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Restore Steam Games From Old Hard Drive

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Steam is one of the most popular digital distribution platform developed by Valve Corporation. The company announced Steam back in 2003 and since then it has been one of the top choices of gamers.

3 Right click the games you want to install and choose download. 4 Once the downloads are running on those games, pause the downloads. 5 Exit the Origin client. 6 Copy back the game folders to C: Program Files (x86) Origin Games and overwrite existing files that were downloaded. 7 After copying, start the Origin client again.

While we do have a better internet connection now, it is always a pain to download games due to their big size. Steam came up with an easy solution to fix this problem in case you decide to uninstall a game or change your device altogether. This way you can have a backup of the game and you can easily restore it back without download the whole thing again.

How to Backup Steam Games

  • Recover data from SATA / SCSI / IDE / SSD etc., hard drives; Recover hard disk when it has crashed or does not boot; Recover data from formatted hard disk, even after re-installing Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, XP, Server 2003 & 2008. Recover hard disc data lost due to partitioning errors; You can even add / edit new signatures for files that are.
  • Backing up all of your games. It is recommended that you use the method outlined in Moving a Steam Installation as this will save time and simplify the backup and restore process. Creating Backup Files. Open your Steam Library; From a game's library page, select Manage Properties.; From the Local Files tab select Backup game files.; Check the boxes for games to backup at this time.
  • Open Steam and right click on the game you want to backup and select 'Backup Game Files'. Another way to do this is to click on steam on the top and select Backup and Restore Games from the drop-down menu.
  • Select the game you want to backup in the dialog box and click Next.
  • Now you'll need to select the place where you want to backup. It can be both external drive or internal drive.
  • On the next screen, you can select if you want the game to be backed-up in equal parts of 640 MB (CD) or 4.7 GB (DVD) size. Alternatively, you can also select custom and define the size as per your requirements.
  • On the same screen, you need to define the file name for the backup.
  • Click next and the backup will start. This will take some time depending on the file size.

This will backup the game on your drive and you can use it to install it back later using the following steps.

How to Restore Steam Games

  • Click on Steam on the top and select Backup and Restore Games from the drop-down menu. Then select Restore a previous backup in the dialog box and click next.
  • Now click browse on the next screen and select the backup folder and click next.
  • Now you need to specify the folder where you want to install the game and also specify if you want to create a desktop icon and start menu shortcut.
  • Once done, click next and the restore will start. This will take sometime depending on the size of the game. Also, Steam will download and install any new updates for the game simultaneously.

This was how you can backup and restore games using Steam's Backup and Restore feature. While Steam's Backup and Restore feature is reliable, it is really slow and will take more time than usual copy paste. If you're okay with working a little more and take manual backup then head below and follow our guide for the same. Moreover, it has been a while since Steam updated their Backup and Restore feature which makes it a little slower than the usual copy paste of game files.

How to manually Backup and Restore Steam Games

  • Go to the Steam Installation folder. For Windows 10, the default path is 'C:/Program Files (x86)/Steam/steamapps/common'.
  • The folder will have sub-folders with all the installed games. Most of the games will carry the original name while some might be abbreviated.
  • Select the games you want to backup and copy them. Now paste them into another folder or drive where you wish to take the backup.

That's it. This should backup all the game files to another drive. Make sure to backup the save files from Documents as well.

How to manually Restore Steam Games

  • First copy and paste the games you wish to restore to 'C:/Program Files (x86)/Steam/steamapps/common'.
  • Once done, open Steam and select the game and click Install.
  • Technically, Steam should start downloading the game at this stage but it will run a check for the game files first and since they are already there, the game will be installed directly instead of downloading. Although, it might still download any new updates which were not the part of the original backed up folder.

Also, make sure the install location and the location where you pasted the game matches else it will start downloading the game again. This sure is long and a little laborious process but is fast. So, you can actually use any of the above methods to backup and restore games. Just make sure you follow the method exactly and backup the save files as well. They are usually stored in My Documents or My Games folder. Apart from that, now Steam also allows users to store save files on the Steam Cloud so don't panic if you can't find the files in My Documents. The save files are stored in a bunch of different places depending on the games. You just have to make sure you've backed them up. Also, you can check the guides online to see where files are saved by default if you can't find it yourself.

We do hope this guide helped you to backup and restore games. Do let us know which method you prefer to backup and restore games on Steam.

Stay calm when Steam deleted your favorite games or you carelessly deleted Steam game files. Practical and professional solutions provided by the Steam support team, YouTubers and EaseUS software are ready here help you bring lost Steam game and game files back with ease.

A brief guide on how to restore Steam missing downloaded files:

Open Steam and click on the Library button at the top of the window. Right-click on the game that doesn't run, and click on Properties. Click on Local Files, then click on Verify the integrity of the game cache. Re-try running/updating the game with the issue.

