[STEAM] Just lost an already installed Skyrim - WTF!

[Leonardo]

What the title says...

 

WTF Valve give back my already installed Skyrim asap.

[Elgar]

What happened exactly ? I doubt that Steam/Valve decided to delete your installation of Skyrim...

 

Did you do something, like trying to move your Steam or Steam library location ?

 

I'm sorry for you, but don't be like these users who blame the USKP as soon as they have a problem with their game.

[Arthmoor]

Even if it did somehow delete it, can't you just let it download it again? Otherwise you'll probably need to take it up with Steam Support.

[lmstearn]

You have my sympathies.

Are the reg settings still there?

Was the entire Skyrim directory deleted (as in a complete program uninstall), or did someone with access to your rig click "Delete Local Content"?

[Leonardo]

What happened exactly ? I doubt that Steam/Valve decided to delete your installation of Skyrim...

 

Did you do something, like trying to move your Steam or Steam library location ?

 

I'm sorry for you, but don't be like these users who blame the USKP as soon as they have a problem with their game.

I'm not sure what happen, but all I know is that my computer right now is recovering from my latest cleaning of dust I mean there were a lot of dust.

 

You see my computer have been acting kind of strange lately, but I blame myself for not clean it sooner and with that in mind no wonder if my PC suddenly shut down.  So just before I discover Skyrim had vanish from the Steam Library my computer had another shut down, but that has happen before without erasing any installed game in Steam.  Why now is the question I ask myself?

 

Even if it did somehow delete it, can't you just let it download it again? Otherwise you'll probably need to take it up with Steam Support.

Of course I could download it again, but the problem is by doing is that Skyrim is detected as an installed program in Windows 7 despite what happen in Steam.

 

That means my current game is probably lost for good if I mess with it and all I want to happen is to get back Skyrim as a detected installed game in Steam nothing else.

 

You have my sympathies.

Are the reg settings still there?

Was the entire Skyrim directory deleted (as in a complete program uninstall), or did someone with access to your rig click "Delete Local Content"?

The entries in Windows registry seems to be intact a least for the game it self, but not for Steam as it seems to me, because when I wanted to check it I type regedit via 'Run' in the Start menu to open the Registry Editor an empty reg key for Steam came up.  That has never happen for the last 15-20 years.

 

No the Skyrim directory is still there I checked.

[Elgar]

From this page : https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=5168-EUIA-6643

 

Sometimes Steam will appear to be functioning correctly, except certain games will be missing from your list. If you are absolutely sure that you are logged in to the correct Steam account, then the issue is most likely that your filter is set incorrectly. Please log in to your Steam account using the Steam client and ensure that all games are visible by clicking View > All Games on the upper-left corner of the Library > Games list.

Another possibility is that some ports are being blocked by your firewall and/or router. Since Steam cannot connect on all of the ports it uses, it may run into a problem verifying one of your games. To see the list of ports and to make sure that all of the ports for Steam are open, please follow this guide.

 

[Leonardo]

Good to know.

 

However this is NOT gonna to bring back Skyrim in my Steam Library, because the way I see there is no option in Steam to either import/export register data from Steam to Windows registry or vice versa.  Period!

 

So I blame Valve for not having such option in the Steam Client and that shouldn't be to difficult to add a Windows registry option in Steam.  Why not make good use of Steam Cloud since Rome 2 TW has Steam Cloud available for gamesaves in-game.

[Elgar]

So you really checked that you were in All games view mode ?

 

If yes and Skyrim is still missing, do this :

 

- exit Steam

- go in your Steam directory and delete every file and every sub-folder except steam.exe and the sub-folder SteamApps

- launch Steam using steam.exe.

[Leonardo]

How is that gonna to help me to bring back an already installed Skyrim into my Steam Library?  I don't get it since it's apparently a registry key issue here.

[Arthmoor]

Pretty sure he's hoping that Steam will realize it's own install is hosed, repair itself, and then realize your game needs to be downloaded again too.

 

I doubt very much it's a registry key issue. That kind of thing won't prevent you from launching the game using its official launcher, and usually doing so resets the registry keys anyway.

[Elgar]

Arthmoor is right. What I tell you to do will "reset" your Steam installation but without losing any downloaded game.

 

At least, Leonardo, try what people say to help you. Maybe it will work, maybe it won't, but at least try it !

 

And you still didn't answer to my question about the View games filters. Believe me, I crawl a lot the Steam forums and when a game is missing in someone's library, almost every time it's a matter of view filters, like favorites for example.

 

EDIT : I read carefully again your posts and I see that in fact you don't say what happens if you try to launch Skyrim, since you say that its directory is still there. I suppose you use SKSE, so what happens if you launch Skyrim with SKSE ? Or by clicking directly on the Skyrim executable ?

[Leonardo]

I doubt very much it's a registry key issue. That kind of thing won't prevent you from launching the game using its official launcher, and usually doing so resets the registry keys anyway.

EDIT : I read carefully again your posts and I see that in fact you don't say what happens if you try to launch Skyrim, since you say that its directory is still there. I suppose you use SKSE, so what happens if you launch Skyrim with SKSE ? Or by clicking directly on the Skyrim executable ?

In fact I did try to launch Skyrim, but I wasn't surprise at all for not working and all that happen was that it started the installation with a question...  "Where do you want to install Skyrim?"

 

That being said I'm 95% sure it's a registry key issue that *erased* Skyrim from the list of all installed games in Steam.

 

[lmstearn]

This may or not be related, but I recently verified the Steam cache (which has always failed for 4 files since game purchase- and NO info as to what they are).

It replaced the same version of Update.esm that had to be cleaned again.

