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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesProtect your saves first, then verify the Steam installation before reinstalling anything. On Windows, copy C:UsersYOURUSERNAMEAppDataRoamingThe Creative Assembly to a separate backup location, remove or disable Workshop mods, and run Steam’s file check at Library > Shogun 2 > Properties > Installed Files > Verify integrity of game files. Verification normally takes several minutes and is safer and faster than a reinstall. If it does not fix the problem, reinstall, launch once to recreate the user folders, close the game, and copy the backed-up save folder into the new Creative Assembly location.
Steam Cloud can restore a compatible copy, but it is synchronization rather than an independent backup. Steam says developers decide which files are uploaded, cloud conflicts can cause data loss if resolved incorrectly, and Support cannot recover saves that have been lost. Keep your manual backup until a campaign loads successfully.
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What this procedure protects
This workflow is for the Steam edition of Total War: Shogun 2, including Complete Edition content, on Windows. It separates three different jobs that are often confused:
- Verifying files repairs or replaces damaged files in the Steam installation.
- Resetting user data moves configuration, cache, and save folders out of the way so the game can create clean ones.
- Reinstalling removes and downloads the game’s installation files again.
Your campaign saves are normally outside the Steam installation directory, so uninstalling does not have to delete them. They can still be lost through an accidental folder deletion, a cloud conflict, or a save that depends on a removed mod. A manual copy is therefore the controlling safeguard.
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Have access to the same Windows account and Steam account used to play the campaign. You also need enough free space for a second copy of the Creative Assembly folder and, if necessary, a fresh Steam download. Do not begin with an uninstall when a verification or user-folder reset can answer the question with less disruption.
Before changing anything: make a manual backup
Close the game and preserve the current state
- Exit Shogun 2 normally.
- Exit Steam if it is showing a cloud-conflict dialog. Do not choose a cloud option while you are still deciding which copy is authoritative.
- Do not delete, rename, or overwrite the original user-data folder until a restored campaign has loaded.
Copy the Creative Assembly folder
SEGA documents this default Windows location:
C:UsersYOURUSERNAMEAppDataRoamingThe Creative Assembly
Replace YOURUSERNAME with your Windows account name. AppData is hidden by default. In File Explorer, enable hidden items through the View menu or Folder Options, then open AppData, Roaming, and The Creative Assembly.
- Right-click
The Creative Assemblyand choose Copy. - Paste it to a different location, such as a desktop folder named
Shogun2-backup-2026-10-17or an external drive. - Open the copy and confirm that it contains the Shogun 2 folder and your save files. Do not rely on seeing only screenshots or settings; the campaign files must be in the backup.
Keep both the original and the backup. The copied folder is your independent recovery source if Steam Cloud synchronizes the wrong version. A desktop copy is convenient for a short repair, while an external drive protects against a mistake made on the same Windows installation; either is acceptable as long as it remains separate from the folder Steam will recreate.
How to verify Shogun 2 files in Steam
Use Steam’s Installed Files page
- Open Steam and go to Library.
- Find Shogun 2, right-click it, or select its gear icon.
- Choose Properties.
- Open Installed Files.
- Select Verify integrity of game files.
- Wait for Steam to finish. Steam says the check may take several minutes.
Do not start a second verification at the same time, and avoid combining the check with disk scans or other system-intensive operations. Let Steam report completion before launching the game. Verification checks the files in the Steam library; it does not inspect or back up the Creative Assembly folder in Roaming.
What a verification result means
Steam may report that a small number of files failed to validate and will be reacquired. That is not automatically a failed repair. Steam notes that isolated failures can be normal when the files are local configuration files that should not be replaced. Allow Steam to reacquire what it identifies, then test the game.
Verification changes installation files, not the manual backup you made under AppDataRoaming. If your problem is a corrupted preference, cache, or mod-related user file, verification alone may not address it; use the clean-folder procedure below.
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Remove or disable Workshop mods before testing
Why mods matter
SEGA warns that modifications can cause game problems. A campaign saved while a mod was active may require that same mod set to load. Removing the mod can make the campaign unavailable or require a new campaign. This is a compatibility issue, not proof that the save was erased.
Prepare a mod-free test
- Open Shogun 2’s Workshop subscriptions or launcher mod controls.
- Unsubscribe from, deactivate, or disable the mods involved in the problem.
- Remove leftover mod files only when the mod’s instructions or SEGA’s troubleshooting guidance calls for it. Do not delete your backed-up save folder.
- Run the Steam verification after the mod cleanup so Steam can replace altered installation files.
Keep a note of the original mod list. If the campaign only opens with a particular mod, restoring that mod may be necessary; if the mod is obsolete or unavailable, a new campaign may be the only supported path. Test with no mods first so you know whether the base installation reaches the main menu before reintroducing Workshop content.
Optional clean reset of the user folder
If verification completes but the game still crashes, refuses to reach the menu, or behaves as though old settings are broken, reset the user data without deleting it. This is narrower than a reinstall because it leaves the Steam installation in place.
- Close Shogun 2 and Steam.
