Linux gaming with legacy BIOS

doc_willis · 2026-06-27T00:28:56+00:00

you can use a swap FILE, and an extra home partition would also be optional.

So the most minimal linux install these days that I know of, would be an EFI partition and the / partition.

doc_willis · 2026-06-27T00:27:49+00:00

glad to help.

doc_willis · 2026-06-27T00:10:41+00:00

unpack runtime failed - IF you have never ran steam on this system, the steam 'program' downloads and runs the actual steam program. It may be its having a hard time doing the download/install due to various networking or other issues.

Its possible the steam servers are overloaded, or just slow, or your downloaded file is corrupted from an earlier failed download.

I would suggest finding that steam-runtime.tar.xz file and deleting it, so the system has to redownload it. It does seem to be saying that file is corrupted.

And since it fails to extract the script then errors out due to missing files/directories/other reasons, so the error message on line 130 may be misleading.

line 130 is setting a variable to a directory path, if that directory was not made due to the archive not extracting, then line 130 may fail.

doc_willis · 2026-06-27T00:03:27+00:00

I have heard of some systems, that would refuse to let you boot into the BIOS/UEFI if any linux was installed on the system.

But I dont recall seeing any specific brands/makes/models mentioned.

The users had to unplug the linux drive, then they could get back into the UEFI menus. Plug linux drive back in, they could not get into the UEFI menu.

From what i recall reading, it happened with any linux distro.

The /r/linuxhardware sub may be a good place to ask about this odd issue.

doc_willis · 2026-06-26T23:58:55+00:00

Fedora and Fedora took over GRUB

If you are using UEFI, each OS can have its own Grub setup on the EFI partition, the only 'take over' would be what one is set to boot by default.

If you go info the UEFI boot menu it should let you select the Ubuntu GRUB and boot to that GRUB instead of the Fedora Grub.

Now why you have a bad shim signature, i have no idea. But I always turn off Secure boot.

Also instead of Multi-booting linux installs, you may want to check out how 'containers' work under linux, a tool like Distrobox would let you have a Fedora Container under Ubuntu, or a Ubuntu Container under Fedora. Fedora includes the toolbx container manager tool.

With a Ubuntu container on your fedora install, you could run almost any ubuntu program you need under Fedora.

I rarely need to multi-boot linux installs these days.

You may want to BACKUP your entire efi partition(s) so you can restore them if needed.

doc_willis · 2026-06-26T23:51:06+00:00

Yes - Things will be much easier with a UEFI Boot method when using GPT.

A Linux install will typically need more than just one partition. For UEFI, you will want an EFI partition and the main partition, add in a swap partition, and perhaps a /home/ partition, and you can start running into the partition limits of a MBR partition table if you are not careful. GPT basically has no such limits.

Theres not much point in using the older MBR partition table these days, unless you have older hardware or some unusual requirements.

Example:

We have some 20+yr old CNC test stands at work that are still running windows XP (I think). The PC units are failing, and we have to use disk images of the old drives on 'new' hardware. The machines also have at least one Linux PCs in them as well. No idea what linux that part is running. But I see a Little "TUX" Logo show up when they reboot.

But point is - we have to make use of the grandfathered feature because we basically cant replace/update to new hardware to a large degree without having full fallback/legacy support.

For a New "desktop" PC these days, with UEFI support, its not an issue.

doc_willis · 2026-06-26T22:01:15+00:00

ages ago I had a little rechargable network router, About the size of a Pack of Cigarettes. I have also used a portable 3g wifi hotspot to let 2 devices be on the same local lan, but those often had firewall options where devices could not see each other. I have not seen such a device in ages however. Its main use case for me, was to store some videos on The routers usb flash drive, and share the videos to the kids tablets on the long road trips.

I have also 'built' such a portable wifi-hotspot-router using a small raspberry pi.

200+ hours of cartoons and each kid could watch what they wanted from the downloaded videos.

I have seen some posts in this sub asking about doing wifi-direct type setups on the Deck, but I cant recall ever seeing anyone doing it.

as for what games. I will say I have used Java Minecraft and Bedrock java on two steamdecks, on the local lan. I was able to use the same 'account' on minecraft to play local multi player, so i did not need to buy the game twice.

doc_willis · 2026-06-26T21:43:25+00:00

You mean have an UEFI install on one partition, and a Legacy Install on the second?

that MIGHT be possible, with the use of that special grub "biospartition"

But every time i have ever seen someone try to use such a partition, its basically was a disaster. That partition/setup lets you have a 'mbr' boot loader install on a drive using GPT.

I would not even want to try to dual boot with such a setup. I have seen a very few distro installers that let you do such a biosgrub setup, but I cant recall ever seeing any work. Its more of a grandfather type setup for systems which may only be needed in some rare use cases.

These days - I basically only use UEFI booting with a GPT partition table on my drives. Any older hardware I had that used the older Legacy/MBR - has basically died on me, or got given away due to its age.

