John Vert, a Valve representative, jumped on the Steam Universe group on Monday and announced the release of a new SteamOS disk image (ISO) that doesn't require UEFI. This official version stems from one that was created by the community called Ye Olde SteamOSe, which also allows users to dual-boot, among other "improvements."

"I just posted a SteamOS ISO that can be used to install SteamOS on non-UEFI systems," Vert writes. "Thanks to directhex and ecliptik for their work on Ye Olde SteamOSe - this incorporates many of their changes. Dual-boot and custom partitioning are now possible from the 'Expert Install' option."

"PLEASE note there has been very little testing on this, especially any kind of dual-boot setup. So don't install it on any machine you are not prepared to lose," he adds.

The new SteamOS ISO file can be downloaded here. Meanwhile, the latest Ye Olde SteamOSe build can be downloaded here. A list of improvements include support for BIOS-based systems, support for DVD and 1 GB USB stick installations, dual-boot support, resizing NTFS partitions, support for almost any sound card, support for LVM and software RAID, and more.

SteamOS is a Debian Linux-based operating system that was released in beta form on December 13, 2013. The platform is meant for Steam Machines, but it's also made available to anyone wanting to build their own. However, because it's focused on playing Linux-based games, the platform is rather limited; by default, it doesn't provide an image viewer or a file manager.

Last week Valve sent out invites to Steam game streaming. The initial batch will be for development partners, but Valve will add more and more people as the service becomes more solid. This service will allow gamers to stream their favorite Windows-based PC titles to their Linux-based Steam Machine or a machine that uses SteamOS.

Read about all the latest Steam Machines here.