I installed Bazzite on one drive and use a second drive for my files and Steam library. However, my games do not launch correctly from that drive, and I suspect NTFS compatibility is the problem. I found ntfs2btrfs, a tool that claims to convert an NTFS filesystem to Btrfs without deleting the data. Has anyone used it, and what is the safest way to perform the conversion? Would it be better to back up the files, reformat the drive as Btrfs or ext4, and restore everything instead?
3 Answers
You do not have to use Btrfs specifically; ext4 is also a good choice for a Linux-only Steam drive. NTFS game libraries can sometimes work, but they are generally discouraged under Linux because permissions, case sensitivity, and Proton-related behavior can cause problems. Also, keeping the operating system on one drive and everything else on another is not required with Bazzite, so you may want to reconsider the layout if it leaves unused space on either drive.
ntfs2btrfs does exist, so a conversion without immediately formatting is technically possible. However, you should treat it as risky: make a complete, verified backup first, because a failed conversion could make the entire drive inaccessible. The tool’s author also warns that they are not responsible if something goes wrong.
The safest and simplest approach is to copy the files to another drive, reformat the game drive as Btrfs or ext4, mount it properly in Linux, and then copy the files back. Even if an in-place conversion works, you may still need to fix ownership and permissions afterward. For a Steam library, backing up and restoring through Steam can also make the transition easier.
That makes sense. I was mainly looking for instructions because I could only find the tool itself, not a clear walkthrough. I’ll make a backup before attempting anything.