STEAM acf/gcf/ncf files

[JayFlip]

I went in to my /steamapps/ folder today, and noticed that all of a sudden there are loads of these files in that folder (http://i45.tinypic.com/2lbfaee.png)

Despite playing the games listed there for ages, I have never seen these files before, when going in to my folders. I googled them and found out that deleting them means I would have to re-download all the game files, but it also seems like these files are from downloading the game without buying them.

I still have the steamapps/mysteam/(css/dods etc). Will deleting all of these files require a re-download? They are taking up loads of space, and if I can delete them, because I have the legitimate copies installed via steam before, that would be great.

 

[fetterEsel]

If you delete them, the game becomes unplayable. Thats basically how the game is read to be played in those files. They are the main engine files mainly.

 

[JayFlip]

If you delete them, the game becomes unplayable. Thats basically how the game is read to be played in those files. They are the main engine files mainly.

Why do they suddenly appear here now, when before there were only sub-folders around?

 

[Cloakedsphere]

It looks like it has to do with some kind of DL files you got from a server and it might have done it for all of them. Try deleting only the CS:S ones and run CS:S to see if it works. If not just reinstall CS:S and dont touch the files.

 

[fetterEsel]

Probably because you had to download updates, and the updates put those files their as it was needed, or steam had an update for you to download, and was re optimized to use those files for speed increases.

 

[VP :3]

https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/GCF