Files containing downloaded content

[Unfocused]

I am about to format my drive but I don't want to backup the whole HL2 content as I have the game on CDs and can install it from there. I would like to backup only the downloaded content as I don't want to download the patches, maps, etc. again. Which file(s) do I have to backup?

 

[Danimal]

Umm, maybe the .gcfs on thier own? Why would you only want teh game without updates?

 

[UndeadScottsman]

Well, the game downloads all content into one big main file, so you're out of luck on specific downloads for anything except for Half-Life 2 deathmatch (half-life 2 deathmatch.gcf). However, the source engine.gcf had a number of changes to it and it's rather small (Well, reletivly.. 70mb) so you might as well back it up too.. Everything else you'll have to download again or back up some REALLY big files.

These are stored in your Steam\Steamapps folder. Also in this folder should be another folder with your username on it: This is where save games and any third party content go. (Any mods will be in the Source Mods folder inside the Steamapps folder)

 

[Unfocused]

Danimal, you misunderstood me. I want to backup only the downloaded content.

But if I backup "half-life 2 deathmatch.gcf" (or whatever it's called), won't Steam download it again anyway? I have to do something with the clientregistry.blob (so Steam "knows" which content is already there) but I don't know what. Anyone formatted their drives and had to backup their game? Did you backup the whole game?

 

[Chris D]

Right click on the games you want to back up and then copy the main files on to CD. They will not need to be re-downloaded.

As for any custom content you may have downloaded:

Go to C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\youraccountnamehere\ and highlight all of the folders in this directory. Make sure you have something like WinZip or PowerArchiver. Right click and then click on something like "Compress to .zip file". It will then put all of the files into an archive and remember the original directory they were taken from.

Then when you format your drive. Reinstall Steam. Put all the backed up files on from the CD then go to youracountname directory again and extract the .zip files into there.

Should do the trick!!