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StayPositive 23 Aug, 2024 @ 6:12pm
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Fix : Linux Steam Vulkan Shader processing takes forever every time
I finally found a fix to this thanks to another user because gaming on linux was unplayable to me because it took forever for the shaders to process everytime i started a game.

Original Credit/Comment by : Archlinux wiki

Reference: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Steam Bullet point 5:11"

>Open your File Manager, if you are new to Linux you can just open a terminal and type Dolphin, Thunar, Nemo whatever your file manager is.
>Press Ctrl+H to see hidden files.
Go to

.local/share/steam  (Here you should see other folders like appcache, bin, clientui, compatibilitytools.d, config etc

If you use a flatpak version

go to .var/app/com.valvesoftware.Steam/data/Steam

> Create a file called steam_dev.cfg
> Open the file with any text editor and add

unShaderBackgroundProcessingThreads X


where X is the number of cores for your cpu if you have hyperthreading
For example if you are using i9,13900k your threads is 32.
If you are using Ryzen 5 4600 you have 12 threads.


"Faster shader pre-compilation
In certain circumstances shader pre-compilation may only use one core, however this can be overridden by the user, example to use 8 cores:

~/.steam/steam/steam_dev.cfg
unShaderBackgroundProcessingThreads 8
Last edited by StayPositive; 22 Oct, 2024 @ 10:50am
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Showing 1-14 of 14 comments
Doogrok 9 Sep, 2024 @ 8:20am 
Ty so much for this! It works well speeding up the process alot. Also if your like me with an i7 intel processor you have 8 threads.
Lekzen01 29 Sep, 2024 @ 7:19am 
Can someone give an explanation on why it is actually working well ?
Iceira 29 Sep, 2024 @ 7:35am 
Originally posted by Lekzen01:
Can someone give an explanation on why it is actually working well ?

Who said game can ID hes board and cpu information, also rasie the question is pc even update.
and sense its a linux OS they dont fix lack of update from all board product support, aient it just like windows here.

I doubt OS support will see it as its them as support to fix all linux own board information.
and linux user are famous for not be a gamer pc, if you compare them with Linux server.
they only update if needed not for performance. ( they only do it if they notice a bug. )
and this is a bug , then game cant ID hes pc. ( aka cpu with its threds )

i call it linux users that has no clue in who to contact with board issue.
i can also say its not a steam issue or game issue.


ps.
aient this is a board linux driver issue.
and in top of this Vulkan Shader is gpu releated that take info from board chipset driver.
GPU is not going to fix CPU chipset driver information.
this menas not a GPU driver issue to fix wrong cpu informations.

Just wait to OP figure out its all games that need this fix, untill he get it board crap up chipset Drivers in what CPU core and threds he has.

he should have ask own steam linux group and hope there is a linux master that can ssee though all them hotfixes steam linux users keep doing.here at steam.

in my book steam linux user has drop the marbles and know nothing anymore.
( those steam unix/linux user i meet 20 years ago, will know all this.

Last edited by Iceira; 29 Sep, 2024 @ 7:50am
StayPositive 8 Oct, 2024 @ 8:59pm 
Originally posted by Lekzen01:
Can someone give an explanation on why it is actually working well ?
Faster shader pre-compilation
In certain circumstances shader pre-compilation may only use one core, however this can be overridden by the user, example to use 8 cores:

~/.steam/steam/steam_dev.cfg
unShaderBackgroundProcessingThreads 8

Reference: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Steam Number 5:11
Iceira 8 Oct, 2024 @ 11:55pm 
Originally posted by Saranghae:
Originally posted by Lekzen01:
Can someone give an explanation on why it is actually working well ?
Faster shader pre-compilation
In certain circumstances shader pre-compilation may only use one core, however this can be overridden by the user, example to use 8 cores:

~/.steam/steam/steam_dev.cfg
unShaderBackgroundProcessingThreads 8

Reference: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Steam Number 5:11

Lets try again game ders do not set your cores and thresd's its information from your system set by you board support its BIOS and Chipset drives, that do this.

And sense you had to edit this, thats mean many other app outside steam will also suffer from this. ( technicaly your problem is not a steam problem, you can find many AMD past user that edit this, and we also told them, its AMD issue with the board.

Most of the time it's users own problem for not updating or have right BIOS setup or they dont update BIOS or its Drivers, and its still your board supports problem with the problem.

