Internal controller not detected

[anderedna]

Your system information

• Steam client version: 1702079146
• SteamOS version: 3.5.7
• Opted into Steam client beta?: No
• Opted into SteamOS beta?: No
• Have you checked for updates in Settings > System?: Yes

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:

Steam deck internal controller (All buttons: thumbsticks, pads, trigger) not working except power and volume button.

• In steam menu > settings > controller > No controller detected.
• When accessing BIOS, need to plug USB keyboard as internal buttons (dpad, action) not working.
• lsusb.py didn't show the controller hwid.
• journalctl -u jupiter-controller-update failed due to no hwid detected.

Things working:

• Touch screen working.
• Wireless/Bluetooth working.
• USB power and hub working.
• Audio working.

Things already done but didn't fix missing controller:

• Change from stable to beta to preview.
• Sleep, restart, clear BIOS (vol down + ... + power).
• Factory reset the steam deck.
• Use recovery USB and reimage the steam deck.

Is there a way to force reflashing the controller ROM?

Steps for reproducing this issue:

1. Update steam deck when playing game.
2. Restart steam deck when update finished.
3. Relaunch the game and controller suddenly not working anymore.
4. Controller firmware update maybe failed to flash the controller ROM?

[Jaxsown]

Same issue since yesterday, i opened the SD to check the ribbon cablesDB<>MB and re-set them (under the MB too), no change.

[RodoMa92]

Can you both post your lsusb output? It might be stuck in DFU mode, but if it's not there you might have a completely bricked controller :S I hope it's not a bug of the latest firmware tho.

EDIT: Missed this part: journalctl -u jupiter-controller-update failed due to no hwid detected. Yeah, I'm not sure what you can do besides sending it in for repair if the controller is completely not detected from the host end.

[anderedna]

For reference.

lsusb:

(A+)(root@steamdeck ~)# lsusb
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 13d3:3553 IMC Networks Bluetooth Radio
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

lsusb.py:

(A+)(root@steamdeck ~)# lsusb.py
usb1              1d6b:0002 09 1IF  [USB 2.00,   480 Mbps,   0mA] (xhci-hcd 0000:04:00.4) hub
  1-5               13d3:3553 e0 2IFs [USB 1.00,    12 Mbps, 500mA] (Realtek Bluetooth Radio 00e04c000001)
usb2              1d6b:0003 09 1IF  [USB 3.10, 10000 Mbps,   0mA] (xhci-hcd 0000:04:00.4) hub

Is there any alternative way other than sending it for repair?
I'm willing to open the SD and tinker with it's internal.

[RodoMa92]

Replying to #1308 (comment)

Just for a question that popped up in my mind, can you please try to switch to XHCI from DRD in the BIOS and see if anything change? It shouldn't, since the internal bus should not have this feature and therefore not affected by that, however that's easy to test at least.

If nothing change, the only way is to convince Valve to sell controller boards. Sadly they claim that calibration software is not available and it will never be, so no way to repair it yourself.

If Valve would actually be pro repair, please begin to sell controller boards and the associated software, especially since the shoulder buttons are the weaker part of the Deck LCD and in no way replaceable thanks to this.

Marco.

[Jaxsown]

Valve has accepted my rma request.

[anderedna]

Yeap, nothing changed when switching from DRD to XHCI.
Still the same output and non usable controller.

I imported the SD as Valve didn't released it in my country so trying to RMA it would be a tough one.

Chnage to XHCI and disable bluetooth USB:

(A+)(root@steamdeck ~)# lsusb
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
(A+)(root@steamdeck ~)# lsusb.py
usb1              1d6b:0002 09 1IF  [USB 2.00,   480 Mbps,   0mA] (xhci-hcd 0000:04:00.3) hub
usb2              1d6b:0003 09 1IF  [USB 3.10, 10000 Mbps,   0mA] (xhci-hcd 0000:04:00.3) hub
usb3              1d6b:0002 09 1IF  [USB 2.00,   480 Mbps,   0mA] (xhci-hcd 0000:04:00.4) hub
usb4              1d6b:0003 09 1IF  [USB 3.10, 10000 Mbps,   0mA] (xhci-hcd 0000:04:00.4) hub

[RodoMa92]

Besides forcing them to enter a sort of DFU unbrickable hardware mode (usually microcontrollers have a feature like that to recover them from failed flash) I have no other way to get them back. Problem is that the hardware is completely undocumented and no one has tried to reverse engineer it, so unless Valve wants to actively help you there is nothing you can do, sadly (apart from taking up the mantle yourself and do the RE part with your own hands).

[anderedna]

Many thanks @RodoMa92 .

I guess my only choice is to pair it with a Bluetooth controller and live with it for now.

[DocMAX]

I used to run Steam on native arch linux OS. It worked some months ago. Now steamdeck controller isn't detected. If i run SteamOS from SD card it works. So no hardware issue, but something is wrong now in arch linux.

root@steamdeck: ~ # lsusb
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 002: ID 28de:1205 Valve Software Steam Deck Controller
Bus 003 Device 003: ID 13d3:3553 IMC Networks 802.11ac WLAN Adapter
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
root@steamdeck: ~ # lsusb.py
usb1              1d6b:0002 09 1IF  [USB 2.00,   480 Mbps,   0mA] (xhci-hcd 0000:04:00.3) hub
usb2              1d6b:0003 09 1IF  [USB 3.10, 10000 Mbps,   0mA] (xhci-hcd 0000:04:00.3) hub
usb3              1d6b:0002 09 1IF  [USB 2.00,   480 Mbps,   0mA] (xhci-hcd 0000:04:00.4) hub
  3-3               28de:1205 00 5IFs [USB 2.00,    12 Mbps, 500mA] (Valve Software Steam Deck Controller MEDA21500708)
  3-5               13d3:3553 e0 2IFs [USB 1.00,    12 Mbps, 500mA] (Realtek 802.11ac WLAN Adapter 00e04c000001)
usb4              1d6b:0003 09 1IF  [USB 3.10, 10000 Mbps,   0mA] (xhci-hcd 0000:04:00.4) hub

[DocMAX]

Please help :-(

[Skincanvas]

@DocMAX
Hey friend this isn't the right issue for this, as in I don't know if it would fix the OP's specific problem since it seems specific to us, but I found this thread trying to fix my problem. I too put Arch on my Deck and encountered this issue by updating. I reinstalled Steam, then restarted, and voila it worked. Hope that helps.

[DocMAX]

How was your procedure of "reinstall"? I deleted .local/share/Steam folder and still no controller.

[DocMAX]

Ok, so i found a workaround by accident. "rmmod usbhid" and then "modprobe usbhid" did steam make the controller recognize. so why is that? what is happening?

Edit: To break it down further, i needed to do:
echo "3-3:1.2" > /sys/bus/usb/drivers/usbhid/bind
So why isn't "3-3:1.2" loaded at boottime?

[DocMAX]

Hello?

[anderedna]

Hi @DocMAX.

To reinstall your Deck, you could follow the guide from Steam (https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/1B71-EDF2-EB6D-2BB3). Try "Re-image Steam Deck" to reinstall everything, including reformat the NVMe.

I've tried your method of rmmod and modprobe + force usbhid bind but it doesn't work on my Deck as the controller does not even listed as a USB HID. It was completely gone, not even detected in BIOS.