How to save time downloading

How to avoid the download of Steam's old version and all the new patches and updates If I have already the folder copied and pasted in a new hard drive ... I am asking this because my main hard drive where I had FFXIV installed died today. And I want to avoid the wait and download all over again from Steam and Square Enix subsequently. I was wondering if there is some way to do this and play by executing FFXIVboot.exe

Please I need help with this...
I need to avoid all those hours downloading data already have in my pc. There must be a way to do it.

I tried doing it, but Steam doesn't recognize the updated game files so I just redownloaded the entire game. Maybe you could download the outdated Steam version and then overwrite the games files then? I tried running ffxivboot.exe off of my backup partition and it ran just fine. Otherwise download the game from SE's site and then after it's installed replace it with your game files.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Colorful

I tried doing it, but Steam doesn't recognize the updated game files so I just redownloaded the entire game. Maybe you could download the outdated Steam version and then overwrite the games files then? I tried running ffxivboot.exe off of my backup partition and it ran just fine. Otherwise download the game from SE's site and then after it's installed replace it with your game files.

---

But you dont need to be logged in on Steam to play by using FFXIVboot.exe...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Colorful

Otherwise download the game from SE's site and then after it's installed replace it with your game files.

---

That works? Thank u

I dont know If I understand u. Why to download the entire game spending hours to reeplace the files from the old backup?
I wanted to know if is possible to start downloading from SE. Interrupt paste the files already have and run the client again.
Maybe the client check the files already downloaded or something?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by celespsycho

That works? Thank u

I dont know If I understand u. Why to download the entire game spending hours to reeplace the files from the old backup?
I wanted to know if is possible to start downloading from SE. Interrupt paste the files already have and run the client again.
Maybe the client check the files already downloaded or something?

---

That is what I meant, download the installer from SE and once it's installed, go to where you installed the game and paste the files there. I'd assume the game would pick them up and run just fine.

You can just copy your game folder over to steamapps / common/ folder. Steam won't recognize it at first but it will eventually recognize the game as having been installed. (takes me a couple days/reboots)

Alternatively, you can start the download on steam, pause it, then overwrite the game folder with your own.

If you still have the original install, Steam actually has a back up option that's very convenient. You can even resize the files and it'll give you multiple files in the size of your choice. You can just use the back up files to restore the installation.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GenJoe

You can just copy your game folder over to steamapps / common/ folder. Steam won't recognize it at first but it will eventually recognize the game as having been installed. (takes me a couple days/reboots)

---

Thats a good news. thanks.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GenJoe

Alternatively, you can start the download on steam, pause it, then overwrite the game folder with your own.

---

But my backup is of the entire game... Steam + Square Enix all patches and updates so Steam will not recognize the files

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GenJoe

If you still have the original install, Steam actually has a back up option that's very convenient. You can even resize the files and it'll give you multiple files in the size of your choice. You can just use the back up files to restore the installation.

---

The Steam version its out of date and much smaller than the complete game. Retore deleted all the SE downloaded content to a friend and he had to download all over again from SE.

Quote:

---

That is what I meant, download the installer from SE and once it's installed, go to where you installed the game and paste the files there. I'd assume the game would pick them up and run just fine.

---

Have you done this?
Thanks.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GenJoe

If you still have the original install, Steam actually has a back up option that's very convenient. You can even resize the files and it'll give you multiple files in the size of your choice. You can just use the back up files to restore the installation.

---

Steam Restore do not work with FFXIV.
In fact I would like to ask if there is some way to backup the game without Steam which as I said have an oold version without patches and updates.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by celespsycho

Have you done this?
Thanks.

---

No, I redownloaded the game. But there's no reason not to try? If it doesn't work you've spent 5 minutes waiting for files to copy, not a big deal.