Hey everyone! I'm interested in gaming on my dual-boot setup with Windows and Linux, but I don't want to limit the storage available for games on either operating system. I would like my main game storage drive to be accessible from both systems. What's the most reliable and compatible filesystem I should use? I'm considering NTFS since I've heard the Linux support has improved, but is it stable enough now? I've also looked into exFAT, but I've heard it might not support the permissions needed for Steam on Linux. What about btrfs? Are the Windows drivers for it still not mature enough for practical use? I'd appreciate any insights from those of you who've dealt with this issue!
4 Answers
I’ve been using NTFS for my Steam library across both systems. Just be aware that Linux and Windows manage game files differently. Natively played games on Linux might end up in a separate directory that Windows doesn't recognize, so it won’t show up in the Windows library.
Honestly, FAT/FAT32 is probably the simplest option if you’re looking for ease of use. Just keep in mind that it’s somewhat limited by the 4GB file size restriction, which can be a hassle for larger game files.
Good luck trying to stick with FAT32 with that file size cap! It's not really practical for modern gaming.
I say all the available filesystems have their pros and cons, so it really depends on what you're willing to compromise.
I haven't used it myself, but I came across btrfs during my research. You can check out this GitHub link for information: [btrfs GitHub](https://github.com/maharmstone/btrfs). Not sure about its safety though!
Yeah, the 4GB limit really makes FAT32 tough to use these days. What do you think is the next best option?