- Confirm that the separate Creative Assembly backup opens and contains the Shogun 2 save folder.
- In
C:UsersYOURUSERNAMEAppDataRoaming, renameThe Creative Assemblyto something such asThe Creative Assembly-old, rather than deleting it. - Launch Shogun 2 with mods disabled and wait for the main menu. The game should create a new Creative Assembly tree.
- Exit normally, then copy only the backed-up Shogun 2 save folder into the newly created location.
- Launch again and test a campaign. Leave the old folder and the separate backup untouched until the test succeeds.
Moving the folder aside resets preferences and cache while preserving an easy rollback. If the game works with the new folder but fails after settings or mods are restored, the cause is in that user data rather than the freshly verified program files.
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Launch once and restore saves after a clean test
After verification or a user-folder reset, start Shogun 2 with mods disabled. The purpose of this launch is to distinguish an installation problem from damaged user data.
- Start the game from Steam.
- Wait for the main menu to appear. If it reaches the menu, close the game normally.
- Check the default Creative Assembly location for newly created folders.
- If your saves are already listed, load one before making further changes.
- If the saves are absent, copy only the backed-up Shogun 2 save folder into the newly created Creative Assembly location. SEGA’s documented instruction is to copy the save folder back from the desktop backup after the game works.
- Start the game again and load a campaign. Keep the backup untouched until the load succeeds.
Restore the save folder rather than overwriting the entire new Creative Assembly tree. This preserves fresh configuration files that may be needed for the clean installation while returning the campaign data. If a save appears but will not load, test the original mod set against the backup copy; do not conclude that reinstalling again will repair a campaign that depends on missing or changed mod files.
When verification is not enough: reinstall safely
Choose reinstall only after the lower-risk checks
Verification is usually quicker than downloading the entire game again and does not remove the Steam installation. Reinstall when files remain damaged, the game will not start after verification and mod cleanup, or you need to replace the installation completely. A reinstall does not repair a mod-dependent campaign or a damaged save by itself.
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Uninstall and reinstall from Steam
- Confirm that the manual backup is present in a separate location and can be opened.
- Exit Shogun 2 and Steam. If Steam asks about cloud synchronization, stop and resolve which local copy you want to preserve before continuing.
- In Steam Library, right-click Shogun 2 and choose Manage or the uninstall option shown by your client.
- Complete the uninstall, then install Shogun 2 again to the desired Steam library.
- Wait for the download and installation to finish.
- Launch the game once. Reach the main menu, then exit. This creates the user folders that the game expects.
- Open
C:UsersYOURUSERNAMEAppDataRoamingThe Creative Assemblyagain. - Copy the backed-up Shogun 2 save folder into the recreated location.
- Launch the game and test the campaign before changing mods or enabling cloud synchronization.
Steam’s backup guidance cautions that saved games may require handling separate from installation files. Treat the Steam download as a replacement for program files, not as your only copy of campaign data. Complete Edition content is tied to the Steam installation and account, but that does not eliminate the need to preserve the separate Windows save folder.
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Local Shogun 2 saves
SEGA’s documented Windows root is:
C:UsersYOURUSERNAMEAppDataRoamingThe Creative Assembly
The exact save subfolder can vary with the game’s generated directory structure, so copy the relevant Shogun 2 folder rather than guessing a filename. If File Explorer cannot show the path, enable hidden files first. The folder can also contain configuration and cache data, which is why restoring only the save folder is safer after a clean launch.
Steam Cloud’s local Windows root
Steam identifies its general local Cloud data root as:
C:Program Files (x86)Steamuserdata
Inside it, folders depend on the Steam account and the game’s app ID. Steam’s cited support guidance does not publish a Shogun 2-specific mapping there, so do not assume that an unfamiliar numeric folder is your campaign backup. The Creative Assembly copy is the clear, documented local recovery source.
Steam Cloud: how to avoid overwriting the good save
Cloud is synchronization, not an archive
Steam says developers control which files a game sends to Cloud. A file may therefore be local-only, cloud-synced, or represented differently across installations. Cloud also reflects whichever version Steam believes should be synchronized; it is not a permanent version history.
If Steam shows a conflict
- Stop at the conflict dialog and do not click randomly.
- Compare the local and cloud timestamps or descriptions shown by Steam.
- Use your manual backup to decide which campaign state is authoritative.
- Choose the Steam option that preserves that state, or temporarily disable the game’s Cloud synchronization while you restore the local copy.
- Launch Shogun 2, confirm that the desired campaign loads, then re-enable Cloud only when the local copy is correct.
Steam warns that choosing incorrectly during a cloud conflict can lose data, and Steam Support cannot recover lost saves. A manual folder copy is the only part of this process that does not depend on synchronization decisions. If you are unsure which copy is newer, keep Cloud disabled and work from the dated manual backup rather than guessing.
