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I just downloaded Black Mesa, and when installing it I tried to install it in the Steam folder on another partition instead of the default one in Program Files, in 

D:\Steam\SteamApps\sourcemods\BMS

The installer proceeded without a hitch, but when I tried to restart Steam as per the instructions after the installer finished, the game didn't show up in my Steam game list. How do I get Steam to recognise the game?

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  • Do you have a steam library set up in that location? You can have "secondary" libraries now
    – Ben Brocka
    Apr 25, 2013 at 15:06
  • @BenBrocka Yes, that's exactly what I did, which is why D: drive has the Steam folder in the first place
    – Private Pansy
    Apr 25, 2013 at 15:14
  • It may not matter, but is Half Life 2 also installed on the partition?
    – WingManEXE
    Apr 26, 2013 at 14:16
  • @WingManEXE No. I don't have any Source engine games except Portal 2, which is installed on the same partition
    – Private Pansy
    Apr 26, 2013 at 14:21

2 Answers 2

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I think Source mods can only be installed in the main Steam Library folder, since they're based on the old .GCF format, which doesn't support multi-library installation.

However, you can do a small trick to make Steam think the game is on its original drive:

  1. Open a command prompt in your original Steam drive's SourceMods folder. (Shift-Right click the folder's background and choose "Open command window here")
  2. Type mklink /J BMS D:\Steam\SteamApps\sourcemods\BMS.
  3. Restart Steam.

That command creates a NTFS Junction: a sort-of symbolic link for directories on Windows. Junctions are the earlier kind of Windows symlinks (Vista added full-capability symlinks for files and folders), but it's also the only kind that's fully transparent unless the application specifically asks Windows if the folder is a Junction.

Basically, Steam will now see a new folder called "BMS" and once it enters it, it will be able to access every file in the actual folder (which is on drive D) as if it was on its own drive, transparently. However, if you move the original folder, you'll have to recreate the link.

I use lots of these for all kinds of purposes, like redirecting Documents/Music/Pictures/etc. from my SSD to my data drive, redirecting game save directories to Dropbox for cloud syncing (for games that don't support it), and moving games back and forth between my SSD and my games drive. Right now, L.A. Noire is sitting on my SSD while Steam believes it's on my Steam drive.

It's also a fully-supported, native feature that Windows itself uses for some folders, so you can count on it.

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The problem may be that you don't have the Source engine on that partition, so the game isn't viewed as complete, and thus not recognized. According to the website, "This total conversion will not require Half-Life: Source to play - only the Source SDK Base 2007 which is available for free on Steam." Try installing that and see where that gets you.

EDIT: As you've tried this, it doesn't really apply. However, I found a guide on the official website just now that specifically addresses this problem: http://wiki.blackmesasource.com/Troubleshooting_FAQ#The_mod_didn.27t_show_up_on_my_Steam.27s_games_library_after_the_installation.2FSteam_restart.

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  • Yeah, I already did that, then reinstalled the game again. No luck.
    – Private Pansy
    Apr 26, 2013 at 14:47
  • Did you run the base pack once? And for good measure, did you also grab the 2006 pack and run it?
    – WingManEXE
    Apr 26, 2013 at 14:52
  • Yes, and yes to both of those questions
    – Private Pansy
    Apr 26, 2013 at 15:05
  • Take a look at the link above and the guides it links too, it should help.
    – WingManEXE
    Apr 26, 2013 at 15:13
  • The link to the Steam forums was able to give me a link to launch the game, but when I tried adding that link to Steam it failed. I didn't try the reddit instructions because the instructions would still require me to switch to "tools" just to play the game, which isn't ideal.
    – Private Pansy
    Apr 27, 2013 at 10:50

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