How Do I Reinstall Steam Games?

06-21-2008, 11:59 AM

Sup guys. I was wondering, how do I reinstall Steam Games without having my cd on me?

Thing is, I lost my HL2 Holiday Edition disc but I have a steam account.

If I uninstall the game + steam, can I reinstall it by just logging onto my steam account?

*I only ask this cause I'm getting a new harddrive and I want to use it my old one for music and stuff.

Please help me

.

jaxdia · 06-21-2008, 12:15 PM

Yessiree bob. Steam keeps a record of everything you've purchased and registered with Steam (i.e. typed in a CD key) and you can download as much or as little as you like. I've reinstalled dozens and dozens of times and that's how I always do it.

Which is handy. My Steam list is enormous and I'm sure Windows would have a whining session if I installed everything.

shackanaw · 06-21-2008, 12:57 PM

If you want to save time/bandwidth you can use the backup feature: https://support.steampowered.com/kb_...8794-YPHV-2033

10-17-2009, 08:29 PM

how do you reinstall i need to reinstall my left for dead

09-18-2010, 11:40 AM

Yes, how do you reinstall? I can't figure it out. Everyone I read makes it sound like it's super easy or something. BUT WHERE IS THE OPTION? I cannot see it anywhere!

BoroBurner · 09-18-2010, 11:52 AM

This is (was) a 2+ year old thread...

Anyway: Open the Steam client, go to your Library and double-click on the game you wish to install. You can also right-click on the name of the game and the first option will be "Install Game". That's all there is to it.

09-18-2010, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoroBurner

This is (was) a 2+ year old thread...

Anyway: Open the Steam client, go to your Library and double-click on the game you wish to install. You can also right-click on the name of the game and the first option will be "Install Game". That's all there is to it.

Nope. Double clicking gets me the game start up display, not installation. I tried deleting the game and then double clicking in steam client and I get a message that the 'game is not currently working, try again later'....

Right clicking on the game gives me a list of options, none of which are "Install Game", the top one is "Play Game". I go to options and click on "Verify Integrity of Game Cache" and it actually tells me that the files are validated! But I can't play the Native game, because all those files have been overwritten and I can't restore them.

I've even tried "Delete Local Game Content", all that does is remove the Mount and Blade icon from my steam folder in Start Menu...

EDIT: Reinstalling Steam, without deleting anything, seems to have allowed the "Verify Integrity of Game Cache" to realize the game was missing the correct files and to properly download them. Yeah! Still no options to "Install Game" anywhere though.

WarLokk1980 · 09-18-2010, 12:56 PM

Say, for instance you format your HDD and reinstall Windows then install Steam and sign into your account then all the games will have the option install available. The problem you have is the game isn't uninstalling properly

10-09-2010, 12:09 PM

ive been wondering that to, everyone says you can but how? i want to reinstall portal because its not working, but i dont want to delete it or something just to find out i messed up. anyone know how to delete then reinstall games?

Maledict21 · 10-09-2010, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soratms71

ive been wondering that to, everyone says you can but how? i want to reinstall portal because its not working, but i dont want to delete it or something just to find out i messed up. anyone know how to delete then reinstall games?

If the "Delete local content" option is not working for you, you can delete the content manually by following these instructions:

Exit Steam
Navigate to "C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps" and delete the following GCF files:
"portal content.gcf"
"portal english.gcf" (or any other language)
Navigate to "SteamApps\<username>"
Backup any save games you wish to keep (located in the "portal" folder)
Delete the "portal" folder
Start Steam
Right click on Portal and select "Install Game"

EDIT:

Due to previous posts in this thread and the wording of your post, I assumed that the "Delete local content" option was not working for you. If it is working, the best option is the one that Nekomancer has outlined below.

Nekomancer · 10-09-2010, 12:32 PM

Rightclick --> Delete local content --> Game is now gone. --> Click on Play game --> Steam begins downloading.

Jeep · 11-22-2010, 05:19 PM

Will I lose all of my Content by Uninstalling it. I want to know before I uninstall TF2.

07-11-2011, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nekomancer

Rightclick --> Delete local content --> Game is now gone. --> Click on Play game --> Steam begins downloading.

Thanks

) now my New Vegas will work..hopefully

12-21-2010, 04:13 PM

should there not be a way to re-install a game through steam without having to re-download it?

PrvtChurch · 07-11-2011, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ninjasandwich

should there not be a way to re-install a game through steam without having to re-download it?

Yeah a steam backup.

06-21-2008, 11:59 AM	#1
AirHendrix Guest Posts: n/a	How Do I Reinstall Steam Games? Sup guys. I was wondering, how do I reinstall Steam Games without having my cd on me? Thing is, I lost my HL2 Holiday Edition disc but I have a steam account. If I uninstall the game + steam, can I reinstall it by just logging onto my steam account? *I only ask this cause I'm getting a new harddrive and I want to use it my old one for music and stuff. Please help me .

10-09-2010, 12:09 PM	#9
soratms71 Guest Posts: n/a	same question O.o ive been wondering that to, everyone says you can but how? i want to reinstall portal because its not working, but i dont want to delete it or something just to find out i messed up. anyone know how to delete then reinstall games?

11-22-2010, 05:19 PM	#12
Jeep Join Date: Nov 2010 Reputation: 0 Posts: 17	Will I lose all of my Content by Uninstalling it. Will I lose all of my Content by Uninstalling it. I want to know before I uninstall TF2.

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06-21-2008, 12:15 PM	#2
jaxdia Join Date: Jun 2008 Reputation: 0 Posts: 58	Yessiree bob. Steam keeps a record of everything you've purchased and registered with Steam (i.e. typed in a CD key) and you can download as much or as little as you like. I've reinstalled dozens and dozens of times and that's how I always do it. Which is handy. My Steam list is enormous and I'm sure Windows would have a whining session if I installed everything.

06-21-2008, 12:57 PM	#3
shackanaw Join Date: Feb 2008 Reputation: 120 Posts: 1,289	If you want to save time/bandwidth you can use the backup feature: https://support.steampowered.com/kb_...8794-YPHV-2033

10-17-2009, 08:29 PM	#4
spore aditced Guest Posts: n/a	how do you reinstall i need to reinstall my left for dead

09-18-2010, 11:40 AM	#5
kitsunegames Guest Posts: n/a	Yes, how do you reinstall? I can't figure it out. Everyone I read makes it sound like it's super easy or something. BUT WHERE IS THE OPTION? I cannot see it anywhere!

09-18-2010, 11:52 AM	#6
BoroBurner Join Date: Jan 2009 Reputation: 102 Posts: 147	This is (was) a 2+ year old thread... Anyway: Open the Steam client, go to your Library and double-click on the game you wish to install. You can also right-click on the name of the game and the first option will be "Install Game". That's all there is to it.

09-18-2010, 12:56 PM	#8
WarLokk1980 Join Date: Mar 2009 Reputation: 97 Posts: 1,085	Say, for instance you format your HDD and reinstall Windows then install Steam and sign into your account then all the games will have the option install available. The problem you have is the game isn't uninstalling properly

10-09-2010, 12:32 PM	#11
Nekomancer Join Date: Mar 2008 Reputation: 2386 Posts: 15,164	Rightclick --> Delete local content --> Game is now gone. --> Click on Play game --> Steam begins downloading.

12-21-2010, 04:13 PM	#14
ninjasandwich Guest Posts: n/a	should there not be a way to re-install a game through steam without having to re-download it?