Steam Controller 2026 fails to update firmware on Arch Linux

steamopen Steam controllerDistro Family: Arch

ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux#13595 · opened 2026-09-09 by GravenImageRD · updated 2026-09-20 · 8 comments · github

GGravenImageRD 2026-09-09 github

Your system information

Steam client version (build number or date): 1788652215
Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu): Arch
Opted into Steam client beta?: No
Have you checked for system updates?: Yes
Steam Logs: steam-logs.tar.gz
GPU: AMD

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:

Got a brand new Steam Controller, plugged it in to update the firmware, updater starts and then fails to update. I tried all advice in https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux/issues/13171 as well, and this is what I get when running the updater manually via CLI

[ryand@Ryan-EndeavourOS hardwareupdater]$ sudo ./hardwareupdater.x86_64 --update-by-serial FXB99627042EE
[sudo] password for ryand: 
Found Type: Proteus USB SN: FXB99627042EE
UPDATING PROTEUS - SN:  FXB99627042EE
ERROR: No device with serial number: FXB99627042EE found in BL
[ryand@Ryan-EndeavourOS hardwareupdater]$

I also ran the command using strace, here's the log for that strace.log

Steps for reproducing this issue:

Be running latest EndeavourOS (possibly all Arch Linux distros, unsure)
Plug in new puck or controller
Attempt to update firmware
Firmware fails to update

Llostgoat 2026-09-11 github

@GravenImageRD I see the same error in the logs when steam tries to run the firmware updater tool.

Can you try running this command and share the output here:

sudo ./hardwareupdater.x86_64 --update-all

GGravenImageRD 2026-09-11 github

ryand@Ryan-EndeavourOS hardwareupdater]$ sudo ./hardwareupdater.x86_64 --show-all-devices
{
    "version": "1.5",
    "updates_available": [
        {
            "type": 5,
            "Name": "Proteus USB",
            "hardware_id": 71,
            "serial_number": "FXB99627042EE",
            "current_ts": "0x69B8A394",
            "update_ts": "0x0",
            "must_update": true
        }
    ]
}
[ryand@Ryan-EndeavourOS hardwareupdater]$ sudo ./hardwareupdater.x86_64 --update-all
FoundType: Proteus USB SN: FXB99627042EE
UPDATING PROTEUS - SN:  FXB99627042EE
ERROR: No device with serial number: FXB99627042EE found in BL
[ryand@Ryan-EndeavourOS hardwareupdater]$

Attaching a log for a run through strace as well
strace.log

As added context, when I run, the OS notifies me the puck has disconnected, then I see it connect in boot loader mode, then it fails. Not a lot to work from, though. Would be good if it had more verbose output to confirm like "Device is restarting in boot loader", "Device reconnected and boot loader mode confirmed", etc. just so it is more obvious at what point in the process it really is failing.

Nndreys 2026-09-12 github

@GravenImageRD since you do see the device go into bootloader mode it seems like we might not be handling state transitions well somewhere. It probably takes the dongle unexpectedly long to switch to the bootloader. Can you collect the output you see when running:

killall steam steamwebhelper
sudo dmesg -c > /dev/null
date
sudo ./hardwareupdater.x86_64 --show-all-devices
sleep 120
sudo ./hardwareupdater.x86_64 --update-all
sleep 120
sudo dmesg -T

? This should give us a bit more clarity on the state transition timeline.

