error creating SDL window!

ProxyCell

ES was working fine for weeks until today, I updated to the latest RetroPie script and then updated the binaries for a number of things like retroarch, ES, emulators, etc - all of this is on my RPi3

This is the full error message:

lvl0: Error creating SDL window!
Could not initialize OpenGL / GLES library
lvl0: Renderer failed to initialize!
lvl0: Window failed to initialize!

Is there any way to resolve this without a full and fresh install of everything?

ProxyCell

Ok, so I went and did a full fresh install. Wiped everything out with a raspbian image and began the process all over again.

I installed just the "core" packages this time and then I installed ONE emulator for NES, added a bunch of roms so everything would load up properly.... and BAM. the same error message hit me!

Please help me as I am totally stuck here and have no access now :(

ProxyCell

Everyone please read this:
I am an idiot and a terrible person. I really thought this was something to do with the recent commits but I am now feeling pretty certain (and stupid) that it is some kind of "tweak" that I'm employing. While nothing in my raspbian setup script has changed in recent months, something that I am doing is clearly not working with the recent RetroPie build

I determined this the good old fashioned way: I flashed the official image, updated it and found it to still be working (and pointing and laughing at me and my arrogance)

When I get some time I will run through my personal setup script step by step to determine what is actually screwing things up here. It will also give me a good chance to determine what I was doing to break Vectrex and Virtual Boy in my previous setups...

ProxyCell

Ok, technically its my fault but it is because I ran rpi-update....
Apparently something in the new firmware version is wrecking everything....

Now that I know this I can simply skip the "rpi-update" line on my script until whatever is fixed.

mediamogul

@ProxyCell

I am an idiot and a terrible person.

If you're gonna steal my daily affirmation, I might have to sue.

nschloe

Thanks for this post! I was pulling my hair out over this.

An easy workaround is to revert back to an older firmware version, e.g.,

sudo rpi-update a16f22120d7979dc91e8d2e03fecb611fb0259e0

The bug is reported here.

ProxyCell

Thanks @nschloe !
I had no idea that I could revert back even! (too late now as I have already begun another fresh build lol...)
I actually reported it on the RetroPie issues board yesterday: https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/issues/1535

So this is an issue with the firmware then?

nschloe

Yup, and it's fixed now too.

sudo rpi-update

should get you a working system again.

ProxyCell

Thanks @nschloe ! I just came across this now as I was looking for the thread again