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STEAM cant find games after Windows Reinstall

4 posts · originally from https://geek.digit.in/community/threads/steam-cant-find-games-after-windows-reinstall.182800/

mikael_schiffer
mikael_schiffer Original post #1
Apr 13, 2014 at 2:59 PM
Before, my STEAM was installed in C drive (by default) but all my games are installed in D Drive

I had my C drive reformatted and reinstalled from scratch

Now i downloaded Steam again, from scratch, updated it fully. But it cant find the games anymore. Moreover Path of Exile doesnt even show up there.

My games are still intact.

DOTA 2 is in-------- D:\Games\DOTA 2\SteamApps\common\dota 2 beta ---8.64GB
(doesnt have Diretide,New Year and Chinese New Year patch)

Path of Exile is in --- D:\Games\DOTA 2\SteamApps\common\Path of Exile ---4.87GB

i know those are crazy install paths but Steam wasnt very clear in their instructions when i was installing these two games.

So how do i make STEAM find these games?

- - - Updated - - -

And whenever i try to bypass Steam client by directly running from the game's exe, I get the normal Valve intro with the Valve head and then i'm brought back to desktop and Steam client asking me to INSTALL the game when the friggin GAME IS ALREADY THERE!!!
Same prob with Path of Exile
*i61.tinypic.com/m7c7zm.jpg
gameranand
Apr 13, 2014 at 3:12 PM
Just proceed with the process and it will recognize the game files. It'll only download the updates, don't worry. :)
However please make the backup of those folders. And from next time on make Backup from Steam Client and then simple restore it, lengthy but a proper process and you will never get screwed.
flyingcow
Apr 13, 2014 at 4:17 PM
where is your new steam installed?? lets say D:\steam
copy your

D:\Games\DOTA 2\SteamApps


To

d:\steam\

then open steam
Niilesh
Niilesh #4
Apr 13, 2014 at 4:34 PM
It will just detect the useful files and update the rest if required