Valve’s latest innovation, the Steam Machine, brings a fresh wave of excitement to gaming enthusiasts. Much like its predecessor, the Steam Deck, this device operates on SteamOS, offering users a seamless console-like experience while retaining the versatility of a traditional PC. Upon powering it up, users are greeted with a direct entry into their game library, bypassing the complexities of a conventional desktop operating system.
However, the Steam Machine is not just limited to SteamOS. For those who prefer the familiarity of Windows—often due to the ongoing development of Linux-compatible anti-cheat systems—Valve has simplified the transition. The company has released a suite of official drivers designed to facilitate the installation of Windows, ensuring that users can enjoy a fully functional gaming experience.
Windows on the Steam Machine
According to Valve’s support page, the Steam Machine is essentially a standard PC. This means that users have the freedom to install alternative operating systems as they see fit. To assist in this process, Valve has made available a collection of Windows drivers that cover essential hardware components, including:
- Graphics processor
- Wi-Fi
- Bluetooth
- SD card reader
These drivers are crucial for ensuring that the primary hardware functions correctly when running Windows. However, it’s important to note that these resources are provided “as is,” meaning that Valve does not offer official technical support for users opting to run Windows on their Steam Machines. Should any issues arise, or if users wish to revert back to SteamOS, Valve advises following their official recovery instructions.
- Installing Windows requires a complete wipe of the Steam Machine, eliminating SteamOS in the process.
- While both the Steam Deck and Steam Machine can technically dual-boot, an official dual-boot setup wizard is not yet available. This feature will be included in a future update of SteamOS.
Source: Steam Support
For those venturing into the realm of Windows, Valve has provided some installation guidance. To access the boot menu, users must power off the Steam Machine completely and then restart it while repeatedly pressing the Escape key until the boot menu appears. It’s also worth noting that an internet connection is necessary during the Windows setup process to enter a product key or complete various setup steps. Therefore, connecting the Steam Machine via Ethernet is recommended at this stage, as Wi-Fi functionality will only be available after installing the official wireless drivers.