Best way of keeping Steam installs

ic1male · 12 May 2018 at 22:05

Some of these games on Steam are massive and I don't relish the idea of having to download some of them again. Is the built in backup method a good way to shove the game files on to an external HDD so you can just get them back again in the future with minimum fuss?

PiKe · 12 May 2018 at 22:22

Copy the common folder inside steamapps.

Lordgrayone · 12 May 2018 at 22:23

That works but you can also install them onto a second hard drive and on a reinstall just point steam back to said folder, I can't think where in the options it is off the top of my head

ic1male · 12 May 2018 at 22:32

Lordgrayone said:
on a reinstall just point steam back to said folder, I can't think where in the options it is off the top of my head

I can't find how you do that, I know there is a simple button in Uplay or Origin to locate already downloaded game data but I can't see a similar thing in Steam.

PiKe · 12 May 2018 at 22:38

If you move the data back into the common folder and install the game again, steam will check for existing files first.

In reverse, move the folder out of common, before uninstalling it from the client.

ic1male · 12 May 2018 at 22:41

PiKe said:
If you move the data back into the common folder and install the game again, steam will check for existing files first.

Ah, OK. I thought it just started overwriting the files. I'll give a try, cheers.

hyperseven · 13 May 2018 at 01:14

dont you have to copy the manifest file as well then it just auto picks them up.

Marsman · 13 May 2018 at 01:31

Yes, you need the manifest file as well. Those tell Steam whether the game is complete or only partially complete. Without the completed manifest file, Steam will start downloading the game again if you move a game folder back into the Steam directory.

The manifest files have numbers and no indication which is for which game. If you search for the game in question and steam appid, you'll get the number which corresponds to the game.

Cheroulam Nab · 13 May 2018 at 02:43

This was helpful as I have games with a total storage need of at least 2+TB and that is my main steam account. I did try to copy the games themselves and put them in their own folder but as you can probably imagine that did not work I wasted valuable time and space. Thanks for posting this OP.

Antar Bolaeisk · 13 May 2018 at 04:58

Does the move install folder option not work with an external HDD?

CHokKA · 13 May 2018 at 08:33

I have my entire Steam installation on a different hard disk and I’ve never had to do anything other than reinstall Steam back to the same location when I’ve reinstalled Windows. Steam has just automatically picked up all the games and carried on as normal when I’ve selected one to play.

I’ve never moved them to an external HDD though. When I run low on space, I’ve upgraded my games HDD and just copied everything across and changed the drive letter on the new HDD to what the old games drive was. Steam has then just carried on as normal.

Semple · 13 May 2018 at 09:11

There is the backup option, when i used to have poor internet, i would back them up to a DVD.

Swifty55 · 13 May 2018 at 09:21

Use a separate SSD/HDD and just add the folder to your steam library folders.

Rifte · 13 May 2018 at 09:40

Swifty55 said:
Use a separate SSD/HDD and just add the folder to your steam library folders.

THIS!

I have 3 x 4TB external drives (overkill I know). Once I have finished the game, I move the contents over and if the day ever comes that I want to play it again...I move it back.

Simples.

Martini1991 · 13 May 2018 at 09:51

Get virgin media 350mb

.

robinbanks · 13 May 2018 at 10:00

Martini1991 said:
Get virgin media 350mb .

This

LeMson · 13 May 2018 at 23:09

Steams on another hdd for me, fresh install of base files onto ssd, ask it to install one game thats on hdd, point it to install it in hdd location, steam then finds the game already installed and all the other games in that steam hdd folder, job done

GBRusty · 14 May 2018 at 09:35

I have my Steam games spread over 4 drives. My favourites and Vr games are on my SSDs, my other ones are spread across my 2 other big HDDs.

When I install a new game it asks where I want to install it and i select the drive I want then.

suenstar · 14 May 2018 at 09:57

Martini1991 said:
Get virgin media 350mb .

I'd get it if it was available in my area, sadly I don't think Virgin will ever be providing broadband in Cornwall.

I keep a copy of my steamapps folder on an external HDD and just transfer the games I'm playing across to my main drive and swap them out when I'm done.

demonix · 14 May 2018 at 18:40

hyperseven said:
dont you have to copy the manifest file as well then it just auto picks them up.

You don't as I copied the whole of my xcom 2 install folder from one computer to the other (over the network) and once I set it to install, it automatically picked up on the files that were there already and all it needed to do was download all the mods.