I've been using CachyOS for about a year now, but I've run into some issues that I can't seem to fix. So, I'm thinking about trying out a different Linux distribution. The thing is, I really want to avoid downloading and reinstalling over a terabyte of Steam games. I'm using btrfs for my file system, and I hoped this would help, but I'm not sure how to make it work. Is there a way to keep my Steam library intact while I install a new distro?
3 Answers
You should definitely copy your steamapps folder! It usually works for maintaining your games on different systems. I have my Steam installed on an external SSD on Windows, so I haven't tried this on Linux yet, but it should work. Just make sure you have that folder backed up before you switch!
If you have multiple partitions, that’ll make your life easier. You can shrink a partition to free up space for your library, create a new partition, and move your Steam games there. If you're set up with btrfs, you might already have a separate home partition too. If you do, during the new installation, just use the / partition for the OS and manually mount the home partition afterward. But if you're looking for the easiest route, getting a new drive for your Steam library would be the best option.
Steam has a built-in backup/restore feature that you could use. Alternatively, you can keep your Steam library on a different drive or partition and add it back to Steam after the installation. That way, you won’t lose any game data!
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