Question about a new STEAM install.

[nOOky]

I built a new PC. I had all of my games downloaded on a drive other than my C: drive, call it D:. I built a new PC, and I want the new STEAM program install to find all of those downloaded games as I put that D: drive with the games downloaded back in the new PC. How do I go about getting STEAM to link to those downloads again, it id wanting to download everything all over again.

 

[Artorias]

You got got to create a backup per game, then on the new PC with Steam restore from backup. Might not work for all games.

Steam Support :: Using the Steam Backup Feature

help.steampowered.com

The other method is to do local network transfer.

Steam Support :: Steam Local Network Game Transfers

help.steampowered.com

 

[Shmee]

You should be able to import the old library into Steam, and they should just verify and work.

 

[nOOky]

Thanks. My STEAM library is getting large, I might have to replace the 1tb ssd with a 2tb soon.

 

[WelshBloke]

You should be able to import the old library into Steam, and they should just verify and work.

This is what I do. I mean it usually wants to download a ton of huge updates for each game but I guess it's less than a full installation.
Then it'll want to sync your save games (if you had steam cloud on) and fail at that for a bit.

 

[aigomorla]

You should be able to import the old library into Steam, and they should just verify and work.

No it might not work as its a completely new machine.
If it was the same machine, then id say 99% it will work, with a few minor exceptions, but on a brand new machine, Artorias is correct.
He may run into some errors with a few games, as settings, dxinfo, C++ runtime settings, and config.ini were for a different machine or possibly even a different OS altoghter... like windows 10 -> 11 i would expect some problems.

If you notice a game crashing constantly, or something just not working, you may need to redownload/reinstall the game after you deleted it from your library.

 

[WelshBloke]

No it might not work as its a completely new machine.
If it was the same machine, then id say 99% it will work, with a few minor exceptions, but on a brand new machine, Artorias is correct.
He may run into some errors with a few games, as settings and config.ini were for a different machine.

Iirc settings and config goes into a different folder than the install files.
Import the games then verify them and they should work.

 

[aigomorla]

Iirc settings and config goes into a different folder than the install files.
Import the games then verify them and they should work.

Yeah but sometimes the games require you to download a runtime, and it doesn't install it on verify.
Unless Valve changed this?

 

[Shmee]

The adding a library does work. I did a fresh install of Windows 10 early this year when my system NVMe drive died in a power outage, before I ordered my UPS. The other drives were fine, and I was able to import my steam games from the other drives. Runtimes are generally installed at first launch.

 

[mikeymikec]

I built a new PC. I had all of my games downloaded on a drive other than my C: drive, call it D:. I built a new PC, and I want the new STEAM program install to find all of those downloaded games as I put that D: drive with the games downloaded back in the new PC. How do I go about getting STEAM to link to those downloads again, it id wanting to download everything all over again.

I just migrated PCs. I copied my Games folder (which contains my Steam install) to the new PC, ran Steam.exe, it updated, asked me to sign in and was good to go.