Backing up Steam games (not just saves)


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In preparation for delivery of my super new gaming rig, I'm downloading a bunch of games via Steam onto my laptop. I'm pretty sure I know how to backup and restore full steam game downloads but can someone confirm this for me?

I just need to download the games. copy the SteamApps folder to another drive and then, once steam is installed on the new pc, I simply start then stop the game download process (letting Steam rebuild the game files etc) before shutting Steam down and copying the backed up SteamApps folder across.

Is that right?

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I don't think you even need to restart the download process. Obviously doing it won't do any harm but you can just install steam and then copy in the folder. When you go to launch the game steam will verify the files and download any missing stuff.

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I thought backup only saved save games?

No it backs up the game content. Infact I don't think it backs up game saves. Might save you a bit of space too depending on how many games your backing up (Dragon Age for example, 15GB installed, backed up with steam is 8GB). If space isn't an issue though, I'd use your method as it's a lot quicker.

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I just backup the whole Steam folder on to my external hard drive as it is much easier for me. Rather than installing the games and then downloading updates with my ancient internet connection, all the games and updates are instantly available, and with me eSATA connection transferring 30GB of data doesn't really take that long.

Scirwode

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The built in backup function is totally broken. Don't even try to use it with more than two or three games at once, it just won't work.

As stated above, it does not back up saves, just the game content.

The best thing to do is backup the steamapps folder. Then on your new PC just install steam, then quit the program. Copy in your steamapps, and restart Steam. You'll have all your games just sitting there ready to play, complete with all your save games and settings.

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Just Copy the whole steam folder, you don't even need to reinstall, it will also run from the external drive. (in windows 7/vista it automatically installs as a service when you run it as administrator)

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In preparation for delivery of my super new gaming rig, I'm downloading a bunch of games via Steam onto my laptop. I'm pretty sure I know how to backup and restore full steam game downloads but can someone confirm this for me?

I just need to download the games. copy the SteamApps folder to another drive and then, once steam is installed on the new pc, I simply start then stop the game download process (letting Steam rebuild the game files etc) before shutting Steam down and copying the backed up SteamApps folder across.

Is that right?

Yep you can backup steamapps, install steam on new drive, open it up once, exit, copy old steamapps, open steam and they should be there.

I actually prefer an even easier way. When I format since I already had steam installed to a separate drive i simply make a shortcut to the steam .exe on the other drive, open it, it automagically installs the steam service and works perfectly on the first open with all my games there :)

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No it backs up the game content. Infact I don't think it backs up game saves. Might save you a bit of space too depending on how many games your backing up (Dragon Age for example, 15GB installed, backed up with steam is 8GB). If space isn't an issue though, I'd use your method as it's a lot quicker.

Which also makes it incredibly slow if you are doing a large volume of games (took me ages with about 80+).

Also I had it sort of lock my PC up when I did that batch of 80 or so, PC became unresponsive and I figured it was just busy uncompressing everything. Looked the next day and it had halted some where and had gone off and downloaded half the games in the background blowing about 20 gigs in bandwidth until the point I killed the transfer.

I'd copy the directory, it's faster and easier and space probably isn't that big an issue. I'm unsure whether the built in back up utility would reserve settings or saves either.

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I did it the way I described in my initial post and it worked a treat.

My new Pc is AMAZING.

Played Crysis for a bit - can't believe I waited this long to get a pc capable of playing it!

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