# Borderlands. Can I add it to steam without having to download it through steam? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 3, 2010, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borderlands-can-i-add-it-to-steam-without-having-to-download-it-through-steam/527606 "2010-02-03T23:47:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borderlands-can-i-add-it-to-steam-without-having-to-download-it-through-steam/527606/1 "2010-02-03T23:47:54Z")
I had to do this with Unreal Tournament 3. I have the disc for the game. I installed it. I then tried to play it online only to be told I needed a patch. I went looking for the patch only to find that the official link was a fileplanet link, and none of the six free links worked. Frack that I said to myself - I’ll get steam to do the update for me instead. So I ‘activate a product on steam’ It begins to download the entire game from scratch. I stop this, copy the game files of my already installed game into the steam ‘my games’ folder (not before checking that the folder structure of this game is essentially the same in steam as it is outside steam). Well this _almost_ works. Steam acknowledges that most of the game is ‘downloaded’ but it gets stuck on ‘download starting’ at 99%. Deciding that after two whole hours this isn’t going to work, I delete local game files and get the whole 8 gigs through steam. Will I have to get borderlands through steam even though I already have it if I decide to activate it on steam? And more importantly - If I do get borderlands activated on steam, will I be able to use steam for the game’s online play mode, or will I still have to use (as the in-game login seems to suggest) a gamespy account (which I don’t have nor want) ---
**Author:** ![Gukumatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/74df32/32.png) [@Gukumatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gukumatz)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2010, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borderlands-can-i-add-it-to-steam-without-having-to-download-it-through-steam/527606/2 "2010-02-05T13:19:54Z")
No, I don’t think Steam will do that for you. What I recommend is a Torrent - I googled it and there’s a torrent for the 1.21 patch out. Remember that Torrent is a completely cromulent technology for legal uses. I won’t post the direct link, but PM me if you can’t find it or if you’re unfamiliar with torrent technology. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2010, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borderlands-can-i-add-it-to-steam-without-having-to-download-it-through-steam/527606/3 "2010-02-05T15:28:30Z")
This is one of the biggest gripes I have with Steam–the lack of ability to take bought-outside-steam games that are available on steam and convert them to steam games. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2010, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borderlands-can-i-add-it-to-steam-without-having-to-download-it-through-steam/527606/4 "2010-02-05T16:40:11Z")
Unwashed PC gaming mass here, but, what about an uninstall and a Steam reinstall? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2010, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borderlands-can-i-add-it-to-steam-without-having-to-download-it-through-steam/527606/5 "2010-02-05T17:24:35Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > Unwashed PC gaming mass here, but, what about an uninstall and a Steam reinstall? I want to establish whether - if I do all that - will I still need a gamespy acount to play the game with friends. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borderlands-can-i-add-it-to-steam-without-having-to-download-it-through-steam/527606/6 "2010-02-05T17:45:38Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > I want to establish whether - if I do all that - will I still need a gamespy acount to play the game with friends. Ah. My bad. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2010, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borderlands-can-i-add-it-to-steam-without-having-to-download-it-through-steam/527606/7 "2010-02-05T18:05:44Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > I want to establish whether - if I do all that - will I still need a gamespy acount to play the game with friends. That I can answer: Yes. Borderlands does not use Steam matchmaking. Borderlands multiplayer sucks pretty hard in general–I’ve found my preferred option is installing a private LAN client (Tunngle works well) and then hosting borderlands as a LAN game. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2010, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borderlands-can-i-add-it-to-steam-without-having-to-download-it-through-steam/527606/8 "2010-02-05T22:46:37Z")
I’m confused. Are you saying that you were able to get steam to dl Borderlands or UT3 (which?) after buying a boxed copy? I thought that was only possible with Valve games. You can add games to the list, but it only seems to link to the .exe. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2010, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borderlands-can-i-add-it-to-steam-without-having-to-download-it-through-steam/527606/9 "2010-02-05T22:58:13Z")
On steam there’s a button for ‘activate game on steam’. Most games can be bought or activated on steam. It doesn’t have to be valve games. The problem is - if you _happen_ to own the disc for the game steam doesn’t care. It will download the entire game from the internet. So you can’t save time by using the discs you own. The advantage of activating a game on steam is that you can then use the features of steam with the game (in game chatting. playing team games with other steam users etc) and play the game on any computer that has steam installed. In the OP I was _hoping_ that I would be able to avoid the need to use gamespy for online play if I put my game in steam. It turns out not to be the case. I am asking two questions in the OP - 1. Can I add my game to steam without having to download it through steam. 2. If I do add the game, Can I play it online with other steam account holders? (as is the case with something like Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2) And I mentioned Unreal Tournament merely as an anecdote. ---
**Author:** ![Headrush042](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a5b964/32.png) [@Headrush042](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Headrush042)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2010, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borderlands-can-i-add-it-to-steam-without-having-to-download-it-through-steam/527606/10 "2010-02-05T23:37:43Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > The problem is - if you _happen_ to own the disc for the game steam doesn’t care. It will download the entire game from the internet. So you can’t save time by using the discs you own. > > 1. Can I add my game to steam without having to download it through steam. To answer #1 - no. Steam encrypts its game binaries to make use of its authentication system. Games installed from disc are not encrypted in a way that is meaningful to Steam. Can’t answer #2, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borderlands-can-i-add-it-to-steam-without-having-to-download-it-through-steam/527606/11 "2010-02-06T05:53:18Z")
Borderlands doesn’t have a CD key from what I can tell, but even then you can’t activate most games. I think UT3 is an exception, neither Bioshock nor GTAIV works for me. Maybe only games that use steam servers? [These games should work that way](https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=7480-WUSF-3601#which) ---
**Author:** ![anguscam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@anguscam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anguscam)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borderlands-can-i-add-it-to-steam-without-having-to-download-it-through-steam/527606/12 "2011-06-19T08:56:18Z")
Lobsang, I’ve recently purchased a few games on Steam, and discovered a trick. For those in a similar boat, I’ll list the Full list of steps I’ve found works to minimize the download from the Steam servers… 1. First off, Install the game to the Hard Drive from the installation disc. 2. Once that’s done, tell Steam to install the game, but pause the download as soon as it starts. 3. Find the directory that Steam’s installing to, and copy all the files from the install you made in step 1 to the Steam install directory. (If there’s an uninstall executable or Install log file you don’t need to copy it over.) 4. Restart the download in Steam. It will now only download files that are either missing or changed. (Steamworks files or updates, mainly) 5. When it gets near the end, I’ve found it occasionally stalls… (As Lobsang stated, usually at 99%…) If this doesn’t happen, skip ahead to step 5. If this DOES happen, follow these steps… 4.1. Create a temp folder on the same hard drive as your steam installation. 6. Once the download completes, Go to your Games List, right click on the Game list, and Select Properties. Click on the Local Files Tab and click on ‘Verify Integrity Of Game Cache’ 7. Once that’s all done, your game should now be fully installed in Steam… The amount Steam has to download if you follow the steps I’ve outlined will differ… If the game hasn’t been updated much, you could only have to download 50 mb or so… if it’s been majorly updated, could be up to a gigabyte or so… depends on the game. But it WILL be a much smaller download than if you downloaded the whole thing off Steam… And feel free to share these instructions around…