Transferring Steam and KSP between Computers - What will happen?

[ProtoJeb21]

I recently got a 16-gig computer for Christmas (which I'm using now for the first time), and I'm going to transfer all my important stuff from my original computer into the new one. However, one of those things I need to transfer is the entire Steam folder found in the user folder containing downloads, desktop, videos, documents, etc. Keep in mind that my KSP is modded with Kopericus and KittopiaTech. What I plan to do is cut and paste the whole Steam folder with everything inside it onto my 8-gig flash drive, then get all the data off the FD onto my new computer. Just a few questions - Is this even POSSIBLE? Also, would it screw up my saves or mods, and would I have to re-connect to my Steam account?

[technicalfool]

Steam itself probably wouldn't cope well with being copied from system to system. KSP is DRM-free and all installs to the same folder, so it should copy to your new machine just fine.

 

Also if you're playing modded, I'd recommend keeping the modded install separate from Steam anyway, so that future updates don't wreck installed mods.

[Superfluous J]

Steam won't like being copied, but if you install it on the new machine and log in it'll happily install all of your games for you, including KSP. I've done this multiple times and it's never been a problem. You can even go back and play games on your old machine. As far as DRM schemes go, Steam's is pretty lenient.

[ProtoJeb21]

8 hours ago, 5thHorseman said:

Steam won't like being copied, but if you install it on the new machine and log in it'll happily install all of your games for you, including KSP. I've done this multiple times and it's never been a problem. You can even go back and play games on your old machine. As far as DRM schemes go, Steam's is pretty lenient.

But will it keep the old saves? Or will I have to transfer save files? (separate from the old Steam folder, of course)

[Superfluous J]

1 hour ago, ProtoJeb21 said:

But will it keep the old saves? Or will I have to transfer save files? (separate from the old Steam folder, of course)

I actually don't know that one. While i use Steam to upgrade KSP I don't play through it. I think i have 2 hours logged in Steam KSP.

[Loren Pechtel]

On 12/26/2016 at 1:53 AM, 5thHorseman said:

Steam won't like being copied, but if you install it on the new machine and log in it'll happily install all of your games for you, including KSP. I've done this multiple times and it's never been a problem. You can even go back and play games on your old machine. As far as DRM schemes go, Steam's is pretty lenient.

Install Steam on the new computer and copy over the directory with all your games.  After doing that install your games on the new machine--they'll install in a few seconds because everything is local.  Once they have been installed that way you can generally just copy stuff back and forth without difficulty.  I have the same stuff installed on my desktop and laptop, I use a directory synchronizing program to copy changes.  Only once did it fail, in that case I told Steam to check the game, it made a bunch of changes then it worked.

Depending on the game you might have to copy saves over from somewhere in My Documents.  KSP stores its saves in the Steam directory, however--a sin in Windows land.