Cannot start SteamVR on Bazzite

[spartanhooah]

I am running Bazzite with KDE Plasma and X11. My GPU is an RTX 3070. When I tried to start SteamVR, I got the error SteamVR Error" "SteamVR failed to initialize for unknown reasons. (Error: Not initialized (109) (109))". I found a suggestion to move to the beta version of SteamVR (1.27.5). I tried that, and now I get a different error: "SteamVR setup is incomplete, some features might be missing. See /tmp/SteamVRLauncherSetup.log for details.". When I check the log, I see "Error: getcap is required to complete the SteamVR setup.". I have not found any posts online referring to handling this error in Bazzite or Fedora. How can I get this working? It works fine on Windows, so I'm pretty sure it's not a hardware problem.

[ExtraMedicated]

I'm having trouble with this as well on a new Framework laptop. Tried some other distros as well including Mint with similar results.

[grzegorz77]

Originally posted by ExtraMedicated:

I'm having trouble with this as well on a new Framework laptop. Tried some other distros as well including Mint with similar results.

I would recommend you to use less exotic distributions. If you are a beginner, take something recommended on steam. When you are ready, jump to any of the basic ones, like debian, arch, etc.

Such exotic distributions always make a good first impression, and then it is more difficult than in the popular ones.
Avoid hints from online newspapers, which distribution is the best this year, these are always bad tips.

This mint wasn't a bad idea, here you can see what's popular today:

https://steamcommunity.com/app/221410/discussions/0/


Pop os is quite good to start with. But don't use the app store. And updates with their method.
Pop os is based on debian, it's a good choice, debian has a huge database of packages, and an amazing system for managing them.

*** And it is this system that you need to learn how to use. It's called apt. ***

It doesn't matter if you use the command line or a graphics program that will automatically issue text-based commands. It is important that the store is an apt store, not the one from the shortcut on the desktop.

So I would take what is popular today, but based on debian.


But if you want to fix what you have, that can probably be done.
If you have an arch-based distribution, I won't help you much, somehow I can't stand arch, I can't find a common language with it.

But you'd better write under the link I gave you.
However, you need to try to describe the problem better.

At the moment I can only advise you to see the dmesg, what is glowing red there, because that's probably what it's all about.

You can also change the visibility of your profile, there are plenty of jokers hiding behind private profiles. This discourages people from spending time on help.


edit:
Is your problem only with steam vr and everything else works? AAA games work?


edit 2:
This Bazzite is not even on the DistroWatch, an incredibly niche invention.

[Niah]

I have a similar issue on Fedora 40 with KDE. However switching to steamvr beta doesn't behave any differently and I don't see anything about getcap in my logs.

I think this issue is more related to Fedora than Bazzite.

[grzegorz77]

Originally posted by Niah:

I have a similar issue on Fedora 40 with KDE. However switching to steamvr beta doesn't behave any differently and I don't see anything about getcap in my logs.

I think this issue is more related to Fedora than Bazzite.

Both are rpm, just fedora is a clone and bazzite is a clone clone.

Perhaps, you all inherited, the problem that comes from red hat.

To be honest, none of you even wrote what vr headset have and how trying to connect it.
I don't know anything about stem vr under linux, but your information is insufficient, that's for sure.

When it comes to linux and vr, in the last few days, there were some helpful links here. They should be in adjacent topics.

If you don't know what you're doing, I wouldn't rely on redhat and its clones if I were you. If you really want to, take the arch clones. I would choose debian clones.

edit:
As for this getcap, is it available in the system? (It's not written to you)

You install Steam using "apt" (rpm) or flatpak.
Flatpak can cause problems of cosmic size.

You can run Steam from the command line, it will probably write something to you in case of failure.

[Niah]

Originally posted by grzegorz77:

Perhaps, you all inherited, the problem that comes from red hat.

I'm OOTL, what problems come from red hat?

Originally posted by grzegorz77:

To be honest, none of you even wrote what vr headset have and how trying to connect it.

I'm using an Index. I recently switch from windows on the same hardware, the headset works great there with the same hardware config.

I did look through the forum here and found some stuff, nothing changes the behavior I'm seeing but I did try starting SteamVR via CLI, which gave me some logs: https://pastebin.com/5pVgq1kh

I see

 DRM kernel driver 'nvidia-drm' in use. NVK requires nouveau. 

several times. Is nouveau required for SteamVR?

[ExtraMedicated]

I also have Index. For what it's worth, I seem to have the same error on Mint. I can try more stuff later when I have more time.

[grzegorz77]

@Niah:

As I said, I don't know anything about it, you move in places that I don't know and don't want to know.

I think it's something wrong with wayland, or with distributions based on red hat.

Here they confirm my suspicions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fb8bXP8xIBk
(How to use SteamVR on Fedora Linux) (Jun 11, 2024)

And they propose to install x11 next to wayland.
Before you get down to it, make sure that you will have a desktop choice on the login window later. (This should not be a problem)
And that you, can log into the console outside of x, and you have access to at least two console windows ctrl+alt+F2 ctrl+F3.
And you have some other device with internet access besides this computer.


You can still find something here:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2805545613
(SteamVR - Guide for Linux VR)

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2984005943
(SteamVR - VR on Linux - Native/supported hardware and software)

https://lvra.gitlab.io/docs/steamvr/quick-start/
(Linux VR Adventures Wiki)

https://steamcommunity.com/app/250820/discussions/5/4036980006274402358/
(SteamVR - Jittery mess)


https://steamcommunity.com/app/250820/discussions/5/4348869829430482847/#c4348869829432023390
SiEgE's advice whose experience with steam vr compared to mine is huge (mine is none).
To try a different driver version, seems great.
Monitors also seem to cause problems, that's great advice too.


