STEAM - Install new Game to different Folder/Drive?

[JimmyRecard00]

Hello

FYI - might not be what you think from reading the title...

I have a bunch of small games installed with saves games etc on my system drive but there's no room left!

I want to install some other larger games now onto an External HDD and ideally not touch the system drive steam folders at all... leave that be?

Is there a way I can do that without deleting/moving or messing up the current steam game installations and instead just install new games on the External drive? (BTW deleting these tiny games would make no difference).

BTW this is just a stop gap - won't be forever... will redo everything down the road but I need somet solution for now/a little while.

This is for Win 8.1.


Thank you for your help


Cheers

 

[Brian Boru]

You should find the info you need in this thread from 1-2 days ago:

How do i move steam games

My second ssd drive that i use to store games is getting full so i plan to get this. Amazon.co.uk : WD 4 TB My Passport Portable Hard Drive with Password Protection and Auto Backup Software - Black I am choosing an external one as i dont want to start messing around inside my case. How do i...

forums.pcgamer.com

In short, you can do what you want no problem, but note the warning about the performance hit from an external drive. Much better if you could use another internal drive, ideally SSD.

 

[JimmyRecard00]

Hi Brian Boru

In short, you can do what you want no problem, but note the warning about the performance hit from an external drive

Actually that's not quite what I want to do... I've edited my original post to try to make it a little clearer.


For now I'd like to leave my current Steam folders where they are - but asking if I can set up a 'second' steam folder location on an external drive ONLY for new games I install from now on.

It's only a stop gap - won't be forever - but I really need to test my old video card to see if I can get by with it for a while or not - buy there's just no room to allow me to do that?

Can this be done?


The idea below is an EXTRA - but the main idea above is what I'd like to do if possible...


For example - one game I was thinking of trying was CS Go.... If I can't have two sets of Steam folders - could I somehow just install CS Go and or other new game installs on their own without steam/folders on the external drive?

I know I have an Origin loader/login and I think Ubisoft too - is there something like that I can use or just install the game on it's own without messing with steam?


Thanks for your help



cheers

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

@JimmyRecard00

Make sure the external drive is connected and in Steam go to:

Steam>Settings>Downloads>Steam Library folders and click on the '+' in the storage manager screen to add the external to your Steam drives.

You can choose where to put games when you install them. Its better to have a USB3.1 connection to the drive for speed. I've heard people say you can play from externals, but I would imagine performance wouldn't be that great, varying game by game and depending on the speed of the external drive in question.

You can move the installation folders from the external to your main drive in the same window by selecting them from the list of installed games and choosing which drive to move to.

I think that's what youre asking?

You can also just cut and paste them around like I've been doing for years because there didn't used to be that tool and I never bothered to find a better way until now

 

[JimmyRecard00]

Hey Kaamos_Llama

Steam>Settings>Downloads>Steam Library folders and click on the '+' in the storage manager screen to add the external to your Steam drives.

Nice one man!
You've solved my problem perfectly.

You can move the installation folders from the external to your main drive in the same window by selecting them from the list of installed games and choosing which drive to move to.

So assuming I'm hearing you right - I could do it the other way around instead yeah...

When I'm done later and want to back everything I'd first want to consolidate ALL my steam installs together in one place - then back them up.

So I just tell steam to move all of the original steam installs from the system drive over to the external hdd with the other newer installs right?



Thank you for all your help


cheers

 

[Brian Boru]

Can this be done?

Yes, as @Kaamos_Llama has explained very clearly.

I've heard people say you can play from externals, but I would imagine performance wouldn't be that great, varying game by game

You would have a longer game load time except for tiny games, and then any games which need to move data back and forth—eg loading textures or new world areas—would very probably stutter and shudder.

one game I was thinking of trying was CS Go

Don't know anything about that game, but my guess is you'll have poor performance with any action games like that.

 

[JimmyRecard00]

Hi Brian Boru

Don't know anything about that game, but my guess is you'll have poor performance with any action games like that.

What kinds/types of games would be less affected by the external drive?


cheers

 

[Brian Boru]

Non-action games. Turn-based, adventure, 4X for example.

 

[JimmyRecard00]

Non-action games. Turn-based, adventure, 4X for example.

ok... cheers