Transferring games between SSD and HDD devices
Transferring games between SSD and HDD devices
It's not straightforward. Steam often creates complications if you try this approach. For a smoother experience, it's better to retain the installers, remove the game once you're done, and reinstall it on your hard drive.
Typically the saved files are kept in a location separate from the main game and aren't removed during uninstallation. Backing them up could resolve the issue.
I often swapped games between my SSDs and HDD in the past. Now I use RAID 0 on all my SSDs, so that’s no longer needed. During that time, I didn’t face any problems. The process generally involved: creating Steam Libraries on both drives, downloading games to the HDD until ready, moving them to one SSD’s library, removing them from the HDD (though not essential), and using Steam to verify and install the game directly onto the SSD library where it was copied. While it required several steps, it wasn’t complicated and only took time for copying and a few clicks.
You transfer all games you don’t want to play to the HDD. Create a symbolic link on the SSD that points to the game’s installation spot on the HDD. When you wish to play, move it back from the HDD to the SSD, where the link is set. From Steam’s side, the game remains untouched and doesn’t require reinstallation. In short, you can simply copy and paste the link to make it appear as though nothing changed.
Check if it’s a soft or hard link. To display Steam on an SSD instead of an HDD, adjust the storage settings or use a different drive type.