Steam - How do I install games from disc without being forced to download the whole thing?

Scougar

Scougar

Scougar

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Ok.. so sucessfully got my steam account back up and running, and now I have a bigger hard disk, decided to try and install everything again. But, I have a physically copy of the Orange Box, and would simply like to install the games from there.

How the heck do I actually manually force the games to install from the disc, rather than it trying to download the entire content? What is the point of buying a game on a disc with the data being right there, then it attempting to download say 4-7 GB per game?

Please help. I have tried disabling my connection, but it then tells me the servers are busy and just abandons everything.

This is a big issue for me as I have a really slow connection on the moors, *under 512*, and would likely be told off under fair usage policy, for simply trying to install some games I already own.

EDIT: Just giving this a whirl: https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=5357-FSQM-0382
 
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why didn't you just back it all up? :o


Or just copy it from your old hd.

there have been many many huge updates to the game so there will be lots to dl anyway.
 
If you haven't wiped your old disk yet, just stick it in your PC and copy the steam apps folder. There's loads of guides to do this :)
 
Tefal: I had space issues at the time and since I couldn't actually get into steam, they were gone. I also had to reinstall windows as after I removed my hacked 260 SLI setup, W7 died without being recoverable. So I had nothing to backup.

I already moved my installation to my bigger HDD btw, but it was a very recent install so largely pointless.

I'll be leaving my PC updating/installing whilst I go to work and pray it isn't trying to connect to S-team-KYNET or something ;)

NOTE: The interesting thing is that if I disconnect my internet connection, it goes straight to running from the DVD (i.e. Disk 1), then tells me the server is busy. So it IS attempting an install from the disc just then falls over, grr.
 
i find starting the download so there;s some files in the folder then disconnecting and installing from disk worked for me. but even then it had to download a silly amount because of engine updates.
 
EDIT: ignore this as i just noticed you have a similar link to something your trying already. My bad
# Log in to Steam and click on Library.
# Right-click on the game, select Delete local content, and confirm.
# Insert the first disc into your computer.
# Close Steam (Steam > Exit).
# Press Windows Key + R to open Run
# In the Run window type:

"C:\Program Files\Steam\Steam.exe" -install E:

Replace E: with the CD/DVD drive you are installing from if is not correct.
Replace C:\Program Files\Steam if your Steam installation is not in the default location.
# Press OK. Steam will launch and ask you to sign in if you do not have your password saved. Your installation should continue from the disc

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=5357-FSQM-0382

Found this. I recall using this method once myself when i couldnt get the orange box to install from disk and it indeed worked
 
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Thanks Frenchy, that's exactly what I was trying :-) Appreciate your help :thumbsup:

I left it 'updating' before it was installing, although it is still suggesting downloads of 4gb upwards :-( Very annoying.

It may be a DRM system, but they really shouldn't be screwing their genuine customers over and forcing downloading of games when they have PAID to have the physically copy of the game(s).
 
they've ported the episode engine updates back iirc, so you're basically getting a completely updated game for free, that's why it has to download so much (because a lot of the stuff on the disk has been replaced with new stuff).

I suppose you could turn "keep this game updated" off so it doesn't try to dl GB's of game updates.
 
Ported back? You mean they've gone back to HL2 and updated the engine? Impressive. Wouldn't get many "function point's" for doing that in the software world lol.

Ironically... I do have updates turn off :crazy:
 
yeah pretty sure they've taken the updated source engine from the episodes and applied a lot of it to the original source.

they recently did it to cs:s too.
 
That's cool. Missed so much of the HL/Valve stuff thanks to Steam lol. Really loved valve before as well ;)
 
Finally managed to get at least two of the games manually installing then updating afterwards (EP2 and TF2). Tried to turn off game updating before I installed, as they were previous games I'd had as opposed to new games that steam had never had sight off before.

Actually.. looks like TF2 is only 31% complete LMAO. Must be some rather large updates for it!!!!!
 
This thread makes me love my 50mb virgin connection even more :p I tend to get download rates of between 4 and 5Mb/s from steam, so it rarely takes more than 30-45 mins to download a game. I made the mistake of installing steam on my 60Gb SSD though, so I can only really keep around three games installed at a time.


Aaanyway, as for the OPs question: If I remember correctly, in a lot of cases you can install from the CD and simply register the game on steam, or associate the game with steam.
 
Very easy to move the folder duff :-) Don't have to be stuck having it on your SSD.

TF2 Seemingly uninstalled itself and was going for 8gb worth of download.. trying again lol.
 
Scougar said:
Very easy to move the folder duff :-) Don't have to be stuck having it on your SSD.

TF2 Seemingly uninstalled itself and was going for 8gb worth of download.. trying again lol.
Click to expand...

This, move it to your drive of choice, re-runn the Steam client installer and point it to where you've moved it to. Job done.
 
Seems to be finally working out, but it's been a long road.

Reinstalled TF2 manually to get 1.7GB of it installed, and it is now trying to get upto 5gb of TF2 content.

Had some fun on HL2 last night, certainly starting to show it's age now though lol. (Texture wise mainly in places - yes I have everything on high or v.high). Was fun. Looking forward to going through the whole lot, I know it's gonna be epic task lol.

General impression of Steam though is that it's very flakey. Keeps crashing when asking it to do to much (like pause downloads can crash it etc). Odd.
 
Scougar said:
Very easy to move the folder duff :-) Don't have to be stuck having it on your SSD.
Click to expand...

True, but I also like loading into online games ten seconds before anyone else :p

Do you know of any way to distribute games across two HDDs? i.e. install a few games to my SSD, and rest to the larger mechanical drives?
 
Duff-Man said:
True, but I also like loading into online games ten seconds before anyone else :p

Do you know of any way to distribute games across two HDDs? i.e. install a few games to my SSD, and rest to the larger mechanical drives?
Click to expand...

just symlinks or junction points in windows.

install them all to you larger drive, then copy the ones u want to the SSD and link them to the correct folders on the large drive
 
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