And bbe happy someone botrher tell you this, so all steam user dont have to manual do this every time they reset OS.

and be happy steam moderator even allow you to do it, they wrong way seen many ppl that do what you do, and most normal ppl will not do or fiddle with such. you need to be a experts to even know or edit such, and somehow you lack insight in who this problem is.

To be rude thats actual your problem, for not contact own board support. with your core & thread issue. ( in top of this i dare say Linux user today there think they know what they are doing, linux user aien't that good anymore, sense you dont know who has product support. )

Your way in doing this , mean all have to do a edit themself. ( this is the wrong way ) board support job to get it right first time..

we can all say here steam dont not make your GPU drivers
so how come you think board issue is or ppl post about core & thread's issue is.

there is a reason why i and other say this. ( just wait to a steam users get it wrong or screw this up then they forget manual edit.)

then this will backfire at your post.

Technicaly this can cost any user that cant get it to work and have real technician, and you did not follow standard procedur in how things work. ( this is fact, if you forget you did this someday )
Last edited by Iceira; 9 Oct, 2024 @ 12:46am
Iceira 22 Oct, 2024 @ 12:54am 
It's says it all, then you dont know who has product support on vulkan drivers.

it's not steam, its not game devs, and not steam users.
Last edited by Iceira; 22 Oct, 2024 @ 1:14am
StayPositive 22 Oct, 2024 @ 10:48am 
Originally posted by Iceira:
It's says it all, then you dont know who has product support on vulkan drivers.

it's not steam, its not game devs, and not steam users.

Yes you definitely should take your concern to Arch forum and ask about their philosophy and non-contribution to linux.
yvvki 19 Nov, 2024 @ 3:02am 
I love the fact that somebody keeps yapping with jumbled words that doesn't answer any of the question nor contribute to the topic of discussion.
Iceira 19 Nov, 2024 @ 10:34am 
Steam Linux user here don't know who has support on GPU issue, next time try talk with real support then this cooked up self coded crap, you have to keep doing, ( until support get it fixed. )


Steam and game devs will not fix your own local pc GPU problem ever.

Last edited by Iceira; 19 Nov, 2024 @ 10:50am
I may be late to this discussion but... the arch wik saysi it may run on only one core *under certain circumstances*... idk if it's using only one at all times...
Last edited by Enaemulon; 7 Jan @ 12:54pm
Originally posted by Iceira:
Steam Linux user here don't know who has support on GPU issue, next time try talk with real support then this cooked up self coded crap, you have to keep doing, ( until support get it fixed. )


Steam and game devs will not fix your own local pc GPU problem ever.

Calling oneself linux user and calling Arch Wiki a crap? Might as well call yourself an expert on 'how earth is flat".
Originally posted by Kassie:
I may be late to this discussion but... the arch wiki it may run on only one core *under certain circumstances*... idk if it's using only one at all times...

Thank you for your valuable input! This post is specifically intended for individuals experiencing issues with Intel’s 12th and 13th gen processors. If you're not facing these issues, that's wonderful!

Also, i will not participate further in this post, as it serves as a reference for those encountering these issues. For future solutions and anyone who reads this post in the future, please refer to steam support, Arch Wiki, or your linux distribution wiki and and look for updated information.
Last edited by StayPositive; 7 Jan @ 12:53pm
Brenry 9 Jul @ 2:07pm 
disablee vulkan precaache btw


my friend ChatGPT explained it this way:

Great catch — here's the clarification:
🔍 unShaderBackgroundProcessingThreads vs @ShaderBackgroundProcessingThreads

Steam's internal config format (in steam.dev.cfg) uses "underscore-prefixed" variables like unShaderBackgroundProcessingThreads, but those are actually:

Internal debug/developer variables

Not documented officially

Sometimes inconsistent between Steam builds

The most stable and widely accepted directive is:

@ShaderBackgroundProcessingThreads 8

But since the guide you referenced used:

unShaderBackgroundProcessingThreads 8

—we can support both to be safe.
✅ Recommended Final Config

You can include both lines to cover both formats:

@ShaderBackgroundProcessingThreads 8
unShaderBackgroundProcessingThreads 8

This ensures compatibility across Steam’s internal versions and avoids confusion.
Last edited by Brenry; 9 Jul @ 2:32pm
Nanami 9 Jul @ 11:24pm 
This thread was quite old before the recent post, so we're locking it to prevent confusion.
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