install games in a different location to steam questions

naidoo · 04-05-2012, 12:48 AM

im about to get a SSD which is only 120 GB which i know will get filled fast due the the amount of games i have and programs.

and i had a few questions before i format and go ahead with all this

1) how will i go about installing steam on my SSD and installing games on my HDD? i tried reading the guide and couldn't quite understand it

2) will my games update normally if i install the games on a different drive to steam for example steam is install on C:\ and games are installed on D:\

3) will i have any issues with steam due to the games being on another drive (errors, steam thinking the game is not installed etc)

any help with be appreciated thanks

Fish-E · 04-05-2012, 12:51 AM

I've got steam installed on my hard drive, as it's a lot easier to create symbolic links for the 3 games on my SSD than the 100 on my HDD.

1. You can do this by creating a symbolic link using the command prompt, I have a guide I can try to give you when I get back from the hospital (hopefully about 2 hours)

2. Yep

3. Shouldn't do

naidoo · 04-05-2012, 12:56 AM

thanks link me the guide once you get the chance im probably going to get an ssd in about a week once i get paid, currently im running a WD black 1tb it doesn't lag stall etc but im thinking i might just get one soon if i can afford it.

or should i wait due to the prices dropping?

TeKraken · 04-05-2012, 01:30 AM

I have heard that some valve games don't like to be moved.

You can also use these tools to move steam games around, they basically make the sym links for you:

SteamMover
SteamTool
Gamesave manager.

Games don't benefit too much from an SSD, levels load and save faster but you wont notice an improvement in FPS.

SSD prices are falling steadily but weren't effected by the floods like HDD were.

naidoo · 04-05-2012, 01:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TeKraken

I have heard that some valve games don't like to be moved.

You can also use these tools to move steam games around, they basically make the sym links for you:

SteamMover
SteamTool
Gamesave manager.

Games don't benefit too much from an SSD, levels load and save faster but you wont notice an improvement in FPS.

SSD prices are falling steadily but weren't effected by the floods like HDD were.

yeh i was thinking if it will benefit much at all due to the fact everything runs smoothly already i keep changing my mind

TeKraken · 04-05-2012, 01:36 AM

Get one for your OS and frequently used apps by all means.
You will notice that!

I wouldn't get one just for games though.

graspee · 04-05-2012, 03:20 AM

The number of games that don't work if they are moved and symlinked is approximately 1%. You may get lucky, you may get unlucky.

Pheace · 04-05-2012, 03:39 AM

It does wonders for the OS. For games it's really a miss and hit. Fallout new Vegas ran absolutely smoothly for me since i moved it on an SSD though, and that was 1920x1080 *and* streaming it. If you have games that load a lot of textures all the time then it should help (I think), MMO's probably too.

FreemanForPrez · 04-05-2012, 03:43 AM

After you get it set up to run with a symbolic link, be sure to pop by the Suggestions Forum and demand that Valve make it so that we can do this natively within Steam.

There's no excuse for Steam not being able to do this on its own, and I suspect that any support tickets made for a game using symbolic links would be denied.

04-05-2012, 12:48 AM	#1
naidoo Join Date: Aug 2009 Reputation: 0 Posts: 292	install games in a different location to steam questions im about to get a SSD which is only 120 GB which i know will get filled fast due the the amount of games i have and programs. and i had a few questions before i format and go ahead with all this 1) how will i go about installing steam on my SSD and installing games on my HDD? i tried reading the guide and couldn't quite understand it 2) will my games update normally if i install the games on a different drive to steam for example steam is install on C:\ and games are installed on D:\ 3) will i have any issues with steam due to the games being on another drive (errors, steam thinking the game is not installed etc) any help with be appreciated thanks

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04-05-2012, 12:51 AM	#2
Fish-E Volunteer Moderator Join Date: Dec 2008 Reputation: 4213 Posts: 4,781	I've got steam installed on my hard drive, as it's a lot easier to create symbolic links for the 3 games on my SSD than the 100 on my HDD. 1. You can do this by creating a symbolic link using the command prompt, I have a guide I can try to give you when I get back from the hospital (hopefully about 2 hours) 2. Yep 3. Shouldn't do

04-05-2012, 12:56 AM	#3
naidoo Join Date: Aug 2009 Reputation: 0 Posts: 292	thanks link me the guide once you get the chance im probably going to get an ssd in about a week once i get paid, currently im running a WD black 1tb it doesn't lag stall etc but im thinking i might just get one soon if i can afford it. or should i wait due to the prices dropping?

04-05-2012, 01:30 AM	#4
TeKraken Join Date: Nov 2011 Reputation: 4620 Posts: 6,067	I have heard that some valve games don't like to be moved. You can also use these tools to move steam games around, they basically make the sym links for you: SteamMover SteamTool Gamesave manager. Games don't benefit too much from an SSD, levels load and save faster but you wont notice an improvement in FPS. SSD prices are falling steadily but weren't effected by the floods like HDD were.

04-05-2012, 01:36 AM	#6
TeKraken Join Date: Nov 2011 Reputation: 4620 Posts: 6,067	Get one for your OS and frequently used apps by all means. You will notice that! I wouldn't get one just for games though.

04-05-2012, 03:20 AM	#7
graspee Join Date: Jul 2011 Reputation: 1046 Posts: 2,687	The number of games that don't work if they are moved and symlinked is approximately 1%. You may get lucky, you may get unlucky.

04-05-2012, 03:39 AM	#8
Pheace Join Date: Sep 2009 Reputation: 830 Posts: 2,510	It does wonders for the OS. For games it's really a miss and hit. Fallout new Vegas ran absolutely smoothly for me since i moved it on an SSD though, and that was 1920x1080 and streaming it. If you have games that load a lot of textures all the time then it should help (I think), MMO's probably too.

04-05-2012, 03:43 AM	#9
FreemanForPrez Join Date: May 2008 Reputation: 6566 Posts: 3,823	After you get it set up to run with a symbolic link, be sure to pop by the Suggestions Forum and demand that Valve make it so that we can do this natively within Steam. There's no excuse for Steam not being able to do this on its own, and I suspect that any support tickets made for a game using symbolic links would be denied.