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How to Backup Your Content & Asset Folders

Introduction

You may want to backup your Content & Asset folders before you are planning to make any modifications to your installation or opt-in to a beta. This would mean you have a fallback, should any new content or modifications cause the game to stop working as intended. Keep reading to find out how you can do this.


Backing Up Folders

Firstly, you need to be aware of the storage space requirements for backing up folders. If you have limited storage space, you may want to free up some disk space before backing up your folders, as this process will double the storage space needed for these folders. 


Checking the folder size

  1. Open Steam and go to the Library and locate Train Simulator.
  2. Right-click on the game and go to Manage > Browse Local Files.
  3. This will open the Railworks folder, which is your Train Simulator installation.
  4. Highlight both the Content & Asset folders.
  5. Then, right-click on one of these folders and go to Properties.
  6. Allow the folder size to be calculated, by waiting for the numbers to stop moving.
  7. You can see the total size of the folder under "Size on disk".
Please Note: You will need at least this amount of free space to backup your folders. However, it is important to remember that Windows requires you to have at least 15-20% free space of the primary storage drive (e.g. C: drive) in order to run smoothly.


Example:


Backing up your Content & Asset folders

  1. Fully Exit out of the Steam client to prevent any updates.
  2. With both the Content & Asset folders selected, right-click on one of the folders and select Copy.
  3. Now look at the top of the window where the directory is listed and drop back to the "common" folder.

  1. Create a new folder, by right-clicking on an empty space in the common folder and selecting New > Folder.
  2. Name this folder "TSBackup".
  3. Open the TSBackup folder.
  4. Right-click on an empty space within the folder and select Paste.
Please Note: Depending on the size of your folders, this process could take quite some time. Furthermore, this process should not be interrupted. So, please make sure you choose a suitable time when you do not require the PC for other things.


Restoring a Backup

If you want to restore your game to its previous state, you will want to opt out of any betas and remove modified content first.


Removing the existing Content & Asset folders

  1. Open Steam and go to the Library and locate Train Simulator.
  2. Right-click on the game and go to Manage > Browse Local Files.
  3. This will open the Railworks folder, which is your Train Simulator installation.
  4. Fully Exit the Steam client to prevent any updates.
  5. Highlight both the Content & Asset folders.
  6. Right-click on one of the folders and select Delete.
Please Note: This process will delete your current content and modifications.

Restoring from a backup

  1. Open the TSBackup folder we created earlier.
  2. Highlight both the Content & Asset folders.
  3. Right-click on one of the folders and select Cut.
  4. Go back to the "common" folder and open the Railworks folder.
  5. Right-click on an empty space within the folder and select Paste.
Please Note: Depending on the size of your folders, this process could take quite some time. Furthermore, this process should not be interrupted. So, please make sure you choose a suitable time when you do not require the PC for other things.

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