Split Steam app folder between 2 HDD?

NdMk2o1o · Dec 9, 2010, 05:34 AM

As the title suggests I want to find out if there's a way I can split my steam app folder on to 2 drives, specifically an SSD that I will be putting my OS and most used games and apps and a regular HDD for everything else?

ShiBDiB · Dec 9, 2010, 08:09 AM

not without being a pain in the balls

http://forums.steampowered.com/forum....php?t=1138731

IggSter · Dec 9, 2010, 08:17 AM

I would recommend playing with the command line (that SHiBDiB kindly linked in his post) with a couple of tempory folders until you are happy with the results.

Just make a folder on each drive, put a couple of sub-folders in each, and dump some txt files in these.

NdMk2o1o · Dec 9, 2010, 08:21 AM

Bah that sucks, oh well got a few weeks yet before I get my SSD may just end up putting steam on my HDD

IggSter · Dec 9, 2010, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NdMk2o1o

Bah that sucks, oh well got a few weeks yet before I get my SSD may just end up putting steam on my HDD

To be honest its not that difficult, all the command line does is link a folder to another location, example:

c:\test\folder1 can be linked to d:\folder1

If you click into folder1 on c:\ you are actually browsing the files in folder1 on d:

Here is a link to a GUI based version (I've not tried so best to test on temp folders)

http://code.google.com/p/symlinker/

H82LUZ73 · Dec 9, 2010, 09:14 AM

or thishttp://stefanjones.ca/steam/

or get one of these best of both worlds so they say....http://www.canadacomputers.com/produ...item_id=031555

IggSter · Dec 9, 2010, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by H82LUZ73

or thishttp://stefanjones.ca/steam/

or get one of these best of both worlds so they say....http://www.canadacomputers.com/produ...item_id=031555

I've just bought one of the OCZ IBIS drives (240GB) and my steam library is...240GB

, so that first link to the Steamtool looks ideal to put my less played games on my 1TB drives...thanks.

ShiBDiB · Dec 9, 2010, 12:22 PM

you could also have multiple installs of steam... i think.. and just install one on each hd

I see SPY! · Dec 9, 2010, 12:43 PM

Actually I think it's rather easy, using Link Shell Extension
Put whatever folder or files you want in the new location, then right-click them and choose "pick link source". Then, go to the Steam folder location where those files/folders should be and paste the symbollic link.

Easy Rhino · Dec 9, 2010, 04:47 PM

dont take this as flaming because i am interested, but why do this?

W1zzard · Dec 9, 2010, 04:47 PM

so you have one steam game on ssd.

ntfs junctions are reasonably easy to use in my opinion. just use mklink

Easy Rhino · Dec 9, 2010, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by W1zzard

so you have one steam game on ssd.

ntfs junctions are reasonably easy to use in my opinion. just use mklink

ok so for performance. your SSD is your boot/OS drive and you want the most played steam games on that drive and all the others on your standard 7200rpm drive. that makes sense.

Robert-The-Rambler · Dec 9, 2010, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Easy Rhino

ok so for performance. your SSD is your boot/OS drive and you want the most played steam games on that drive and all the others on your standard 7200rpm drive. that makes sense.

Seems like an easier deal for most as 7200 rpm hard drives are getting so cheap. Just bought the Seagate 1.5 terrabyte drive from the egg for $59.99. Do we really need more than peak read and write of about 120 mb/sec according to Atto? My Steam Account is way too big for SSD and I'm wondering if there is any benefit during gameplay.

Easy Rhino · Dec 9, 2010, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert-The-Rambler

Seems like an easier deal for most as 7200 rpm hard drives are getting so cheap. Just bought the Seagate 1.5 terrabyte drive from the egg for $59.99. Do we really need more than peak read and write of about 120 mb/sec according to Atto? My Steam Account is way too big for SSD and I'm wondering if there is any benefit during gameplay.

none during gameplay. it will load slightly faster though. i mean, if you need to save an extra 5 seconds over the course of an hour of game play then it is the perfect solution.

HookeyStreet · Dec 10, 2010, 11:30 AM

Will the benefits of doing this outweigh the headache?

EDIT: just seen Rhino's post LOL

W1zzard · Dec 10, 2010, 12:43 PM

it's 1 command line command.. and made a significant difference for me playing multiplayer games that have fairly quick map change

caleb · Dec 10, 2010, 12:48 PM

When will OS manage storage the same way it manages memory. It should know by itself that pron should go to D and BC2 should be on C

W1zzard · Dec 10, 2010, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caleb

When will OS manage storage the same way it manages memory. It should know by itself that pron should go to D and BC2 should be on C

how does your os manage pron in memory?

digibucc · Dec 10, 2010, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by W1zzard

it's 1 command line command.. and made a significant difference for me playing multiplayer games that have fairly quick map change

they really are pretty easy, just have the right syntax and replace some words, all set. I have a txt file with the commands to link specific folders saved, so i can just copy/paste after reinstalling windows.

qubit · Dec 10, 2010, 02:27 PM

Why not just get one big drive to store all your Steam games? You can then use the free Karen's Replicator backup application to back them up to another big drive.

When you initially install Steam, you simply point it to the drive you want, instead of C. Similarly, moving a Steam install isn't too hard and just involves a client install and a copy operation for the games. I forget the exact details and I'm at work right now, but it's all documented in the Steam FAQ.

I've got many gigs worth of Steam games and this solution works very well for me.

Mussels · Dec 10, 2010, 02:43 PM

i just have a dedicated games drive, and have no real slow down issues.

sure i bet an SSD would be faster, but a dedicated mechanical drive for just games is the second best thing after a dedicated games SSD.