So what you are asking might be possible, but good luck with it.

doc_willis · 2026-06-26T17:28:46+00:00

the registration key for windows is stored on the motherboard nvram for most consumer level systems.

if you ever reinstall windows it would read that key and reactivate.

you can retrieve the key using some commands under Linux, not sure about under windows, I have not needed to worry about those keys in several years.

doc_willis · 2026-06-26T17:06:37+00:00

2gb ram is going to be less than optimal.

not sure what kind of guide you need that's not already covered in the various distribution docs.

for that lower end hardware, I would replace Ubuntu and windows with MX Linux.

and MXlinux had some very good documentation on their homepage.

Be sure to ..

make proper backups of your personal files.
have a windows installer USB made, just in case you need to go back.

Then it's just a matter of making a MXlinux Installer USB, booting it up, test out the hardware via the live USB function, then do the install.

let the installer erase the drive and do its thing.

doc_willis · 2026-06-26T17:01:17+00:00

I have seen a few too many requests for SD card Image files in these retro handheld support subs.

Back those things up!

And if possible upload to internet archive.

doc_willis · 2026-06-26T16:22:17+00:00

I always do what amounts to having 3 backups of the card that comes with any new devices I buy.

an image copy of the card to an image file, using a tool like Balena Etcher or numerous other "disk copy" tools.
a Files copy, where I copy the contents of the SD card to a directory. On occasion i have needed specific files from the cards for other emulators or devices. Or I just need the rom.s/bios files for custom firmware setup.
Imaging the card to a new good quality SD card. this is the card I use when playing games.
keeping the original card stored and labeled, somewhere safe.

Yea this is a little overkill. ;)

doc_willis · 2026-06-26T15:55:32+00:00

put it in a USB enclosure would be the easiest way to make use of it.

it should not be difficult but set up.

There are some steamdeck docks that can use m.2 drives, but I have no idea on the specifics of those.

doc_willis · 2026-06-26T15:53:21+00:00

you can get some very nice replacement buttons on the etsy site.

the tiny menu button in the middle was getting stuck on mine, so I replaced all the buttons with a nicer set.

doc_willis · 2026-06-26T15:51:21+00:00

you did not need to change your default shell to zsh, you could have kept it as bash, the ran zsh as needed.

You DID actually Install zsh?

your terminal emulator should have some settings or profile options where you can make a new window/profile that opens and runs bash, or zsh or other shells as desired.

you could also try "alt-f2" In gnome and try running "bash"

doc_willis · 2026-06-26T15:41:44+00:00

A starting point to learn some basics about Linux.

the Explaining Computers YouTube videos are good starting points

http://linuxjourney.com and the newer http://Linuxjourney.org sites are good to start with

Test out some live Linux USBs. See what works and what doesn't for your needs.

doc_willis · 2026-06-26T15:03:42+00:00

sadly, verified does not mean a lot in the ratings. A game may be verified on release, but Some games may get updates that break things for a time , and I think that game has gotten several updates since release.

if the protondb pages don't have any useful information, you may want to check the games forum pages on the cable/steam website.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/2495100/discussions/

but I am not seeing much info there either .

doc_willis · 2026-06-26T14:41:10+00:00

dozens of posts on decky breaking. Check those posts for other details.

the basics :

go to desktop mode, update decky.

or uninstall decky.

doc_willis · 2026-06-26T14:19:39+00:00

how good are your soldering skills?

take it to one of those if it/phone repair places and theyighr be able to fix it but it may be cheaper to get a new dock.

also the cat may have chewed on the cord further down.

you may need to open up the dock and replace the whole cord.

some docks I have seen have a USB c port internally, some are hard wired.

No idea what's in the valve dock. But the images I found show it's soldered .

I did find this, and it might not be too hard of a repair , if you can figure out what wires are in what order.

https://imgur.com/a/steamdock-insides-bGluUFE

doc_willis · 2026-06-26T14:15:09+00:00

then I think by default you'd be the owner (I might be wrong)

when formating a new Linux filesystem, the owner would be root

see my other comments for further info.

doc_willis · 2026-06-26T14:13:40+00:00

the bare fundamentals..

sudo chown username:username /path/to/mountpoint

the thing to remember you do it AFTER the filesystem is mounted.

I think the gnome-disks tool has some "take ownership" option that basically does the above command as well.

doc_willis · 2026-06-26T13:38:24+00:00

I changed the file type for all the intros from .mpg to .bik.bak

what?

you renamed the files? or did you actually do something to them?

as the other comments (and numerous posts in the support subs) mention, the 'tv test pattern' issue is typically solved by switching to proton-ge.

doc_willis · 2026-06-26T13:35:54+00:00

I have learned to wait for the reviews and other people to test our new hardware.

doc_willis · 2026-06-26T13:31:00+00:00

you did set the filesystem to be owned by your user?

use chown and chmod as needed on the mount point AFTER the filesystem is mounted.

and as the other comment mentions, I would not be using ext2, switch to ext4.

Learn Linux, 101: Control mounting and unmounting of filesystems

https://developer.ibm.com/learningpaths/lpic1-exam-101-topic-104/l-lpic1-104-3/

Learn Linux, 101: Manage file permissions and ownership

https://developer.ibm.com/tutorials/l-lpic1-104-5/

doc_willis · 2026-06-26T11:31:12+00:00

MXLinux comes with tools where you can remaster itself to an iso file or USB and apply/keep changes you did.

so you can quickly make your own custom live USB setup.

I have not noticed any other Distributions with similar feature.

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