Firmware update for Steam Controller ability is missing from latest Steam client.

[kitor]

ISSUE
Steam Controllers can no longer be updated. Old UI is missing, url steam://UpdateFirmware does no longer work. In new controller options there's no mention of firmware update ability.

Updating hardware itself by grabbing BT enabled firmware from another controller and putting it in recovery mode (RT pressed down while connecting to USB) works only partially - controller enters BT pairing mode, but is is undetectable.

OS
Windows 11

CONTROLLER TYPES:
Steam Controller

CONNECTION TYPE:
Wired

GAME, config link, etc: not applicable.

[H0rizon]

Originally posted by austinp_valve:

Originally posted by H0rizon:

hi, i've been following the thread and i've just tried the new file, but unfortunately when i try to run ValveFirmwareUpdateApp_new.exe it reports the following files as missing:
-MSVCP140D.dll
-ucrtbased.dll
-VCRUNTIME140D.dll

i tried to just launch ble.bat, but now my pc just keeps asking me to try to connect again. tried to connect in both the bluetooth modes (steam key+Y and steam key+B). am i missing something?

Please just run one of the two .bat files - ble.bat or prod.bat.

doesn't work: windows asks me to try again to connect, but it does nothing.
the fw seems to be updated tho, as before the controller did the same sound when turning on by pressing the steam key+any of the rest, while now it does a different sound based on the key pressed.
also, do we have some info about the release of the new controller?

[Windgazer]

Originally posted by austinp_valve:

The mass storage bootloader only works when moving between non-BLE builds of FW. The BLE FW update is implemented in a more complicated way due to having to completely erase the radio's FW including the normal bootloader. We don't plan to re-implement this in the UI but we're making a command line tool available for Windows which can be found here:
https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/steamworks_docs/english/Steam_Controller_FW_Update_Tool.zip

Great! Good to know support isn't entirely dropped, even though I could not blame you guys and it would bring me some sorrow :)
I would like to stress though, this page https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/1796-5FC3-88B3-C85F should definitely be updated so that people know where to find this tool, finding it in support isn't particularly easy right now... I have updated controllers, but just been gifted some neglected ones it was hard to find out how to update them now...

[H0rizon]

Originally posted by Windgazer:

I would like to stress though, this page https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/1796-5FC3-88B3-C85F should definitely be updated so that people know where to find this tool, finding it in support isn't particularly easy right now...

+1

[ph0ec]

I tried the cmd tool, it updated the firmware without errors. When I start the old big picture mode to see the firmware version, it shows an older (2017) version, not the 2018 version, like my older controller. It also wouldn't pair with my SC receiver anymore. Reverted back to the production firmware, pairing with the SC receiver was working again.
Tried updating again, same issue.

[kitor]

Originally posted by ph0ec:

Tried updating again, same issue.

Did you use one from 1st or 2nd page? @austinp_valve uploaded 2nd file with newer firmware version.

I just change the post I selected as "answer" to point to newer firmware version.

[ph0ec]

Originally posted by kitor:

Originally posted by ph0ec:

Tried updating again, same issue.

Did you use one from 1st or 2nd page? @austinp_valve uploaded 2nd file with newer firmware version.

I just change the post I selected as "answer" to point to newer firmware version.

Oh, that might be my problem. Will try when I come home, thx

[Fauxpaws]

Having the same issues as ph0ec. Tried everything and controller will not update to newer FW. Used the newer link and everything. Even after all this the controller in old big picture shows the FW version from 2016.
What do?

[ph0ec]

Originally posted by kitor:

Originally posted by ph0ec:

Tried updating again, same issue.

Did you use one from 1st or 2nd page? @austinp_valve uploaded 2nd file with newer firmware version.

I just change the post I selected as "answer" to point to newer firmware version.

I tried with the link of the newly pinned answer - now it's working! Controller paired with original dongle and got the 2018 firmware. Thanks!

[Spoffy]

Tried it with the new link, works great! Just had to plug in the controller and run `ble.bat` from the download, and everything worked first time.

[amirfoox]

Originally posted by austinp_valve:

Try running the tool to revert to the production firmware. If that doesn't work try holding down the triggers when plugging into USB and when the controller shows up as an external hard-drive delete the Firmware.bin file on it and drag over the vcf_wired_controller_d0g.bin file onto the drive and then reconnect over USB.

"if it's working, don't fix it" applies here. It initially worked on the 2017 firmware, I updated to 2018 and it stopped connecting... :(

I tried reverting to prod and back to 2017, prod and 2017, prod to 2018, 2017 to 2018, holding triggers and removing the bin file then reupdatimg...nothing. "Please try reconnecting again" immediately pops up over and over in windows.

[Moenado]

I had major issues getting this to work but I finally have wireless and BT functionality again after scrapping the firmware and starting fresh as stated at the end of page 1. Remember to try using Steam Button + Y to pair it. I forgot that part at first lol

[Sliver]

I can aggree with the post above me. After scrapping the firmware first and then installing the new one, it worked like a charm

Edit: Also huge thanks to the developer

[Snowsune]

What do we do if on linux steamos or the steam deck? This looks like a windows exe!

[John S͘teamOS™]

I'm still having issues after trying the steps outlined by Austin. Ran prod.bat as I just want to connect to the dongle, and as far as I can tell, it finishes fine.
It's a dice roll after that if the controller will successfully pair with the dongle though.
Sometimes it will pair, but even then, if the controller shuts off for any reason, it does not connect to the dongle again, and it also will not pair properly a second time.
The only way I can get it to pair again is to scrap firmware.bin, go through the batch script once more, and then maybe it will pair a second time.


Edit: I'm dumb, I tried the bt firmware batch file and that seems to communicate with the dongle much better. Phew. Glad to get this working, I really wish Valve would make another one of these controllers. The Deck just isn't anywhere as good as this is.

[epilys]

Please provide a solution for linux!