diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 5bd582b94b..ee85c22f01 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -433,6 +433,8 @@ dependencies = [
  "encoding_rs_io",
  "runas",
  "serde_json",
+ "steamlocate",
+ "tempfile",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -811,7 +813,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "futures-lite",
  "parking",
  "polling",
- "rustix",
+ "rustix 0.38.44",
  "slab",
  "tracing",
  "windows-sys 0.59.0",
@@ -854,7 +856,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "cfg-if",
  "event-listener",
  "futures-lite",
- "rustix",
+ "rustix 0.38.44",
  "tracing",
 ]
 
@@ -881,7 +883,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "cfg-if",
  "futures-core",
  "futures-io",
- "rustix",
+ "rustix 0.38.44",
  "signal-hook-registry",
  "slab",
  "windows-sys 0.59.0",
@@ -1202,7 +1204,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "bitflags 2.8.0",
  "log",
  "polling",
- "rustix",
+ "rustix 0.38.44",
  "slab",
  "thiserror 1.0.69",
 ]
@@ -1214,7 +1216,7 @@ source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "95a66a987056935f7efce4ab5668920b5d0dac4a7c99991a67395f13702ddd20"
 dependencies = [
  "calloop",
- "rustix",
+ "rustix 0.38.44",
  "wayland-backend",
  "wayland-client",
 ]
@@ -3117,6 +3119,27 @@ dependencies = [
  "wasm-bindgen",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "keyvalues-parser"
+version = "0.2.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "7e4c8354918309196302015ac9cae43362f1a13d0d5c5539a33b4c2fd2cd6d25"
+dependencies = [
+ "pest",
+ "pest_derive",
+ "thiserror 1.0.69",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "keyvalues-serde"
+version = "0.2.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "e2db0b750e9ae64e6c3d913832dc19ed580b9210bcd7c4dd6d0dd21af469fc14"
+dependencies = [
+ "keyvalues-parser",
+ "serde",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "khronos-egl"
 version = "6.0.0"
@@ -3224,6 +3247,12 @@ version = "0.4.15"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "d26c52dbd32dccf2d10cac7725f8eae5296885fb5703b261f7d0a0739ec807ab"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "linux-raw-sys"
+version = "0.9.4"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "cd945864f07fe9f5371a27ad7b52a172b4b499999f1d97574c9fa68373937e12"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "litemap"
 version = "0.7.5"
@@ -4188,6 +4217,51 @@ version = "2.3.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "e3148f5046208a5d56bcfc03053e3ca6334e51da8dfb19b6cdc8b306fae3283e"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "pest"
+version = "2.8.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "198db74531d58c70a361c42201efde7e2591e976d518caf7662a47dc5720e7b6"
+dependencies = [
+ "memchr",
+ "thiserror 2.0.11",
+ "ucd-trie",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "pest_derive"
+version = "2.8.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "d725d9cfd79e87dccc9341a2ef39d1b6f6353d68c4b33c177febbe1a402c97c5"
+dependencies = [
+ "pest",
+ "pest_generator",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "pest_generator"
+version = "2.8.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "db7d01726be8ab66ab32f9df467ae8b1148906685bbe75c82d1e65d7f5b3f841"
+dependencies = [
+ "pest",
+ "pest_meta",
+ "proc-macro2",
+ "quote",
+ "syn 2.0.98",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "pest_meta"
+version = "2.8.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "7f9f832470494906d1fca5329f8ab5791cc60beb230c74815dff541cbd2b5ca0"
+dependencies = [
+ "once_cell",
+ "pest",
+ "sha2",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "pico-args"
 version = "0.5.0"
@@ -4294,7 +4368,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "concurrent-queue",
  "hermit-abi",
  "pin-project-lite",
- "rustix",
+ "rustix 0.38.44",
  "tracing",
  "windows-sys 0.59.0",
 ]
@@ -4685,7 +4759,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "wasm-bindgen",
  "wasm-bindgen-futures",
  "web-sys",
- "winreg",
+ "winreg 0.50.0",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -4833,7 +4907,20 @@ dependencies = [
  "bitflags 2.8.0",
  "errno 0.3.10",
  "libc",
- "linux-raw-sys",
+ "linux-raw-sys 0.4.15",
+ "windows-sys 0.59.0",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "rustix"
+version = "1.0.7"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "c71e83d6afe7ff64890ec6b71d6a69bb8a610ab78ce364b3352876bb4c801266"
+dependencies = [
+ "bitflags 2.8.0",
+ "errno 0.3.10",
+ "libc",
+ "linux-raw-sys 0.9.4",
  "windows-sys 0.59.0",
 ]
 
