[SOLVED] How to transfer gaming clients or steam games from External Drive after Fresh Win. Install?

[minnin90]

I have slower internet and I have a lot of large games, I was wondering if I put them on a external drive, how do I export them, or can I? Noobie Noob for sure on this subject, . Thanks!

 

[hotaru.hino]

Look at where they download games, copy that folder, and then paste it back. For example in Steam, assuming you didn't change the download folder from C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps, just copy that folder over, and when you reinstall Steam, copy it back. Steam games have a file that tells Steam the game is available, so it should show up and run as if nothing happened. Though you'll have to go through the first-time launch thing.

For other clients like Origin, it's the same thing, but you likely have to "install" the game. If the client is smart enough, it'll realize the game is there and do a file check to make sure it's all there, download/update what the game needs, then launch the game.

If you just want to do specific games, you can copy the game folders as is and put them back where they're downloaded to. For Steam though, getting that file that tells Steam the game was downloaded is tedious, so just have Steam "install" the game and it'll realize it's there.

 

[ohio_buckeye]

I’ve moved games around similar to this. Just go into the common apps folder in the steam folder and it should show then installed there.

Copy those out, then after you reinstall move then where you want, tell steam to install the game, and point the path to where you moved them back to.

 

[USAFRet]

The Steam client will need to be reinstalled with the new OS.
The games themselves can be moved.

Steam games location
In the steam client:
Steam
Settings
Downloads
Steam Library Folders
Add library folder

To move an already installed game
Games library
Right click the game
Properties
Local Files
Move Install Folder

 

[minnin90]

very nice! thanks you three! Gonna move them around then . I hate redownloading so often or even once say a year...when you have a lot of large file size games.