> Re-installing Steam means uninstalling everything you've downloaded with steam This is not true. Delete everything apart from the steamapps and userdata fold

> Re-installing Steam means uninstalling everything you've downloaded with steam This is not true. Delete everything apart from the steamapps and userdata folders (which contain all your games and related data) and the Steam executable. Next time you click it it will redownload and install itself and all your installed games will be intact.