How to Create and Restore Dota 2 Backup

Why you need to create Dota 2 backup ? In case you are planning to cleanup your PC or your game is creating troubles for you, then there might be a need to reinstall Dota 2. As it is an online game and takes up huge place in your hard drive, so its not suggested that you uninstall it and download a new copy unless you have a very good internet connection.

Here I am going to explain you how you can create Dota 2 backup in few simple steps.

How to Create Dota 2 Backup

Step 1 :

Open steam, right click on Dota 2 and then select “Backup Game Files“

Step 2 :

A new window will open. Now again select “Backup Game Files” option.

Step 3 :

In next window select whatever game’s backup you want to make. In case you are planning to remove steam including all its games from your PC to make some space in your compute, then you should select all games. But here we are only talking about Dota 2, so select Dota 2 from options.

Step 4 :

It is always suggested that you save Dota 2 backup in any drive other than C drive. In case you are installing a new windows or you are creating some space, the backup will not be deleted. However if you are just cleaning up PC or rectifying any issue, then you can even save it in default Dota 2 backup folder too. Default Dota 2 backup folder is C:\Program Files(x86)\Steam\Backups\

Step 5 :

Once you have selected the drive where you’ll be saving your Dota 2 backup, next you name this back up and also select how many chunks of this backup you want to make. Click on Highlighted area below and there are few option to select. Choose that option which is best suited for you.

Step 6 :

Once all the above mentioned steps are complete, your backup process will start. Wait patiently because this is going to take almost 1 hour and 30 mins easily.

Step 7 :

You can read instructions on final screen. If you do not remember where you stored your backup, you can click on “Open Backup folder”

How to Install Steam

Step 1 :

Visit official steam community site. Remember, DO NOT download steam from any un-trusted software, because it may be a phishing software, designed to steal your credentials.

Step 2 :

Once downloading steam, make sure you are at right steam site. Not any phishing site. Click on Install steam. Total steam software is 1.5 MBs. So its just going to take few seconds to download.

Step 3 :

Double click the steam setup wherever you have downloaded it and this welcome window will show up.

Step 4 :

Install steam in whatever directory you want and then follow the process till you successfully install it.

Step 5 :

Did I mention earlier that the steam setup that you just downloaded was 1.5 MBs ? But steam is not such a small program. So once you run steam for the first time after re-installing, its going to download all required data from steam server. Update will be roughly around 130 MBs

Step 6 :

Once your steam updates successfully, you will see this window for the first time. Login to your existing account.

Step 7 :

Once you will add your credentials for the first time, its going to ask for steam guard code. If you have enabled steam guard via email or via mobile app, you’ll need to provide the steam guard code from Mobile authenticator.

Step 8 :

You have successfully installed steam now. If you notice, all your games are shown in your games library. But all are grayed out. It means that you have licence for these games, but you need to download / install it yet. So, if you have got a good internet, go ahead and download a new copy, or just install the Dota 2 backup which you just made. 😀

Procedure for restoring Dota 2 backup explained in next step.

How to Restore Dota 2 Backup

Remember, with this procedure you are going to install the already made backup of Dota 2. You will loose your Dota 2 settings and hotkeys etc, but still most of the Dota 2 will work as normally as it should.

Step 1 :

Top bar, click on “Steam” and select “Backup and Restore Games” from drop down menu.

Step 2 :

As we are restoring Dota 2 backup, so check that option.

Step 3 :

Select the location where you saved the backup. Remember if you are setting wrong destination, then it will not detect any game or back up.

Step 4 :

So once you selected the right backup folder, it will show game’s name whose backup has been detected. So in our case it is Dota 2.

Step 5 :

In next window select where you want to install your game. Remember, you can always install steam in 1 drive and Dota 2 in other. But it is recommended that you keep all the data (Steam and Dota 2) in 1 drive so that if you encounter any problem later on, you can easily track which file is where.

Step 6 :

Once you click next, it will start restoring the back up. Be patient, because it is going to take almost 15 minutes to completely restore Dota 2 backup.

Step 7 :

Once the backup is restored successfully, start Dota 2 as you normally you would. It is then going to update if its missing any latest update or file.

So, this is how you create and restore Dota 2 backup. In case you encounter any issue, please comment below, so we can help you out. Must check the trouble shooting section to solve your issues.

Trouble Shooting

1. Move Dota 2 from 1 PC to other :

Method 1

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1. Make a backup of Dota 2 from PC 1 (method explained above). When I made backup, its size was 9.23 GB.
2. Copy this back up in any USB / external hard disk.
3. Copy “appmanifest_570.acf” file from the PC 1. Most of the time, you can locate this file in C:\Program Files(x86)\Steam\steamapps\appmanifest_570.acf  << [sc_highlight background=”#ff1213″]Important[/sc_highlight]
4. Go to PC 2 and install Steam (method explained above) and then close STEAM. Make sure no steam processes are running in background as well. You can check this from your task manager. If any steam process is running, kill it.
5. Now navigate to “steamapps” folder in PC 2 and paste the “appmanifest_570.acf” there.
6. Once you open Steam, it will show that Dota 2 is ready to play (although its not installed) and you’ll see Play button, instead of Install button if you did everything right till now (If you try to launch Dota 2, you will get an error though)
7. Right click on Dota 2 in your steam library and click on Dota 2 properties and Validate the game.
8. Wait for a few minutes and you’ll see that Steam started downloading Dota 2. Let this download run for few minutes, so that steam can create / download basic structure to install Dota 2.
9. Now, PAUSE the download and start restoring Dota 2 backup (Procedure explained above). You should see “Unpacking Files” under Steam downloading tab.
10. Once this restoration process is complete, you’ll be able to play Dota 2.

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Method 2

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1. Copy “common” folder and “appmanifest_570.acf” from PC 1 to a hard disk or USB. This stuff is located in  steamapp folder. Most commonly the address will be C:\Program Files(x86)\Steam\steamapps\
2. Now go to PC 2 and install steam (Procedure explained above).
3. Once steam is installed in PC 2, close it completely and then paste these copied “common” folder and “appmanifest_570.acf” in steamapp folder in PC 2.
4. Now start Steam and you’ll see Play option for Dota 2. Instead of running it first, validate game’s cache by going in Dota 2 properties >> Local Files tab >> Verify Integrity of Game Cache.
5. Once this procedure is complete, you’ll be able to play Dota 2 on PC 2 as well.
6. [sc_highlight background=”#ff1213″]Remember this procedure may not work for everyone.[/sc_highlight]

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2. My Dota 2 backup is not detected while restoring

It means you have selected the wrong backup directory. Try selecting the right directory, it will automatically detect the desired back up.

3. My backup is stuck at 99% while restoring

Well, there are 2 options to solve this issue.

1. Wait. Wait till this process is completed.
2. If it is 99% done, and its stuck since long, then you may finish the restoring procedure early and then start the game. It will automatically start downloading missing files or directories. As backup already installed 99%, so you may have to download 10-300 MBs.

4. While making backup, my backup is stuck at 99%

You must wait till it is automatically completed. However, if it is stuck since long and not making any progress, then you may abort / cancel the process, delete the back up directory and then start this procedure from beginning.

If you have got any issue related to creating or restoring Dota 2 backup, please let us know in comments below.