Wondering just how to update your Steam Deck SSD? If you’re on a 64GB Steam Deck, or simply wish more space to set up your chosen games, then you definitely should think about updating your interior drive.
Opening your Steam Deck is interestingly simple. If you lay everything out, monitor your screws and ensure you don’t unplug the incorrect thing, you’ll be fine. Think about it like an excellent stir fry.
Have your entire components ready and you’ll have actually a far greater time. The whole procedure with this, including reinstalling SteamOS took us around one hour – so long as you install and prepared everything in advance.
The list below has links to the suggestions, just in case you’re lacking some of the required products.
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Everything required
- in which to get the SSD
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How exactly to take away the straight back
- Unclip the rear
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Getting rid of the Steam Deck’s storage space
- Removing the battery
- Replacing the NVMe
- Reassembly
- Flashing SteamOS
- How to load the Steam Bootloader
- Reinstalling SteamOS
Everything you will need to update your Steam Deck SSD
- A USB stick to at least 8GB of storage space
- A 2230 NVMe drive
- SteamOS image file
- Rufus and/or balenaEtcher
- Spudger
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A screwdriver
- Phillips mind screwdriver
- Size 0 Phillips bit (PH0 or PH00)
- USB-C hub
- Steam Deck charger
The Steam Deck just takes 2230-sized NVMe drives. They are frequently present in older MacBooks, Surface laptops, along with other smaller products. It works the identical, they’re simply in regards to the size of a couple of of Iced Gems.
Sabrent, the maker of SSDs along with other Computer components, has handily released an easy-to-get 2230 SSD that’s available on Amazon. You will get as much as a terabyte for approximately the same cost of those on eBay seen below.
You can grab one from e-bay, that will be where we got ours
Drive
Size
Price (at the mercy of modification)
WD SN530
1TB
$139.64
WD SN530
1TB
$143.68
WD SN530
512GB
$79.89
Kioxia (Toshiba) BG4 256GB/512GB
256GB
$19.99
Make certain you energy down the Steam Deck totally. We’re gonna be disconnecting the battery pack and pressing its insides. The very last thing you have to do is fry your Steam Deck, or your self, as a result of dangerous functions of stupidity.
Also, take away the facts for those who have one. We don’t want to short it in a freak accident.
Valve recommends you depower it to 25% or below, but unless you’re likely to be stabbing the battery pack using the screwdriver, you ought to be fine.
Remove the straight back associated with the Steam Deck
On the rear of the Steam Deck is eight screws. Utilizing your Phillips mind screwdriver, carefully unscrew and set them apart. The brief screws align using the four in the exact middle of the product, whilst the four longer people part during the exterior sides.
If your screws are ‘stripped’, for the reason that while being produced they destroyed their hold and also the screwdriver is not sticking, stop screwing. You’ll make things even worse. We ended up using a flathead bit to forcefully start the method.
Unclip the rear of the Steam Deck’s instance
Using a spudger, or any other device (don’t use a screwdriver, you might harm the situation), go over the right part of this instance through the top towards the base. The way it is will sooner or later come undone and you may remove it with a gentle tug through the space you’ve made.
Set it apart and stare deeply into the vortex of this different bits and bobs.
Removing the Steam Deck storage space drive
You’ll be instantly greeted with a metal dish. It’s suggested you utilize tweezers, but so long as you’re careful, you are able to peel right back the steel sticker to show the concealed screw.
Again, using the PH0 or 00 bit, take away the concealed screw and two other people to loosen the steel dish. After that you can put it towards the part for reassembly.
Disconnect the battery
Some guides suggest tugging in the cable’s free product. We chose to disconnect the synthetic connector from the sheath first. When disconnected, you are able to break the rules the connector until we must reinsert it.
Replacing the NVMe drive
In a wrapper, you’ll begin to see the 2230 drive. Eliminate the screw and set it aside, carefully taking out the drive by raising carefully and pulling it out of its socket.
Remove the wrapper from across the 2230 SSD and put it on your brand new drive. Slot the newest drive in and screw it down seriously to keep it in position. This is certainly necessary to maintaining your drive cool whilst in usage.
Reassemble the Steam Deck
Now reverse everything you’ve done. It’s been super stressful, however you’ve managed to make it. Don’t forget to reconnect the battery pack. Put the steel dish and snap the rear of the Steam Deck into spot. We could now proceed to the application side.
Flash a USB stick to SteamOS
This can be achieved on either Linux, macOS, or Windows. We suggest utilizing Etcher with this, since it’s super simple. When you’ve installed Etcher, install appropriate SteamOS file.
Follow the instructions on Etcher, choosing the file and also the proper drive. In the event that you’ve formatted the drive in advance, and trained with a name, Etcher bypasses this. Simply understand which model of USB stick you have got and you ought to be fine.
Once Etcher is completed, pull the USB stick and slot it into the Steam Deck’s USB-C hub. When you yourself have the state Dock or the JSAUX one, these will likely be fine. If you don’t, ensure that you grab one with energy passthrough, while you don’t wish the Deck to perform away from battery pack halfway through.
How to load the Steam Deck bootloader
With the unit completely off, press and support the amount down switch then press energy. When you hear the chime, release the amount down switch and wait a matter of seconds. In your very first effort, it may simply take just a little while longer than normal.
Reinstalling SteamOS in the brand new Steam Deck SSD drive
With the USB-C hub connected, it will now explain to you the USB drive we’ve simply flashed. Utilize the d-pad and face buttons to navigate the menu and you ought to then be booted in to the LiveUSB form of SteamOS.
There will probably be a couple of choices towards the top. We have to select Reinstall SteamOS. Others are exactly what you’d choose in the event that you wished to offer the Deck, or retrieve information.
Once you click that, it’ll begin the reinstallation procedure. Follow any directions that appear and you’ll be willing to proceed.
This may take as much as about one hour, therefore put aside a while. When the Deck has completely set up SteamOS and all sorts of the updates are done, you’ll be in a position to log back and enjoy the benefits.
If you intend to install Windows with this unit, or dual-boot, you are able to definitely achieve this, and right here’s how exactly to partition your drive.
You will get the remainder of our Steam Deck guides, such as including additional outside storage space, and exactly how to try out GoG and Epic Games on SteamOS.
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