to the new location. Some games allow you to choose a different save location within the settings.

Check for Steam Cloud:
If Steam Cloud is enabled, the game may be syncing saves to both the cloud and your local machine. You can try disabling Steam Cloud for specific games if you want to prevent it from storing data on your C drive. To do this:

Right-click the game in your Steam library.
Select Properties > Updates.
Uncheck Enable Steam Cloud synchronization.
Modify the AppData Location (Advanced):
If you want to completely avoid C drive for save data, you can try changing the AppData folder location, but this is more complex and might require registry edits. You should only attempt this if you're comfortable with advanced PC settings.

Check Game-Specific Settings:
Some games allow you to specify where save files and other data are stored. Look in the game’s settings or configuration files to see if you can redirect it to the D drive.

Clear C Drive Data:
If Steam or a game has deposited unnecessary files in your C drive, you can try clearing them manually. This is usually safe, but be cautious not to delete any important system files.

Conclusion:
Steam generally respects your settings for where to install games, but it still uses the C drive for certain files like configurations and save data due to system design and game-specific behavior. By adjusting settings for Steam Cloud and checking game-specific preferences, you can minimize data storage on your C drive.

If this was helpful, please consider supporting me!

[Sivaas_]

Originally posted by Armorip:

Why This Happens:
AppData Folder:
Steam and many games store some files in the AppData folder located in your C drive. This includes configuration files, user settings, and save data. Even if your games are installed on your D drive, certain files related to user settings and game saves might still be stored in the AppData folder (e.g., C:\Users[YourName]\AppData).

Steam Cloud Saves:
If the game supports Steam Cloud, it may store save files and settings in the cloud and also create local backups in the AppData folder on your C drive. This is to ensure that your progress is safe and synced across multiple devices.

Game-Specific Save Locations:
Some games may choose to save data in other directories, like the C drive, regardless of where the game is installed. This behavior is game-specific and not necessarily related to Steam settings.

How to Fix It:
Check Steam Library Folders:
Double-check that all of your Steam library folders are set to your D drive. You can do this by following these steps:

Open Steam.
Go to Settings > Downloads > Steam Library Folders.
Ensure your D drive is set as the primary location, and remove any extra library folders on the C drive.
Move Game Save Files Manually:
If a game is saving files to your C drive, you can often move those files manually to the D drive, but you may need to adjust settings in the game itself to point to the new location. Some games allow you to choose a different save location within the settings.

Check for Steam Cloud:
If Steam Cloud is enabled, the game may be syncing saves to both the cloud and your local machine. You can try disabling Steam Cloud for specific games if you want to prevent it from storing data on your C drive. To do this:

Right-click the game in your Steam library.
Select Properties > Updates.
Uncheck Enable Steam Cloud synchronization.
Modify the AppData Location (Advanced):
If you want to completely avoid C drive for save data, you can try changing the AppData folder location, but this is more complex and might require registry edits. You should only attempt this if you're comfortable with advanced PC settings.

Check Game-Specific Settings:
Some games allow you to specify where save files and other data are stored. Look in the game’s settings or configuration files to see if you can redirect it to the D drive.

Clear C Drive Data:
If Steam or a game has deposited unnecessary files in your C drive, you can try clearing them manually. This is usually safe, but be cautious not to delete any important system files.

Conclusion:
Steam generally respects your settings for where to install games, but it still uses the C drive for certain files like configurations and save data due to system design and game-specific behavior. By adjusting settings for Steam Cloud and checking game-specific preferences, you can minimize data storage on your C drive.

If this was helpful, please consider supporting me!:luv:

Your "How to fix it" doesn't. You even got the location wrong for where to enable/disable Steam Cloud. You should delete the response so it doesn't confuse someone that doesn't know any better.

[JPMcMillen]

Originally posted by DuelShockX:

Hello, since I've installed steam on my pc I made sure to have it all install onto my D drive and any games that get installed save there as well. Yet recently I noticed in the Appdata folder of my C drive there are a lot of game folders with their save files in there. Why does steam ignore my setting for which hard drive to save and how can I fix that?

Pretty much any piece of software you install on your system is going to store its configuration data somewhere in the Appdata folder. Doesn't matter where the program is actually installed, it's going to store that data in your user folder.

[davi]

This happens because Steam only lets you choose where the game installs, but many games still save config, save files, or user data in C:\Users<YourName>\AppData by default.

It’s not Steam ignoring your setting—it’s how the game itself is coded.

Some games can’t be redirected; others let you change the save location in settings or with mods.

[RPG Gamer Man]

I think C defaults of the normal drive that games always installed on. It has been like this since windows xp.

[JPMcMillen]

Originally posted by RPG Gamer Man:

I think C defaults of the normal drive that games always installed on. It has been like this since windows xp.

The C drive is the default location for the user folders on the computer, which is where most software, including games, are going to store information for that particular user. If you moved the user folders to a different drive, then the software will store it on that drive instead.