Dec 9, 2010, 05:34 AM	#1
NdMk2o1o Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Redditch, Worcestershire, England Posts: 2,683 (2.32/day) Thanks: 336 Thanked 865 Times in 612 Posts System Specs	Split Steam app folder between 2 HDD? As the title suggests I want to find out if there's a way I can split my steam app folder on to 2 drives, specifically an SSD that I will be putting my OS and most used games and apps and a regular HDD for everything else? __________________ Bioshock Infinite, FC3, Crysis 3, Shogun 2, Dirt Showdown AMD bundle keys for sale: http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=182837

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Dec 9, 2010, 08:09 AM	#2
ShiBDiB Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Clifton Park, NY Posts: 3,140 (1.75/day) Thanks: 98 Thanked 620 Times in 464 Posts System Specs	not without being a pain in the balls http://forums.steampowered.com/forum....php?t=1138731 __________________ My Heatware

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Dec 9, 2010, 08:17 AM	#3
IggSter Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: BY-S36 Posts: 423 (0.20/day) Thanks: 138 Thanked 120 Times in 102 Posts System Specs	I would recommend playing with the command line (that SHiBDiB kindly linked in his post) with a couple of tempory folders until you are happy with the results. Just make a folder on each drive, put a couple of sub-folders in each, and dump some txt files in these. __________________

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Dec 9, 2010, 08:21 AM	#4
NdMk2o1o Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Redditch, Worcestershire, England Posts: 2,683 (2.32/day) Thanks: 336 Thanked 865 Times in 612 Posts System Specs	Bah that sucks, oh well got a few weeks yet before I get my SSD may just end up putting steam on my HDD __________________ Bioshock Infinite, FC3, Crysis 3, Shogun 2, Dirt Showdown AMD bundle keys for sale: http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=182837

Dec 9, 2010, 09:14 AM	#6
H82LUZ73 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Cobourg,Ontario Posts: 1,369 (0.72/day) Thanks: 1,139 Thanked 253 Times in 210 Posts System Specs	or thishttp://stefanjones.ca/steam/ or get one of these best of both worlds so they say....http://www.canadacomputers.com/produ...item_id=031555

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Dec 9, 2010, 12:22 PM	#8
ShiBDiB Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Clifton Park, NY Posts: 3,140 (1.75/day) Thanks: 98 Thanked 620 Times in 464 Posts System Specs	you could also have multiple installs of steam... i think.. and just install one on each hd __________________ My Heatware

Dec 9, 2010, 12:43 PM	#9
I see SPY! Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Porto, Portugal Posts: 331 (0.24/day) Thanks: 31 Thanked 75 Times in 61 Posts System Specs	Actually I think it's rather easy, using Link Shell Extension Put whatever folder or files you want in the new location, then right-click them and choose "pick link source". Then, go to the Steam folder location where those files/folders should be and paste the symbollic link.

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Dec 9, 2010, 04:47 PM	#10
Easy Rhino Linux Advocate Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 10,284 (4.27/day) Thanks: 1,219 Thanked 2,789 Times in 1,801 Posts System Specs	dont take this as flaming because i am interested, but why do this?

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Dec 9, 2010, 04:47 PM	#11
W1zzard Benevolent Dictator Join Date: May 2004 Location: Stuttgart, Germany Posts: 13,873 (4.17/day) Thanks: 184 Thanked 10,454 Times in 3,219 Posts System Specs	so you have one steam game on ssd. ntfs junctions are reasonably easy to use in my opinion. just use mklink

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Dec 10, 2010, 11:30 AM	#15
HookeyStreet Eat, sleep, game! Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Great Yarmouth, England Posts: 5,321 (1.65/day) Thanks: 614 Thanked 530 Times in 430 Posts	Will the benefits of doing this outweigh the headache? EDIT: just seen Rhino's post LOL __________________

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Dec 10, 2010, 12:43 PM	#16
W1zzard Benevolent Dictator Join Date: May 2004 Location: Stuttgart, Germany Posts: 13,873 (4.17/day) Thanks: 184 Thanked 10,454 Times in 3,219 Posts System Specs	it's 1 command line command.. and made a significant difference for me playing multiplayer games that have fairly quick map change

Dec 10, 2010, 12:48 PM	#17
caleb Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Poland,Slask Posts: 1,119 (0.35/day) Thanks: 204 Thanked 176 Times in 144 Posts System Specs	When will OS manage storage the same way it manages memory. It should know by itself that pron should go to D and BC2 should be on C __________________ "Let me noobilize you"

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Dec 10, 2010, 02:27 PM	#20
qubit Overclocked quantum bit Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Quantumville UK Posts: 8,724 (4.31/day) Thanks: 4,216 Thanked 3,335 Times in 1,971 Posts System Specs	Why not just get one big drive to store all your Steam games? You can then use the free Karen's Replicator backup application to back them up to another big drive. When you initially install Steam, you simply point it to the drive you want, instead of C. Similarly, moving a Steam install isn't too hard and just involves a client install and a copy operation for the games. I forget the exact details and I'm at work right now, but it's all documented in the Steam FAQ. I've got many gigs worth of Steam games and this solution works very well for me. __________________ Siggie in the post.

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Dec 10, 2010, 02:43 PM	#21
Mussels Doctor Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bendigo, Australia (NOT THE USA) Posts: 34,594 (10.88/day) Thanks: 3,708 Thanked 8,714 Times in 6,407 Posts System Specs	i just have a dedicated games drive, and have no real slow down issues. sure i bet an SSD would be faster, but a dedicated mechanical drive for just games is the second best thing after a dedicated games SSD. __________________ Edumacational thread about PC Audio My external HDD's.5x samsung 1TB + 2x Seagate 1.5TB = 8 TB external storage 32 Bit OS vs 64 bit OS information How to get hardware accelerated H264 playback (DXVA) Netbook Owners United!

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