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How to factory reset tf2 (or any other game)
By Meladoom
TL;DR - Reinstall OS + Screenshot your settings BEFORE doing this guide

After installing many mods, configs and HUDs the game gets corrupted without a simple way to fix it.
Valve, pls make a simple way to clean steam cloud files.

WARNING: It's highly recommended to do this together with the clean OS reinstall (NOT "Reset this PC" like on windows), just to make sure you don't have any leftovers
(It takes 20 minutes, easy to do, and also fixes all your other PC problems)

BTW - Make screenshots of all your settings + Find downloads for your mods, because some stuff might be updated (ex. mastercomfig)
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Created by
Meladoom
Offline
Category: Modding or Configuration, Secrets, Walkthroughs
Languages: English
Posted
Updated
22 Nov, 2023 @ 11:02am
22 Jun @ 6:57am
1,318 Unique Visitors
42 Current Favorites
Guide Index
Overview
1: Toggle the "keep games saves in the steam cloud" & remove all arguments 
2: Delete cfg and custom folders inside the tf folder 
3: Type -autoconfig into the launch arguments 
4: Launch & close tf2 
5: Remove -autoconfig 
6: Toggle the "Keep games saves in the Steam cloud" 
7: Go to the Steam's remote storage page & find TF2 
8: It should have cfg/config.cfg file, and MAYBE some others 
9: Completely close Steam 
10: Open your userdata>remote folder 
11: Open every file mentioned on the steam website you opened before using something like notepad++ 
12: Remove everything from them and save 
13: Delete file remotecache.vdf 
14: Launch Steam & launch TF2 
15: It MUST say that your steam cloud files are conflicting! DON'T PRESS ANYTHING! 
16: Delete all now-empty files in the Remote folder 
17: Select "UPLOAD TO THE STEAM CLOUD" (aka upload from your pc to the cloud, using Local Save) 
18: Close TF2 
19: uncheck keep games saves in the steam cloud 
20: Delete cfg and custom folders (again) 
21: Launch TF2 with -autoconfig (again) 
22: Close TF2 
23: remove -autoconfig + check keep games saves in the steam cloud 
24: now this must have only one fresh cfg/config.cfg file 
25: Launch TF2 and start recovering your settings. INSTALL CONFIG FIRST (ex. mastercoms) 
26: Enjoy your clean tf2! 
Donations are appreciated (Please, don't ask anything in return) 
Comments
1: Toggle the "keep games saves in the steam cloud" & remove all arguments
2: Delete cfg and custom folders inside the tf folder
3: Type -autoconfig into the launch arguments
4: Launch & close tf2
5: Remove -autoconfig
6: Toggle the "Keep games saves in the Steam cloud"
7: Go to the Steam's remote storage page & find TF2
steamproxy.net/steamstore/account/remotestorage
8: It should have cfg/config.cfg file, and MAYBE some others
9: Completely close Steam
10: Open your userdata>remote folder
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\YOUR-ACCOUNT-ID-NUMBERS\440\remote

11: Open every file mentioned on the steam website you opened before using something like notepad++
(NO MATTER THE FILENAME EXTENSION)
12: Remove everything from them and save
REMEMBER - You have to remove everything from the files mentioned on the Steam website from the game folder AND from the remote folder

13: Delete file remotecache.vdf
14: Launch Steam & launch TF2
15: It MUST say that your steam cloud files are conflicting! DON'T PRESS ANYTHING!
16: Delete all now-empty files in the Remote folder
17: Select "UPLOAD TO THE STEAM CLOUD" (aka upload from your pc to the cloud, using Local Save)
18: Close TF2
19: uncheck keep games saves in the steam cloud
20: Delete cfg and custom folders (again)
21: Launch TF2 with -autoconfig (again)
22: Close TF2
23: remove -autoconfig + check keep games saves in the steam cloud
24: now this must have only one fresh cfg/config.cfg file
steamproxy.net/steamstore/account/remotestorageapp/?appid=440
25: Launch TF2 and start recovering your settings. INSTALL CONFIG FIRST (ex. mastercoms)
26: Enjoy your clean tf2!
*Yes, I am aware that the last few steps may not be necessary, but just to be sure.
Donations are appreciated (Please, don't ask anything in return)
https://steamproxy.net/tradeoffer/new/?partner=126579659&token=BcQMbAO_
15 Comments
< >
Ilyas362 15 hours ago 
edit : *i would gladly give it to you
Ilyas362 15 hours ago 
thank you so much, if i had money u would gladly give it to you :bricktherat:
Meladoom  [author] 30 Jun @ 2:25am 
I had to do it a week ago, and it works, hahah!
1 - Don't rush.
2 - If you screwed something up, start from the very beginning.

3 - "it keeps reinstalling onto my cfg folder".
Steps 9 & 24, perhaps? Also you could miss Step 12 gray text.

4 - "after i exit tf2 from the last step it resets to the steam cloud :/".
Step 22? Maybe your Steam client is somehow read-only, but I doubt.
matcha 29 Jun @ 10:45pm 
once i remove the config.cfg from the steam cloud, it keeps reinstalling onto my cfg folder and after i exit tf2 from the last step it resets to the steam cloud :/
matcha 29 Jun @ 9:24pm 
this didnt work for me :(
☆Mr Kaitune Blade☆ 6 Jun @ 12:26am 
At first I thought it wouldn't work... But after I finished it, now I can play! Thank you very much!!! =D First time with Potato Configs. Oh no more... D=(
Meladoom  [author] 31 May @ 6:19am 
No, because such stuff is stored on Valve's servers (not Cloud). Just like your items.
Also achievements and playtime/stats in general, but 😉😉
FireFox the Furry Sfm 27 May @ 9:22pm 
will this delete everything including contracts?
Albert 12 Mar @ 12:36pm 
yo i think im missing my system 32
:steamhappy:
lucianoends 4 Mar @ 3:26pm 
i think it went to the trash