Linux Reader for Windows

[Boris]

Hello, I managed to dualboot Windows on my Steamdeck to play some Games that are not available on the Deck. Now the issue is that Windows can't access the ext4 formatted sd card from the Steamdeck, so I need a programm that can read the formated sd card.

Is there a free program to do that. I am afraid to wipe my sd card with my games on if I use such a program. Please help me.

(I found a program called DiskGenius, is this a good one?)

[deaddoof]

Format your sd card to exfat.

[@R+5]

I think theres another way, a bit more cumbersome, but more secure and flexible: using the linux subsystem for windows. it should work in windows 10 and 11

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=how+to+use+linux+subsystem+for+windows

i still havent checked how to use it properly in a normal pc (and wont be able to try in a steam deck, since i dont own one), though. if you have a large ssd, maybe you could give it a shot. the versions of linux adapted for running with the subsystem in windows are trimmed and smaller, but will still take some space. you will need to use the command line in windows.

i think you can find a free version of fedora, or manjaro, or ubuntu, that works with it, and then with that you could mount and move files between windows partitions and linux partitions without changing them.

Originally posted by Boris:

(I found a program called DiskGenius, is this a good one?)

afaik, currently there is still no free program to mount ext4 in windows to allow reading and writing directly. last time i checked, i thin a year or so ago, there was a commercial program that claimed to allow that but was very expensive.

[@R+5]

Originally posted by deaddoof:

Format your sd card to exfat.

that could help to read the content from windows (like non-game data, ie videos or music), but may not work great for running games in linux because ext4 runs faster.

if op has games in the sd card, and lacks space to move them out, he will lose them and will need to reinstall them after. im not sure exfat can work well with all games or properly from some limitations it has.

[deaddoof]

Originally posted by @R+5:

Originally posted by deaddoof:

Format your sd card to exfat.

that could help to read the content from windows (like non-game data, ie videos or music), but may not work great for running games in linux because ext4 runs faster.

if op has games in the sd card, and lacks space to move them out, he will lose them and will need to reinstall them after. im not sure exfat can work well with all games or properly from some limitations it has.

Depends on how big the game. Is the Op running proton on exfat? There may be issues.

[Mahjik]

@Boris

What will help is describing what you are trying to do (i.e. what will reading the SD card do for you). Depending on your use case, a separate SD card for Windows may be a better option.

[Boris]

Originally posted by Mahjik:

@Boris

What will help is describing what you are trying to do (i.e. what will reading the SD card do for you). Depending on your use case, a separate SD card for Windows may be a better option.

I forgot to mention that I have a seperate sd card with windows.

One for my games and one for windows

[Mahjik]

You aren't going to be able to have one drive/card for "games" for both systems. There are features that are needed for Proton which aren't directly supported by exFat. You can use exFat to exchange files, store media, etc... but for gaming it won't work.

[Boris]

Originally posted by Mahjik:

You aren't going to be able to have one drive/card for "games" for both systems. There are features that are needed for Proton which aren't directly supported by exFat. You can use exFat to exchange files, store media, etc... but for gaming it won't work.

Would another sd card fix that? one for windows and one for the steamdeck games?