Backup Game Files in Game Properties

[Keith Weisshar]

The Beta version of Steam has a new backup interface that allows backup directly to a portable SSD that replaces the old CD/DVD backup that backs up to the Backups folder in the Steam folder when backing up individual games but if I use Backup and Restore games from the Steam menu it still uses the old CD/DVD backup interface. How can I restore from backups made using the new backup interface from the game properties? Why is the new backup tool still only available from individual game properties?

[tyl0413]

They should keep the disc based backup system supported as well.

[Keith Weisshar]

Why keep disc based backup? Newer computers no longer include optical drives and games are getting too big to even fit in Blu-Ray. Many AAA games are over 50 GB and some can exceed 100 GB with DLC. They can be backed up to external hard drive or portable SSD.

[tyl0413]

Originally posted by Keith Weisshar:

Why keep disc based backup? Newer computers no longer include optical drives and games are getting too big to even fit in Blu-Ray. Many AAA games are over 50 GB and some can exceed 100 GB with DLC. They can be backed up to external hard drive or portable SSD.

Because it's called don't change what ain't broken and backwards compatibility.
Good thing is they likely will as it uses the same system as retail games, the bad news is if they do decide to not care retail discs will become useless too. Yay for Steam trying their hardest to ruin themselves to the level of the competition.

[Keith Weisshar]

Why does the disc based backup and restore give an error message folder already exist if I try to backup the same game again instead of overwriting the existing backup as on the new backup UI from game properties only available in Steam Client Beta. With the old backup UI I need to delete the backup folder with the same name as the game but on the new backup system it will simply delete the existing backups and create a new one.

[Lulu Rainsong]

Originally posted by tyl0413:

They should keep the disc based backup system supported as well.

You'd like to use > 100 CDs for ONE GAME? And keep an external CD-RW drive around to burn all those? We wouldn't.

[Seven7]

Novadays this function is more intended for cleaning games from modifications without high consumption of Internet traffic, and not for backup as such. it used to be used to move a game from one section to another or to help friends download a game to play co-op... now there are +two separate functions for that in the library.

Backup - Delete content - delete the game installation and save folder - Restore. +Game config and saves folders. Ideal for moddable games like Elder scrolls, Fallouts, etc.

I personally stopped using it for backup before 2013 when it was a standalone .exe application (too many restrictions and problems - with backup to external media, this feature has always had many problems)

[Tharon]

Originally posted by Keith Weisshar:

Why keep disc based backup? Newer computers no longer include optical drives and games are getting too big to even fit in Blu-Ray. Many AAA games are over 50 GB and some can exceed 100 GB with DLC. They can be backed up to external hard drive or portable SSD.

Because backups are made to be preserved in a safe place. You should always backup on multiple DVD and not on HDD or SSD.
Also not every game on Steam is bloated. There are a lot of games that fits on a CD or a DVD.