Steam Folder - reformatting

[SeeKified]

I tend to use Steam Backup, it's worked fine for me so far despite having a ~60GB folder that I merged into a single backup file. I guess I just like having programs to stuff for me though.

 

[iviv]

Thats exactly what i meant to say.

valve games will auto detect 64bit and download the patches afaik?

I don't think there are any 64 bit patches for games, they just work tm.

 

[nomelette]

Don't forget your userdata folder, has lots of saves in!
http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Cleanly_reinstalling_Steam

 

[MeMeMeMe]

Basically, the game will go through the 'first time install' procedure, installing VCredists and DirectX numerious times. Its possible to avoid these with some simple regediting:

If you go into the steam folder for the game, there will be a file in there, either installscript.vdf or <numbers>install.vdf where the numbers are the game's steam app number. Opening these files in notepad show that when you run the game, for example here's Dogfighters file:

"InstallScript"
{
    "Registry"
    {
        "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\DarkWaterStudios\\DogFighter"
        {
            "string"
            {
                "Install_Path"      "%INSTALLDIR%"
                "Exe_Path"          "%INSTALLDIR%\\dogfightersteam.exe"
            }
                      	          	
            "dword"
            {
                "PatchVersion"      "3"
            }
        }
    }
      	
    "Run Process"
    {
        "VCRedist"
        {
            "HasRunKey"     "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\DarkWaterStudios\\DogFighter\\Installed\\VCRedist"
            "process 1"     "%INSTALLDIR%\\redist\\vcredist_x86.exe"
            "command 1"     "/Q"
            "NoCleanUp"     "1"
        }
        "DirectX"
        {
            "HasRunKey"     "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\DarkWaterStudios\\DogFighter\\Installed\\DX"
            "process 1"     "%INSTALLDIR%\\redist\\DirectX\\DXSETUP.exe"
            "command 1"     "/silent"
            "NoCleanUp"     "1"
        }
    }
}

Essentually it will install the VCredist, and then create a registry key to say that its done this, and then installs DirectX and creates another reg key. Then whenever you start the game in the future, it sees the registry keys already exist so doesn't install them in the future. Obviously when you copy over these keys don't exist, so it goes through the whole process again. Its possible, but time consuming, to manually edit all these into the registry, but then its faster to simply run them all.

Interesting post. If that's all there is too it, someone should be able to create a utility to scan that file, and create a *.reg file containing all the needed registry settings for your games.