<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2014-12-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000889930</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>OVERLAND STORAGE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>12/1/2014</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001044321</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MARXE AUSTIN W &amp; GREENHOUSE DAVID M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O SPECIAL SITUATIONS FUNDS</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>527 MADISON AVENUE, SUITE 2600</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Warrants</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>8.132</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-12-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>U</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1443373</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2010-02-19</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-02-22</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>0</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Limited Partnerships</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This is a joint filing by Austin W. Marxe (Marxe) &amp; David M. Greenhouse (Greenhouse).  They share voting and investment control over all securities owned by Special Situations Fund III QP, L.P. (QP), Special Situations Private Equity Fund, L.P. (PE), Special Situations Technology Fund, LP (Tech) &amp; Special Situations Technology II, Fund, L.P. (Tech II), respectively.  0 warrants are held by QP, 0 Warrants are held by PE, 0 Warrants are held by Tech &amp; 0 Warrants are held by Tech II. The interest of Marxe and Greenhouse in the shares of Warrants owned by QP, PE, Tech, and Tech II is limited to the extent of his pecuniary interest.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The Warrants described herein reflect a one-for-five (1-for-5) reverse stock split of the Issuer's common stock, effective April 9, 2014.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">This transaction reflects the disposition of shares of the Issuer's common stock pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 15, 2014, by and among the Issuer, Sphere 3D Corporation and S3D Acquisition Company. On December 1, 2014, the Issuer completed the merger.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Austin W. Marxe</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-12-30</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>David M. Greenhouse</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-12-30</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Adam C. Stettner</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-12-30</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
