Steam for Linux

Steam for Linux

shared steam-lib between Windows and Linux
Just got a new setup, and i just wondered if it is possible to share steamlib-folder across Windows and Ubuntu (or any linux-distros). My setup is two separate SSD's with Windows and Ubuntu, and one shared HDD they both have access too. I tried to assign the same folder as the default steamlib-folder, but with no success. Steam showed the game-titles I downloaded from Ubuntu but it wasnt executable. I'm very short on space on my SSD's and I really hope there is another way than to duplicate every game I have available on both OS.
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16/6 megjegyzés mutatása
I'll check into that :) Thanks
The other question is if that would be of any help. I guess you probably use the Linux client under Linux, right?

As the binaries are compiled to work under Linux this will be the main problem. The windows-client will be able to use under Linux – but with the help of Wine (you would need a second client for that under Linux). Idk I think there even may be shareable folders – but the effort to share them may be higher than what you get out of it in the end… (There are some folder just containing png-files and such)

I recommend to not share the client but install it a second time if your disk drive lets you.


I think that for the actual games it will be different for every game. But the biggest problem will always be that the binaries for Linux are compiled for Linux – and the other way round.

If you are low on internet bandwith and own games alvailable under Linux and Win you can try to copy game folders of from one OS to another – important is to also import the "appmanifest_xxxx.acf-files" in the SteamApps folder. The paths in the .acf-files have to be corrected. After that you can do a local validation – and in some cases it may be that the Steam client will download less (in others not).

To sum it up: The benefit of sharing between OSs is only small.
There may be some minor shareable things – but you have to configure a lot of stuff by hand then. Executables are not shareable.
Legutóbb szerkesztette: sounds like a wooosh; 2014. jan. 16., 23:43
Yeah i have been playing around alot the past day. I figured it would be alot of work to make it happend and like you say.. small benefits. I have now installed two seperate clients. One for Windows and one for Linux with two lib-folders.

Anyways. This is the first time i try out the Steam-client for Linux, and im impressed. Valve has done some excellent work here, and my nvidia-drivers works like a charm.

Thanks for the answers tho. Things are much more clear to me now. :)
It's always nice to try some things … and explore I think :) … Kind of meta-game ^^
You can create NTFS partition and add option to mount it to SteamApps folder (/etc/fstab) and use same partition for SteamApps folder on Windows installation.
Since there are different game clients for linux and windows (expect some files like maps etc.), what sense would it make to share libs anyway ?
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16/6 megjegyzés mutatása
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Közzétéve: 2014. jan. 16., 3:18
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