Reinstall Games using copies of game folders in SteamApps folder

[Check6]

It used to work that I could bypass re-downloading all my games by coping my game files located in Steam\Steamapps (or what was the common folder) and copy them to my external harddrive. Then on the new drive I would start the download of a game, wait for it to create the game folder and then replace it with my completed folder on my external HD. An integrity check of the replaced game folder would clear it and it would play. Now Ive noticed steam places games in a downloading folder and the old method no longer works. Does anyone know of a way to use the copied "installed" game folder in steamapps to complete the install? Or anything to bypass downloading them again?

I'm aware of the backup feature now and will try that next time.

thanks for the help

[Silicon Vampire]

All I ever do is copy the folder to the proper location, then tell Steam to install the game.

If the backup is too old though, it might not see the files. The content delivery system has been upgraded, except for a very few games.

[Guilherme (jgcasa)]

I select the game, ask to install it, point to the steamapps I moved and it starts to "discover" the files of that specific game (or games if you have more than one). I already did that a lot of times and It worked fine for me.

[Check6]

ok ill try just adding the game to steamapps folder and clicking install and see if it discovers the files. Do you do an integrity check as well?

Thanks for the help

[Guilherme (jgcasa)]

it does automatically, but if you have any problems, it is good to do it, anyway

[Check6]

ok thanks again Guilherme & Silicon

Trying it now, see what happens

[Check6]

No luck so far, i also tried transfering the files to the "downloading" folder, where its placing the files temporarily im assuming while downloading, and it continues to download.

[Guilherme (jgcasa)]

it is a bit tricky...once it starts the download, you need to delete some index files (which record the download state) and start as it was the first time you're doing it. Try this: Delete everything from the steam folder apart from the steam.exe and you steamapps folder. then run steam.exe. it will reinstall a fresh copy of steam. then it will create the specific files and you can start installing. I hope it works for you, as it did for me.

[Check6]

Ok will do, Ill give that a try. and maybe try to find the index files as well.

[Adam Beckett]

- Nov 07 2013 -

I used to do this all the time: save the common folder and re-install the steam.exe on different partitions, starting the games from different WinOS versions (WinXP, Win7 32bit, 64bit, Win8 preview, etc...)

I have no clue why Valve felt there was a reason to prohibit this easy and painless "update"/"migration" functionality. Authentification and filechecks would still run - no "illegitimate" use of software in any cases.

It is pretty disappointing, but obviously bandwidth does not matter to some ... unless you are on the consumer side, having to deal with ISP's throttling.

I have close to 400 games and a Terabyte of useless data now(!), only because I wanted to use a non-Admin user account on my machine, thinking "save 'common' file" would do the trick.

Bad Practice, Steam*powered*-Duders ...

[finwefeanor]

Originally posted by jgcasa:

I select the game, ask to install it, point to the steamapps I moved and it starts to "discover" the files of that specific game (or games if you have more than one). I already did that a lot of times and It worked fine for me.

sorry to revive old thread but i need to ask sorry.

this still works ? For example i downloaded game throught "internet" and later i purchased the game from steam and i do not want to download the whole game again. Now im trying to copy / paste my files into the steamapps/common folder but steam does not recognize and starting to download from %0. In theory it should work but i am missing something perhaps. any help ?

[Tev]

Originally posted by finwefeanor:

Originally posted by jgcasa:

I select the game, ask to install it, point to the steamapps I moved and it starts to "discover" the files of that specific game (or games if you have more than one). I already did that a lot of times and It worked fine for me.

sorry to revive old thread but i need to ask sorry.

this still works ? For example i downloaded game throught "internet" and later i purchased the game from steam and i do not want to download the whole game again. Now im trying to copy / paste my files into the steamapps/common folder but steam does not recognize and starting to download from %0. In theory it should work but i am missing something perhaps. any help ?

Copy also the appmanifest_<app-ID>.acf -file from the SteamApps -folder.

[Tev]

Originally posted by alminemine0:

Worked for me about 2 mths back.On a clean install I just go to install 1 game from a different drive and when recognised all games are listed as installed (350+).

This has changed?

That's typically enough, it basically 'Detects pre-existing files' and then rewrites the appmanifest -files.

I just figured since it's not enough for finwefeanor, we can bypass the whole detection by just manually moving the appmanifest file in its new place.

[Tev]

Originally posted by alminemine0:

Originally posted by Teutep:

That's typically enough, it basically 'Detects pre-existing files' and then rewrites the appmanifest -files.

I just figured since it's not enough for finwefeanor, we can bypass the whole detection by just manually moving the appmanifest file in its new place.

I'm guessing the topic is referring to re-installing on a pre-existing os.(?)

I have nearing 2 tb of games. Downloading most would take weeks :o :D

I'm responding to him, not OP.

OP posted this ~2 years ago.