This is probably undeleted cache, user-generated content and settings files. Your saves shouldn't be there, they're either in /userdata/ folder or in windows /Users/ folder. Should be safe to delete those, the uninstaller is probably just rubbish. The big 3 you mentioned are MMOs, so it's probably also a few patches, Steam lags a bit behind on those and the game's launcher auto-updates it. Problem is, if the files the launcher updated were new, Steam doesn't know if it's safe to delete them so it leaves them be.
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of the 16 games i've played recently that didn't automatically back up their save files, it's about evenly split among storing saves under my documents, appdata, or the install directory (that last one is the one you want to delete). there's also one that uses C:\Users\yourNameHere\Saved Games. some of the games that put saves in the install directory have steam cloud support but don't actually back up the save files to steam cloud.
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saves shouldn't be there, but sometimes they are anyway. usually when that happens they're also synced to steam cloud, but not always.
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I don't know about those specific games, but many games seem to leave behind user data such as saves, mods, and config files when uninstalled. It's a practice I generally like, but every once in a while I find a massive folder where I got a little too quick save happy in a game.
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Your probably bricked. Look up how to unbrick a psp.
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Heh, half my library is stuff I cannot run. I am working my way toward finishing a build though. Have to buy my Thunderbolt Motherboard and a 680. Just gonna take a while longer since Steam (with summer sale), Amazon, and Kickstarter have decided to take all my money the past two months.
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It's a good idea to know where programs are installed (not just for Steam games) and check that they completely uninstalled after running the uninstaller. Most installers create a log file during install and only remove what was installed. Any extra content added by using the game/program, sometimes even patches, will not be removed. If you look in your steamapps directory, there are *.ncf files for your games. These .ncf files contain a list of files and checksums of the files required for that game. When you verify the integrity of a games cache (right click game, properties, local files tab) it's making sure the required files are there and they match the checksums. If a file is missing or the checksum fails, it re-downloads the file. When you remove a game, only the files listed in the .ncf file are removed, any other files are left. Depending on the game, they could be anything from saved games, screenshots, etc. or mods you installed.
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I guess I always took it for granted that Steam put every game into its own sub-folder, and when you deleted that game it just went ahead and deleted the whole folder. I am used to Windows Uninstall missing all kinds of things, but I just assumed Steam was simplified a little more.
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The game also has data added to registries (obviously, since it's a fundamental aspect of the Windows OS) and various settings to appdata. Of course, saves are in Documents or wherever you chose too.
A lot of games install third party renderers and engines too, which Steam won't delete.
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even some that do use steam cloud don't necessarily sync everything you'd expect. for example, serious sam hd doesn't sync my single player saves, but does store them in the install directory. i think it syncs how i remapped the keyboard controls and how far i've made it (so i could start at a later level), but not my actual save files so i can continue my game.
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steam appears to use windows installer since the games show up in programs and features.
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good point — you wouldn't necessarily need to use windows installer to do that. i wish steam didn't call it "delete local content" since that looks too similar to "view downloadable content" and it sounds like it would delete your save files too.
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Yeah, feel free to delete that data. Gamesaves and the likes are not stored in the steamapps directory (barring some cloud saves, but those are also online so it doesn't matter) and settings are stored in appdata.
Basically the leftover content are updates delibered by third parties -- the developers themselves (via in-game downloads), from companies making relevant technologies (Adobe, game engines, etc.), and so on. You'll probably have to redownload and overwrite it anyway when you reinstall the game.
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I download, uninstall, delete, recover, my files often to keep it running at highest capacity.
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I have my Steam folder on the drive I originally installed it to that is 160 GB in size. It is constantly at maximum capacity. I decided, since I have a couple 500 GB caviar black drives sitting on my desk, to copy everything to it and replace the smaller one. Upon copying, I noticed that many games I have uninstalled are still in the "Common" folder under my Steam folder.
The problem is that many of the games I have uninstalled still take a significant amount of space, for example;
Eve Online - 1.58 GB
CrimeCraft - 507 MB
Spiral Knights - 240 MB
Not to mention about 15 other games that I have uninstalled that are taking up between 20-90MB of space.
Any idea why these are left behind, or if it is safe to delete them?
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