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unofficial support for dual boot will remain available and will improve, since thats a "linux thing", not a "valve thing".
and the last reason, but imo also obvious, is that having two os is risky, and usually avoided. microsoft in multiple times have sabotaged, and tried to prevent users to change their os or dual boot. thats also one of the reasons that using two disks for dual booting is recomended in case theres an issue with the boot loader failing to load.
"Dual-Boot with SteamOS not yet available" on that page.
Steam officially said before the deck was released that there would be an option from Steam to dual boot with Windows.
I am wondering when this will be available FROM STEAM.
Steam OS is based in linux. originally was made using ubuntu, and the version for the deck uses a better os which is arch. no matter which linux fork you create or use, all share some basic features, including the posibility of dual booting with any other os.
so if valve mentiones it, it means that the options exists. that is different to official support of a different os, which is what you actually want.
"Windows isn't supported" doesn't seem to mean what you think it means.
i think that means they will include a bootloader redesigned for a "friendlier dual booting experience" in the final version of steam os v3, and i think is very likelly to be a fork of what is already available, or the bootloader they are already using.
the note mentions a "wizard" to make easier configuring settings, in the boot loader, which imo only means "within" the boot loader, not a tool to auto-install windows from the boot loader (i guess it could be done, but its unlikely that can happen: i think that would be a different program which would need to be called from the boot loader, but im not an expert)
the only difference will be, probably, that it will include the logo of valve, or the deck, or both. it will also be probably more minimalist than most boot loaders.
i think this video helps to find what you can expect to do with a boot loader.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAyzHP1Cqb0
Microsoft put their games on Steam because MS keeps fumbling their Game Stores which also tends to have high prices & fewer sales. That in turn drives folks to Game Pass. And isn't Game Pass much like Music streaming where creators only get fractional payouts and erodes game/software "ownership" of physical or backed up copies?
Valve is no saint, but they sure as hell is not as bad, way less. Their industry 30% is well earned for who they are, community support & contributions. Valve is a business with a huge Open Source presence & major contributor (much like Red Hat, SuSE, etc.) Their free SteamOS has less a "vendor lock-in" than Microsoft, Apple, Google, etc. -- use what ever store you want. Even if Valve went under, I remember reading they have contingencies for their CDNs & entitlements so folks can get their stuff. Plus if you have the storage, you can backup your downloaded copies.
But back to Microsoft. If in doubt, here's a small YT history lesson summary of their headline making tactics. I doesn't even cover some of Microsoft's other tactics which didn't make front page news. I don't suspect you've been reading Phoronix.com news since 2005. Microsoft has a very sorid past and their present tactics are still questionable/wearisome.
https://youtu.be/tJdHAJnKqFs
I think Valve is well within their right not to support Windows, that's Microsoft's job if they want to enable Windows on the Steam Deck. MS has talent and contacts with Valve to tune MS Drivers for it. But then Microsoft would only support its OS for maybe 5 years.
If Valve abandoned the Steam Deck & OS today, you'll will immediately find software & hardware projects popping up on how to keep them going. Take a look at the legacy console market mod kits. Software and cottage industry would appear within days.
The Steam Deck & OS will be around longer than Windows 10, 11 and 12 ... at least.
If Dual boot or full Windows on Deck is your use-case, cool. You do you.
99ish% of us Deck owners want to play games having grown tired WIndow'ism, PITA nVidia drivers, and wanting a legit open/unlocked console with affordable games installable from nearly any store or media - unlike the Xbox, Playstation, or Nintendont devices.
i used to think it was a fork from ubuntu rather than debian. guess that makes more sense.
They stated they are making a bootloader to support dual boot.
Windows however has no support after installation
The secret is to install Windows directly to a Micro SD card (use an A1 or A2 capable card, unless you want a lot of pain), then tell the BIOS to boot to the card.
When you want to go back to SteamOS, shut down the system, remove the card, and start the system again.
What you will need is Rufus[rufus.ie] and the Windows drivers from Valve. It looks like Rufus can download the ISO file for you, but I opted to use the media creation tool from Microsoft. Make sure to tell Rufus to create the portable version of Windows on the Micro SD card.
Yes, that's right: Valve has indeed released drivers if you want to run Windows. And honestly, it works fine.
I've installed my software development environment on it, and using a USB keyboard and mouse, done software development. Using a JSAUX docking station, I've run Microsoft Flight Simulator while connected to a TV and a Logitech X52 HOTAS.
. . . and of course the obligatory encouragement to please activate Windows. I imagine most people won't bother - but since I am developing software I may want to sell, I'm not taking legal chances. So yes, I am the owner of an officially licensed Windows on a micro SD card running on a Steam Deck.
That said, I'm just tired of hearing the whole "Windows is an unsupported OS" line, in all its many forms. This is simply not true. Maybe I wish it were true but that's neither here nor there.
When we talk about supported OSes we are talking about which OS work on the device. Which have drivers. Which can be installed. Windows is supported. However, you can not get support for windows. Two different concepts using two different meanings of the words support. Just seems like an important distinction that people are glossing over, or even using purposely as a rhetorical strategy.