Games show as already installed on a fresh windows install

Andrew130601

Commendable
Feb 13, 2017
22
0
1,510
I have 2 drives, C drive which is an SSD with windows on it and D drive which has all my games on it. When I reinstalled Windows I thought the obvious would happen, Steam would look for the files and install the game again without downloading, but somehow steam thinks all my games are installed. They launch and play correctly but they aren't actually installed to Windows.

It may not matter but I want to get my games reinstalled to Windows properly,verifying the game files doesn't do it sadly and the only way I have got some of my games to reinstall is to copy all the files to another drive, uninstall the game, copy the files back and then click reinstall.

Is there an easier way?
 
Solution
steam doesn't have to put anything in the registry and places files for all games in its own directory. usually they say you have to go into settings and point it to where the game directory is after a clean install but it sounds like now when you install steam it scans all your drives and finds them. so it is fine but if you're still concerned you can just delete the steam directory and then then re download all your games from steam
steam doesn't have to put anything in the registry and places files for all games in its own directory. usually they say you have to go into settings and point it to where the game directory is after a clean install but it sounds like now when you install steam it scans all your drives and finds them. so it is fine but if you're still concerned you can just delete the steam directory and then then re download all your games from steam
 
Solution

Andrew130601

Commendable
Feb 13, 2017
22
0
1,510


Okay thank you :)