The following table displays the outlines of all the effective methods on how to restore missing downloaded files Steam. Go to each part to check details.

Workable SolutionsStep-by-step Troubleshooting
Fix 1. Restore from Steam libraryOpen the Steam game player and go to Library. Find the lost game name and select 'Properties'..Full steps
Fix 2. Add installation librariesLaunch Steam. Go to 'Steam' > 'Settings' > 'Downloads'> Click 'Steam Library Folder'..Full steps
Fix 3. Rename ClientRegistry.blob Open your Steam installation folder and selecting 'Open file location'. Locate the ClientRegistry.blob file..Full steps
Fix 4. Restore lost game filesFind Steam game files on PC, and then recover lost steam game files (including game videos, screenshots)..Full steps
Fix 5. Remove content and reinstallRemove local content on Steam by going to Steam Library > right-click it and select 'Delete Local Content'..Full steps

Steam Games have gained a high reputation for that this powerful platform has brought so many wonderful games to worldwide game players. Windows users may carelessly delete or removed Steam game files or installing patches from their computers under Windows 10/8/7 etc.

Fortunately, you can follow multiple Steam Game file recovery solutions provided by the Steam support team, experienced YouTubers, and EaseUS software here to bring all your lost Steam games back immediately.

Steam Game Files Lost Problems

Q 1. Steam doesn't recognize my games, help.

'It seems that the Steam stops working after I upgrade the computer system into Windows 10. It's located in D: drive, but it just cannot recognize my game files, what can I do?'

Q 2. Steam games appeared uninstalled, how do I get Steam to locate my games?

'Steam seems to lose the track of my installed games on my computer. I opened Steam but the game itself appears grayed out and I've checked that it's right there. How to make Steam to find my game files again? Do I need to download and reinstall the game again?'

Q 3. How do I restore deleted Steam game files?

'It seems that I lost my game files on Steam after a reboot of my computer. I tried to play the Dota 2 on Steam, it warned me that no game files were found. I don't know where to find the game files? Any solutions?'

You need to calm down when the Steam stops working or cannot read your Game files on your computer. And here below are detailed solutions for you to apply to recover lost Steam game files again.

Solutions for Lost Steam Games Recovery

The solutions towards different Steam games lost issues are varied. You need to be careful to choose the right solution to bring lost games back on your Steam.

Method 1. Restore Lost Games from Steam Library

Applies to: Resolve Steam games shows greyed out or not recognizable issue.

Provider by: YouTubers, Steam game players

If Steam stops you from playing games, warning you that no files were found, or Steam games greyed out in Steam LIBRARY, you may follow steps below to verify game files and make your games playable again:

Step 1. Open up Steam game player on your device and go to Library.

Step 2. Find the lost game name on the left panel, such as Dota 2, right-click on it and select 'Properties'.

Step 3. On the Properties window, click 'LOCAL FILES' and select 'VERIFY INTEGRITY OF GAME FILES..'.

Wait for the verifying process to finish, then you can open your beloved game and play it on Steam again.

Method 2. Add Installation Libraries/Folders to Steam and Make Game Playable

Applies to: Steam games appear uninstalled when Steam no longer recognizes the installation files.

Provided by: Steam support team, Steam game players.

As long as the game folders are still in the right location, when you try to launch a game, Steam will redownload the game for you. You can follow the below path to check if the game folders are in the proper location on your PC:

C:Program Files (x86)SteamSteamappsCommon

If the game folder is in the Steam file location, you can relaunch the game to redownload it on your Steam. Or you can follow the steps below to add alternative installation libraries or folders to Steam:

Step 1. Launch Steam and go to Steam > Settings > Downloads > Click 'Steam Library Folder'.

This will open all your current Steam Library folders.

Step 2. Click 'Add Library Folder' to select the folder with your installed games.

Wait for the adding process to finish, your installed games that appeared uninstalled will show up in your Steam Library. And you can play games again.

If this doesn't work, try the following tips provided by a Steam player to make Steam game show up in Steam again:

Step 1. Move everything from the original steam folder to a new folder, rename the original (empty) parent folder into a library folder.

Step 2. Move everything from the new folder back to the library folder and restart the client.

Steam Backup And Restore Games

Step 3. Start Steam, go to Steam > Settings > Downloads > Steam Library Folders.​

Step 4. Click 'Add Library Folder' and select the newly renamed library folder.

Wait for the process to finish, your disappeared games would show up again.

Method 3. Rename the ClientRegistry.blob File to Restore Missing Steam Games

Applies to: Restore missing Steam game files that cause Steam games lost.

Provided by: Geeks, Steam game players.

The ClientRegistry.blob file contains information related to your steam installation and game installations. Once you reset the file, Steam will reset various settings to default, making missing games show up in Steam and work again.

Step 1. Open your Steam installation folder by right-clicking on the Steam shortcut on your Desktop and selecting 'Open file location'.

