EpicGamesLauncher - Recognising already installed files.

[lawlorz]

Not sure where to post this as even the UE4 forums don't have a section regarding the launcher...

My problem stems from the launcher not being able to see that the game is already installed unless that particular instance of the launcher was the one that installed it.

For example, I am running a system with 2 OSes, Windows 8.1, along with Windows 10. I use both from time to time, but my UT4 was installed with Windows 10, and now the launcher in Windows 8.1 will not see the game is already installed, even when told to install to the same directory (errors saying the folder must be empty).

I would like to see the launcher updated to be able to recognise a version of the game is already installed if pointed to it manually as the install path.

If anyone knows a work around for this already, I would also love to hear it. Save me from having 2 copies of the game installed.

[Layanti]

I have siimilar problem, my internet is very slow, so I go to my friend to download the game and just copy all the files with launcher. When I launch it its said "Verification" and later "Instaling" but later it starts download all the files from the beggining...so I must change anything in registries too or there is some other way?

[lawlorz]

For anyone else interested, I did find a fix for this.

I'm not sure how important all these particular files are, but ill let you know the important ones for installation recognition.

1. On your secondary OS rename the folder you originally installed EpicLauncher to. Just add an X to the end or anything, doesn't matter.
2. Install EpicLauncher to the original install location.
3. Delete the recently installed folder, and rename your old one back to its original name.
4. Go to the drive of the other OS and find the ProgramData folder. This is applicable to Windows only, and is located in your root drive. Other OSes will have a similar folder, I just cant help you find it.
5. Copy the "Epic" folder and the paste it into the exact same location on your current OS drive.

This will make the editor run, and see all previously installed games/engines as installed.

As a side note. I also did the following (but it made no impact on the install status, as I did these prior, however do not know their significance)

1. Navigated to the "Users" folder on the older OS > my username > AppData
2. Copied the folders Local/UnrealEngineLauncher, Local/UnrealTournament, and Roaming/Unreal Engine.
3. Pasted them in the equivalent folders on the target OS.

[colston123435678]

let me play its installed

[zissakos]

you actually only need to restore :
- C:\ProgramData\Epic\EpicGamesLauncher\Data\Manifests (folder)
- C:\ProgramData\Epic\UnrealEngineLauncher\LauncherInstalled.dat

[Rizvi26]

you just need to start a new download of any game, after downloading 4,5 mb close epic launcher and then overwrite the new installation folder with the old one. start epic launcher and resume downloading. it will start verifying the old installation and after it finishes you can play the game.

[ralazin]

Yeah none of the above tricks work for me I installed 4 games yesterday played them and today the launcher does show them as installed. Yes I renamed the folder restarted the download paused it copied the old download folder content to the new folder hit the resume and the Epic launcher did not verify it just started the download overwriting an already downloaded game. WTF is wrong here? I can't be downloading the same 40 GB games over and over ad infinitum I am beginning to really hate EPIC....

[Henrique Brisola]

Do not close the laucher, only cancel the installation, overwrite the files and resume, it will verify the new files.
Teste today.

[RuzzTNailZ]

I recently updated my OS to Windows 10 as a clean install. In the new OS, I installed Epic Games Launcher to it's default directory on drive C, same location as it existed on Windows 7.

When I logged in, my Library had all of the games greyed out as though they were not installed. But my previously installed games did still exist on drive D. This probably has to do with the new launcher install not having the manifest data that the old Windows 7 install had created over time.

If you try to install (re-install) a game you know has already been installed, the EG Launcher will not let you install (or re-install) to a directory that already exists. It says "Directory must be empty.", when you try to install to the original game directory.

1. Go to your Epic Games directory with Windows Explorer. It's usually C:\Program Files\Epic Games, unless you originally installed to a different location. Mine was on drive D.
2. Find the game folder you want to reinstall (get working) and rename it. I just put an underscore in front of the original name. ex. _ShadowComplexRemastered
3. Start the install from the launcher. It will ask you to "Choose install location". Select the base Epic Games folder where your game files are already installed. ex. C:\Program Files\Epic Games. It will then show that path and add the game folder to the end. ex. C:\Program Files\Epic Games\ShadowComplexRemastered. Click Install.
4. Let the Launcher download a couple MB's and "Cancel" the install, but leave open the launcher. Now you have a nearly empty brand new game folder in your Epic Games folder.
5. Go back to Windows Explorer and rename the brand new folder to anything else. Then, go to the original folder you renamed and name it back to it's original name. You can delete the newer empty folder.
6. Go to Launcher and click "Resume". The launcher will immediately Verify all files and you'll be ready to play.

Epic Games devs, it would be super helpful for users to have a "Games Install Location" on the launcher Settings page, so the launcher can automatically recognize files in a pre-existing directory and immediately verify them.

[Knk62]

I recently updated my OS to Windows 10 as a clean install. In the new OS, I installed Epic Games Launcher to it's default directory on drive C, same location as it existed on Windows 7.

When I logged in, my Library had all of the games greyed out as though they were not installed. But my previously installed games did still exist on drive D. This probably has to do with the new launcher install not having the manifest data that the old Windows 7 install had created over time.

