Phase 0 · Done at the physical machine
OS Installation
Download Bazzite, flash a USB drive, and install the OS.
What you'll need for this phase
- A USB drive (10 GB or more free space) — contents will be erased
- A keyboard, monitor, and internet connection plugged into the server
- Fedora Media Writer or Balena Etcher installed on your personal PC (alternatively you can use Ventoy. Follow the instructions from their website
Step 1 — Download the Correct Bazzite ISO¶
Go to bazzite.gg and click the Download button. Use the Image Picker tool to select the right image for your hardware:
| Setting | Choose |
|---|---|
| Hardware | Desktop / HTPC |
| GPU | AMD/Intel or NVIDIA (match your hardware) |
| Desktop | KDE Plasma |
| Steam Gaming Mode | ✅ Enabled |
Make sure you pick bazzite-deck
There are two Bazzite variants. The one with Steam Gaming Mode enabled is called bazzite-deck. It ships both KDE Plasma and the gamescope Steam session in a single signed image. Starting with bazzite-deck means you never need to manually add Gaming Mode later.
After downloading, flash the ISO to your USB drive using Fedora Media Writer or Balena Etcher or just move the ISO it to your Ventoy USB drive.
Step 2 — Install Bazzite¶
Boot the server from the USB drive (usually by pressing F11 or F12 at startup to choose the boot device).
The Anaconda installer will appear. Work through the setup screens:
- Username & Password — choose a simple lowercase username (you'll type it often)
- Hostname — under 20 characters, no spaces (e.g.
homeserver) - Timezone & Keyboard — set these correctly, especially timezone (it affects Docker containers)
- Installation Destination — select your OS drive. Do not select your data drive.
- Network is not required during installation.
If you have a Windows drive in this machine
Physically disconnect your Windows drive (unplug its SATA/NVMe cable) before installing Bazzite. Anaconda can accidentally modify the Windows bootloader even if you don't select that drive. Reconnect it after installation if needed.
Step 3 — Note Your GPU Type¶
After installation, you'll know which GPU you have. Here's what matters for this guide:
| GPU Type | Gaming Mode | VA-API Encoding (Sunshine) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMD | ✅ Full support | ✅ Supported | Recommended for this guide |
| Intel | ✅ Full support | ✅ Supported | Good for lower-power builds |
| NVIDIA | ⚠️ Beta | ❌ Not supported | Sunshine must use software encoding |
✅ Phase 0 Complete¶
Your machine now has Bazzite installed and boots into Steam Gaming Mode.
First boot — don't panic
After installation, the machine will boot straight into Steam's Gaming Mode. This is normal and expected. Phase 1 walks you through switching to Desktop Mode and setting up SSH so you never need to sit at the machine again.
Lock BIOS, disable boot from USB drive and enable secure boot
It's recommended to set an admin password in your BIOS and disable boot from USB for a more secure and robust setup. This process can be different depending on the device. To enable secure boot, follow the "Bazzite Documentation: Secure Boot Guide"