This morning steam says INSTALL not PLAY on Fallout 4

Though it says i have played 36 hours, most recently TODAY and have unlocked 6/50. So it must know I am not beginning!

But when i click 'install', it is demanding to download the complete 25Gb all over again!!!

Doh and Im close to my cap so i will need to spend another $25 to so so!

also I do NOT want to wait another 15-20hrs for the download to complete!

Steam also seems to be demanding i redownload the 5GB skyrim patch I finished recently, thought the wastelander patch i finished this morning seems ok.

Any one else got this error? have tried posting in steam but no responses.

I have a screenshot but this forum wont let me post the link and I cant figure out how to upload to 'my media' yet

Thanks for reading.

Did you move the install directories. It seems that Steam cannot find the game files.

By default its \Steam\Steamapps\common\Fallout 4.

thanks for reply.

No i have never moved anything.

I just checked my files are in

F:/SteamLibrary/steamapps/common

hmm that's weird though only 2 game folders are there Fallout 4 and Skyrim 25Gb and 5Gb respectively.

but in a totally different location

F:/Program Files (x86)/Steam/SteamApps/common

There are 4 games (Including skyrim) but no Fallout!

why has steam put games in different locations?

there was a steam patch today I wonder if that messed things up

The default Steam Library path is inside the Steam install directory, but you can make other directories to be Steam Library paths.

Load Steam, in the top left hand corner, click Steam and go to Settings. In Settings, click Downloads. Under 'Content Libraries' click the 'Steam Library Folders' button. Make sure F:\SteamLibrary is listed. If its not manually enter it. Note: You just need the parent directory of 'F:\SteamLibrary' you don't need '\steamapps\common' added.

Maybe the volume letter changed on the drive? What type of drive is F:\?

I added SteamLibrary as you suggested but nothing changed so i exited steam then started it again but i still won't start Fallout, just keeps wanting to fully download Fallout again.

Strangely though it did fix the problem with skyrim demanding a new 5Gb download , now skyrim game starts as normal.

Looking at the SteamLibrary folder using windows explorer it has a full 30GB in it (skyrim+fallout folders)

But viewing Steam Library folders using the steam app STEAM LIBRARY FOLDERS says it only has 6.03GB in it!

Is there some way to force the crazy steam program to reload Fallout to correct it's data base?

For safe measure you could move copy files else where.

Steam SHOULD find your game files when you start "installing" game again.

nope its insisting on complete new downlaod 876MB/24gb

i think I will try uninstalling steam then reinstalling it

nope that didnt help at all. now i will try copy and paste the entire contents of the fallout 4 folder in the other location

nope that did nothing either It's still trying to down ALL 25GB AGAIN