moving ESO game files from HD to new SSD for faster game response

harris128cub18_ESO · September 2018

What is the best way to move ESO game files & addon files from HD to new SSD for faster game response?
Thanks in advance,
Damageman

Trinity_Is_My_Name · September 2018

I uninstalled ESO and then reinstalled it specifically to the SSD. Works well. If you simply move the files it will not work. The game has to know where all the files are and it will not know if you move them.

SIazeus · September 2018

If you have the steam version:

copy your game folder somewhere out of the steam folder. then un-install the game in steam.

add the location you plan to move the game to as a new steam library location in the steam settings, then copy the entire game folder you backed up to that location. (make sure to emulate the folder structure of the original steam library, eg. (your new location)/Steam/steamapps/common/Zenimax Online)

After you've done that, go into steam and "re-install" the game, make sure to choose the new library location you moved the game to and when steam starts that stage where it'll allocate disk space, it should after a moment change to say "discovered existing game files" or something similar.

The game will then install, but without having to download it again, so it'll still take a little time, but much, much, much faster than straight up re-downloading it.

TyroneShoelaces · September 2018

I've never used the steam version, so can't say much about that, but if it's just the normal version then you can simply copy the folder to the new drive, and run it from there. No need to reinstall anything.
Just make a new shortcut to the bethesda.net_launcher that's located inside the launcher folder.

aeowulf · September 2018

i've done this a few times, the only vaguely reliable (and by that i don't mean 100%) is to copy the files onto an external hdd, uninstall eso, install it in the new place, and copy the files from the hdd to the new place overwriting them. On the first patch it will verify but generally not download <much>

Gengyen · March 2021

SIazeus wrote: »

If you have the steam version:

copy your game folder somewhere out of the steam folder. then un-install the game in steam.

add the location you plan to move the game to as a new steam library location in the steam settings, then copy the entire game folder you backed up to that location. (make sure to emulate the folder structure of the original steam library, eg. (your new location)/Steam/steamapps/common/Zenimax Online)

After you've done that, go into steam and "re-install" the game, make sure to choose the new library location you moved the game to and when steam starts that stage where it'll allocate disk space, it should after a moment change to say "discovered existing game files" or something similar.

The game will then install, but without having to download it again, so it'll still take a little time, but much, much, much faster than straight up re-downloading it.

It worked! TYSM

ZOS_Bill · April 2021

With this thread being nearly two years old we've decided to close it going forward. If you need further help with a support issue please feel free to start a new discussion.