@@ -5082,6 +5169,17 @@ dependencies = [
  "digest",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "sha2"
+version = "0.10.9"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "a7507d819769d01a365ab707794a4084392c824f54a7a6a7862f8c3d0892b283"
+dependencies = [
+ "cfg-if",
+ "cpufeatures",
+ "digest",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "sharded-slab"
 version = "0.1.7"
@@ -5162,7 +5260,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "libc",
  "log",
  "memmap2",
- "rustix",
+ "rustix 0.38.44",
  "thiserror 1.0.69",
  "wayland-backend",
  "wayland-client",
@@ -5246,6 +5344,19 @@ dependencies = [
  "rand 0.8.5",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "steamlocate"
+version = "2.0.1"
+source = "git+https://github.com/WilliamVenner/steamlocate-rs.git?rev=6fc7aeef928a5b9cc40823a02de61ed0cc38a759#6fc7aeef928a5b9cc40823a02de61ed0cc38a759"
+dependencies = [
+ "crc",
+ "home",
+ "keyvalues-parser",
+ "keyvalues-serde",
+ "serde",
+ "winreg 0.55.0",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "strict-num"
 version = "0.1.1"
@@ -5450,15 +5561,14 @@ checksum = "61c41af27dd6d1e27b1b16b489db798443478cef1f06a660c96db617ba5de3b1"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "tempfile"
-version = "3.17.1"
+version = "3.20.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "22e5a0acb1f3f55f65cc4a866c361b2fb2a0ff6366785ae6fbb5f85df07ba230"
+checksum = "e8a64e3985349f2441a1a9ef0b853f869006c3855f2cda6862a94d26ebb9d6a1"
 dependencies = [
- "cfg-if",
  "fastrand",
  "getrandom 0.3.1",
  "once_cell",
- "rustix",
+ "rustix 1.0.7",
  "windows-sys 0.59.0",
 ]
 
@@ -5901,6 +6011,12 @@ version = "1.18.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "1dccffe3ce07af9386bfd29e80c0ab1a8205a2fc34e4bcd40364df902cfa8f3f"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "ucd-trie"
+version = "0.1.7"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "2896d95c02a80c6d6a5d6e953d479f5ddf2dfdb6a244441010e373ac0fb88971"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "uds_windows"
 version = "1.1.0"
@@ -6167,7 +6283,7 @@ checksum = "b7208998eaa3870dad37ec8836979581506e0c5c64c20c9e79e9d2a10d6f47bf"
 dependencies = [
  "cc",
  "downcast-rs",
- "rustix",
+ "rustix 0.38.44",
  "scoped-tls",
  "smallvec",
  "wayland-sys",
@@ -6180,7 +6296,7 @@ source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "c2120de3d33638aaef5b9f4472bff75f07c56379cf76ea320bd3a3d65ecaf73f"
 dependencies = [
  "bitflags 2.8.0",
- "rustix",
+ "rustix 0.38.44",
  "wayland-backend",
  "wayland-scanner",
 ]
@@ -6202,7 +6318,7 @@ version = "0.31.8"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "a93029cbb6650748881a00e4922b076092a6a08c11e7fbdb923f064b23968c5d"
 dependencies = [
- "rustix",
+ "rustix 0.38.44",
  "wayland-client",
  "xcursor",
 ]
@@ -6439,7 +6555,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "either",
  "home",
  "once_cell",
- "rustix",
+ "rustix 0.38.44",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -6993,7 +7109,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "pin-project",
  "raw-window-handle",
  "redox_syscall 0.4.1",
- "rustix",
+ "rustix 0.38.44",
  "sctk-adwaita",
  "smithay-client-toolkit",
  "smol_str",
@@ -7032,6 +7148,16 @@ dependencies = [
  "windows-sys 0.48.0",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "winreg"
+version = "0.55.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "cb5a765337c50e9ec252c2069be9bf91c7df47afb103b642ba3a53bf8101be97"
+dependencies = [
+ "cfg-if",
+ "windows-sys 0.59.0",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "winres"
 version = "0.1.12"
@@ -7096,7 +7222,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "libc",
  "libloading",
  "once_cell",
- "rustix",
+ "rustix 0.38.44",
  "x11rb-protocol",
 ]
 
