Steam Install Files

thedoc46 · 1 Jan 2011 at 01:24

Hi,

What's the deal with the Steam install files? Can you easily transfer them from one machine to another and save yourself the long downloads?

Are they all in one location or are they all in their individual locations? Can you just copy one directory ? I'd be using the same username on the other machine.

Also it's good to know for backup and disk space.

What do you guys do?

manbearpig · 1 Jan 2011 at 01:27

Just copy the hole steam folder over and start steam on the new computer and away you go (hopefully)

Cycrow · 1 Jan 2011 at 03:14

there all in the steamapps directory, so u can copy the whole thing to move the games to another pc

theres also an option in steam to backup and restore you games, so u could also do that to transfer

Rroff · 1 Jan 2011 at 03:41

Bare in mind that while the main game data files are in the steam folder, saved games, user configs, screenshots, etc. are often stored in my documents or appdata folders seperate to the steam install

Ravenger · 1 Jan 2011 at 10:52

Use Game Save game manager to backup and restore your save games.

http://gsm.duncsweb.com/

Other than that it's as simple as installing Steam on your new PC, and copying the entire SteamApps folder across. When you run Steam for the first time on the new PC it'll authorise all your games, and you're good to go.

orderoftheflame · 1 Jan 2011 at 10:58

Ravenger said:
Use Game Save game manager to backup and restore your save games.

http://gsm.duncsweb.com/

+1. GSM is superb.

thedoc46 · 1 Jan 2011 at 23:21

So if I wanted to delete the SteamApp folder entirely, it wouldn't harm anything other than having to re-download the install files?

Confused · 1 Jan 2011 at 23:22

Some savegames etc ARE stored in the SteamApps folder.

thedoc46 · 1 Jan 2011 at 23:46

Confused said:
Some savegames etc ARE stored in the SteamApps folder.

10/4, so if you just want to delete the gigabytes of download req'd for install then what should you do? It seems deleting local content from within Steam, also deletes the install. I don't want to do that, only delete the files req'd to install the game.. Once the game is installed, you should have the ability to delete and save some space.

Memphis · 1 Jan 2011 at 23:50

thedoc46 said:
10/4, so if you just want to delete the gigabytes of download req'd for install then what should you do? It seems deleting local content from within Steam, also deletes the install. I don't want to do that, only delete the files req'd to install the game.. Once the game is installed, you should have the ability to delete and save some space.

That's not how Steam works. All of the files within the "steamapps" directory are required. There aren't 'install files' as such. The download isn't an installer, it is the game itself. Any installer you may see run afterwards before the first play is just setting up any additional system stuff that is required for the game to run.

thedoc46 · 1 Jan 2011 at 23:55

Memphis said:
That's not how Steam works. All of the files within the "steamapps" directory are required. There aren't 'install files' as such. The download isn't an installer, it is the game itself. Any installer you may see run afterwards before the first play is just setting up any additional system stuff that is required for the game to run.

So with that in mind, i wouldn't be able to copy across the steamapps folder onto another machine (using the same profile) to save myself re-downloading all the games I bought on special offer? I run two gaming machines. Its not the end of the world, i could just leave my 2nd machine on overnight I guess. But if it can be done, then hey why not save the internet some congestion.

jellybeard999 · 1 Jan 2011 at 23:58

thedoc46 said:
So with that in mind, i wouldn't be able to copy across the steamapps folder onto another machine (using the same profile) to save myself re-downloading all the games I bought on special offer? I run two gaming machines. Its not the end of the world, i could just leave my 2nd machine on overnight I guess. But if it can be done, then hey why not save the internet some congestion.

Yes, install steam on the 2nd PC and copy the steam apps folder over.

What we're getting at with the installation files is that there isn't a download which is then unpacked and thus can be deleted, the program files are downloaded directly.

Kenai · 2 Jan 2011 at 00:00

Yes you can copy it all across, Steam is entirely portable (which is why there are no installer files to delete). Steam doesn't do 'installing', it just downloads and plays.

You can just copy the entire Steam directory across, then run the Steam.exe, it will quickly update and then you will be in pretty much exactly the same position on both machines. Some games that update DirectX or .NET will do that again on a new machine but other than that, it will all just run exactly as it does on your first machine.

edit - doing as Jellybeard suggests above installing Steam on the second machine first and copying over just the steamapps folder is a waste of time and effort, you don't need to, just copy the entire Steam directory across.

thedoc46 · 2 Jan 2011 at 00:04

Thanks fellas !

Dark_Angel · 2 Jan 2011 at 00:10

Ravenger said:
Use Game Save game manager to backup and restore your save games.

http://gsm.duncsweb.com/

Other than that it's as simple as installing Steam on your new PC, and copying the entire SteamApps folder across. When you run Steam for the first time on the new PC it'll authorise all your games, and you're good to go.

Post of the day!

THANK YOU!

I'm formatting soon, so really need this!!