Hey everyone! I recently switched from Windows 10 to Linux Mint 22.1, and while I'm getting the hang of things, I'm running into a huge issue with Steam games. I can't seem to launch any games that aren't natively supported by Linux. I've tried all sorts of Proton versions in compatibility mode but they just get stuck at 'cancel' or 'stop', then revert back to 'launch'. All my games are on an HDD (while Linux is on an NVMe drive), and the only ones that run are the native Linux games, except for one game called Balatro that I moved to the SSD as a test. I'd prefer not to uninstall all my games and transfer them over to the smaller SSD if I can avoid it. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Just a quick note: I've got an RX 6800XT and a Ryzen 5 3600 processor.
4 Answers
First things first, check if your HDD is formatted in NTFS. That format can be a bit sketchy on Linux since it’s a Microsoft system. You might want to switch to something like EXT4 or BTRFS if you can. That way, you’ll have better game compatibility with Steam. Start by checking your drive setup; it may just need a reformat to function properly with your games.
Gaming on Linux has definitely improved, but it's not perfect for every game. Some run great, some need tweaks, and others won’t budge at all. Check out ProtonDB for info on game compatibility. Based on what you mentioned, it sounds like your HDD being NTFS could be causing the problem; you may need to format it for Linux and reinstall your games. Make sure you back them up first!
If you really don’t want to lose your data, one option is to shrink your NTFS partition, create a new EXT4 or BTRFS partition in the free space, then move your Steam games there. It might take a bit of work, but I’ve done it without any data loss before! You just have to expand the newly formatted partition after that.
For transitioning to Linux smoothly, check out the migration tips on some wiki pages and communities. They provide a wealth of knowledge on how to deal with these types of migration issues. Just remember to use caution with root access and verify your ISOs! Good luck!
Yes, my HDD is NTFS! Can I change it without losing my data?