Valve enables CD support for Steam Frame via kernel update

Valve has implemented a kernel update for the Steam Frame VR headset to enable support for external CD-ROM drives. The change follows a community request from a user attempting to install the 2006 game ‘Need for Speed: Carbon’ using an original disc.

Rather than writing new drivers, Valve developer Gabe Rowe addressed the issue by enabling existing Linux kernel functions. The update adds three configuration options—CONFIG_CDROM=m, CONFIG_BLK_DEV_SR=m, and CONFIG_CHR_DEV_SG=m—to the Steam Frame’s ARM64 kernel. This allows CD-ROM and SCSI functions to be loaded as modules, providing parity with the Steam Deck and Steam Machine regarding optical disc access.

While the software support is now active, technical challenges regarding whether the device can provide sufficient power to external drives remain.