Valve’s Steam Deck runs on SteamOS v3.3, an altered version of Arch Linux. Valve mentioned that they want to adopt a rolling upgrade process for Deck’s system software, despite the fact that SteamOS was initially created for Steam devices utilizing Debian Linux.
Having said that, it’s critical to remember that, as this essay has demonstrated, putting Windows on the Deck is also an option.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Steam Deck can mimic a variety of consoles, arcade games, and even gaming systems from the MS-DOS era. It’s also crucial to be aware that there are numerous dependable emulators on which you can set up and run your games.
Dual booting Windows and SteamOS on a Steam Deck
The right hardware, which consists of at least three flashdrives with a combined capacity of about 8GB, is necessary before dual booting SteamOS and Windows using GParted partitioning.
According to YouTuber Deck Wizard, utilizing a USB-connected mouse and keyboard is very helpful when using the GParted tool to give space to SteamOS and Windows.
The players also need to have access to a USB C adaptor in order to connect the external disks. The Steam Deck should ideally be able to be charged by this converter. The one system per disk principle must be followed in order to properly dual boot, regardless of the games that users want to play on Steam Deck.
Use the first flash drive to install SteamOS.
Before beginning the dual booting process, players must clean the data on their Steam Deck to avoid accidentally erasing anything significant.
The Rufus tool can be used to generate and format a bootable USB drive that can be used to install operating systems like SteamOS. When ISO files are copied onto a disk that is supported by Rufus, the SteamOS and GParted operating systems work well with them.
In order to proceed, players must connect the flashdrive they want SteamOS installed on to their USB-C adapter in accordance with the Steam Deck Recovery instructions. Players that are comfortable using the Steam Deck’s processing and controls will have an advantage when navigating the next menus.
By holding down the volume and power buttons at the same time, players can launch the Boot Manager screen, where they can select their USB drive as a device to manage. After a little delay, the following screen offers recovery choices and a “Reimage Steam Deck” prompt.
A terminal command option is provided to users, and if they choose it, the NVME is prompted to copy and reimage SteamOS directly to the flashdrive. In order to log in and download games using their Steam credentials after a short period of time, users must restart the computer and repeat the basic setup procedure with the Steam Deck.
Now that the Steam Deck can run Game Boy cartridges, the variety of games will considerably grow once SteamOS is up and running.
Partition the game storage on the second flash device using GParted.
After installing SteamOS, users can access the Storage settings on their Steam Deck to see how much space the first external drive offers.
Gamers can double-check the amount of storage space needed for specific games they intend to download for either Windows or SteamOS in the subsequent stage, when GParted divides the storage space for both operating systems during Dual Booting.
Players should consider which games are best before allocating their device’s storage space to them for the Steam Deck. Players must turn off the Steam Deck and switch the first drive for the second in the adapter while using the aforementioned way to travel to the Boot Manager screen.
The Gnome Partition Editor (GParted) application is launched when players once more choose the new flashdrive from the Boot Manager menu. This phase needs the USB keyboard and mouse because the Steam Deck’s controls are challenging.
By pressing “Choose,” the player is transferred to the “Don’t Touch Keymap” screen, which prompts them to manually enter their preferred language. Users should press “0” in response to the brief prompt that appears before accessing GParted’s main menu.
Navigating through GParted’s partition settings to the eighth and last one listed, “home,” is the most crucial step in Dual Booting the games that can be played on the Steam Deck. With the USB mouse, right-clicking brings up a drop-down menu with several options, including “Resize/Move.”
If a player is having problems making a choice, they may also compare the file size to the storage requirement they saw before while downloading SteamOs.
Then, a slider that displays allows users to divide space on SteamOS according to their demands. After right-clicking on the empty space, users must utilize it to create a “New” partition, keeping the “ext4” file system intact, before carrying out these changes using the green checkmark at the menu.
