How to Set Up a Dev Drive in Windows 11 to Optimize Games

The development unit, or Dev Drive, is a Windows 11 feature designed to optimize performance in specific scenarios, such as software development and gaming. It uses the ReFS file system, more efficient than NTFS in managing large amounts of small files, such as those present in game libraries.

This feature is particularly useful for users who want to improve game loading times, reducing read and write operations on disk. Gamers can benefit from this feature by moving the Steam library to a Dev Drive, achieving better performance without having to purchase additional hardware.

The Dev Drive is ideal for those looking to optimize their system's performance without additional costs, leveraging free space on an existing internal disk. The setup is simple and quick, making this solution accessible even to less experienced users.

Prerequisites

• Operating System: Windows 11
• Hardware: Internal disk with sufficient free space
• Software: Steam installed

PROCEDURE: How to set up a development unit (Dev Drive) on Windows 11

By the end of this guide, you will have created a development unit on Windows 11 and configured Steam to use it as the library location, improving game loading times.

• Open the Settings app in Windows 11.
• Go to System.
• Select Storage.
• Click on Advanced storage settings.
• Select Disks and volumes.
• Click on Create development unit.
• Choose the option Create new virtual hard disk.
• Enter a name for the virtual disk.
• Select the location where to save the disk (you can also choose the C: drive).
• Set the disk size.
• Select the VHDX format with dynamic expansion.
• Click on Create.
• Return to the Disks and volumes screen.
• Select the unallocated space corresponding to the created virtual disk.
• Assign a drive letter to the disk.
• Format the disk.
• Open the Steam app.
• Go to Settings.
• Select Storage.
• Add the newly created development unit as a new library location.

VERIFICATION AND TROUBLESHOOTING

By the end of this guide, you will be able to test the correct functioning of the Dev Drive and solve any problems during the setup.

Testing the Dev Drive functionality

• Launch Steam and verify that the library has been correctly moved to the Dev Drive.
• Open a game from the Steam library and observe the loading times.
• Compare the loading times with those before moving the library.
• Note any improvements in shader compilation and level loading.

Troubleshooting

• Problem: I cannot create the Dev Drive.
  • Check that you have enough space on the internal disk.
  • Make sure you are on Windows 11.
  • Check that the disk is not damaged.
• Problem: Steam does not recognize the Dev Drive as a valid location for the library.
  • Verify that the Dev Drive is correctly formatted in ReFS.
  • Check that the assigned drive letter is correct.
  • Restart Steam and try again.
• Problem: Loading times not improved.
  • Check that there are no other factors that could influence performance, such as other running programs.
  • Make sure the disk is an NVMe PCIe Gen 4 SSD to achieve the best results.

Educational Summary and Practical Invitation

• No additional cost: Use free space on an existing internal disk.
• Simple setup: The process takes a few minutes and does not require additional hardware.

To make the most of this feature, follow the steps described and experiment with your Steam library. The results might surprise you, making your games faster and more responsive.