GGravenImageRD 2026-09-12 github

ryand@Ryan-EndeavourOS hardwareupdater]$ killall steam steamwebhelper ; sudo dmesg -c > /dev/null ; date ; sudo ./hardwareupdater.x86_64 --show-all-devices ; sleep 120 ; sudo ./hardwareupdater.x86_64 --update-all ; sleep 120 ; sudo dmesg -T
steam: no process found
steamwebhelper: no process found
Sat Sep 12 09:31:44 AM EDT 2026
{
    "version": "1.5",
    "updates_available": [
        {
            "type": 5,
            "Name": "Proteus USB",
            "hardware_id": 71,
            "serial_number": "FXB99627042EE",
            "current_ts": "0x69B8A394",
            "update_ts": "0x0",
            "must_update": true
        }
    ]
}
FoundType: Proteus USB SN: FXB99627042EE
UPDATING PROTEUS - SN:  FXB99627042EE
ERROR: No device with serial number: FXB99627042EE found in BL
[Sat Sep 12 09:33:51 2026] usb 1-5: USB disconnect, device number 25
[Sat Sep 12 09:33:52 2026] usb 1-5: new full-speed USB device number 26 using xhci_hcd
[Sat Sep 12 09:33:53 2026] usb 1-5: New USB device found, idVendor=28de, idProduct=1007, bcdDevice= 3.07
[Sat Sep 12 09:33:53 2026] usb 1-5: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[Sat Sep 12 09:33:53 2026] usb 1-5: Product: Steam Controller Bootloader
[Sat Sep 12 09:33:53 2026] usb 1-5: Manufacturer: Valve Software
[Sat Sep 12 09:33:53 2026] usb 1-5: SerialNumber: FXB99627042EE
[Sat Sep 12 09:34:12 2026] usb 1-5: USB disconnect, device number 26
[Sat Sep 12 09:34:13 2026] usb 1-5: new full-speed USB device number 27 using xhci_hcd
[Sat Sep 12 09:34:13 2026] usb 1-5: New USB device found, idVendor=28de, idProduct=1304, bcdDevice= 0.02
[Sat Sep 12 09:34:13 2026] usb 1-5: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[Sat Sep 12 09:34:13 2026] usb 1-5: Product: Steam Ctrl (USB)
[Sat Sep 12 09:34:13 2026] usb 1-5: Manufacturer: Valve Software
[Sat Sep 12 09:34:13 2026] usb 1-5: SerialNumber: FXB99627042EE
[Sat Sep 12 09:34:13 2026] input: Valve Software Steam Ctrl (USB) Mouse as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.1/0000:05:00.0/0000:06:08.0/0000:08:00.0/0000:09:0c.0/0000:0e:00.0/usb1/1-5/1-5:1.2/0003:28DE:1304.007E/input/input416
[Sat Sep 12 09:34:13 2026] input: Valve Software Steam Ctrl (USB) Keyboard as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.1/0000:05:00.0/0000:06:08.0/0000:08:00.0/0000:09:0c.0/0000:0e:00.0/usb1/1-5/1-5:1.2/0003:28DE:1304.007E/input/input417
[Sat Sep 12 09:34:13 2026] hid-generic 0003:28DE:1304.007E: input,hiddev101,hidraw8: USB HID v1.11 Mouse [Valve Software Steam Ctrl (USB)] on usb-0000:0e:00.0-5/input2
[Sat Sep 12 09:34:13 2026] input: Valve Software Steam Ctrl (USB) Mouse as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.1/0000:05:00.0/0000:06:08.0/0000:08:00.0/0000:09:0c.0/0000:0e:00.0/usb1/1-5/1-5:1.3/0003:28DE:1304.007F/input/input419
[Sat Sep 12 09:34:13 2026] input: Valve Software Steam Ctrl (USB) Keyboard as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.1/0000:05:00.0/0000:06:08.0/0000:08:00.0/0000:09:0c.0/0000:0e:00.0/usb1/1-5/1-5:1.3/0003:28DE:1304.007F/input/input420
[Sat Sep 12 09:34:13 2026] hid-generic 0003:28DE:1304.007F: input,hiddev102,hidraw9: USB HID v1.11 Mouse [Valve Software Steam Ctrl (USB)] on usb-0000:0e:00.0-5/input3
[Sat Sep 12 09:34:13 2026] input: Valve Software Steam Ctrl (USB) Mouse as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.1/0000:05:00.0/0000:06:08.0/0000:08:00.0/0000:09:0c.0/0000:0e:00.0/usb1/1-5/1-5:1.4/0003:28DE:1304.0080/input/input422
[Sat Sep 12 09:34:13 2026] input: Valve Software Steam Ctrl (USB) Keyboard as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.1/0000:05:00.0/0000:06:08.0/0000:08:00.0/0000:09:0c.0/0000:0e:00.0/usb1/1-5/1-5:1.4/0003:28DE:1304.0080/input/input423
[Sat Sep 12 09:34:13 2026] hid-generic 0003:28DE:1304.0080: input,hiddev103,hidraw10: USB HID v1.11 Mouse [Valve Software Steam Ctrl (USB)] on usb-0000:0e:00.0-5/input4
[Sat Sep 12 09:34:13 2026] input: Valve Software Steam Ctrl (USB) Mouse as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.1/0000:05:00.0/0000:06:08.0/0000:08:00.0/0000:09:0c.0/0000:0e:00.0/usb1/1-5/1-5:1.5/0003:28DE:1304.0081/input/input425
[Sat Sep 12 09:34:13 2026] input: Valve Software Steam Ctrl (USB) Keyboard as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.1/0000:05:00.0/0000:06:08.0/0000:08:00.0/0000:09:0c.0/0000:0e:00.0/usb1/1-5/1-5:1.5/0003:28DE:1304.0081/input/input426
[Sat Sep 12 09:34:13 2026] hid-generic 0003:28DE:1304.0081: input,hiddev104,hidraw11: USB HID v1.11 Mouse [Valve Software Steam Ctrl (USB)] on usb-0000:0e:00.0-5/input5
[Sat Sep 12 09:34:13 2026] hid-generic 0003:28DE:1304.0082: hiddev105,hidraw12: USB HID v1.11 Device [Valve Software Steam Ctrl (USB)] on usb-0000:0e:00.0-5/input6
[ryand@Ryan-EndeavourOS hardwareupdater]$

