Yesterday, July 1st, they announced the Alpha release of this next-generation mod manager and their new Product Manager got in touch to mention they “would be really keen to get feedback from Linux users”. So this is your chance to ensure Linux (and Steam Deck) finally become a first-class citizen for game modding.
Just install Linux on your laptop or desktop.
If you want a hassle-free setup, get Linux Mint, or if you use Nvidia, Pop!_OS.
To get as close to the Steam Deck setup as reasonable, get EndeavourOS with KDE. It is Arch-based and may require maintenance though.
Kubuntu is a good middle ground, with the same desktop interface as SteamOS (KDE) but also pretty hassle-free setup.
I have been trying
I don’t think my laptop likes to boot from a USB, things used to be so much easier. Maybe I need to try a DVD.
I need to find a DVD.
I recently got my old Dell dual-booting windows 10 and mint. Didn’t have issues getting mint installed (I used Etcher to burn the ISO to a USB drive), but windows absolutely didn’t want to play nice with Grub, and I had to use bcdedit to get it to load the boot menu. Working fine now, though! Looking at some articles, it seems like f10 is probably your bios key. It really ought to be able to boot from usb; my mobo is 12 years old and supports it.
That’s reassuring. I think it’s capable but it may be windows secure boot messing it up. Not familiar with bcdedit but I could try.
Yeah, I wouldn’t say I am, either—strictly a dabbler. For me, it’s just a matter of finding various forum posts from other people trying to get it working, and applying different suggested fixes until something works (ideally). There are tons of helpful comments out there, if you can find them.
I wouldn’t mess with bcdedit unless you get linux installed, but there’s no boot entry for it in your bios.
I’m no stranger to that. I guess it’s a matter of motivation at this point.
It might take a bit to wade through the BIOS settings to get it up but I’d recommend a process of elimination based on “Doesn’t sound relevant to the boot sequence” to figure it out. I have a recent HP laptop and I installed KDE Neon on it.
Searching for “How to install Linux on [your BIOS and version]” might also help.
Mind if we collectively do some troubleshooting?
What are you using to write to the usb key? Have you tried tools like Ventoy? What OS are you using to write the USB iso? Which iso are you using?
What model is your laptop? How far along in the process are you able to get? Is the USB key in the boot device list? Do you have USB enabled in the BIOS under bootable options?
I would really appreciate that in fact.
I tried Rufus and UNetbootin, both on the windows 10 machine I’m intending to try Linux on, to a 32gb flash drive (I tried two different ones actually). I used an AV Linux ISO and Ubuntu Studio ISO. I have not tried Ventoy.
It’s an HP. I’ll have to check the model. I went through the bios, and while admittedly it’s been some time, I thought everything seemed right. I recall trying to change the priority.
It wouldn’t boot at all. Windows just forces its way through.
Edit: I looked I to Ventoy a bit. I’ll give it a try tomorrow.
UNetbootin stopped being useful a long time ago. Rufus is OK as long as you set it up right.
Partition scheme: MBR
Target system: BIOS or UEFI
File system:FAT32
Then in the BIOs setting on the HP go to advanced and set “Legacy Support Enabled”. Save and exit.
Smash the F9 key repeatedly during boot to pull up the boot menu. You should see your USB device listed to pick and boot from.
I feel like those were the settings I used in Rufus. Sounds like legacy support might be what I need, thanks.
@w2tpmf @can What about #Ventoy https://ventoy.net/en/index.html ?
Ventoy is great, but…
It takes a few more steps to setup than Rufus, and you still have to set the right boot mode
The tool OP already has should work so there’s no need to send him to download another piece of software if he can complete the task with what he has.
@w2tpmf ventoy is as easy to set up as any other Boot-Stick-tool and has the great advantage that you can copy as many ISOs on your stick as there is space and you can still use it for other files… imho
I know exactly how it works. I use it every day. I never said it isnt easy. I said it’s more steps to set it up.
Rufus: run exe, pick iso, run it
Ventoy: run exe to install it, run it to configure the drive, copy ISOs over to the drive
For setting up a drive that’s going to be used repeatedly and continually changing what’s on it, Ventoy is the superior tool.
For a one time use to quickly get a ISO over to a USB… Rufus is quicker and gets the job done.
…and again…OP already has Rufus in hand. There’s no reason to get another piece of software that doesn’t offer any advantage to OP’s task.
There should be a a button that you can press repeatedly to open up a boot menu - it can be the delete key, f2, etc.
Depending on how new your laptop is, you may need to disable something called “Secure Boot”. Keep in mind if your windows installation is encrypted with BitLocker or whatever else Windows is using these days. If it is encrypted, and you have secure boot enabled you may run into issues booting back into Windows - it will freak out that secure boot was disabled and require your encryption key.
At least, that’s what happened with my ROG Zephyrus M16 - I had to find my BitLocker key to boot into Windows and then decrypt it using the settings menu.
