Steam Deck default storage keeps reverting

[odditypardonme]

I have been having an issue with my Steam Deck for the past week or so where it keeps reverting the default storage back to the MicroSD after a day or so of use. I am not removing the MicroSD card so reseating isn't the cause.

Steps to replicate (for me): Steam menu > Settings > Storage > set Internal to default with "X"
From here, I would go to download a game and it would default to internal space. However, when I put the device down for a day or so and come back to it, say I go to download a game, default storage is MicroSD again.

I reached out to Steam Support and they directed me here.

[Lala Satalin Deviluke]

steam support is trash along with linux abolustis, depending on mod decks, the problem is steam, they modify there updates with micro or os memory and randomanly change it, its political trash steam so u cant be ..

[Toilet Clauger]

Been having this too, but only on the OLED version. Non-OLED version doesn't seem to have this issue.

[Harrison]

Same. On OLED.

[NightRune]

Same issue here on both OlLED and LCD versions.

[TheCrazyCanuck]

I haven't seen this on my old LCD or new OLED steam decks but on the PC this happens if the storage is not reachable when Steam is loaded. I put most of my steam games on my NAS which I set to be my default install location and if I fire up steam without my NAS on it'll go back to the default location on my main local drive. So if you boot up the deck without the SD card installed then I would expect the behavior you are seeing. What I do know is if the storage device becomes available later that won't switch the default back and you have to manually do it so it's almost like once the default drive changes, the client doesn't store the old state to get back to normal.

[falo]

Bumping this. Issue noticed on my OLED deck. Unfortunately no longer have my LCD to confirm if it was the same, but certainly never noticed it as a problem.

[Khadgart]

Came here looking for this. I upgraded my OLED to 2TB and want to make it the default as my SD is only for emudeck and roms. It keeps changing the microSD as the default. STEAM PLS FIX THIS >_>

[TheCrazyCanuck]

If you run into it is the SD card detected? I could see the SD card not being detected causing this (or Valve blowing away your setting every update)

[PopinFRESH]

Originally posted by TheCrazyCanuck:

If you run into it is the SD card detected? I could see the SD card not being detected causing this (or Valve blowing away your setting every update)

This is a known bug that appears to be coincident with the bug where the microSD card doesn't mount properly and the system shows it as needing to be formatted again. After reseating the microSD card it mounts properly but the system automatically changes the default storage to the microSD card instead of whatever was selected (e.g. the internal SSD).

[NimrodX]

yes seems like this was happening to me. I didn't have probs with the sd not mounting but seems like i set the default store to internal like 3 times and it gets set back to sdcard.

Tried setting internal back to default again after the latest update, and yet again it got switched back to sdcard.

[TheCrazyCanuck]

Originally posted by PopinFRESH:

Originally posted by TheCrazyCanuck:

If you run into it is the SD card detected? I could see the SD card not being detected causing this (or Valve blowing away your setting every update)

This is a known bug that appears to be coincident with the bug where the microSD card doesn't mount properly and the system shows it as needing to be formatted again. After reseating the microSD card it mounts properly but the system automatically changes the default storage to the microSD card instead of whatever was selected (e.g. the internal SSD).

That rings a bell, I think I saw that on the older LCD steam deck. I was downloading a bunch of games and managed to brick the SD card. I assumed it was the card from Teamgroup and returned it for a 1TB Lexar and haven't seen the problem since.

[YME]

Same on oled just noticed it after upgrading to 2tb

[stoplis]

I am getting this constantly.
512GB OLED and a 128GB SD card
It reverts to the SD card every time I switch to desktop mode and back to gaming mode. I have never had issues with the SD card not mounting or wanting to be formatted.

[Nagusame]

I also experience this. LCD steam deck with a 1TB SSD and a 512GB MicroSD. It's really annoying.

[NimrodX]

seems fixed in beta but perhaps hasn't made it to stable yet?