From 65841a45a15b92d70af8df25521121fdf8885761 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: rickpeters Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2026 19:37:08 +0200 Subject: [PATCH] docs: README, TECHNICAL and TROUBLESHOOTING for 2.9.0: Steam's System settings, serial number and Wi-Fi backend, --defaults --list, the Steamify ISO --- CHANGELOG.md | 1 + README.md | 12 +++++++++++- TECHNICAL.md | 40 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++- TROUBLESHOOTING.md | 8 ++++++++ 4 files changed, 59 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-) diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md index ee1c854..f0b46af 100644 --- a/CHANGELOG.md +++ b/CHANGELOG.md @@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ one per merged pull request. ## 2.9.0 - 2026-09-28 - `d30d505` **chore: Version 2.9.0** +- **docs: README, TECHNICAL and TROUBLESHOOTING for 2.9.0: Steam's System settings, serial number and Wi-Fi backend, --defaults --list, the Steamify ISO** - `a72d848` **feat: Steam's OS Version is the SteamOS release Steamify follows (steamos-3.9), its OS Codename steam-machine; About this System keeps "CachyOS Linux" (UseOSReleaseVersion)** - `27a4070` **fix: Steam's OS Variant shows Steamify's version (VARIANT_ID=steamify-2.9.0; Steam shows VARIANT_ID, not VARIANT)** - `44bfe07` **fix: No VERSION_ID in os-release: About this System said "CachyOS Linux 2.9.0"; the version is in VARIANT ("Steamify 2.9.0")** diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index 4b80d7e..83ed1a6 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ Steam Machine. on the desktop too. - **Boot into: gamescope / desktop** - where the PC starts. Gaming mode is the default. + - Steam's **System** settings show the SteamOS release Steamify follows + as OS Version (e.g. `steamos-3.9`), `steam-machine` as OS Codename and + Steamify's version as OS Variant. The OS name stays CachyOS + ([details](TECHNICAL.md#what-steams-system-settings-show)). 2. **SteamOS theme** - the Vapor look of SteamOS for the desktop, with **Add to Steam** in right-click menus ([details](TECHNICAL.md#steamos-desktop-look)). @@ -62,7 +66,8 @@ What Steamify can do on a Valve Steam Machine: ([details](TECHNICAL.md#hdmi-cec)). - **Steam Machine support** - the front **LED bar** works, Steam's **hardware settings** (fan, performance) work, and the power button puts - it to sleep like a console. + it to sleep like a console. Steam's System settings show the serial + number, and Steam's **Wi-Fi backend** setting works. - **Power-off fix** - on by default: shutting down really turns the Steam Machine off, also with the newest CachyOS kernel ([details](TECHNICAL.md#power-off-fix-steam-machine)). @@ -83,6 +88,11 @@ Open **Konsole** on your Plasma desktop and run: curl -fsSL https://github.com/theupriser/steamify-cachyos/releases/latest/download/steamify.sh | bash ``` +Installing CachyOS on a Steam Machine? The +[Steamify CachyOS ISO](https://github.com/theupriser/steammachine-cachyos-live-iso) +has Steamify built into the installer: pick the options there, and the +first boot is already set up. + Prefer to look at the script first? Clone the repository and run [`./steamify.sh`](steamify.sh) (keep the whole folder: it needs [`lib/`](lib/)). diff --git a/TECHNICAL.md b/TECHNICAL.md index 4229f64..21a167c 100644 --- a/TECHNICAL.md +++ b/TECHNICAL.md @@ -111,6 +111,9 @@ Turning it off restores `/etc/plasmalogin.conf` from its backup, removes the SDDM autologin, sync bridge, shortcut, sudoers rule and Steam autostart, and switches back to plasma-login-manager. +The conversion also sets what Steam's System settings show, see +[below](#what-steams-system-settings-show). + **Steam Deck/Machine icons:** `STEAM_GAMEPADUI_ARGS="-gamepadui -steamos3"` in `~/.config/environment.d/` (and gamescope-session's own environment file), which makes Steam show Steam Deck button glyphs in gaming mode. @@ -139,6 +142,33 @@ taken from the newest `steamdeck-kde-presets` on Valve's SteamOS mirror Turning it off restores your previous look and panel layout, and removes `cachyos-vapor` again if the wizard installed it (and nothing else, like `cachyos-handheld`, needs it). +## What Steam's System settings show + +With the SteamOS conversion on, `/etc/os-release` gets: + +| Key | Value | Shown in Steam as | +|---|---|---| +| `VERSION_ID` | `steamos-3.9`: the newest SteamOS release in Valve's repo (offline: the previous value) | OS Version | +| `VERSION_CODENAME` | `steam-machine` | OS Codename | +| `VARIANT` / `VARIANT_ID` | `Steamify 2.9.0` / `steamify-2.9.0` | OS Variant (`VARIANT_ID`) | + +The OS name stays CachyOS everywhere: Steam's OS Name comes from +`lsb_release -d`, which isn't touched, and `NAME`/`PRETTY_NAME` stay +CachyOS's. limine-snapper-sync finds the boot entries by that name, so +changing it would break snapshot boot entries; `/etc/default/limine` gets +`TARGET_OS_NAME="CachyOS"` as a guard when it has none. + +KDE's About this System would show `VERSION_ID` after the name +("CachyOS Linux steamos-3.9"); `UseOSReleaseVersion=true` in +`~/.config/kcm-about-distrorc` makes it show `VERSION`, which CachyOS doesn't +have, so it keeps saying "CachyOS Linux". + +CachyOS's own hooks (`cachyos-hooks`) reset os-release on updates of +`filesystem`; the pacman hook `zz-steamify-os-release` runs after them and +sets the keys again (`/usr/local/libexec/steamify-os-release`). The values are +refreshed after every Steamify run that changes something. Turning the +conversion off removes the hook and runs CachyOS's `cachyos-branding` again. + ## Front LED bar (Steam Machine) The **Steam Machine support** component, only shown on Fremont hardware @@ -156,7 +186,14 @@ The **Steam Machine support** component, only shown on Fremont hardware - installs and enables `steamos-manager`, the service Steam in gaming mode uses for hardware settings (fan, performance, and the HDMI-CEC settings when [HDMI-CEC](#hdmi-cec) is on); it recognises the Steam Machine from its - DMI data. + DMI data; +- makes the serial number readable for Steam, which shows it in its System + settings (`/etc/tmpfiles.d/steamify-serial.conf`: `product_serial` is + root-only by default); +- makes Steam's Wi-Fi backend setting work: steamos-manager switches it in + `/etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/99-valve-wifi-backend.conf`, which is created + with `wifi.backend=wpa_supplicant` (NetworkManager's default) when no + backend is set anywhere yet. Turning it off removes all of that again (the AUR helper is kept). @@ -433,6 +470,7 @@ For an installer (the Steam Machine ISO), without a session or prompts ```bash steamify.sh --defaults # what the menu would preselect steamify.sh --defaults --options gaming,theme,cec,machine --boot desktop +steamify.sh --defaults --list # what --defaults can set up here, as JSON ``` `--options` turns on exactly the listed items (the menu's ids: `gaming`, diff --git a/TROUBLESHOOTING.md b/TROUBLESHOOTING.md index 20af993..050ea3c 100644 --- a/TROUBLESHOOTING.md +++ b/TROUBLESHOOTING.md @@ -18,6 +18,14 @@ restarted right away (`Relogin=true`), which is why it can loop. Run the wizard again and press `a` in the menu to re-apply everything that's on (also useful after a CachyOS update). To undo a part, untick it. +## "Target OS name ... not found in /boot/limine.conf" + +limine-snapper-sync finds the boot entries by the OS name. Steamify never +changes that name (it only adds version keys to `/etc/os-release`), and pins +`TARGET_OS_NAME="CachyOS"` in `/etc/default/limine`. If you see this message, +check that `PRETTY_NAME` in `/etc/os-release` still says `CachyOS`, or set +`TARGET_OS_NAME` in `/etc/default/limine` to the name your boot entries use. + ## The LED bar on the Steam Machine stays dark Restart once more; a freshly installed driver often needs a reboot. The menu