(Solved) Can't add library on external xfat drive on Linux.

[ACE7F22]

I've been trying several solutions to this. The Steam Library is mounted "/media/WD_BLACK/SteamLibrary". I'm getting errors that it's not executable, but all the permissions are granted. Changing the name doesn't help, and Steam creates a new "SteamLibrary" folder, but then throws the same errors that it can't add the empty library it just created.

Before with default mounting, I could add my library effortlessly, but it didn't have write permissions, so I configured the mount to have all permissions, now I can't even add the library.

If I try to manually add the folder, it says can't add "not empty" library? Like I'm not supposed to have games? But then it won't add the empty library it literally just created either, so this is just completely broken.

I rebooted the PC, switched to beta, and checked the fstab which didn't makes sense. I'm running out of ideas here.

Oh, also tried "repair library" a few times, didn't help.

Arch Linux (Nvme)
Steam installed through pacman
KDE Plasma desktop
Game library WD Game drive 8TB HDD(xFat)



(spoiler alert, the problem was the exFAT driver using "fuse". Switched driver, and problem solved.)

[DevaVictrix]

It sounds like you might be trying to add the library inside the library, if that makes sense. Try adding it ‘up’ one directory.

[ACE7F22]

Postat inițial de DevaVictrix:

It sounds like you might be trying to add the library inside the library, if that makes sense. Try adding it ‘up’ one directory.

No, maybe I expressed that wrong. The library "SteamLibrary" is located directly within "WD_BLACK". In fact, I have 4 "SteamLibrary"s now, 0-3. I've tried adding via "/media/WD_BLACK", and manually selecting in file explorer "WD_BLACK", and the "SteamLibrary"s directly.

I've cleared download cache, still no luck.

I tried the advice of renaming the library, and added a new one, which is how I have 4 now. I also tried modifying the steam library configuration folder that points to them, and repairing in storage menu, still no luck.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

When you go to make the Library in Steam, select the Drive, then select Make New Folder (do not make this folder yourself in some File Explorer ahead of time) and then select that new empty folder as the library.

Also, there is another way to do it totally outside of doing it through the Steam Settings. That just involves editing the libraryfolders.vdf in the folder where Steam was originally installed (in the Steamapps folder)

You can edit VDF / ACF files from Steam using Notepad or Notepad++

[ACE7F22]

Postat inițial de Bad 💀 Motha:

When you go to make the Library in Steam, select the Drive, then select Make New Folder (do not make this folder yourself in some File Explorer ahead of time) and then select that new empty folder as the library.

Also, there is another way to do it totally outside of doing it through the Steam Settings. That just involves editing the libraryfolders.vdf in the folder where Steam was originally installed (in the Steamapps folder)

You can edit VDF / ACF files from Steam using Notepad or Notepad++

I did both of these. I select the drive, add new library, it creates an empty library in the file system, and then tells me the same "failed to add folder", and "Steam library folder is not executable" randomly when clicking add. File explorer shows the added folder, but it won't show in Steam, even though Steam created it. I tried "Repair Library", and that only (supposedly) fixes the primary library.

I also tried editing the "libraryfolders.vdf" located in "/Home/.steam/steam/config", I manually added the path to "/media/WD_BLACK/" and I even deleted the original to try to force it to treat the WD_BLACK as the only library.

None of this has worked. Steam claims that it lacks execute permission, but it doesn't, and it's tried to say it can't add a "non empty" library, suggesting I can't have games already downloaded, which isn't true. I'm suspecting this is just broken, cause these errors aren't even logical.

Excuse me if I'm ranting, I'm just frustrated that I can't take advantage of my expanded library because of some glitch, or broken system.

Thanks for trying to help though, I do appreciate the responses.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Perhaps a Steam Library already exists on tbat drive? You can only have 1 steam library per drive or partition

[ACE7F22]

Postat inițial de Bad 💀 Motha:

Perhaps a Steam Library already exists on tbat drive? You can only have 1 steam library per drive or partition

Steam won't recognize or add the 1 library, and if I change the name to hide it, it will add a new library, and then still refuse to recognize or use the library it literally just created. I'm sure the number of libraries isn't the issue.

I'm not trying to create additional libraries, I'm just trying to get it to read and use the library that exists on that drive, so I can play my games without having to re-download them again.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Have you tried wiping the drive out completely and re-partition + format it under the current OS user?

[ACE7F22]

Postat inițial de Bad 💀 Motha:

Have you tried wiping the drive out completely and re-partition + format it under the current OS user?