Zzckman 2026-09-14 · hidden on GitHub github

I can reproduce this firmware update issue on CachyOS.

System

Distribution: CachyOS (rolling)
Kernel: Linux 7.2.0-1-cachyos
Desktop: KDE Plasma 6.7.4
Session: Wayland
Steam package: steam 1.0.0.87-3
steam-devices: 1.0.0.87-3
Steam client build: 1788652215
Steam branch: default/public
GPU: AMD Strix Halo / Radeon 8050S / 8060S
Mesa: 26.2.1

The Steam Controller Puck is detected correctly:

Bus 007 Device 031: ID 28de:1304 Valve Software Steam Controller Puck

hardwareupdater.x86_64 --show-all-devices detects the puck as Proteus USB with hardware_id: 71.

Both update methods fail identically.

`--update-by-serial`

$ sudo ./hardwareupdater.x86_64 --update-by-serial '<REDACTED>'
Found Type: Proteus USB SN: <REDACTED>
UPDATING PROTEUS - SN: <REDACTED>
ERROR: No device with serial number: <REDACTED> found in BL

Exit code: 255

`--update-all`

$ sudo ./hardwareupdater.x86_64 --update-all
FoundType: Proteus USB SN: <REDACTED>
UPDATING PROTEUS - SN: <REDACTED>
ERROR: No device with serial number: <REDACTED> found in BL

Exit code: 255

So --update-all does not work around the problem on my system. The updater detects the puck before entering the bootloader/update stage, but then fails to find the same device in BL mode.