Then came across a big problem when TES5edit at launch complained about missing/corrupt Skyrim reg settings

The game was run OK from the official launcher to restore the reg settings,- but this isn't really good form on the part of Steam.

Right behind you if going to Steam support.

 

Edit: Lucky old me with all these bandwidth problems, in possession of a Skyrim/Steam DVD!

[Elgar]

In fact I did try to launch Skyrim, but I wasn't surprise at all for not working and all that happen was that it started the installation with a question...  "Where do you want to install Skyrim?"

 

That being said I'm 95% sure it's a registry key issue that *erased* Skyrim from the list of all installed games in Steam.

 

 

And you still don't say if you tried what I told you to do. Besides, your explanation is very unclear. Now, if I understand your last post, Skyrim is not missing in your Steam library, it's there but it is shown as not installed ? Of course that's not the same problem !

 

I give up. I'm done with this thread.

[Arthmoor]

In fact I did try to launch Skyrim, but I wasn't surprise at all for not working and all that happen was that it started the installation with a question...  "Where do you want to install Skyrim?"

 

That being said I'm 95% sure it's a registry key issue that *erased* Skyrim from the list of all installed games in Steam.

 

You need to go to where Skyrim is stored in your Steam folder. Find the SkyrimLauncher.exe. Run it. Wait for it to finish doing whatever it may need to do. Then exit. Do not launch the game using it.

 

When that's done, see if your game will launch through SKSE as usual. It should unless something more is wrong.

 

If it does not, then you will need to do a cache validation as was suggested.

 

If THAT does not work, you have no other alternative but to go open a ticket with Steam Support.

[Leonardo]

Now, if I understand your last post, Skyrim is not missing in your Steam library, it's there but it is shown as not installed ? Of course that's not the same problem !

That's correct.  I miss Skyrim as an installed game in Steam since it was greyed out then hence my choice of a topic title.

 

You need to go to where Skyrim is stored in your Steam folder. Find the SkyrimLauncher.exe. Run it. Wait for it to finish doing whatever it may need to do. Then exit. Do not launch the game using it.

 

When that's done, see if your game will launch through SKSE as usual. It should unless something more is wrong.

 

If it does not, then you will need to do a cache validation as was suggested.

 

If THAT does not work, you have no other alternative but to go open a ticket with Steam Support.

This is my fault I should have mention this before, but since Valve change their policy about where you can install a game which must be inside the Steam folder.  I do not have SkyrimLauncher.exe in the Steam folder.

 

So when Valve finally allow us to install any game anywhere about 1½-2 years ago.  I've always installed Skyrim on the HDD there both Morrowind and Oblivion (both retail) are installed.

 

How can I verify game cache in Steam when Steam doesn't show Skyrim as an installed game?

 

That's something I don't understand how.

[BlackPete]

This is my fault I should have mention this before, but since Valve change their policy about where you can install a game which must be inside the Steam folder.  I do not have SkyrimLauncher.exe in the Steam folder.

 

So when Valve finally allow us to install any game anywhere about 1½-2 years ago.  I've always installed Skyrim on the HDD there both Morrowind and Oblivion (both retail) are installed.

 

How can I verify game cache in Steam when Steam doesn't show Skyrim as an installed game?

 

That's something I don't understand how.

I don't claim to be an expert on how Steam works, but you may have to re-download the game first to be able to validate the game cache. As a last resort, you may possibly need to uninstall your current Skyrim installation and make sure to re-install it into the Steam folder.

 

Personally, I've never encountered the problem(s) you seem to be having, so I can't say for sure. I hope you can get it figured out though.

[Elgar]

That's correct.  I miss Skyrim as an installed game in Steam since it was greyed out then hence my choice of a topic title.

 

This is my fault I should have mention this before, but since Valve change their policy about where you can install a game which must be inside the Steam folder.  I do not have SkyrimLauncher.exe in the Steam folder.

 

So when Valve finally allow us to install any game anywhere about 1½-2 years ago.  I've always installed Skyrim on the HDD there both Morrowind and Oblivion (both retail) are installed.

 

How can I verify game cache in Steam when Steam doesn't show Skyrim as an installed game?

 

That's something I don't understand how.

 

Your topic title and your first post were not clear at all. 

 

Is this HDD (where your Skyrim is installed) still set up in Steam > Settings > Downloads tab > Steam Library Folders ?

 

If no, add it.

If yes, remove it, exit Steam, launch again Steam, and add it again.

 

Please, this time, tell us if you tried that...

[lmstearn]

And onwards we rant: DOSBOX with a shell like D-Fend was such a better manager of games. No spam, fast  & snappy with easy config.

STEAM would work well with a light weight, revamped UI. (Methinks has less maint. progs than NMM)

Introduce more hardware and game specific options on game launchers to earn our continuing wonder & admiration.

 

The first thing that comes to mind is the "Non Steam Mod or Shortcut": SKSE launcher.

The red tinted right pane is almost bare, but surely better viewing with all the items added from the right hand pane of the TES Official_Launcher.

[Leonardo]

Is this HDD (where your Skyrim is installed) still set up in Steam > Settings > Downloads tab > Steam Library Folders ?

 

If no, add it.

If yes, remove it, exit Steam, launch again Steam, and add it again.

 

Please, this time, tell us if you tried that...

YEAH!!! :dancing:

 

Doing that finally fix my issue for not having an installed Skyrim detected in Steam, but as I soon I added the install path for Skyrim it become visible as detected installed Skyrim in Steam again. :bigcookie:

 

Thank you so much I REALLY appreciate your help.

[Elgar]

Hahaha ! 

 

You're welcome. 

[lmstearn]

Great to see, Thanks Elgar. Not a registry problem at all then.

Looks like the " Steamconfig.vdf" got nuked by skeevers in the bitstream.