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Recovery choices compared
| Approach | What it changes | Save risk | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam file verification | Checks and reacquires damaged installation files; may take several minutes. | Low when the separate backup is preserved. | First response to missing or corrupted program files. |
| Move or rename the Creative Assembly folder | Forces clean preferences and cache while allowing saves to be copied back. | Low if the original folder is kept intact. | Launch failures or broken settings that survive verification. |
| Disable or remove mods | Changes the active mod set and can affect campaign compatibility. | Moderate for mod-dependent saves. | Testing whether Workshop content causes the issue. |
| Full Steam reinstall | Replaces the game’s installation files. | Low for saves only when the separate backup is retained; it does not repair an inherently mod-dependent save. | Persistent installation corruption after verification. |
| Steam Cloud recovery | Synchronizes the copy Steam has selected for the account and game. | Potentially high during a conflict. | Convenient restoration after confirming which version is correct. |
If the game still will not launch
SEGA’s current troubleshooting guidance lists several additional checks after file verification and a clean test:
- Disable the Steam Overlay and test again.
- Install the Visual C++ components supplied in Steamworks Shared, under the game’s
_CommonRedistvcredistdirectory. - Install pending Windows updates and update your graphics driver.
- Check the graphics card’s power or performance settings so the game is not forced onto an unsuitable power profile.
- Try administrator permissions as a diagnostic step.
- Opt out of old beta branches and use the current public branch.
Change one item at a time and launch after each change. If the game reaches the menu only after the Creative Assembly folder is moved aside, the fault is likely in user configuration, cache, or a mod interaction rather than the freshly installed Steam files.
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Only a few files fail validation
Do not repeatedly uninstall the game solely because Steam lists a small number of failed files. Steam says local configuration files can legitimately remain different. Let the check finish, launch the game, and proceed to user-folder or mod troubleshooting if the symptom remains.
The campaign disappears after mod cleanup
Restore the original mod set only if it is trusted and available, then test the backed-up campaign. SEGA warns that a save dependent on a removed mod may require starting a new campaign. Do not overwrite the backup while experimenting.
The game starts but saves are missing
Exit the game, confirm that you launched the same Steam account and Windows user, and inspect the documented Roaming path with hidden files enabled. If the new folder is empty, copy the backed-up Shogun 2 save folder into it, then launch again. Avoid accepting a cloud download until you know whether it contains the desired saves.
A cloud conflict appears after reinstall
Stop, preserve the manual backup, and compare the available versions. Select the copy that matches your intended campaign, or keep Cloud disabled while you restore and test locally. A wrong selection can replace the good state.
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Leave the newly generated configuration in place and restore saves only. Reintroduce settings or mods gradually so the offending item can be identified without replacing the working configuration.
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Verification finishes but the symptom is unchanged
That result points away from missing Steam files. Test the clean user folder, disable the Overlay, check the Visual C++ components and drivers, and confirm that no old beta branch is selected. Reinstall only after those lower-risk checks and after confirming the backup is readable.
Final verification checklist
- The game and Steam were closed before the backup or folder changes.
C:UsersYOURUSERNAMEAppDataRoamingThe Creative Assemblywas copied to a separate location.- The original folder and backup were retained until a campaign loaded.
- Workshop mods were disabled or removed for the test, with the original mod list recorded.
- Steam verification was completed from Properties > Installed Files.
- The game was launched once after verification or reinstall to recreate its folders.
- Only the backed-up save folder was copied back when needed.
- Cloud synchronization was enabled only after choosing the authoritative local or cloud copy.
- A campaign was loaded successfully before deleting any backup.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I verify Shogun 2 files in Steam?
Open Steam Library, right-click Shogun 2, choose Properties, open Installed Files, and select Verify integrity of game files. Let Steam finish; the check may take several minutes.
Where are Shogun 2 saves stored on Windows?
SEGA documents the default root as C:UsersYOURUSERNAMEAppDataRoamingThe Creative Assembly. AppData is hidden, so enable hidden items in File Explorer and copy the relevant Shogun 2 folder.
Can I reinstall Shogun 2 without losing my saves?
Yes, if you first copy the Creative Assembly folder to a separate location, launch the reinstalled game once, close it, and copy the backed-up Shogun 2 save folder into the newly created location.
Will Steam Cloud restore my campaign?
It may restore a compatible copy, but Cloud is synchronization rather than an independent backup. Developers choose which files are uploaded, and selecting the wrong side of a conflict can lose progress. Keep a manual backup.
Why did my save disappear after removing a mod?
SEGA warns that a save dependent on a removed mod may require that mod or a new campaign. Restore the trusted original mod set only after preserving the backup; reinstalling the base game will not make a mod-dependent save independent.
What should I do if Steam says a few files failed to validate?
Allow Steam to complete the process and test the game. Steam says isolated failures can be normal when they are local configuration files that should not be replaced. Move to user-folder, mod, or troubleshooting steps if the problem remains.
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The Bottom Line
Copy C:UsersYOURUSERNAMEAppDataRoamingThe Creative Assembly before touching the installation. Disable mods, verify through Properties > Installed Files, and test a clean launch before reinstalling. If a reinstall is necessary, launch once to recreate folders, restore only the backed-up Shogun 2 save folder, and keep Steam Cloud disabled until the correct campaign loads. Do not delete the backup until the save has been verified in game.
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