Valve's SteamOS Now Ready to Download
The SteamOS beta is ready to download.
As promised, SteamOS is now locked and loaded for your downloading pleasure. Downloaders are encouraged to use a download manager, as there are reports of downloads dying randomly. Here are the links:
- SteamOS (zip 960 MB)
- Unofficial torrent
- Official FAQ
- GitHub issue tracker
- SteamOS EULA
- List of installed packages
- Repository
According to the FAQ, SteamOS is a fork of Debian GNU/Linux. The first version (SteamOS 1.0) is called 'alchemist' and it is based on the Debian 'wheezy' (stable 7.1) distribution. Here are the system requirements:
- Intel or AMD 64-bit capable processor
- 4 GB or more memory
- 500 GB or larger disk
- Nvidia graphics card (AMD and Intel graphics support coming soon)
- UEFI boot support
- USB port for installation
The FAQ also shows that users can get to the SteamOS desktop by enabling it in the Steam Settings menu. Select Settings (the gear icon in the top right) then select Interface and check the "Enable access to the Linux desktop" box. Now the Exit button will have an additional option, "Return to Desktop" that will switch to the SteamOS desktop.
"We will push out security fixes and critical bugfixes as soon as we are comfortable shipping them," reads the FAQ. "The beta update channel will receive regular fixes and improvements on a daily or weekly basis and every few months we will roll up these updates into the released channel. We are just starting to evaluate what the best process is and the release cadence might vary in the future."
Currently SteamOS is in beta, so those without Linux knowledge may want to wait until next year for a more polished version.
If you want to wait for the final hardware, we'll see it all in January at CES. So far we've seen two Steam Machines:

You should link Steam OS here
http://store.steampowered.com/steamos/buildyourown
Please delete posts after making the suggested change
That better be recommended not required.
Go to the main steam store page, put your mouse over games, click on linux.
...or is that too much effort?
Also remember that when this thing isn't a BETA operating system anymore, it will support streaming, so you can play every single game on steam if you have another computer running it.
If you don't care about any of your data go ahead. The installer wipes everything and sets up its own partition scheme.
Guys... (this goes to everyone)
You have to bear in mind something that the title of this news article conveniently shunts to the sub-text.
This isn't SteamOS. This is the BETA of steam OS. It really wouldn't surprise me that it's got this many issues... I mean, just look at what form they're providing it in - a disk image of a 1TB drive? Come on!
This is not indicative of the final release. As Valve has said, this is for those of us who know linux well and want to play with a beta that's actually in beta, rather than a "polishing pre-release," and help them out.
I personally, having not delved into linux that much, will be waiting for the official release. But... that's because I know what I would be getting into with this. Don't complain about it until you realize what they're giving us - an intellectual toy for those who want to play with it.
It's like there is a minimum size for HDD that comes with a XBone or PS4....
As for the "1TB" demand, i believe that there is a typo there but i'm not sure....the .zip is little more than 2GB and no matter how much is compressed it can not expand to 1TB, not to mention that 1TB demand contradicts the 500GB recomendation.
Oone of the possible explanations for the 1TB is that SteamOS seems to include a recovery option , if something goes wrong, that will recover everything , including games, in the HDD....so , it's a kinda mirroring software that mirrors the 500GB minimum recomendation and so, we got to 1TB.
However, i bet you can install this in a 320GB HDD and even with mirroring option, you get 160GB.
At 1st mirroring is a waste of HDD space but then again, it will make it so easy to recover for something catastrofic happening to your instalation.
Another thing is that Steam says that only NVIDIA is supported and indeed, NVIDIA video drivers are the best right *now* under GNU/LINUX and it will take some time, maybe some months, to AMD be on par with NVIDIA under GNU/LINUX.
However, FWIW, SteamOS image already includes AMD Catalyst and Intel video drivers.
It's possible to install SteamOS WITHOUT UEFI:
http://www.reddit.com/r/SteamOS/comments/1su4t1/uefi_requirement_with_steamos/
The actual recommendation on the long run with current games that are market available (on PC considering all OSis) is: 1TB HDD, 8 GB of RAM, Nv 760 gpu (or equivalent AMD [7950 boost] on Windows & hopefully on Linux soon) & a fast in off CPU.
So that you rearly can game in peace & comfort.