@@ -7113,8 +7239,8 @@ source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "e105d177a3871454f754b33bb0ee637ecaaac997446375fd3e5d43a2ed00c909"
 dependencies = [
  "libc",
- "linux-raw-sys",
- "rustix",
+ "linux-raw-sys 0.4.15",
+ "rustix 0.38.44",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
diff --git a/alvr/dashboard/src/steamvr_launcher/linux_steamvr.rs b/alvr/dashboard/src/steamvr_launcher/linux_steamvr.rs
index 9ac7bfb26f..f6a4ca9a7b 100644
--- a/alvr/dashboard/src/steamvr_launcher/linux_steamvr.rs
+++ b/alvr/dashboard/src/steamvr_launcher/linux_steamvr.rs
@@ -150,9 +150,7 @@ fn linux_gpu_checks(device_infos: &[(&wgpu::Adapter, DeviceInfo)]) {
     let steamvr_root_dir = match alvr_server_io::steamvr_root_dir() {
         Ok(dir) => dir,
         Err(e) => {
-            error!("Couldn't detect openvr or steamvr files. \
-            Please make sure you have installed and ran SteamVR at least once. \
-            Or if you're using Flatpak Steam, make sure to use ALVR Dashboard from Flatpak ALVR. {e}");
+            error!("{e}");
             return;
         }
     };
diff --git a/alvr/server_io/Cargo.toml b/alvr/server_io/Cargo.toml
index 3ba728c3e8..c8f0e6601b 100644
--- a/alvr/server_io/Cargo.toml
+++ b/alvr/server_io/Cargo.toml
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ encoding_rs_io = "0.1"
 dirs = "6"
 runas = "^1.2" # version 1.1 is broken
 serde_json = "1"
+steamlocate = { git = "https://github.com/WilliamVenner/steamlocate-rs.git", rev = "6fc7aeef928a5b9cc40823a02de61ed0cc38a759" }
+
+[dev-dependencies]
+tempfile = "3.20.0"
 
 [target.'cfg(not(target_os = "linux"))'.dependencies]
 cpal = "0.15"
diff --git a/alvr/server_io/src/openvrpaths.rs b/alvr/server_io/src/openvrpaths.rs
index f371d82d81..2b17404693 100644
--- a/alvr/server_io/src/openvrpaths.rs
+++ b/alvr/server_io/src/openvrpaths.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use alvr_common::{
-    anyhow::{bail, Result},
-    ToAny,
+    anyhow::{bail, Error, Result},
+    debug, ToAny,
 };
 use encoding_rs_io::DecodeReaderBytes;
 use serde_json as json;
@@ -27,20 +27,20 @@ fn openvr_source_file_path() -> Result<PathBuf> {
 }
 
 pub fn steamvr_settings_file_path() -> Result<PathBuf> {
-    let path = if cfg!(windows) {
-        // N.B. if ever implementing this: given Steam can be installed on another
-        // drive, etc., this should probably start by looking at Windows registry keys.
-        bail!("Not implemented for Windows.") // Original motive for implementation had little reason for Windows.
+    let steamvr_vrsettings_path = steamlocate::SteamDir::locate()?
+        .path()
+        .join("config/steamvr.vrsettings");
+    debug!(
+        "steamvr_vrsettings_path: {}",
+        steamvr_vrsettings_path.display()
+    );
+
+    if steamvr_vrsettings_path.exists() {
+        Ok(steamvr_vrsettings_path)
     } else {
-        dirs::data_dir()
-    }
-    .to_any()?
-    .join("Steam/config/steamvr.vrsettings");
-
-    if path.exists() {
-        Ok(path)
-    } else {
-        bail!("{} does not exist", path.to_string_lossy())
+        bail!(
+            "Couldn't find SteamVR config file (steamvr.vrsettings). Please make sure SteamVR is launched at least once."
+        )
     }
 }
 
@@ -85,12 +85,13 @@ pub fn to_openvr_paths(paths: &[PathBuf]) -> json::Value {
     json::Value::Array(paths_vec)
 }
 
-fn get_single_openvr_path(path_type: &str) -> Result<PathBuf> {
-    let openvr_paths_json = load_openvr_paths_json()?;
-    let paths_json = openvr_paths_json.get(path_type).to_any()?;
-    from_openvr_paths(paths_json).first().cloned().to_any()
-}
-
 pub fn steamvr_root_dir() -> Result<PathBuf> {
-    get_single_openvr_path("runtime")
+    let steam_dir = steamlocate::SteamDir::locate()?;
+    const STEAMVR_APPID: u32 = 250_820;
+    match steam_dir.find_app(STEAMVR_APPID)? {
+        Some((app, library)) => Ok(library.resolve_app_dir(&app)),
+        None => Err(Error::msg(
+            "Couldn't locate SteamVR, please make sure you have installed it.",
+        )),
+    }
 }