$ killall steam steamwebhelper
steam: no process found
steamwebhelper: no process found

$ sudo dmesg -c > /dev/null

$ date
Mo 14. Sep 17:29:38 CEST 2026

$ sudo ./hardwareupdater.x86_64 --show-all-devices
{
  "version": "1.5",
  "updates_available": [
    {
      "type": 5,
      "Name": "Proteus USB",
      "hardware_id": 71,
      "serial_number": "<REDACTED_SERIAL>",
      "current_ts": "0x6A4423DE",
      "update_ts": "0x0",
      "must_update": false
    }
  ]
}

$ sudo ./hardwareupdater.x86_64 --update-all
FoundType: Proteus USB SN: <REDACTED_SERIAL>
UPDATING PROTEUS - SN: <REDACTED_SERIAL>
ERROR: No device with serial number: <REDACTED_SERIAL> found in BL

$ sudo dmesg -T
[Di Sep 22 11:23:56 2026] usb 1-1.1: USB disconnect, device number 28
[Di Sep 22 11:23:57 2026] usb 1-1.1: new full-speed USB device number 29 using xhci_hcd
[Di Sep 22 11:23:57 2026] usb 1-1.1: New USB device found, idVendor=28de, idProduct=1007, bcdDevice= 3.07
[Di Sep 22 11:23:57 2026] usb 1-1.1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[Di Sep 22 11:23:57 2026] usb 1-1.1: Product: Steam Controller Bootloader
[Di Sep 22 11:23:57 2026] usb 1-1.1: Manufacturer: Valve Software
[Di Sep 22 11:23:57 2026] usb 1-1.1: SerialNumber: <REDACTED_SERIAL>

[Di Sep 22 11:24:17 2026] usb 1-1.1: USB disconnect, device number 29
[Di Sep 22 11:24:17 2026] usb 1-1.1: new full-speed USB device number 30 using xhci_hcd
[Di Sep 22 11:24:18 2026] usb 1-1.1: New USB device found, idVendor=28de, idProduct=1304, bcdDevice= 0.02
[Di Sep 22 11:24:18 2026] usb 1-1.1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[Di Sep 22 11:24:18 2026] usb 1-1.1: Product: Steam Controller Puck
[Di Sep 22 11:24:18 2026] usb 1-1.1: Manufacturer: Valve Software
[Di Sep 22 11:24:18 2026] usb 1-1.1: SerialNumber: <REDACTED_SERIAL>
[Di Sep 22 11:24:18 2026] input: Valve Software Steam Controller Puck Mouse as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:c2:00.4/usb1/1-1/1-1.1/1-1.1:1.2/0003:28DE:1304.01F7/input/input223
[Di Sep 22 11:24:18 2026] input: Valve Software Steam Controller Puck Keyboard as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:c2:00.4/usb1/1-1/1-1.1/1-1.1:1.2/0003:28DE:1304.01F7/input/input224
[Di Sep 22 11:24:18 2026] hid-generic 0003:28DE:1304.01F7: input,hiddev97,hidraw2: USB HID v1.11 Mouse [Valve Software Steam Controller Puck] on usb-0000:c2:00.4-1.1/input2
[Di Sep 22 11:24:18 2026] input: Valve Software Steam Controller Puck Mouse as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:c2:00.4/usb1/1-1/1-1.1/1-1.1:1.3/0003:28DE:1304.01F8/input/input226
[Di Sep 22 11:24:18 2026] input: Valve Software Steam Controller Puck Keyboard as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:c2:00.4/usb1/1-1/1-1.1/1-1.1:1.3/0003:28DE:1304.01F8/input/input227
[Di Sep 22 11:24:18 2026] hid-generic 0003:28DE:1304.01F8: input,hiddev100,hidraw7: USB HID v1.11 Mouse [Valve Software Steam Controller Puck] on usb-0000:c2:00.4-1.1/input3
[Di Sep 22 11:24:18 2026] input: Valve Software Steam Controller Puck Mouse as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:c2:00.4/usb1/1-1/1-1.1/1-1.1:1.4/0003:28DE:1304.01F9/input/input229
[Di Sep 22 11:24:18 2026] input: Valve Software Steam Controller Puck Keyboard as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:c2:00.4/usb1/1-1/1-1.1/1-1.1:1.4/0003:28DE:1304.01F9/input/input230
[Di Sep 22 11:24:18 2026] hid-generic 0003:28DE:1304.01F9: input,hiddev101,hidraw8: USB HID v1.11 Mouse [Valve Software Steam Controller Puck] on usb-0000:c2:00.4-1.1/input4
[Di Sep 22 11:24:18 2026] input: Valve Software Steam Controller Puck Mouse as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:c2:00.4/usb1/1-1/1-1.1/1-1.1:1.5/0003:28DE:1304.01FA/input/input232
[Di Sep 22 11:24:18 2026] input: Valve Software Steam Controller Puck Keyboard as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:c2:00.4/usb1/1-1/1-1.1/1-1.1:1.5/0003:28DE:1304.01FA/input/input233
[Di Sep 22 11:24:18 2026] hid-generic 0003:28DE:1304.01FA: input,hiddev102,hidraw9: USB HID v1.11 Mouse [Valve Software Steam Controller Puck] on usb-0000:c2:00.4-1.1/input5
[Di Sep 22 11:24:18 2026] hid-generic 0003:28DE:1304.01FB: hiddev103,hidraw10: USB HID v1.11 Device [Valve Software Steam Controller Puck] on usb-0000:c2:00.4-1.1/input6

