Transferring data via USB cable?

[DefraggedSSD]

Is this possible? every site i found googling was talking about wireless or SD cards to transfer data but i just want to know if i could make a direct link with my PC via a USB A to C wire.
I have a feeling that it wont fully work due to linux and windows OS differences though. and i don't want to risk damaging my deck.

[ReBoot]

It's not about Windows/Linux-differences, it's about USB simply not being fit for connecting two computers. Or rather computers not being built to be USB slaves.

You can't connect 2 Windows PCs this way, just like you can't connect 2 Linux PCs.

Well, the later is not quite true, you can set up a Linux PC to fake a USB device. So yeah, you could program your Deck to provide a USB storage device and connect 2 PCs this way.

[DefraggedSSD]

Originally posted by ReBoot:

It's not about Windows/Linux-differences, it's about USB simply not being fit for connecting two computers. Or rather computers not being built to be USB slaves.

You can't connect 2 Windows PCs this way, just like you can't connect 2 Linux PCs.

Well, the later is not quite true, you can set up a Linux PC to fake a USB device. So yeah, you could program your Deck to provide a USB storage device and connect 2 PCs this way.

Thanks. That at least answers my question and I hope this pops up on Google so it can help others with my similar idea. Guess I'll just wireless transfer

[retrogunner]

There's a couple other wired solutions:

1. They are special USB cables that have a "data bridge" like device in the middle of it. These usually require drivers (so the SteamOS is a no-go) but IIRC there's a couple that don't. This the is rare solution.

2. For the (likely) fastest xfer speed & easy wired solution, you'll want to use a USB Dock that offers wired Ethernet - provided your PC is using Ethernet too. With it, you'll only be bottlenecked by its max throughput - which should be faster than your congested home WiFi OR copying data to the SD Card/USB stick then plugging that into your Deck.

A couple of other pointers:
* Don't forget, the SD card is Linux formatted, not Windows NTFS. So you might have to deal with that hurdle.

* Network adapters can have a limited lifespan (usually years) - WiFi & Ethernet. It's not so much a problem anymore but device exhaustion/burnout can happen - more so with heavy use. They experience transceiver heating & electrical poundings. They aren't like USB (which can burn out too -- but I'm not talking being fried cause a crappy USB device with bad grounding).

If you are transferring terabytes of games & data, it might be worthwhile to share the network-love over time. When charging, consider a powered dock with Ethernet & cable -- this is when you'll be getting OS & Content updates, installs, etc. Then when undocked, or out & about, WiFi it.

[NDragon1412]

Originally posted by DefraggedSSD:

...
Thanks. That at least answers my question and I hope this pops up on Google so it can help others with my similar idea. ...

Can confirm, it did appear on Google and it did help me. Cheers :3

[Jacket]

There's a decky plugin to allow your deck to be used as an MTP device, which is how android phones connect as USB storage devices. It's called 'DeckMTP' and you enable it via the BIOS (hold volume + when you tap the power button).

Then click Setup Utility > Advanced > USB Configuration > USB Dual-Role Device > DRD (not XHCI).

Then it's enabled permanently and should work like plugging any Android device into your PC.

(This post is showing up on Google hence the resurrection of an almost year old thread.)

[TODO: Username]

Linux USB gadgets are a nifty feature, you can pretty much make anything you want, I believe you can even turn your SteamDeck into a wired controller this way. Also, you can turn the SteamDeck into a fake DVD drive with ISO file for reinstalling the operating system on your PC, sort of like the IODD disk enclosures, but a little less user friendly :)

By the way, enabling DRD in the FIrmware doesn't seem to have any drawbacks, the port still runs at up to 10Gbit/s and DP-Alt video output also works.

[Clara Thrace]

Originally posted by TODO: Username:

By the way, enabling DRD in the FIrmware doesn't seem to have any drawbacks, the port still runs at up to 10Gbit/s and DP-Alt video output also works.

For me with firmware 110 USB stops working in Windows if I switch to DRD (obviously it works just fine in SteamOS), as the controller's compatible ID changes and the driver no longer recognizes it. One of my friends has a Deck with firmware 113, and it works fine for them even in Windows (compatible ID stays the same as in XHCI mode, and that firmware actually defaults to DRD)

[XxxkrazyxxX]

Originally posted by Clara Thrace:

Originally posted by TODO: Username:

By the way, enabling DRD in the FIrmware doesn't seem to have any drawbacks, the port still runs at up to 10Gbit/s and DP-Alt video output also works.

For me with firmware 110 USB stops working in Windows if I switch to DRD (obviously it works just fine in SteamOS), as the controller's compatible ID changes and the driver no longer recognizes it. One of my friends has a Deck with firmware 113, and it works fine for them even in Windows (compatible ID stays the same as in XHCI mode, and that firmware actually defaults to DRD)

how do i update my firmware?
it doesn't work for me when i connect my usb to the pc

[impatientcow915]

Hello, I have tried to do this many times, and I have had no luck with my steam deck. I have seen this work with a completely new steamdeck as well, so its not my pc. help if you can!

[Struggler]

Ok, so what if i buy the steamdeck dock and connect my pc that way. Is that possible?