Step 2. Locate the ClientRegistry.blob file in the Steam folder, right-click on it and select 'Rename'.

Steam Restore Game

Step 3. Change the ClientRegistry.blob to ClientRegistry.old.blob and confirm the changes.

Step 4. Restart your Steam client and check if your games are back.

Method 4. Restore Lost Steam Game Files - Recordings & Screenshots

Applies to: Restore lost or missing Steam game files, such as game installation files, or recordings, screenshots.

Provided by: Geeks, EaseUS software.

Usually, when Steam fails to read or recognize your game files, there might be something wrong with the files in the Steam file location. You may manually check the location of the Steam game files to find out whether those game files are there or apply EaseUS file recovery to fully scan and restore all lost game files.

# 1. Find Steam Game Files on PC

Where to find the Steam game files in PC? Here is the location that you can follow to check if the game files are there:

C:SteamUserdata55230Remote

C is the DriveLetter of the volume where Steam is installed onto.
Steam is the directory where Steam is installed into.
55230 is just the number Steam has assigned to your account.

If the files were not there, you may need to re-download the game files or follow the next tip to recover the lost Steam game files.

# 2. Recover Lost Steam Game Files (Including Game Videos, Screenshots)

Reliable file recovery software like EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard can find the lost Steam game files, including game videos, screenshot on your PC by fully scanning your computer hard drive.

You can try EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard to scan and restore lost Steam game files in 3 steps. All Windows systems including Windows 10 are supported.

Step 1. Choose the file location to scan.

Run EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard on your computer. Choose the drive where you lost files and click 'Scan'. If you lost files were on an external storage device, connect it to your computer firstly.

Step 2. Scan the lost files.

The software will start immediately a quick scan for deleted files, and later a deep scan will launch to scan more lost files all over the selected drive. After the scan, you can use the Filter to quickly filter a specific file type.

Step 3. Preview and restore files.

Double-click on a file allows for a full preview. Finally, select the desired files, click 'Recover' and browse a location to save all the files at once.

You can choose a safe location to save found Steam game files and then move the found game files back to the original Steam Game file location. After this, you can restart the Steam client to make your games playable again.

# 5. Remove Local Content and Reinstall Lost Steam Games

If you've tried or found lost Steam Game files, but it turned out that it still fails to work. You can try to remove the local content and reinstall the game on Steam:

Step 1. Remove local content on Steam Zuma full game online.

On Steam Library > Right-click it and select'Delete Local Content'.

Step 2. Reinstall beloved Steam games

Locate greyed out games in Steam LIBRARY, right-click on a specific game and select 'Install'.

Repeat the process until you have all the desired games installed. You can restart the Steam client to play games on your PC again.

Bonus Tips: Back Up and Restore Steam Games

Besides knowing remarkably efficient ways for lost Steam games recovery, you should also acquire reliable ways for backing up Steam games.

You can always survive whenever you lost Steam games or local saved game files including recordings, screenshots, etc. on your computer. Two reliable tips will help you fully back up Steam games and related game files on your own. Let's see the details:

# 1. Manually Back Up Steam Games

Step 1. Launch Steam on your PC, and go to the LIBRARY > Right-click on downloaded games that you want to back up and select 'Backup Game Files..'.

Step 2. Check the box in front of the games that you wish to backup, and click 'Next' to continue.

Restore Hard Disk Drive

Step 3. Select the location to save your Steam games backup and click 'Next' to continue.

Usually, the default backup location is C:/programs files (x86)/steam/Backups/. If you want to specify another location for saving the games, click 'Browse' to choose a new location.

Step 4. You can rename the backup files or keep the default generated name, and click 'Next' to continue.

Wait until the backup operation finishes. The backup speed is based on the size of your selected games.

When you need to restore the Steam backups of your favored games, you can simply go to Steam > Backup and Restore Games and follow the onscreen guidelines to finish the backup recovery process.

# 2. Back Up Local Saved Steam Game Files

Don't forget to back up your saved files of Steam games on your local drive. To do so, you should first learn what files need to be backed up on your PC?

First. Find Game Files Location for Backup

Restore Steam Games From Folder

Restore Steam Games From Old Hard Drive
  • Game folders: C:Program FilesSteamSteamAppscommon

Next. Back Up Game Files

You need now specify another secure drive or an external hard drive to continue the backup process.

After this, you can manually copy each folder one by one the target device or use reliable file backup software such as EaseUS Todo Backup to fully backup all files at one time.

This backup software enables you to selectively back up all desired files in only 3 steps:

Step 1: Launch EaseUS Todo Backup software and then choose 'File Backup', 'Disk/partition Backup' or 'System Backup' for different backup purpose.

Step 2: Choose the system, disk partition, files or apps that you want to back up. Then select a destination where you want to store the backup file.

Step 3: Click 'Proceed' to start the data backup process.





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