Note: The dmesg -T calendar timestamps are incorrect on this system after suspend/resume. The test was actually performed on 2026-09-14; only the displayed wall-clock dates are wrong.

Llostgoat 2026-09-15 github

@GravenImageRD we have one more thing we'd like you to test, but we'd prefer to do that over a support ticket.

In the ticket description you can just paste "@lostgoat asked me to open this ticket for controller firmware update testing" and add link to this issue. We'll contact you there for the test follow-up.

Zzckman 2026-09-15 · hidden on GitHub github

I can reproduce this firmware update issue on CachyOS.

Follow-up: in my case, the firmware updater failure turned out to be caused by a kernel/modules version mismatch after a kernel update without rebooting.

I was still running:

Linux 7.2.0-1-cachyos

while the installed kernel package had already been updated to:

linux-cachyos 7.2.2-1

CONFIG_USB_ACM=m was enabled, but cdc_acm could not be loaded because /usr/lib/modules/7.2.0-1-cachyos no longer existed. The installed package only contained:

/usr/lib/modules/7.2.2-1-cachyos/kernel/drivers/usb/class/cdc-acm.ko.zst

This matched what I saw during the failed update: the puck successfully re-enumerated as:

28de:1007 Valve Software Steam Controller Bootloader

with CDC ACM interfaces, but neither interface had a bound driver and no ttyACM device was created.

After rebooting into the updated kernel so that the running kernel matched the installed modules, the firmware update succeeded and the puck was flashed successfully.

Practical recovery steps

If you hit the same error:

ERROR: No device with serial number: <REDACTED> found in BL

check whether the running kernel still has a matching module directory:

uname -r
ls /usr/lib/modules/

Then verify whether cdc_acm is available:

modinfo cdc_acm

If modinfo reports that the module cannot be found and the running kernel version does not match the installed kernel/module directory, reboot into the updated kernel.

After rebooting, verify:

uname -r
modinfo cdc_acm
sudo modprobe cdc_acm

Then retry the firmware update from Steam's hardware updater directory:

cd ~/.local/share/Steam/bin/hardwareupdater
sudo ./hardwareupdater.x86_64 --update-all

In my case, no package downgrade, udev change, or manual firmware workaround was required. A reboot into the currently installed kernel was sufficient.

So at least in my case, this was not an Arch-specific updater bug but a stale running kernel after a kernel package update.

GGravenImageRD 2026-09-20 github

Sorry for the slow response, was out of town for the week but the good news is that after having my PC completely shut down for the week while I was gone when I came back, turned it on, and blindly told Steam to update the puck.. It worked just fine.. No idea why. Nothing should have changed in my environment or anything. Just.. Magically worked. Controller updated fine as well. This actually frustrates me rather than making me happy, because now I can't help y'all figure out why it wasn't working in the first place.

Related threads

Steam Controller/puck update does not worksteamclosed same upstream bug

Upstream links

ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux/issues/13171x1 2026-09