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Changed drive letter, now Steam can't find game executables


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#1 King Mustard

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Posted 08 January 2013 - 13:13

I installed Steam and Steam games to J:\

At a later date, I changed this drive's letter to D:\

J:\ is now a different drive (contains only my music).

When I try to run a game, I get "Failed to start game (missing executable)"

If I go to the game properties, choose Local Files and Browse Local Files, it creates and takes me to: J:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\common\dead island

Of course, this newly created directory that Steam just made is empty.

How can I fix this, without having to re-download the entire games again? (which is what "Verify Integrity of Game Cache" tries to do)


#2 HoochieMamma

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Posted 08 January 2013 - 13:16

Do this

https://support.stea...=7710-tdlc-0426

Make sure you have the steamapps folder and steam.exe in a folder and ONLY those files and open steam.exe up and in a couple of min you're good to go!

#3 Duality

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Posted 08 January 2013 - 13:17

You could try using Junction Points (Windows implementation of symbolic links) to point Steam to the correct location - so when it looks in the J: drive folder it has created, it gets sent back to your D: drive, where the files actually exist. Failing that, a reinstall may be on the cards.

#4 OP King Mustard

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Posted 08 January 2013 - 13:17

View PostHoochieMamma, on 08 January 2013 - 13:16, said:

Do this

https://support.stea...=7710-tdlc-0426

Make sure you have the steamapps folder and steam.exe in a folder and ONLY those files and open steam.exe up and in a couple of min you're good to go!

Just tried that, it did not work unfortunately. Still getting the same error.

In fact, even after doing this, when I try to run the game, I still get an empty J:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\common\dead island directory created by Steam.

#5 Ryoken

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Posted 08 January 2013 - 13:18

Easiest way is to change the drive letter back.

#6 HoochieMamma

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Posted 08 January 2013 - 13:28

View PostKing Mustard, on 08 January 2013 - 13:17, said:

Just tried that, it did not work unfortunately. Still getting the same error.

In fact, even after doing this, when I try to run the game, I still get an empty J:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\common\dead island directory created by Steam.

You definitely ONLY had the steamapps folder and steam.exe in a folder called "Steam" nothing else right, deleting everything else except those 2 files/folders right? I have done it tons of times and it always fixes issues if you screw around with drive letters or move the Steam dir completely :/

#7 OP King Mustard

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Posted 08 January 2013 - 13:29

View PostHoochieMamma, on 08 January 2013 - 13:28, said:

You definitely ONLY had the steamapps folder and steam.exe in a folder called "Steam" nothing else right? I have done it tons of times and it always fixes issues if you screw around with drive letters or move the Steam dir completely :/

That's definitely what I did. It seems my Steam.exe still has references to J: inside it.

I am going to try moving the SteamApps folder to the root of the drive, uninstalling Steam, cleaning the registry and all references to Steam, re-install, and move the SteamApps folder back.

#8 Pupik

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Posted 08 January 2013 - 13:31

Wanted to suggest to reinstall Steam to the new folder location, but seems like you already thought of that.

#9 -Himanshu-

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Posted 08 January 2013 - 13:32

View PostRyoken, on 08 January 2013 - 13:18, said:

Easiest way is to change the drive letter back.

This. Why not just change it back?

#10 OP King Mustard

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Posted 08 January 2013 - 13:36

View Post-Himanshu-, on 08 January 2013 - 13:32, said:

This. Why not just change it back?

Why is that your business?

Stay on topic.

#11 vetDirtyLarry

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Posted 08 January 2013 - 13:39

View PostKing Mustard, on 08 January 2013 - 13:36, said:

Why is that your business?

Stay on topic.
Because you asked for help and that would be the easiest way to do it?

#12 OP King Mustard

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Posted 08 January 2013 - 13:41

View PostDirtyLarry, on 08 January 2013 - 13:39, said:

Because you asked for help and that would be the easiest way to do it?

It's obvious that that would fix it, but since I'm here, it's also obvious I don't want to do that.

I changed it for a reason in the first place, which include buying new drives, moving content around and re-organising my various drives.

#13 compl3x

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Posted 08 January 2013 - 13:43

View PostKing Mustard, on 08 January 2013 - 13:36, said:

Why is that your business?

Stay on topic.


Don't be rude, man. You're here asking for people's help.

This should have worked: https://support.stea...=7710-tdlc-0426

I've used backing up/moving the steamapps directory 1/2 a dozen times before and it worked every time.

#14 OP King Mustard

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Posted 08 January 2013 - 13:45

I tried moving the SteamApps folder to the root of the drive, uninstalling Steam, cleaning the registry and all references to Steam, re-install, and move the SteamApps folder back.

Even now, it's not working and Steam is still creating the directories I mentioned a few posts above on the J: when I try to run the game.

Where is it still getting this J: reference from? :|

EDIT: In the game properties, on the Local Files tab, it says "Disk usage 6737 MB on drive J:". Argh.

#15 protocol7

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Posted 08 January 2013 - 13:47

Maybe look in Steam -> Settings -> Downloads + Cloud -> Steam Library Folders?