You can try these steps before installing the x11 version of kde.
(An attempt to force Wayland + Vulkan + Steam VR to work.)
It's your choice of what you think is better to do first.


As for the nouveau, it seems like a bad idea.
I have no idea what vulkan is trying to run there.
But if it was something crucial, you could try telling him to use a different driver.

vulkaninfo --summary
Maybe there's something clever written there.

DRM kernel driver 'nvidia-drm' in use. NVK requires nouveau
Maybe when you paste it, the search engine will spit out some clever results.


Good luck. You have a good approach. I'm confident that you can get it up and running

[grzegorz77]

Originally posted by ExtraMedicated:

I also have Index. For what it's worth, I seem to have the same error on Mint. I can try more stuff later when I have more time.

Index - so we already know anything, this is a good start.
"Same error" is definitely not enough information for me, maybe someone else can help with such an error.

When I wrote about the inheritance of the problem.
Fedora is built on Red hat, and Bazzite is built on Fedora.
Example problems, with the choice of driver type for graphics, type of window system, support this model wifi card, such things are often inherited.

Mint is a clone of Debian, it should look different here.

But many users don't understand the way linux is built.
Every Linux is made up of small pieces. These pieces, freely selected into a whole, are distributions. But within the distribution, you can change these small pieces to your liking.

Therefore, we have the basic content of the system, which communicates by text.
In addition, one of several types of image display driver (do not confuse with the driver version number, or gpu brand). Different types of display driver offer different capabilities, advantages and disadvantages.
In addition, we have a window display system chosen from among hundreds.

The image driver you need for vr or gaming, it may be different, with the one selected in the distribution. which is more suitable for the primary use of the distribution. Or with the policy of the organization that creates the distributions (e.g. security).

That's why people think they have the same problem if they don't dig deeper than: it doesn't work.


edit:
I know that you can feel lost when you come from windows, where there is one imposed image driver, one imposed window display system, and one program responsible for the appearance of windows, and it is not possible to replace them.

[Niah]

Today I got a steamVR update labeled "Workshop content" and now this works. It's jittery and steamVR home doesn't launch, but I can at least start it.

Gonna spend some time researching these other issues.

[grzegorz77]

Originally posted by Niah:

Today I got a steamVR update labeled "Workshop content" and now this works. It's jittery and steamVR home doesn't launch, but I can at least start it.

Gonna spend some time researching these other issues.

You can delete all workshop items.
If you have a world other than the default one, it can have some influence.
I didn't even think about it, I have this house turned off, because it was a pity for me to waste resources on it.

edit:

Do you have an app with this number installed ???

...Steam\steamapps\common\SteamVR
...\Steam\steamapps\common\Steamworks Shared"

...\Steam\steamapps\appmanifest_250820.acf
...\Steam\steamapps\appmanifest_228980.acf

This is additional content required for steam vr to work if I remember correctly.
Maybe this thing was downloading today, not the workshop.


And here:
...\Steam\steamapps\workshop\content\250820
...\Steam\steamapps\workshop\appworkshop_250820.acf

...\Steam\steamapps\workshop\content\241100
...\Steam\steamapps\workshop\appworkshop_241100.acf

[Niah]

...\Steam\steamapps\appmanifest_250820.acf
...\Steam\steamapps\appmanifest_228980.acf
...\Steam\steamapps\workshop\appworkshop_250820.acf
These 3 are present

...\Steam\steamapps\workshop\appworkshop_241100.acf
This one is not

Additionally, I got steamVR home working (I just restarted steamVR a few times). Aaaaand then it stopped working entirely. Back to square 0.

Seems like there's some variables here I'm not aware of.

[grzegorz77]

These are controller assignments.
I don't know if it's necessary. I don't know when it appears, I have 37 directories there, so not every game you turn on makes a directory.

If it worked and stopped, there will be some strange problem.

It could be a hardware problem, such as a slightly damaged cable.

But I would bet on the software, the driver version, the software version.
And above all, on the cooperation of the driver-wayland-steam vr.

But it can also be energy management.
Putting the usb to sleep, via motherboard or system.
Even recently there was such a problem, a special usb "vr ready" port. Updating the bios helped. You can check the bios fixes for your board, the list of fixed bugs, sometimes the descriptions of the fixes are very accurate.

But I would bet on wayland the most, it's a "new" technology, I would expect unusual compatibility problems.

I also wouldn't choose, for games, a distribution coming from the red hat root, .rpm, what was the reason. (But it doesn't mean that if you want and like it, you can't)

.deb is a huge database of packages, and popular distributions, steam os was based on debian, so it makes sense.

Based on Arch, that makes sense too, because it's a popular distro right now, and now Steam OS is based on it (This does not necessarily translate to Steam VR). But I personally don't like arch and especially pacman package manager.

Keep looking, good luck.
It's a bothersome problem, but you can handle it.

edit:
Or maybe you have something in beta, maybe it's worth going back to stable.
It would also be worth seeing if there is a slightly newer kernel in the packages.

edit 2:
Have you checked the dmesg to see if something is glowing red?
After checking, you can unplug the vr headset cable, and plug it back in, and check the dmesg again.

[retrogunner]

grzegorz77 - thanks for all the great links. I'll check them out as I'm doing all my research to ensure a working Linux-SteamVR setup.

Others, I normally use Fedora Atomic Desktop (Silverblue). I've run both Steam installer and Steam Flatpak. According to Steam's documentation, I won't be running the Flatpak anymore if I want to use Steam VR as it is unsupported. Maybe grzegorz77's links say otherwise. I'll find out soon enough.

https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/18A4-1E10-8A94-3DDA