If you try to install (re-install) a game you know has already been installed, the EG Launcher will not let you install (or re-install) to a directory that already exists. It says "Directory must be empty.", when you try to install to the original game directory.

1. Go to your Epic Games directory with Windows Explorer. It's usually C:\Program Files\Epic Games, unless you originally installed to a different location. Mine was on drive D.
2. Find the game folder you want to reinstall (get working) and rename it. I just put an underscore in front of the original name. ex. _ShadowComplexRemastered
3. Start the install from the launcher. It will ask you to "Choose install location". Select the base Epic Games folder where your game files are already installed. ex. C:\Program Files\Epic Games. It will then show that path and add the game folder to the end. ex. C:\Program Files\Epic Games\ShadowComplexRemastered. Click Install.
4. Let the Launcher download a couple MB's and "Cancel" the install, but leave open the launcher. Now you have a nearly empty brand new game folder in your Epic Games folder.
5. Go back to Windows Explorer and rename the brand new folder to anything else. Then, go to the original folder you renamed and name it back to it's original name. You can delete the newer empty folder.
6. Go to Launcher and click "Resume". The launcher will immediately Verify all files and you'll be ready to play.

Epic Games devs, it would be super helpful for users to have a "Games Install Location" on the launcher Settings page, so the launcher can automatically recognize files in a pre-existing directory and immediately verify them.

they fixed it.now you can,t do that.while downloading in new directory started you can,t rename it or delete while its paused!and if you close launcher it cancel downloading completely!This is the worst launcher exist probably i am so dissapointed that i am FORCED to use it to play my game

[pedrohsf]

they fixed it.now you can,t do that.while downloading in new directory started you can,t rename it or delete while its paused!and if you close launcher it cancel downloading completely!This is the worst launcher exist probably i am so dissapointed that i am FORCED to use it to play my game

No, dude. Don't pause the download. CANCEL it. Worked for me. Thanks, RuzzTNailZ.

[uÐied]

I recently updated my OS to Windows 10 as a clean install. In the new OS, I installed Epic Games Launcher to it's default directory on drive C, same location as it existed on Windows 7.

When I logged in, my Library had all of the games greyed out as though they were not installed. But my previously installed games did still exist on drive D. This probably has to do with the new launcher install not having the manifest data that the old Windows 7 install had created over time.

If you try to install (re-install) a game you know has already been installed, the EG Launcher will not let you install (or re-install) to a directory that already exists. It says "Directory must be empty.", when you try to install to the original game directory.

1. Go to your Epic Games directory with Windows Explorer. It's usually C:\Program Files\Epic Games, unless you originally installed to a different location. Mine was on drive D.
2. Find the game folder you want to reinstall (get working) and rename it. I just put an underscore in front of the original name. ex. _ShadowComplexRemastered
3. Start the install from the launcher. It will ask you to "Choose install location". Select the base Epic Games folder where your game files are already installed. ex. C:\Program Files\Epic Games. It will then show that path and add the game folder to the end. ex. C:\Program Files\Epic Games\ShadowComplexRemastered. Click Install.
4. Let the Launcher download a couple MB's and "Cancel" the install, but leave open the launcher. Now you have a nearly empty brand new game folder in your Epic Games folder.
5. Go back to Windows Explorer and rename the brand new folder to anything else. Then, go to the original folder you renamed and name it back to it's original name. You can delete the newer empty folder.
6. Go to Launcher and click "Resume". The launcher will immediately Verify all files and you'll be ready to play.

Epic Games devs, it would be super helpful for users to have a "Games Install Location" on the launcher Settings page, so the launcher can automatically recognize files in a pre-existing directory and immediately verify them.

dude your a f**k'in legend you deserve V-Bucks from epic for this guide!!! thanks a bunch!!!!

(epic pay him, your launcher is rubbish)

[Steam Is Trash]

Darn... It didn`t work for me. Had to delete.
75Gb download ahead now.

[dave_crosshaw]

you just need to start a new download of any game, after downloading 4,5 mb close epic launcher and then overwrite the new installation folder with the old one. start epic launcher and resume downloading. it will start verifying the old installation and after it finishes you can play the game.

I tried this, and the f*cker deleted the exe files and started rewriting my files, basically downloading again

[WellBeSerious]

For those with 1 OS using Launcher:
I have the solution for avoiding redownloading all your Epic games.
- Delete only the previous launcher folder: C:\Program Files (x86)\Epic Games
- Clear all temporary files:
C:\Users\(ACCOUNT)\AppData\Local\Temp
C:\Windows\Prefetch
C:\Windows\Temp
- Install the latest Launcher.

For those with 2 OSes using Launcher:
- Have each OS contain its own folder of the launcher (NEITHER CAN SHARE IT APPARENTLY AS YOU'RE HAVING A PROBLEM).
Having ~500-1000MB wasted is less than ~tens or hundreds of gigs, redownloading each time.
- Follow above steps to remove older Launcher if problems arise.
- Have both installations of Launcher link to the same games folder: C:\Program Files\Epic Games > NOT C:\Program Files (x86)\Epic Games
* Or install each OS on a seperate drive.