This is a last resort. It's an 8TB HDD with over 1TB of games, and several backups, which I currently have no other medium to save to, so reformatting would not only take a long time, but I'd permanently lose data. I have already considered this, but it's a last resort, and I'm waiting till I can get additional drives to juggle data safely.

The reason I'm particularly frustrated with this, is switching from Windows 11 to Linux, and decided to use this external drive to access games on either OS. The default configuration, steam on Linux would simply let me add the drive, it would find the library, and all my games would show up, however, I couldn't launch them because it was missing write permissions. After changing the drive mount to give full permissions to steam, now it just won't work, to say the least. Steam even says it doesn't have execution permissions, which it does, so steam is lying to me.

My point being, it did work at one point when it didn't have full permissions, and now with full permissions, it's just broken.

I apologize if this is rambling. These issues are driving me crazy, like, obviously it has to be glitches, or a bug, so maybe there's not even anything I can do about it.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Itw a HDD, it's dog crap slow, get an SSD.

It's gone for backups and file storage not games. Put all the ganes on its own ssd.

[ACE7F22]

Postat inițial de Bad 💀 Motha:

Itw a HDD, it's dog crap slow, get an SSD.

It's gone for backups and file storage not games. Put all the ganes on its own ssd.

I'm looking for a fix to library adding, not storage advice. An 8TB SSD would cost nearly $1k. HDD are perfectly fine for expanded storage, and swapping my games from a local HDD to the system SSD is a whole lot faster than having to download the entire game again. My internet is at best 40mbps, while SATA is aprox. 250mbps.

To be more specific, I want my entire game library locally available, so I never have to download a game I want to play. Either I can run it straight from the archive, or swap it to the SSD, and archive games I stop playing. I also retain access without any internet connection if that ever becomes a problem. Buying SSDs for this purpose would be a waste of money.

For what it's worth, my plans are to eventually create a RAID with 2-3 HDD (8TB), to get more transfer speed, and a NAS someday with maybe 5 HDDs (16TB) in RAID-5 config. All this to have all my data locally, and not rely on internet or services.

[ACE7F22]

I should be able to read a steam library located on an external HDD, and play my games. It's that simple, and I don't know why Steam is making this an issue. I just want to access my games I downloaded, and take advantage of my literal "Game Drive". This "WD_BLACK" is literally a "Game Drive", it's literally made for storing extra games.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

For any drive that has Steam Games on it already and has never been configure in THAT PC before; you would have to do the following...

First connect said drive, then I would suggest going to Disk Management in WinOS and remove the drive letter, then set a new one and set that to something further down the line in the alphabet (such as R, S, T for example) just so it wont get used by another drive.

Then go into the drive and rename the current "Steam Library"

Then load up Steam and make Steam Library on that drive. Once made and seen properly by Steam to use, exit Steam entirely. Then go to the old Steam Library folder you renamed and move the contents inside the old renamed folder over to the new one Steam created. Then load Steam back up again. Then any Game that is owned and installed to the drive you just did this on, click INSTALL and select the same Library folder on said drive; now Steam should see those game files and verify them. After that is done, game is now ready to PLAY.

[Zef]

Postat inițial de ACE7F22:

I should be able to read a steam library located on an external HDD, and play my games. It's that simple, and I don't know why Steam is making this an issue. I just want to access my games I downloaded, and take advantage of my literal "Game Drive". This "WD_BLACK" is literally a "Game Drive", it's literally made for storing extra games.

Bro , you did this to yourself, you started messing with permissions you clearly do not understand and now try to blame Valve for your fckup.

"Before with default mounting, I could add my library effortlessly, but it didn't have write permissions, so I configured the mount to have all permissions, now I can't even add the library."

What you *SHOULD do is get a cheap USB stick and replicate the scenario you're trying to do (or reformat the entire drive from scratch but clearly you're averse to that so USB it is).

Start from scratch on a EXFAT or EXT4 file system formatted stick and make sure you let the OS do the formatting and steam the library folder structure.

It's good that you're looking into getting a NAS though, because that is indeed the recommend solution to your little data hoarding problem, not external HDD's.

[DevaVictrix]

I’m not sure permissions are involved. You just don’t know where to point steam.

Maybe mv all the game directories to a folder called ‘backup’, delete the steam folder then get steam to recreate it , copy game directories back to steam directory.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Postat inițial de DevaVictrix:

I’m not sure permissions are involved. You just don’t know where to point steam.

Maybe mv all the game directories to a folder called ‘backup’, delete the steam folder then get steam to recreate it , copy game directories back to steam directory.

I explained this in greater detail above in Post #12