Updating Windows 10 while preserving game installations.
Updating Windows 10 while preserving game installations.
It’s possible to reinstall Windows 10 while preserving your Steam library. Since you have your games on separate drives, you can disconnect those drives and reinstall Windows without affecting them. Keep your Steam library files intact during the process.
In Steam you have the option to backup and restore games. Navigate to File, select the games you wish to save. Export them to an HDD, then copy them onto another external drive or a second HDD. Clear the system, reinstall Steam, and this time choose restore. Point it at the file and complete the process quickly.
During the OS reset, most applications and games will need reinstallation, except those that can run directly from their folder without installation. Steam titles sit in a middle position; they require Steam to locate them after reinstall, but once done, the process should be fast and hassle-free, eliminating the need for another download.