Moving Steam installs to a new PC

Post by **norbs** » Wed Nov 19, 2014 6:58 am

It it doable, or so I need to download all the games again?

DexterPunk · Post by **DexterPunk** » Wed Nov 19, 2014 7:00 am

Nah I've done it. You can copy the whole steam apps folder. And when you re install steam, you can point it to the folder. There's instructions on steam help somewhere. I'll have a look.

DexterPunk · Post by **DexterPunk** » Wed Nov 19, 2014 7:04 am

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_art ... -YUBN-8129" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think this might help.

You have to reinstall the game, but you don't have to download it again.

kwijibo · Post by **kwijibo** » Wed Nov 19, 2014 7:12 am

I'm pretty sure you can just copy and paste the entire folder. You don't even need to install steam again.

Unless things have changed since I upgraded (years ago) anyway.

Post by **norbs** » Wed Nov 19, 2014 7:26 am

DexterPunk wrote:https://support.steampowered.com/kb_art ... -YUBN-8129

I think this might help.

You have to reinstall the game, but you don't have to download it again.

Good man. Thanks Dex.

wobblysauce · Post by **wobblysauce** » Wed Nov 19, 2014 7:48 am

The install is only OS related parts, nothing is re downloaded if copied from the other drive.

ysu · Post by **ysu** » Wed Nov 19, 2014 8:56 am

norbs wrote:It it doable, or so I need to download all the games again?

Yes, easily doable, I've done it a number of times.
But DO NOT use steam backup feature, it's rubbish & slow.

Very simple.
1) On the new computer, install steam.
2) Copy the contents of the steamapps folder, what you need is in fact in the steamapps/common folder. Folder names for each games, so you can go selective if you want Doi this either via network or a usb drive, etc.
3) Click within steam to start the selected game, it'll say "downloading" but it'll take only seconds; steam merely checks the games against the latest online version. If one was out of date it'll be updated of course.

That's it.

DarrenM · Post by **DarrenM** » Wed Nov 19, 2014 9:31 am

As kwijibo said, you can just copy the entire steam folder over then run the exe and create a desktop shortcut to it if you want. You don't need to reinstall anything.

Not sure how that would work out if you have multiple repository locations though.

Post by **norbs** » Wed Nov 19, 2014 9:32 am

Thank you gents. Will let you know how I get on.

richo · Post by **richo** » Wed Nov 19, 2014 9:38 am

Like everyone else says , Copy n paste . I have had the same Steam folder for over ten years .

Sarsippius · Post by **Sarsippius** » Wed Nov 19, 2014 8:58 pm

If you copy the steam folder to a second drive also remember to set it as the default installation folder (somewhere in the settings) so that any new games install there rather than the default C: drive.

ysu · Post by **ysu** » Thu Nov 20, 2014 11:01 am

Sarsippius wrote:If you copy the steam folder to a second drive also remember to set it as the default installation folder (somewhere in the settings) so that any new games install there rather than the default C: drive.

or use junctions !
(google junction link magic)

r8response · Post by **r8response** » Thu Nov 20, 2014 11:16 am

ysu wrote:
Sarsippius wrote:If you copy the steam folder to a second drive also remember to set it as the default installation folder (somewhere in the settings) so that any new games install there rather than the default C: drive.
or use junctions !
(google junction link magic)

You don't need to use junctions anymore.

ysu · Post by **ysu** » Thu Nov 20, 2014 1:06 pm

r8response wrote:
ysu wrote:
Sarsippius wrote:If you copy the steam folder to a second drive also remember to set it as the default installation folder (somewhere in the settings) so that any new games install there rather than the default C: drive.
or use junctions !
(google junction link magic)
You don't need to use junctions anymore.

Mostly not, I agree, hence the "OR" at the start of the sentence - it's a valid alternative after all

Altho, kidding aside, I'm not sure if you can set the install location for each game individually, or if you can move one from one location to another.
That's how/why I've started to use junctions a while ago - my most important games are junctioned back to the SSD for quick startup

DarrenM · Post by **DarrenM** » Thu Nov 20, 2014 1:26 pm

ysu wrote:I'm not sure if you can set the install location for each game individually, or if you can move one from one location to another.

You can create multiple locations in steam to install games to. They call them library folders.

When you add one in Steam->Settings->Downloads you get to choose which library to use when you install a game.

If you want to move from one library to another you copy the game across in windows explorer first, use the delete local content option in steam, then install and chose the new location. Since the files are already there it won't download them again. I do that to move less frequently played games off my ssd when it gets full.

Post by **norbs** » Thu Nov 20, 2014 1:55 pm

DarrenM wrote:
ysu wrote:I'm not sure if you can set the install location for each game individually, or if you can move one from one location to another.
You can create multiple locations in steam to install games to. They call them library folders.

When you add one in Steam->Settings->Downloads you get to choose which library to use when you install a game.

If you want to move from one library to another you copy the game across in windows explorer first, use the delete local content option in steam, then install and chose the new location. Since the files are already there it won't download them again. I do that to move less frequently played games off my ssd when it gets full.

I was just coming in here to ask that question. Awesome.

ysu · Post by **ysu** » Thu Nov 20, 2014 2:29 pm

Nice, thanks Darren!
Seems I can truly forget junctions now

A.R.S.E.