Steam's Retroarch can't find SD card on Steam Deck...or is this just me ?

[EvathCebor]

I thought I would have to go in Z:\run\media but media does not appear anywhere. I have authorized hidden files and so on and I'm perfectly unable to find the SD card so I can scan the games...

Maybe I missed something obvious ? If someone has a solution, I'd be grateful.

[ChoquePumper]

"Z:"? I'm guessing you're using the Windows version.
The thing is, Steam's RetroArch doesn't have full access to the root filesystem (where "/run/media" is located) because it's running in a container called "Pressure Vessel" provided by the Steam runtime. It seems that Proton in running in that container, and so it means that all Windows games are affected by this as well.
The linux version of RetroArch is also running in the "Pressure Vessel" container since is linked against the Steam runtime, but it has some exceptions configured in the executable script, and "/run/media" is one of them allowing you to access to the SD card.
The answer I can give you is: try using the linux native version.

[EvathCebor]

Thank you very much for your answer. I'm not sure I'm intelligent and competent enough to understand it all, as I don't even know what's a countainer outside of a dock with boats all around, but I guess I got the main thing : it's both normal and complicated it didn't work as I excpected haha. Well this is life.

Since a few days, the Steam version of Retroarch on Steam deck gives me the C:, D:, E: and Z: pathfiles when I try to navigate through folders so yeah, very Windows looking. But as long as I'm sure of my health sanity, which I am not, I believe it was not the case a week ago. Since whatever update, no matter how many times and where I install and uninstall the Steam's retroarch, I have to navigate through the Z: menu, and it behaves as a Window app (exe and all, runs fine with Proton-GE etc). In order to achieve what I wanted, I installed and uninstalled tons of versions of retroarch everywhere, trying many stuff, I don't know if I messed up something or what, if some file is still there somewhere which ruins any of my Steam's retroarch on Deck.

You are so right. I used the linux native version, which is tons of easier to configure and of course...has all of the cores and the online updater. I'm using both right now, but I'm kind of stubborn and I really wanted to have the Steam version working.

[EvathCebor]

Anyway, I found two weird ways to see the SD card on the Steam Deck through the Steam version of Retroarch, if anyone wonders how :

1) the steamapps solution : The easier is to install Steam's Retroarch directly into your SD card. For whatever reason, Retroarch is still unable to see all of the folders inside your SD card except the very one it's installed in...steamapps. Put your "roms" folder(s) in the
/run/media/nameofyoursdcard/steamapps/ where your Steam Retroarch is already installed. This is it ! You can scan directories and create your playlists from there.

2) the linux playlists solution Install and configure the linux version of Retroarch, generate your playlists and so on. This should be a piece of cake. Then install the Steam version of Retroarch. On the Steam version of Retroarch, go to "Settings" / "Directory" and change the Playlists path. Redirect your Steam Retroarch's playlist path to your Linux Retroarch's.
Should be something like :
Z:/home/deck/.var/app/org.libretro.RetroArch/config/retroarch/playlists
you might want to do the same for many other of your directories, such as core locations and infos, for example.
Don't forget you might need to show hidden files to find the .var folder. Go to your Retroarch "Settings" "File Browser" "Show hidden files and directories".

It's not optimal, far from it, but hey, it kinda works.

please apologize my english.

[ChoquePumper]

Good for you. :) Although by "linux native version" I meant to untick the "Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool" option on Properties > Compatibility in order to use the linux version of Steam's RetroArch rather than using the standalone version, but if you're fine with your solution then go ahead and enjoy. :)

Publicado originalmente por EvathCebor:

Since a few days, the Steam version of Retroarch on Steam deck gives me the C:, D:, E: and Z: pathfiles when I try to navigate through folders so yeah, very Windows looking.

Iirc, on Steam Deck, Steam chooses automatically a recommended runtime to run the game, so I guess it chose a version of Proton (to use the Windows version) over the linux version.

[Daz Brett]

To access your SD card on Steam Deck... when you click on Manual Scan and choose Content Directory... click on '/' 'run' 'media' 'mmcblk0p1 .... then choose whatever folder you have your games in.

[EvathCebor]

In mmcblk0p1, retroarch only sees ''steamapps'' and nothing else.

[Daz Brett]

Are you navigating through the drives... C:, D:, E: etc?... if so, you're in the wrong folder... when in choose content directory, it's the bottom option, which is directory '/' ... you don't choose any drive allocation (i'm using the steam version of retroarch)

[EvathCebor]

Yes, but no. I know the right path but it didn't help, unfortunately. It's not that much of a problem anymore as I posted two workarounds that worked for me. But no, my Steam's Retroarch which is a windows version can see the sd card (only if it's installed on it) but only the steamapps folder and everything that's inside, it can see the insides of run/media/nameofthesdcard/steamapps but it can see only steamapps on run/media/nameofthesdcard/ , anything else than the steamapps folder it can't see. The linux standalone version is able to see it all.

Thanks for trying to help me, though !