r/SteamOS • u/Wave_Race • 1d ago
Won’t boot past the Motherboard Splash Screen
I built a Steam OS PC about a month ago with a 9600x, 9070XT, and 16 GB DDR-6000 Ram.
It worked perfectly for about a month. I use it connected to an HDTV like a console. Absolutely no issues, loved it.
Then just today I turned the PC on from completely off and it won’t boot past the Asus Motherboard Splash screen. IMy son played Forza Horizon 5 on it earlier in the day with no issues. We shut it off for a few hours, then this.
Any suggestions? I can access the BIOS menu. I tried disabling secure boot, but rhat didn’t change anything.
1
u/CutEmpty6798 1d ago
I was experiencing the same problem. I think it could be related to the SSD cuz my other machine that has the same type of motherboard. No problems. The only difference between the two machines is they have different manufacturers for the SSD but you can try this and see if it'll affects your problem. Otherwise you may have to reinstall steamos pc not booting in steam os after going to bios. Since I didn't have a spare SSD I can test my theory. But anyway I went back to Windows 11 on that machine.
Your PC is likely not booting into SteamOS because entering or saving changes in the BIOS reset your UEFI boot priority or hid the SteamOS boot entry.
How to Fix SteamOS Boot • Check Boot Priority: Go back into your BIOS/UEFI settings, find the Boot or Boot Priority tab, and make sure your primary drive containing SteamOS (or SteamOS / GRUB / shimx64.efi) is set as the first boot device instead of Windows or another drive. • Disable/Enable Secure Boot: Changing BIOS settings often toggled Secure Boot. SteamOS can be finicky with Secure Boot enabled depending on your setup; try disabling Secure Boot in the security/boot tab of your BIOS. • Manually Boot from File: Look for an option in your BIOS called Boot from File or Manual Boot, navigate to your EFI system partition (ESP), open efi -> steamos, and select the main boot file (such as steamcl.efi or grubx64.efi) to force a boot and restore the entry. • Use a Recovery USB: If the bootloader files are corrupted or missing from the motherboard NVRAM, boot your PC using a SteamOS Recovery USB to repair or update GRUB. If you tell me whether this is a Steam Deck or a custom desktop PC, and whether you are dual-booting with Windows, I can give you the exact menu paths to fix it. Forums - Linus Tech Tips SteamOS Install Stuck at BIOS Splash Screen -Troubleshooting Sep 24, 2025 — If the disk isn't listed, either the flashdrive isn't bootable or that you haven't chosen to allow for the computer to boot in the BIOS itself. Reddit·zombierazin 0:20 Help, can't boot into Steam OS anymore (read description) : r/WindowsOnDeck Reddit·r/SteamOS I updated my bios and now can't boot SteamOS. - Reddit July 31, 2026 — BIOS Update Impact: Updating the BIOS can lead to SteamOS not booting when dual-booting with Windows, as it resets boot configurations and often hides SteamOS a... Steam Support SteamOS Installation and Repair - Steam Support ROG Ally - Secure Boot Settings While powered on, hit restart Once restarting, hold down volume + button to get to bios utility Hit 'Y' for advanced mode Hit dp... www.coburnsdomain.com Fix being unable to boot back into SteamOS after a BIOS Update Power off the Steam Deck. Hold Volume Up, and press Power. Continue holding Power until you hear the short beeps. You will now be at the BIOS Toolbox Menu. You ... Facebook·Pc, Gaming, Setups, and building advice. Why won't Steam OS boot on my desktop PC? - Facebook April 1, 2026 — BIOS/UEFI Boot Configuration: If a SteamOS bootable USB is not recognized on a desktop PC, adjusting BIOS/UEFI settings may help. This can include enabling Lega...
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u/Electrical-Wasabi513 1d ago
Hmm I have the same issue. Tried installing a fresh copy and didn't work. I also have Asus as the MB.
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u/QuantumCakeIsALie 1d ago
Try pressing ctrl-alt-f3 or whatever f-number until you hopefully get a Linux shell. If you do, it means that Linux itself is ok but something during boot hangs. You can then use that text-only shell to try and figure it out.
If you suspect bad memory, try running memtest86 overnight. A dying SSD could also cause this.
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u/Wave_Race 12h ago
Finally had some time to try a few of the suggestions today. When I booted the PC it worked! It went right to the Steam menu. I don’t know what the hell heppened. I know I had updated my Steam OS shortly before the issue. Maybe it just took a long time to apply the update? I don’t know. Seems to be working now, hopefully continues to do so.
5
u/EstablishmentOwn6942 1d ago
Doesn’t look like a steamos issue more like a post issue. Try disabling internal graphics in bios first. Or possibly an issue with ram init but could be everything. Maybe try removing one ram stick if you have two. If nothing changes try the other.