Run Ubuntu on a USB stick and add games to another storage device.
Run Ubuntu on a USB stick and add games to another storage device.
Yes, you can run games using Wine and Lutris on a different disk drive while using an Ubuntu USB flash drive.
To achieve this, you could use Ubuntu packages with apt-get. It might be challenging if the system doesn’t support automatic symlinking across locations, which could lead to dependency issues. Installing Wine from source manually or via apt-source is another approach, though it would require more disk space and effort. Setting WINEPREFIXES should work, possibly through its GUI, though I haven’t used it much. For Steam, you can configure game libraries similarly to Windows, assigning which library each game uses.
I believe you're referring to manual wine installation spots. You can collect a bottle from sources like the GitHub release page https://github.com/Frogging-Family/wine-tkg-git and move it anywhere you prefer. Run your program with WINEPREFIX set appropriately. If you don't need a specific prefix, omit that option or use symlinks to place it in ~/.local/bin for ease. You can also link it via ln -s to add it globally in your user bin folder. For simplicity, consider using shell scripts or q4wine which offers a graphical interface. Please note you're responsible for any dependencies, as package names differ across systems. On Arch Linux the required libraries include fontconfig, lib32-fontconfig, lcms2, libxml2, etc., along with graphics and audio modules. For more options, check out q4wine documentation at https://q4wine.brezblock.org.ua/screenshots/.
Here’s a clearer version of your message:
Thanks for the detailed explanation. It seems like a solid approach could be implemented, but it might be overly complicated and risky. Downloading binaries from unofficial sources isn’t recommended unless you’re certain about what you’re doing and fully trust the source. There might be valid reasons, but saving disk space isn’t the main concern here. I wasn’t seeking advice, just more specific guidance on using official Ubuntu packages—probably not feasible in a straightforward way.
The source is trustworthy and usually provides better compatibility than Proton, which is why I referenced it. We utilize both wine-tkg-git and proton-tkg-git on our machines. GE and Lutris constructions are also derived from it. This applies to any distribution; the only challenge is identifying the required dependencies. It’s generally a drawback to fetch anything outside your distribution repositories. Of course, installing wine from your own repos will include all necessary dependencies, while Steam may add optional ones, explaining why Lutris depends on wine even though you rarely use the local version. I believe the person asking actually seeks a WINEPREFIX on a different drive. I’m not very experienced with Ubuntu, but you should be able to unpack the package and handle it similarly. Packages for Ubuntu are available here: https://packages.ubuntu.com/