Re: Origin Client - Move / Locate Installed Games

Since I couldn't find anything about this specific method anywhere online, I thought I would share it!  I found it to be the easiest/fastest solution for me, especially good for when reinstalling Windows - but works just as well for transferring game files to another PC.

P.S. I find it weird that EA didn't release a tool-set that uses the same functions as I'm about to write below - one could easily (with a little programming skills) make a program that simplified the process further, which would make it much faster to restore multiple games.

Short/summarized TL;DR version at the bottom for people with basic/intermediate computer skills.

Backup:

(step one only necessary if deleting/removing original folders, i.e. when formatting, or when transferring to another PC)

1. Copy your "Origin Games" folder or the individual game folder(s) that you wish to backup to your preferred storage device (e.g. "C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games" or "C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Battlefield 4" if only copying BF4 for example - this is the default game folder location),
   If you changed the default location and can't remember the path, you can find it from within the Origin client: Origin->Application Settings->Advanced->Downloaded Games
   
   
2. Make sure to have Cloud Storage enabled for easy migration, as game settings/saves are not located in the game folder, and thus not copied over.
   You can enable/disable Cloud Storage per game or in general in the origin client: Origin->Application Settings->General->Cloud Storage

Restore:

Origin can already be installed or not installed, it doesn't make a difference.

• Optional step: If Origin client is installed already, and you don't wish to use the default game folder location; open the Origin client and change it to your preferred location (e.g. "D:\Games\Origin Games").
  You can change the game folder location from within the Origin client: Origin->Application Settings->Advanced->Downloaded Games 

1. Close the Origin client if running/installed.
   
   (step two only necessary if you deleted/removed the original folders and made a backup, i.e. when formatted, or transferring to another PC)
2. Copy the "Origin Games" folder or game folder(s) you wish to restore/move from your preferred storage device, to your new game folder location (e.g. "C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games" or "C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\XXX - replace XXX with your game folder(s), e.g. "Battlefield 4").
   
   
3. Run Command Prompt as Administrator.
   MS Start Button (Win) -> type "cmd" or "Command Prompt" -> Right click and choose "Run as administrator"
   
   
4. Navigate to your newly copied "Origin Games" folder (e.g. "C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games").
   Use the command "cd" and specify the folder location (type it manually or copy it easily from Windows Explorer - insert by right clicking in the Command Prompt window) (e.g. "cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games" - remember quotation marks around the path - If your folder is on another drive letter than C:, type the drive letter afterwards in the Command Prompt, i.e. "D:")
   
   
5. Navigate to the game folder you wish to restore (e.g. Battlefield 4) - and then navigate to the "__Installer" folder (i.e. "cd Battlefield 4", and then "cd __Installer" (or press Tab once instead of typing "__Installer").
   Use the command "dir" to get the list of folders if you can't remember the game folder names, or use the Tab button to cycle through the folders.
   
   
6. Type "InstallLog.txt" and press enter to open open the "InstallLog.txt" file, look for "CommandLine:" in the top of the text-file, and copy the text that comes after "CommandLine:" (e.g. install -locale .....)
   If necessary, change the path (what comes after "-installPath") in the text before copying, if it doesn't match your new/current game folder location. Also edit variables if wanted (e.g. to make a desktop icon - just replace 0 with a 1 in the given text)
   
   
7. Go back to the Command Prompt and type the following: "Touchup.exe " (remember the space after .exe) and then right-click to paste the text just copied from "InstallLog.txt" and press enter.
   (i.e. "Touchup.exe install -locale en_US -installPath "C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Battlefield 4\" -autologging -startmenuIcon=0 -desktopIcon=0 -Opt:InstallPB").
   
   
8. Congratulations, you've just restored your game installation! Repeat step 4 to 7 for each game you wish to restore.
   (use "cd .." in the Command Prompt to go back out of the folder; e.g. from "C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Battlefield 4\__Installer" to "C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Battlefield 4\" etc., until you get to your desired folder.)
   
   (The Origin client will verify the game files when you start it again; if all went well, nothing will have to be downloaded - if it was old games files, update may be downloaded.)
   

This concludes my tutorial/how to - I have probably made it much more descriptive than some find necessary, but I wanted to make sure that everyone would be able to do it/follow the tutorial, no matter their computer skill.

TL;DR version of the tutorial:

• Backup/copy and then restore/move whatever Origin games you want - remember to have "Cloud Storage" enabled to if you want to keep settings/save games.
• Close Origin if running/installed.
• Run Command Prompt as administrator, and navigate to the specific game folder (e.g. "Battlefield 4") you want to restore - and then navigate to the "__Installer" folder.
• Type "InstallLog.txt" to open the log - look in the top of the text-file for the line that says "CommandLine:", edit it accordingly to match your new installpath (if necessary) and preferred variables (0=No, 1=Yes), and copy all the text that comes after "CommandLine:" (e.g. "install -locale en_US -installPath "D:\Games\Origin Games\Battlefield 4\" -autologging -startmenuIcon=0 -desktopIcon=0 -Opt:InstallPB")
• In Command Prompt, type "Touchup.exe " (remember the space after .exe) and right click to paste the copied text.
• Congratulations, you've just restored your game installation! Repeat the 3 last steps for all games you wish to restore.
  (The Origin client will verify the game files when you start it again; if all went well, nothing will have to be downloaded - if it was old games files, update(s) may be downloaded.)

Sarge_T