Recovering files after Steam update

Question

I've come across this issue a couple times now. I was downloading a game when Steam ran an update of the client, which makes the client restart downloading the game from the beginning. I had already downloaded over 9GB out of 11. However, when I go check the game folder, I can see that there are around 19GB of data (I can confirm that the data currently downloaded goes into this folder). I guess that the client decompresses the files as it downloads them, so it scans the folder looking for the compressed versions of the files, which can't be found. This is just my theory though.

The same thing happened last year, and I can see that I have another folder with over 50GB of data (it was NBA 2K).

Any idea how I can fix this issue and "recover" this data?

Thanks

Answer 1

So with your internet connection being slow, i can understand not wanting to wait several days to redownload a game. This isn't guaranteed to work, since in some cases things like updates can cause problems.

Note: if it has downloaded the files already, you need to think carefully before doing these steps or you may have to start the download over again.

1. Backup the old game files somewhere
2. Delete the game via the steam client
3. Check the game folder and delete the rest of the files/folders
4. Copy the backed up game data files/folders over to the game folder again (close steam client just to make sure)
5. If you see a InstallScript.vdf file in the game folder, delete it.
6. Have steam install the game.

Best case scenario it sees the game files and says it's updated. Worst case, it still rejects the files for whatever reason and wants to redownload it. You may also have luck just having it validate the game files and it decides to work, but I did see one person say that if you have it install the games files in steam, pause it when it starts to download the game, copy the game files over to the game folder, and then validate the files it may work.

There doesn't seem to be a way that works every time, but if you need to validate the files, right click on the game in steam, go to properties, go to the Local Files tab, and then click Verify Integrity of Game Cache.

The only other thing I would suggest is just to let it download the game and find something else to do until it finishes. It's tough, but sometimes it's better to be patient than to waste your time.

Answer 2

I found a solution here : http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3013670. I hope that will help someone.