Desktop Mode complains of Root Partition Low on Disk Space

[Saiyaken-PHOENIX]

Your system information

• Steam client version: Version: 1759272645
• SteamOS version: 3.7.16 Build 20250929.1
• Opted into Steam client beta?: Yes
• Opted into SteamOS beta?: Yes
• Have you checked for updates in Settings > System?: Yes

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:

There's a consistent notification that pops up on boot, warning of low disk space in the root partition. With the nature of SteamOS and its immutability, there's no feasible way to extend this partition without running into issues. This issue started happening with the latest update, build 20250929.1

EDIT: 2025-10-05: The notification pops up on its own quite a lot; won't go away unless you either close the notifications manually or mute them altogether.

EDIT: 2025-10-08: The notification recurs every restart as well; muting it serves no purpose especially when going to/from Gaming/Desktop mode.

EDIT: 2025-10-27: Update from Steam Deck Beta branch, SteamOS 3.7.17 Build: 20251027.1, seemingly fixes this notification

Steps for reproducing this issue:

1. Turn on machine
2. Go into Desktop Mode after boot

[Saiyaken-PHOENIX]

[Saiyaken-PHOENIX]

The easiest option would just silence the warning. Though that wouldn't be a great option for people just buying this device for their first Linux experience; this should have some sort of permanent fix for it.

[Saiyaken-PHOENIX]

Believe this is a related issue: https://github.com/ValveSoftware/SteamOS/issues/1733

[bertogg]

I'll have a look at this warning, but just to clarify: the issue that you're linking to (1733) affects developers and the workarounds being discussed there are for people who know what they're doing.

If there's an annoying warning affecting regular users in desktop mode it'll be fixed in a future OS update.

[bertogg]

Two questions:

• Did you put the root filesystem in read-write mode? (steamos-readonly disable).
• If you click on "Configure warning", what's the value that you see there? (you can also see the value in ~/.config/freespacenotifierrc)

[Saiyaken-PHOENIX]

Two questions:

* Did you put the root filesystem in read-write mode? (`steamos-readonly disable`).

Only when I first received the device; there's been plenty subsequent updates since where I haven't bothered reenabling it

* If you click on "Configure warning", what's the value that you see there? (you can also see the value in `~/.config/freespacenotifierrc`)

[General]
enableNotification=false
minimumSpace=1024

I've clicked the check box to disable notifications, every boot, yet it keeps coming back on restart for whatever reason.

[Saiyaken-PHOENIX]

Also to note: this notification, if just ignored, will come back every 15 minutes. It will always reenable itself upon restart and entry to Desktop Mode. Would leave this alone but this feels a bit like the nuisance of Windows Update here. Don't want this turning into a common problem that other end users of the Steam Deck will have to deal with.

[Saiyaken-PHOENIX]

A new update, SteamOS 3.7.17 Build: 20251027.1, has seemingly fixed the insistent notification; hopefully I can get confirmation with others that have dealt with this issue.