How to Format and Auto Mount Drives in Bazzite

Most people moving from Windows to Bazzite already have a storage setup where the operating system lives on a fast SSD or NVMe drive, while a larger and slower hard drive is used general storage. This setup works just as well on Linux, but the drive should ideally use a Linux native filesystem. So follow along as this guide shows you how to format and auto mount drives in Bazzite.

How to Format and Auto Mount Drives in Bazzite

Linux can read and write Windows NTFS drives, but using a native filesystem such as EXT4 or BTRFS usually provides better performance and compatibility so it's worth taking the time to set up correctly. This is especially important for gaming libraries.

IMPORTANT: Before starting, make sure you back up any important data. The formatting process will erase everything on the selected drive.

Formatting a Drive in the Disks App

• Open the Disks application from the system menu and locate the drive you want to prepare.
• Select the drive from the list on the left.
• Click the menu button in the top right corner and choose Format Disk.

• Confirm the action and enter your password when prompted.
• This prepares the drive so that a new partition can be created.

EXT4 vs BTRFS (Read before choosing)

EXT4 is the long established Linux filesystem. It is stable, widely supported, and an excellent choice for storing game libraries. Works well for games.

BTRFS is a newer filesystem that includes features such as snapshots, compression, and improved data integrity. It also has a Windows driver that can allow limited cross platform access.

For most users, EXT4 is the safest and simplest choice. BTRFS is useful if you want advanced features or plan to share the drive with Windows.

Creating an EXT4 Partition

• Click the plus button to create a new partition.

• Leave the partition size set to the full drive and continue to the next step.

• For the filesystem type, select EXT4.

• This is the traditional Linux filesystem and is known for stability and reliability.
• Give the volume a name such as Games, then click Create to finish the process.

Creating a BTRFS Partition

• Creating a BTRFS partition follows almost the same process.
• Format the drive as before and click the plus button to create a new partition.

• Continue to the next step and enter a name for the volume, such as Games2.
• When selecting the filesystem type, choose Other.

• And then select BTRFS from the list.

• Complete the wizard to create the partition.

Auto Mounting Drives in Bazzite

After formatting, drives will normally require manual mounting each time you access them. This means clicking the drive in the file manager and entering your password after every reboot.

You can configure automatic mounting using the Disks application.

Auto Mounting an EXT4 Partition

• Open the Disks application and select the drive, then select the partition you created.
• Open Advanced Partition Options.

• Choose Edit Mount Options.

• Disable User Session Defaults so that you can edit the settings manually.
• Set the mount point to a simple path such as:

• In the mount options field, add ,exec to the end of the options list.

• This allows the drive to be used for game libraries in applications such as Steam.
• Save the settings and enter your password. Y
• ou can click the play button in Disks to confirm that the drive mounts correctly.

Auto Mounting a BTRFS Partition

Repeat the same process for a BTRFS partition.

Although BTRFS usually includes the exec permission by default, adding ,exec manually will not cause any problems. Confirm the mount using the play button.

Auto Mounting an NTFS Partition

NTFS drives can also be configured to auto mount through the same menu. However, do not add the ,exec mount option for NTFS. Doing so can prevent the drive from mounting correctly. It is also important to note that NTFS is not fully compatible with Proton, which means many Linux games may fail to launch if installed on an NTFS drive.

Testing Auto Mount After Reboot

After configuring your mount options, reboot the system. When you open the file manager again, the drives should already be mounted automatically. You may notice a read only Bazzite system partition that appears full. This is normal and can be hidden from the sidebar if desired.

Adding Storage Drives in Steam

• Open Steam and go to Settings, then Storage.
• Add the newly mounted drive as a storage location.
• If the drive does not appear, verify that the exec mount option was added earlier.
• You can also set the new drive as the default install location for games.

Keep in mind that NTFS drives may appear in Steam, but games using Proton will often fail to launch when installed on them.

Changing the Game Location in Lutris

• Open Lutris and access the main settings menu.
• Go to Preferences and select the Storage section.
• Change the Game Library folder to a location on your newly mounted drive, such as /mnt/Games. Many users prefer to create separate folders for different systems or launchers.
• Save the settings to apply the new default location.

Changing the Default Install Path in Heroic

• Open Heroic Games Launcher and go to Settings.
• Change the Default Installation Path to a folder on the new drive. For example, create a Games or Heroic folder inside your mounted directory and select it.

You can also move the default prefixes location to the same drive to keep everything together.