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Autobackup software doesn't include program files. Is there a reason?

minimalist
By minimalist
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Go to solution Solved by Benjio,

Oh, okay.  I just figured I could back up games and their files so I didn't have to redownload them should something go wrong.

You should be able to with Steam games, assuming your back-up program allows you. Most programs though, when installed, make a bunch of changes to the registry and stuff that can't be transferred just by copying the data in Program Files, so if you try copying the data and running it on a different PC, it would most likely just crash the program.

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So I recently started using genie timeline software to back up my stuff.  I noticed that it auto excluded my program files though so all of my games weren't backed up.  Is there a reason for this I'm unaware of?  The answer doesn't have to be specific to the software per-say but is it useless to back up program files?  Why would it exclude that?

 

Thanks!

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What do you use for games? Steam saves game data. So does origin.

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What do you use for games? Steam saves game data. So does origin.

 

What do you mean?  All of my games are within the Program Files (x86) folder.  Within that folder is the steam, steamapps, etc.

Case: NZXT H500i. Motherboard: Asus Prime Z390-A. CPU: i7 9700k OC @ 5.0GHz. GPU: EVGA 2080 FTW3 CPU Cooler: NZXT X62. Memory: G. Skill Ripjaws 32Gb 3200mhz. Storage: 1TB Samsung 840 EVO SSD /  120GB Samsung 840 EVO SSD  /  WD Caviar Black 3TB / WD Caviar Green 4TB. . PSU: Corsair AX760. Monitor: 2x Acer XB270HU. Keyboard: Corsair K70 RGB. Mouse: Corsair Glaive. 

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So I recently started using genie timeline software to back up my stuff.  I noticed that it auto excluded my program files though so all of my games weren't backed up.  Is there a reason for this I'm unaware of?  The answer doesn't have to be specific to the software per-say but is it useless to back up program files?  Why would it exclude that?

 

Thanks!

Normally there really isn't ever any data stored in Program Files. Normally it just for, well, program files (hence the name), and if you need to restore from your backup you won't be able to just copy and paste the program files, you'll have to re-install them all separately. I'm sure there are a lot of cases like yours, where something is needed to be backed up from Program Files, I'm sure you can set the back-up program to backup certain folders in Program Files like SteamApps and such.

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Normally there really isn't ever any data stored in Program Files. Normally it just for, well, program files (hence the name), and if you need to restore from your backup you won't be able to just copy and paste the program files, you'll have to re-install them all separately. I'm sure there are a lot of cases like yours, where something is needed to be backed up from Program Files, I'm sure you can set the back-up program to backup certain folders in Program Files like SteamApps and such.

 

Oh, okay.  I just figured I could back up games and their files so I didn't have to redownload them should something go wrong.

Case: NZXT H500i. Motherboard: Asus Prime Z390-A. CPU: i7 9700k OC @ 5.0GHz. GPU: EVGA 2080 FTW3 CPU Cooler: NZXT X62. Memory: G. Skill Ripjaws 32Gb 3200mhz. Storage: 1TB Samsung 840 EVO SSD /  120GB Samsung 840 EVO SSD  /  WD Caviar Black 3TB / WD Caviar Green 4TB. . PSU: Corsair AX760. Monitor: 2x Acer XB270HU. Keyboard: Corsair K70 RGB. Mouse: Corsair Glaive. 

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Oh, okay.  I just figured I could back up games and their files so I didn't have to redownload them should something go wrong.

You should be able to with Steam games, assuming your back-up program allows you. Most programs though, when installed, make a bunch of changes to the registry and stuff that can't be transferred just by copying the data in Program Files, so if you try copying the data and running it on a different PC, it would most likely just crash the program.

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You should be able to with Steam games, assuming your back-up program allows you. Most programs though, when installed, make a bunch of changes to the registry and stuff that can't be transferred just by copying the data in Program Files, so if you try copying the data and running it on a different PC, it would most likely just crash the program.

 

Okay, thanks.  That's good to know.  I wish I didn't buy such a big back-up HD then.  lol I bought a 4TB drive to back up games as well as a shit load of movies.  Oh well.  I have plenty of movies to fill it up.

Case: NZXT H500i. Motherboard: Asus Prime Z390-A. CPU: i7 9700k OC @ 5.0GHz. GPU: EVGA 2080 FTW3 CPU Cooler: NZXT X62. Memory: G. Skill Ripjaws 32Gb 3200mhz. Storage: 1TB Samsung 840 EVO SSD /  120GB Samsung 840 EVO SSD  /  WD Caviar Black 3TB / WD Caviar Green 4TB. . PSU: Corsair AX760. Monitor: 2x Acer XB270HU. Keyboard: Corsair K70 RGB. Mouse: Corsair Glaive. 

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Okay, thanks.  That's good to know.  I wish I didn't buy such a big back-up HD then.  lol I bought a 4TB drive to back up games as well as a shit load of movies.  Oh well.  I have plenty of movies to fill it up.

Sorry if you misunderstood me, but you CAN back up your game files and have Steam detect them if you want to re-install them later. What you would want to back up is "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common", that is where all the game files are stored. To re-install you just need to copy the game folder from there, but it in the same location on a different PC (or wherever it is you want to install it), install the game in Steam, and it should automatically detect the files that are already there.

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Sorry if you misunderstood me, but you CAN back up your game files and have Steam detect them if you want to re-install them later. What you would want to back up is "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common", that is where all the game files are stored. To re-install you just need to copy the game folder from there, but it in the same location on a different PC (or wherever it is you want to install it), install the game in Steam, and it should automatically detect the files that are already there.

 

Oh okay.  I definitely misunderstood you.  Sorry!

Case: NZXT H500i. Motherboard: Asus Prime Z390-A. CPU: i7 9700k OC @ 5.0GHz. GPU: EVGA 2080 FTW3 CPU Cooler: NZXT X62. Memory: G. Skill Ripjaws 32Gb 3200mhz. Storage: 1TB Samsung 840 EVO SSD /  120GB Samsung 840 EVO SSD  /  WD Caviar Black 3TB / WD Caviar Green 4TB. . PSU: Corsair AX760. Monitor: 2x Acer XB270HU. Keyboard: Corsair K70 RGB. Mouse: Corsair Glaive. 

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Oh okay.  I definitely misunderstood you.  Sorry!

Haha, no worries, just wanted to make sure you knew you could do what you wanted to do.

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