---
title: "SteamOS on VMware Workstation"
date: "2013-12-17T23:01:34Z"
tags: ["VMware Workstation"]
categories: ["Linux & Open Source", "VMware"]
---

![SteamOS Logo][1]

SteamOS is the first gaming Linux-based operating system. The base system draws from Debian 7, code named Debian Wheezy. More information, of course, available on website <a title="SteamOS" href="http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamOS/" rel="noopener">http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamOS/</a>

I presume that you are here because you know what SteamOS is and you want to try run it as Virtual Machine in VMware Workstation on Windows. In few steps, I will show you how to do it.
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## Downloading and creating SteamOS ISO

In order to download SteamOS files simply click the following <a title="SteamOS Download link" href="http://store.steampowered.com/steamos/buildyourown" rel="noopener">link</a>.

After you download files, extract them into a folder. Now we need to create ISO file from extracted files. I used CDBurnerXP to do it.

Here is step by step guide.

1. Select Data Disc
2. Drag SteamOS extracted files into compilation
![SteamOS ISO creation][2]
3. Go to Disk -> Boot Options. Select **Make disc bootable** and set following settings.
  * Select path to boot image: SteamOSInstallerbootgrubbootx64.efi
  * Emulation type: Hard Disk
  * Platform: x86-64<br>
  ![SteamOS ISO boot options][3]
4. Change disc file system. Click Data -> Change File System and select **ISO9660/ Joliet**.
5. Click OK and go to File -> Save Compilation as ISO file and give desired ISO name.

## Installing SteamOS as Virtual Machine in VMware Workstation

When ISO is completed create empty custom Virtual Machine with following settings:

* Hardware Compatibility - VMware Workstation 10
* Install operating system later
* Guest Operating System - Linux, Debian 7 64-bit
* 1vCPU, 4GB RAM, 20GB Hard Disk
* Edit Virtual Machine configuration file (vmx) and add entry ```firmware = "efi"```

After you will mount ISO in Virtual Machine CD-ROM power it on.

Installation of SteamOS step by step.

1. Select Automated Install.<br>
![SteamOS Installation 1][4]
2. Wait for the installer - you don't really have to do much there.
![SteamOS Installation 2][5]
3. After installation reboot it.
![SteamOS Installation 3][6]

## Configuring SteamOS for full gaming experience

After installation, there are several steps to make SteamOS fully work in VMware Workstation. Here are steps which I did to play games using SteamOS.

1. Change root password
In order to change the root password from login screen select **Default Xsession**. As username enter **desktop** with password **desktop**. Start Terminal and type **sudo passwd root**. Provide credentials for the desktop user and change the root password.
![SteamOS change root password][7]
2. Install VMware Tools
  
Click on SteamOS Virtual Machine and select **Install VMware Tools**.
  
3. Installation is done in several steps:
  * Login as root
  * Start Terminal
  * copy VMware Tools tar file to home directory - cp /media/cdrom/VMwareTools* /home/steam/
  * extract files using command tar -zxf VMwareTools*
  * enter directory vmware-tools-distrib
  * as root execute installation script - **./vmware-install.pl**
  * safely you can go for standard settings - just hit enter everywhere
  * restart SteamOS Virtual Machine so all VMware Tools drivers are loaded

If you don't know how to install VMware Tools in Linux please follow this VMware KB guide <a title="VMware Tools installation in Linux" href="https://www.vmware.com/support/ws5/doc/ws_newguest_tools_linux.html" rel="noopener">https://www.vmware.com/support/ws5/doc/ws_newguest_tools_linux.html</a>

* Change Sound Card in the system

After VMware Tools are installed login to Default Xsession as a desktop as root. Go to System Settings and then click Sound. Go to Hardware tab and change Analog Stereo Duplex to **Analog Stereo Output**, turn on sound and test speakers.
## Play it!

Finally, after some time you can test new shiny SteamOS. On login screen enter default SteamOS username **steam** and password **steam** and select **Gnome** as graphical user interface.

![SteamOS logon as steam user][8]

After login you will see Steam icon. Double click it and you will see Steam License Agreement.

![SteamOS License Agreement][9]

Accept it and after that some updates will be downloaded before playing games.

![SteamOS update][10]

After update you will see normal Steam application.

![SteamOS login][11]

Login to your account and you will see games you can play. In my case it is only **one** game - FTL: Faster Than Light (by the way brilliant game 😉 ).

Here is proof that it is working 🙂
![SteamOS - FTL][12]

## SteamOS iso and complete Virtual Machine

In comment one of user - **rlmicrosa** - prepared ISO and complete Virtual Machine. If you have any problems with creating one by yourself try what he prepared. Thanks a lot for sharing!

### ISO 
<a title="SteamOS ISO" href="http://goo.gl/6MIwBP" rel="noopener">http://goo.gl/6MIwBP</a>

### Virtual Machine
<a title="SteamOS Virtual Machine" href="http://goo.gl/PkBY4l" rel="noopener">http://goo.gl/PkBY4l</a>

[1]: /images/uploads/2013/12/SteamOS-Logo.webp
[2]: /images/uploads/2013/12/SteamOS-ISO-creation.webp
[3]: /images/uploads/2013/12/SteamOS-ISO-boot-options.webp
[4]: /images/uploads/2013/12/SteamOS-Installation-1.webp
[5]: /images/uploads/2013/12/SteamOS-Installation-2.webp
[6]: /images/uploads/2013/12/SteamOS-Installation-3.webp
[7]: /images/uploads/2013/12/SteamOS-change-root-password.webp
[8]: /images/uploads/2013/12/SteamOS-logon-as-steam-user.webp
[9]: /images/uploads/2013/12/SteamOS-License-Agreement.webp
[10]: /images/uploads/2013/12/SteamOS-update.webp
[11]: /images/uploads/2013/12/SteamOS-login.webp
[12]: /images/uploads/2013/12/SteamOS-FTL.webp