Hard Drive keeps de;eting games/files

[Xzizor]

Hi, I just bought a brand new computer. I installed a SSD for my boot up drive and a 1TB hard drive for storage, My problem is that once I get the computer running and I install games onto the 1TB HDD it will remove the games saying that launcher.exe is missing. But with my solid state drive this does not happen at all. I installed 5 games on my HDD and every time within 2 hours they disappear. This is very frustrating, it has to be the HDD because this does not happen on my SSD. I have steam and my OS on my ssd and they do not have any problems what so ever. I already bought a new HDD and installed it and the same thing happened again, so I'm almost 100% sure it is something with the HDD, so my question is what have I done wrong? Or what can I do to stop this? Thank you for any help.

 

[chargeit]

You said it is doing it with two different hard drives? Just a shot in the wind, try installing steam on the hdd and see what happens. You should be able to install steam, and games on a different hdd, but I'd give it a shot.

Also, is it just with steam games? Or are other things getting deleted off of the drive?

 

[captaincharisma]

do you have any anti virus running on your computer? if you do it may delete them thinking its a virus. check the AV logs if you do

 

[chargeit]

do you have any anti virus running on your computer? if you do it may delete them thinking its a virus. check the AV logs if you do

^

This. I thought about that too, but thought it would be odd for a virus protection to be deleting steam games, and only on the hdd... Damn, must be running something rough.

 

[Xzizor]

OK I should also mention I am a noob when it comes to PC I had just switched over from Mac because I wanted to play games and actually do stuff. To answer the first post it deletes everything I install on the HDD but everything I install on the SSD stays no problem. So this is exactly what I installed:

Steam:
Dragon age
Marvel Heroes
SWBF2
Bioshock Infinite

Not steam:
SWTOR
Elder Scrolls Online
Diablo 3

A few Ghost Rider pictures

The steam program itself is installed on my SSD, but the games downloaded from steam are installed on my HDD.

I am running Microsoft Security essentials, the free one from their website thingy.

Also thank you so much for the quick responses!!!!!

 

[chargeit]

I use MSE too, so that isn't what's doing it.

You said you had 5 games that are being deleted. Are any games staying installed?

How are you getting the games? Did you have them backed up or something? I this is the case, delete them, and start fresh downloading them through steam.



So the HDD deletes everything??? OK, give me a min.

 

[chargeit]

I'd suggest checking the drive...

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/check-your-hard-disk-for-errors

You might have to restart the computer for it to happen, and it will take a long time, and might even look like it isn't doing anything. Just let it do its thing... I could take 2 or more hours.



You also might want to check this program out, and see if you can't find anything obvious... It doesn't matter if you're using a seagate or not, all hdd should work.

http://www.seagate.com/support/downloads/seatools/


**** Did you say that you tried two hard drives, and both of them are deleting everything??

 

[Xzizor]

Ok, so I went to Start>Control Panel>Uninstall a program and when I looked all of my games that I installed are there still. It gives me an option to uninstall them.

SWTOR, ESO and Diablo 3 are all from their own disks, the others I am downloading through steam.

When I try to launch the games I downloaded from the disk, it says "Launcher.exe is missing do you want to delete this link?"

It deletes everything all games including steam games.

I'm running W7 if that matters.

I did try two different HDDs, and it did the same thing to both. I've restarted my computer and re-installed the OS 3 times already and it continues to happen.

 

[Xzizor]

Also right now as I type I am running "HD tune 2.25" to check my hard drive for any errors.

 

[chargeit]

OK, try this...

Go to the directory that you installed say, Diablo 3, and look for the launch file. Launch it from that file.

Sounds to me like you're trying to use a link to the CD, without the CD being present.

I think this might be a case of "new to the OS".


Here, watch this video man. Lol, sorry about the name, but it is what it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysw2iWgH8gc

 

[Xzizor]

Ok I tried this and the Launch file is not there. It only gives me the option for the Uninstall or the Readme file.

 

[chargeit]

Watch the video I posted above. I think it's you doing something wrong since you're used to using a mac.

 

[chargeit]

OK, I think this is what's going on...

I think you're installing the games, and then for some reason whatever link you're using to start it, isn't the ling to start the game, but a link that is referring to the CD you installed the game off of.... so, when you click it without the cd being there, it says the .exe file is no longer present, since the cd isn't in.

Damn, this is one of those times I wish the system was in front of me.

 

[Xzizor]

Haha so I have to have the game cd in while I play the game??? I'm used to mac not needing that I guess Wow if that is the case then I fail at life. But it doesn't explain why my games won't launch in steam.

Also no worries about the video, I understand I've been away from PC for far too long.

 

[chargeit]

No, you shouldn't need the CD in. Not for online games.

I'm saying that you're using a short cut that is linking to the CD, not the one that is linked to the install of the program. =D

Man, do you have a friend who uses computers? I know this is a simple issue, I'm just having issues explaining it.

 

[chargeit]

OK, try this...

Start up steam... Go to your steam library, and find one of the games you have installed.... Select play. Tell me what it does.

 

[Xzizor]

Yeah my friend is actually a huge computer wiz and he helped me set this up, he is just as stumped as I am. OK when I launch a steam game this is what it says verbatim,

"Failed to start game (Missing Executable)"

 

[chargeit]

Ok, so is it looking for the game on your OS directory?

In other words, you have the games installed on your hdd, and OS/steam installed on your SSD (C:?)

Is steam looking for the game on the SSD, and not where it is on the HDD?

I'm at work, so I don't have this in front of me atm.


You can try verifying the integrity of the game...
https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=2037-QEUH-3335





You might have to check and make sure that steam is being properly directed to the games install location... I honestly suggest that you remove steam from your SSD, by uninstalling it, and installing it on the same drive as your HDD/games.

 

[Xzizor]

Oh, well thank you for helping me while you are at work. I did the verify thing with steam and it still wouldn't work. I'll try installing it on my HDD but i'm still having a problem with the other games on my HDD.

 

[chargeit]

Yea, I think it has to do with things not being pointed to the correct location...

In steam under Library,

right click a game, select "Properties", got to "local Files", select "Browse Local Files"... This should bring you to the directory the game is installed in....

However, since I think it's pointed towards the wrong location, it might not.



Another thing,

Open up your hard drive by following these steps...

Click on the start menu...

Click on the tab called "computer".

From computer, open up your hard drive by double clicking on it.

this should be everything installed on that drive.. See what is installed on it.

 

[chargeit]

Another thing to check out....

In steam, click on "Steam" in the upper left hand corner...

select settings

select downloads

From downloads select "content Libraries" at the top of the options...

This should list locations where steam games install...

It should have the location that steam is installed as a option, and also the location on the other hdd that you're installing steam games. If that isn't the case, select add library folder, selecting the location you have the steam games installed on the hdd.