Dual system or install windows on external ssd

[Ra94]

So I intend to get protondb but since I'm not entirely sure and I hear anticheat won't let you play some games fully like F1 2024 multiplayer mode stops working I'm wondering if I should install windows on an external dock for all window games and then have steam os on my deck and get emudeck etc on it.

What do you all recommend as I'm a total noob on this and I'd like to get epic games ea games etc. And some games require windows.

[Electric Cupcake]

Dual boot Installing on separate drives is easier and safer than partitioning a single one, but external drives are usually too slow unless using an eSATA connection or an NVME to PCIe adapter.

[Phénomènes Mystiques]

Originally posted by Electric Cupcake:

Dual boot Installing on separate drives is easier and safer than partitioning a single one, but external drives are usually too slow unless using an eSATA connection or an NVME to PCIe adapter.

USB 3.1.2 and 3.2x2 and above seem close to eSATA/SATA (and of course Thunderbolt blows PCIe out of the water).

[ZanyScum]

An OS on an external USB drive sounds interesting. If it works, would you tell us how well it works? And if you needed to do some vodoo or if it worked out of the box?

[Ra94]

There are some videos online but most are showing how to get steam deck to automatically boot windows upon connecting the ssd via jsaux but I want to get steam deck to let me choose between windows and steam after connecting the jsaux dock. Does anyone have a clue. Because otherwise I'd use the jsaux dock for windows only and then another dock for steam deck which is just alot of devices for no reason or am I overthinking this. Has anyone done this?

This is a link for a YouTube video I saw it on but my questions are not exactly answered after installing it and how to switch between the 2 during the dock is connected.

https://youtu.be/sIHagfCi_tE?si=ayrJajyUsF00BfUF

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

Well partly yes it true Devs may not opt their games for linux support when using anti cheat, it up to them to give support, or not on linux side.

Now is there reason needing to dual boot? Seeing you're posting Steam deck video, I assume want to play said games on Steam deck, which at that point might as well just install windows, and save yourself the trip as a whole instead of going back, and forth, but up to you.

[Ra94]

Originally posted by Dr.Shadowds 🐉:

Well partly yes it true Devs may not opt their games for linux support when using anti cheat, it up to them to give support, or not on linux side.

Now is there reason needing to dual boot? Seeing you're posting Steam deck video, I assume want to play said games on Steam deck, which at that point might as well just install windows, and save yourself the trip as a whole instead of going back, and forth, but up to you.

To be honest I like the steam interface and if I could I'd rather not have windows altogether but some games I want to play like F1 24 won't work due to anticheat.

[Ben Lubar]

I recommend against dual booting on a single machine in general. Too many different ways for it to go wrong and then you lose half or all of your data.

If you need to use another operating system for some rare tasks, run a virtual machine or get a cheap pre-owned computer and wipe it.

If you want to run Windows on a Steam Deck, just run Windows on there and no Linux. You can start Steam in big picture mode and it'll work pretty much the same as it does by default.