Re-activating steamapps folder

[Andy__C]

Quick Q/help as this is the first time I've had to back-up my steam folder...

I copied my steamapps before a full re-install, then dropped the steamapps folder back into the newly installed steam folder as per various guidance here/elsewhere.

However - steam does not detect any of these games when I boot the program up and look in my library. My full library says 'not installed'.

WHenever I click on a launcher from within the steamapps directly it prompts me to re-download the game... 100's of gigs.

Have I mucked up here, not using steam back-up (I read that just copying the steamapps folder was a more efficient option).

Can anyone advise on how to get steam to re-registerning my full steamapps folder please?

 

[dreigns]

Just add them like u was going to re-download them it will check to see if there are any files there and it will look likes its downloading them just super fast

 

[Final8y]

I normally backup the whole steam folder and move the folder to where i want, then install steam to the same place and everything is there from the get go as the installed check-list stays in tacked .

 

[orderoftheflame]

Just add them like u was going to re-download them it will check to see if there are any files there and it will look likes its downloading them just super fast

This. When you start to download, Steam will check to see which files it has remaining to get, which in this case will be nothing.

 

[Andy__C]

Fantastic.... thats working as you say. Cheers!

 

[Confused]

And in future, pick up the entire Steam folder (not just steamapps), and don't bother reinstalling on the new PC, just run steam.exe

 

[Final8y]

And in future, pick up the entire Steam folder (not just steamapps), and don't bother reinstalling on the new PC, just run steam.exe

I find it take longer just running the Steam.exe for everything to get sorted, but yeah that works too.