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I use (and have it much bigger) drive D: to store all my user data and games, but I have installed the Steam client on drive C:. When I was installing a first game (Warhammer 40000), I've chosen to place my library folder on drive D: and the game went there. But now as I've got installed the second game (Portal), I can see that it was put on drive C: despite to the choice I've done previously. When I open Steam - Settings - Downloads + Cloud - Steam library folders, I can see both installation places in the list. Can I merge them into one? I would even agree to use the default drive C: library (as I've replaced it with a symlink already). When I press to remove one library it says it can only remove empty ones.

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It is not a duplicate. I mean what I mean: actually move a game from one library to another, the story about the disks is just a story behind. @johnoboy – Ivan Dec 17 '12 at 19:48
@jmfsg, SteamMover uses junction points to trick around Steam, but my question is to manage actual Steam libraries. – Ivan Dec 17 '12 at 19:53
You are right, re-opened – jmfsg♦ Dec 17 '12 at 19:56
Thank you, @jmfsg – Ivan Dec 17 '12 at 19:57
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Portal 1 I think is one that uses shared content and can't be placed in a non-default game library, so that might explain why you put it on C (you didn't have a choice). – George Duckett Dec 18 '12 at 9:26
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3 Answers

up vote 7 down vote

No, there doesn't appear to be built in functionality to allow you to move a game between Steam libraries on the same system. Here is what I did though;

  • Browse to the steamapps folder that the game is currently installed into
  • Copied the game folder for the game I wanted to move into the other Steam library
  • Deleted the game within Steam (delete local content)
  • Reinstalled the game, selecting the other game library

This finished "downloading" to the new location instantly, since the files were already present in the new location.

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up vote 6 down vote

I done something similar few months ago.

As far as I remember I simply turn off Steam then cut and paste game folders from my HDD steamapps to external Drive steamapps folder. After turning on Steam "repaired" games downloading 100-200 MB and that was it.

Here you have tutorial from Valve how to do similar stuff.

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While I have not had my steam folder separated like the OP, I have moved the full steam folder several times and across computers (upgrades) by turning off steam and moving the folder. Steam figured this out right away and recovered pretty easily as you stated. – horatio Dec 18 '12 at 18:16
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This works for moving the SteamApps directory wholesale, but unfortunately not consistently for individual games. One must follow kalina's directions to solve OP's (and my) issue. – Mike S Mar 31 at 17:16
up vote 1 down vote

I have created a youtube video on how to do something like this.

Basically, you backup the games to a location, then delete the games' local content, then go to

Steam --> Backup and Restore Games...

Restore your games and pick the new location for them to install to. All from disc; no downloading.

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