Cloning your Steam Deck’s SSD is a simple process that can save you a lot of time and hassle if your SSD ever fails. By creating a clone of your SSD, you can quickly and easily restore your Steam Deck to its previous state, without having to reinstall all of your games and applications. In this article, we’ll show you how to clone your Steam Deck’s SSD using a USB enclosure and a cloning software.
The first step is to purchase a USB enclosure. This is a small device that will allow you to connect your Steam Deck’s SSD to your computer via USB. Once you have a USB enclosure, you can insert your Steam Deck’s SSD into it and connect it to your computer.
Next, you’ll need to download and install a cloning software. There are many different cloning software programs available, but we recommend using Clonezilla. Clonezilla is a free and open-source cloning software that is easy to use and reliable. Once you have installed Clonezilla, you can launch the program and select the “Clone disk to disk” option.
Prepare the Materials
Assembling the necessary equipment is crucial before embarking on the Steam Deck SSD cloning process. Here’s a comprehensive list of materials you’ll need:
Hardware Requirements:
The following tools will facilitate the physical manipulation of your hardware:
| Item | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Steam Deck | 1 |
| Source SSD (original SSD to be cloned) | 1 |
| Target SSD (new SSD to receive the clone) | 1 |
| USB-C to USB-A Adapter | 1 |
| External SSD Enclosure (for source SSD) | 1 |
Software Requirements:
To execute the cloning process efficiently, the following software programs are essential:
- Etcher: An open-source tool for flashing images to storage devices.
- Clonezilla: A powerful disk-to-disk cloning software.
- SteamOS Recovery Image: A bootable image used to restore SteamOS to your cloned SSD.
Eject the Original SSD
Before cloning your Steam Deck’s SSD, you’ll need to eject the original drive. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it:
- Power off your Steam Deck.
- Flip the Steam Deck upside down and locate the 10 Torx T5 screws holding the back panel in place.
- Use a Torx T5 screwdriver to remove the screws. Keep the screws organized, as they are all different sizes.
- Carefully lift the back panel off the Steam Deck. Avoid using excessive force.
- Locate the M.2 2230 SSD slot on the motherboard. It’s a small, rectangular connector with a notch on one end.
- Gently pull the SSD straight up to eject it from the slot.
- If the SSD is difficult to remove, use a plastic spudger or tweezers to carefully pry it out.
| Tip |
|---|
| Wear anti-static gloves or touch a metal object to ground yourself before handling the SSD to prevent electrostatic discharge. |
| Be careful not to damage the SSD or the motherboard while ejecting it. |
Install SteamOS
To install SteamOS on your new SSD, you will need a USB drive with at least 8GB of space. You can download the SteamOS image from the official Valve website. Once you have downloaded the image, you can use a tool like Etcher to burn it to the USB drive.
Create a bootable USB drive
1. Download the SteamOS image from the official Valve website.
2. Use a tool like Etcher to burn the image to a USB drive.
3. Insert the USB drive into your Steam Deck.
4. Boot your Steam Deck into the BIOS.
5. Change the boot order so that the USB drive is the first boot device.
6. Save your changes and exit the BIOS.
Your Steam Deck will now boot from the USB drive and begin the SteamOS installation process.
Installing SteamOS
1. Once your Steam Deck has booted from the USB drive, you will be presented with the SteamOS installation screen.
2. Select the language you want to use and click “Next”.
3. Select the keyboard layout you want to use and click “Next”.
4. Select the partition you want to install SteamOS on and click “Next”.
5. Click “Install” to begin the installation process.
The installation process will take a few minutes to complete. Once it is finished, your Steam Deck will reboot and you will be presented with the SteamOS login screen.
How to Clone a Steam Deck SSD
Cloning your Steam Deck SSD is a great way to create a backup of your operating system and games, or to upgrade to a larger SSD. The process is relatively simple, and can be done using a variety of different software tools, but for this guide, we will be using Clonezilla. Before you begin, you will need the following:
- A USB drive with at least 8GB of storage
- A USB-C to USB-A adapter
- A computer with a USB port
Once you have all of your materials, you can begin the cloning process.
First, download Clonezilla from the official website and burn it to a USB drive. Once the USB drive is burned, insert it into the USB-C to USB-A adapter and then into the Steam Deck.
Next, boot the Steam Deck into the BIOS. To do this, press the power button and then hold down the Volume Down button until the BIOS menu appears.
In the BIOS menu, navigate to the “Boot” tab and select the USB drive as the boot device.
Once the Steam Deck has booted from the USB drive, select the “Clonezilla Live” option.
On the Clonezilla main menu, select the “Device-Image” option and then select the “Local_dev” option.
Next, select the source disk (the Steam Deck SSD) and then select the target disk (the USB drive).
Once you have selected the source and target disks, select the “Begin” option.
The cloning process will now begin. The estimated time for the cloning process will vary depending on the size of the Steam Deck SSD.
Once the cloning process is complete, select the “Reboot” option to restart the Steam Deck.
The Steam Deck will now boot from the cloned SSD.
People Also Ask
How do I clone a Steam Deck SSD to a larger SSD?
The process of cloning a Steam Deck SSD to a larger SSD is the same as cloning a Steam Deck SSD to a USB drive. However, you will need to use a USB-C to USB-C adapter instead of a USB-C to USB-A adapter.
Can I clone a Steam Deck SSD to an external hard drive?
Yes, you can clone a Steam Deck SSD to an external hard drive. However, the external hard drive must be formatted as NTFS.
How do I restore a Steam Deck SSD from a clone?
To restore a Steam Deck SSD from a clone, simply boot the Steam Deck from the cloned SSD. The Steam Deck will then automatically restore the operating system and games from the clone.
