wait....steam doesn't let you pick where you install something on your computer?

[MrMatt]

I just downloaded Civ V, and I'm installing it now...but it didn't ask me where on my computer to put it...nor is there any icon for it...wtf??

 

[KaOTiK]

Steam installs its games in the Steam directory. So where ever you installed is where the game goes as well.
As for the icon, it ask you in a pop up window if you want to install an icon to your desktop. It is the the first window that pops up after selecting to install a game where your game list.

 

[coxmaster]

I strongly dislike this about steam. I want some (NOT ALL) of my steam games on my SSD. Unfortunately, that isnt an option..

 

[StormSide]

I like steam!

 

[Qbah]

I strongly dislike this about steam. I want some (NOT ALL) of my steam games on my SSD. Unfortunately, that isnt an option..

You can copy the game folder to your SSD and make a junction between it and the necessary folder inside your Steam location. Steam will think all the files are there, but they will actually be on the SSD. It's not a Steam-native solution (it's a feature of Windows Vista/7), but it works fine. Google for some exact guidelines.

 

[coxmaster]

You can copy the game folder to your SSD and make a junction between it and the necessary folder inside your Steam location. Steam will think all the files are there, but they will actually be on the SSD. It's not a Steam-native solution (it's a feature of Windows Vista/7), but it works fine. Google for some exact guidelines.

yeah, i read through them last night. Im planning on setting it up this way eventually. It just seems dumb that there isnt native support for choosing where to install

 

[abaez]

http://www.traynier.com/software/steammover fixes your issue.

 

[konakid7]

Does anyone know if Valve is working to make this a native feature in upcoming versions of steam? It would be nice to be able to do this without going through this workaround.

 

[Qbah]

http://www.traynier.com/software/steammover fixes your issue.

What a GREAT application Makes things so much easier. My 1TB drive is almost full - I will have to start using it in a few games...

 

[The Boston Dangler]

unfortunately, i haven't found a good solution to the steam/games folder shortcut issue. the 2 things i tried worked poorly if at all.

 

[pcslookout]

You can copy the game folder to your SSD and make a junction between it and the necessary folder inside your Steam location. Steam will think all the files are there, but they will actually be on the SSD. It's not a Steam-native solution (it's a feature of Windows Vista/7), but it works fine. Google for some exact guidelines.

Exactly! This is what I do and works wonderfully! Someone even on the steam forums created a program just for steam games! I don't trust it though I use just a junction program that isn't meant just for steam.

 

[pcslookout]

http://www.traynier.com/software/steammover fixes your issue.

Yep that is the one but I prefer my junction program because I know it will still get updated as time goes on who knows how long this author will support this. Don't trust it yet either.

 

[pcslookout]

Does anyone know if Valve is working to make this a native feature in upcoming versions of steam? It would be nice to be able to do this without going through this workaround.

Nope. Why should they ?

 

[coxmaster]

Nope. Why should they ?

What do you mean why should they?

Head on over to the steam forums and see the huge number of posts asking how to install games to different drives.

With SSDs (small..) becoming more popular more and more people are going to have this problem

 

[Rifter]

You can make symbolic link(junction i guess its called in windows) and do it that way, its not a big deal.

Also with current HDD prices I really dont understand why you just wouldnt spend $40 for a 500GB or $70 for a 1TB and just have a drive just for games. SSD's have been tested for games and dont show much improvement over mechanical drives gaming wise so why waste the space on your SSD for games anyways.

 

[daishi5]

What a GREAT application Makes things so much easier. My 1TB drive is almost full - I will have to start using it in a few games...

I need to try this, I was trying to figure out where all the space on my 500GB drive was going. Turns out, I have almost 300 GB of steam games.

 

[crownjules]

I need to try this, I was trying to figure out where all the space on my 500GB drive was going. Turns out, I have almost 300 GB of steam games.

Western Digital should think about investing in Steam to drive their own sales.

 

[MentalIlness]

Good thread.

I just recently upgraded my harddrives, and reinstalled every game I have. Except for Source games or "STEAM" games in general so those are the only ones I don't have installed yet.

I saw no option on where to install either. But I guess there is a workaround.

I have a hard drive specifically for gaming, and if they cannot be installed there, then they will not be installed.

 

[pcslookout]

Well there is a more simple way to get steam to install games where you want. I use to do this way.

 

[Liet]

You can make symbolic link(junction i guess its called in windows) and do it that way, its not a big deal.

Also with current HDD prices I really dont understand why you just wouldnt spend $40 for a 500GB or $70 for a 1TB and just have a drive just for games. SSD's have been tested for games and dont show much improvement over mechanical drives gaming wise so why waste the space on your SSD for games anyways.

I thought that SSDs help for loading large textures, map loads, etc.

 

[MentalIlness]

Well there is a more simple way to get steam to install games where you want. I use to do this way.

What way would that be ?

 

[pcslookout]

What way would that be ?

Install steam on the drive or partition you want all your games to be placed.

 

[pcslookout]

You can make symbolic link(junction i guess its called in windows) and do it that way, its not a big deal.

Also with current HDD prices I really dont understand why you just wouldnt spend $40 for a 500GB or $70 for a 1TB and just have a drive just for games. SSD's have been tested for games and dont show much improvement over mechanical drives gaming wise so why waste the space on your SSD for games anyways.

Exactly. Most games SSDs make no difference at all. The slowness is from connecting to a game server because of a slow server. Map load times can be increased but once your end there is no difference.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

I thought that SSDs help for loading large textures, map loads, etc.

Not so much, as games tend to read linearly off the drive, not a ton of random access.

I only put my "real" multiplayer games on my ssd, everything else just on a regular drive.

 

[pcslookout]

Not so much, as games tend to read linearly off the drive, not a ton of random access.

I only put my "real" multiplayer games on my ssd, everything else just on a regular drive.

Yep same here! No one needs 100s of games installed on a SSD.