Steam under Linux: Difference between revisions

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This should become a comprehensive guide to install and use Steam under a Linux environment. At least it should prove usable as one as long as Valve doesn't release a real Linux Steam client.
This page has been removed to comply with Valve's new policies.
 
'''TODO:''' Add a guide to get Steam running and additional information
 
==Step 1: Setting up Wine==
 
First of all you have to set up a working Wine installation.
===Installing Wine===
'''TODO:''' Add install guides for other popular distributions
====Gentoo====
:Install Wine with <code>emerge wine</code>. In order to get the most recent Wine version you have to put <code>app-emulation/wine ~{arch}</code> into <code>/etc/portage/package.keywords</code>. Replace <code>{arch}</code> with the architecture of your linux installation, e.g. <code>x86</code> or <code>amd64</code>. (This step maybe has to be done for possible dependencies as well.)
 
====Other distributions / manual installation====
:There are packages for several other linux distributions and a source tarball available on the [http://www.winehq.org/site/download official download page].
 
===Installing required fonts===
:Steam uses the font ''Tahoma'' which is included in all Windows versions, but is not available on Linux. This will result in invisible text when running Steam without installing ''Tahoma'' first.
:The easiest way to work around this issue is to put a copy of <code>tahoma.ttf</code> from a Windows installation (<code>%WINDIR%\Fonts</code>) to <code>~/.wine/drive_c/windows/fonts</code>.
 
==Step 2: Installing Steam==
Download the [http://www.steampowered.com/download/SteamInstall.exe installer], open a terminal and change to the download directory. Run <code>wine SteamInstall.exe</code> and follow the instructions. After that Steam is installed in Wine's "virtual" Windows drive, usually <code>~/.wine/drive_c/Programs/Valve/Steam</code>.
 
*** with newer versions of wine you have to copy tahoma.ttf to ~/.wine/drive_c/windows/fonts/ ***
 
{{note|The login window doesn't have keyboard focus when starting up. You have to right-click into the login field first.}}
 
==Known Issues==
 
===Minimizing Steam===
:Minimizing Steam causes the X server to ignore your mouse / keyboard input. '''Don't minimize Steam''' to work around this issue, instead close the window and open it with the Wine Systray. If you accidently minimize Steam you either have to restart the X server / computer or you can log-in from another computer (e.g. SSH) and ''kill'' steam.exe processes.
 
===Wine, Steam & ''ntfs-3g''===
:''ntfs-3g'' is a powerful user-mode driver for Linux which is capable of almost all file operations on [[Wikipedia:NTFS|NTFS]] partitions. Sadly, ''ntfs-3g'' and/or Wine are currently unable to work with a NTFS-based installation of Steam. Steam will crash with the following error:
<pre>Steam.exe (main exception): Cannot open blob archive file: CMultiFieldBlob(mem-mapped file): Failed to MapViewOfFile</pre>
:Creating a Symlink to <code>SteamApps</code> on a NTFS partition doesn't work either. Steam will start up, but your GCFs will get corrupted or - if you're lucky - Steam only assumes they are corrupted. So you won't get around having duplicate GCFs for Linux and Windows if you plan on using Steam with both operating systems and having NTFS partitions for Windows.
 
==See also==
*[http://www.winehq.com Wine HQ] (official Wine homepage)
*[http://www.linux-gamers.net/modules/wiwimod/index.php?page=HOWTO+Steam linuX-gamers.net guide]
*[http://www.transgaming.com TransGaming Inc.] (home of Cedega - also known as WineX)
 
[[Category:Alternate Configuration]]
[[Category:Feedback]]

Revision as of 21:54, 19 July 2007

This page has been removed to comply with Valve's new policies.

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