Also, if you want to be able to use both Windows and Linux - see if your laptop has an expansion port for a second hard drive. Windows historically has screwed over dual booted Linux grub with updates, and if you can just boot to a entirely different drive that won’t happen.
It’s at least 5 years old. I’ll look into secure boot. I wouldn’t be against ditching windows entirely but I’m not sure I’m up for transferring all my files over right now. No way my laptop supports another drive unfortunately
Edit: however much to my surprise I did find an official service guide
Yeah, I may catch flak but I wouldn’t be inclined to ditch windows altogether. Unless you literally only do web browsing on your laptop, there’s a high likelihood you may run into a few things that need troubleshooting to get working under Linux, and dual being able to switch back to Windows seamlessly is a huge help/comfort.
If you can find the model number or service tag, that would be a big help for troubleshooting.
There should be a sticker under your laptop with a bunch of tiny text, or if I recall correctly you can use System Information. See this article
That’s good advice, but I’d put forward that you can do all your troubleshooting in a live install so you can bail if you need to. Chances are most things just work and then it’s easier to hit the button.
I only do audio production on my laptop. All browsing is come on my phone whenever possible. The software in my workflow is all Linux compatible and the distros I’m interested in are geared toward that focus. That said I would appreciate the convenience of having windows for now still. Especially since there are some plugins I occasionally use which unfortunately aren’t Linux compatible.
I use kubuntu with nvidia and it works really well. The only issue I have is stuttering on games with a locked framerate lower than my monitor refresh rate. I was able to fix the stuttering on elden ring with mods and so far that is the only game that has been wonky about it.
WAIT I CAN JUST INSTALL LINUX ON THE LAPTOP AND IT TRANSFORMS INTO A STEAM DECK!?
Software-wise, if you are using a Linux installation with KDE interface, on an AMD CPU and AMD GPU, and are using a wayland session with gamescope to play games, it is very VERY close to the Steam Deck and you are benefiting from all the optimizations that were made for Steam Deck. Bonus points if the hardware is Ryzen 3000 series and Radeon RX 6000 series.
You probably saw this, but Nexus Mods are asking feedback from Linux users, not just Steam Deck. Because, you know, apart from the sticks, size and touch pads, Steam Deck is just another Linux machine.
LOL that’s a lot of ifs…
And you left out the part about launching into big picture mode.
All Linux installations use Proton, DXVK and Wine to play Windows games. That is the biggest power of the Steam Deck. The rest is just bonus.
You can launch Big Picture mode on any pc with Steam installed for ease of use with a controller…
That is not correct.
Elaborate
What about this isn’t correct?
The “biggest power” is the unique first-party processor it uses, the touch pads, the Steam Input configuration, Gamescope, sleep/resume function (tied to the processor) and the direct launch into Big Picture mode. Not to mention hardware that’s simply guaranteed to work with Linux/Steam. All things installing any old Linux distro won’t suddenly provide you.
interesting… can you please go ahead and tell this to my Minisforum PC i hooked up to my TV and let it boot into big picture and resume from sleep etc. just like its a console?
Because from what you told me it shouldnt work… but it does… and somebody needs to tell it and i can’t because i didnt spend so much time with it… you know i just installed bazzite and called it a day… so i don’t really have a big connection to it :/
But in all seriousness, you’re completly wrong here. The chip used in the Steamdeck sure is special and does a lot of heavy lifting. But everything that makes out the steamdeck is definetely not exclusive to its hardware. You 100% can just hook up any PC, be it some minisforum mini pc, a laptop or a off the shelf gaming PC, install literally any linux on it and within a few hours of installing and configuring stuff - you can make your own “steamdeck”. It works. Reliable, hasslefree.
I assume you just don’t have any real-world experience with setting something like this up. Go ahead and try it, it’s not hard and you will see that you just don’t need a steamdeck.
It’s absolutely nothing special to produce a console-like gaming experience with linux these days.
You really shouldn’t believe to be correct if everyone else has the real-world experience you try to tell others can’t exist
Install Bazzite and use the Laptop version with Steam Gaming Mode if you have an AMD system. It’s what you’re asking for but for non-deck devices. http://bazzite.gg/
I didn’t ask for anything…
Who hurt you that you’re taking all of this as a personal attack?
None of that happened.
I’m just tired of people constantly spreading disinformation about turning their laptops into Steam Decks by simply installing Linux, and failing to understand or acknowledge literally any of the major differences.
Not literally, but this turns your device into a Steamdeck, which is what you implied you wanted. With the option to launch into Big Picture/Gaming Mode.
Did you remember to wish upon a star during install?
if you have an amd gpu and install bazzite its basically the steamos version valve hasn’t released yet but with a fedora base instead of arch. I wouldn’t actually do the deck image though because game mode is kinda annoying unless controller really is your primary input. I use the desktop image on all my computers that aren’t server use.