Retropie Installation on Ubuntu Server x64 18.04.1

elliot123

Installed this mod years ago and it worked straight away. But after installing this script, after the initial RetroPie animation loading bar, it just goes to the black screen.

Tried another fresh Ubuntu image but got to the same point again.

Any ideas?

I am using the ubuntu-20.04.1-live-server-amd64 version of Ubuntu.

etheling

@elliot123 It sounds like you maybe hitting this problem (discussed earlier in this thread).

psybertech

@johnodon said in Retropie Installation on Ubuntu Server x64 18.04.1:

You learn something new everyday.

I run RetroPie on top of Ubuntu on an Asus CN65 Chromebox (Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-5500U CPU @ 2.40GHz). I also have an Asus CN60 Chromebox (Celeron) that runs stock ChromeOS. I use this second box to stream web content (mainly sports from some nefarious sources).

And then it dawned on me...

Why not just install genuine Google Chrome (no need for Chromium) on the RetroPie box and create a launcher for it in Ports. It works BEAUTIFULLY!!! I can stream 4K content from Youtube without a single hiccup and I can now retire a piece of equipment.

If anyone wants to do this, all I did was download the current stable release and install it using apt:
wget https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
sudo apt install ./google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
If not already done, add 'Ports' to your /opt/retropie/configs/all/emulationstation/es_systems.cfg:
  <system>
    <name>ports</name>
    <fullname>Ports</fullname>
    <path>~/RetroPie/roms/ports</path>
    <extension>.sh .SH</extension>
    <command>bash %ROM%</command>
    <platform>ports</platform>
    <theme>ports</theme>
  </system>
Create a ~/Retropie/roms/ports/Google Chrome.sh script with the following in it:
google-chrome &>/dev/null
Create a ~/Retropie/roms/ports/gamelist.xml:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<gameList>
	<game>
		<path>./Chrome.sh</path>
		<name>Chrome</name>
		<playcount>2</playcount>
		<lastplayed>20200906T151625</lastplayed>
	</game>
	<game>
		<path>./Google Chrome.sh</path>
		<name>Google Chrome</name>
		<desc>Google Chrome is a cross-platform web browser developed by Google. It was first released in 2008 for Microsoft Windows, and was later ported to Linux, macOS, iOS, and Android where it is the default browser built into the OS. </desc>
		<image>./images/Google Chrome-image.png</image>
		<video>./images/Google Chrome-video.mp4</video>
		<marquee>./images/Google Chrome-marquee.png</marquee>
		<rating>0.85</rating>
		<releasedate>20080902T000000</releasedate>
		<developer>Google</developer>
		<publisher>Google</publisher>
		<genre>Web Browser</genre>
		<playcount>1</playcount>
		<lastplayed>20200906T153421</lastplayed>
	</game>
</gameList>
And of course add some images and video if you like.

John

PERFECT!

This is the first and only thing I tried and BAM! Works perfectly!
I only wanted to add it to load a hi-score web page/tracker I whipped up and this was super simple to setup in like 30 seconds.
Thank you, John!

Jay
cheers

Nobodyfamous

I just had to register so I could say, YOU GUYS ROCK! This will be about my 10th Ubuntu/retoropie install trying to get a good working setup on an old laptop. I have a really good feeling about this one!

Nobodyfamous

@elliot123 as per the "error above" (earlier in the thread) What Kernal version are people running? I get

pi@retropie:~$ uname -r
5.4.0-58-generic

I am also getting the black screen. I first tried installing via Ubuntu 20.04 live server, then with the link for mini.iso provided by MizterB on GitHub.

if I hit alt +F2, login and run emulationstation on the laptop, it says

lvl0: Error initializing SDL!
No available video device
lvl0: Renderer failed to initialize!
Window failed to initalize!

And somewere I read to look in a log file, but I don't remeber where or what log file, but do recal it said something about "screens found, but none configured correctly"

etheling

@nobodyfamous said in Retropie Installation on Ubuntu Server x64 18.04.1:

No available video device

Are you using unmodified install script from MisterBs github repo? I'll try to test it out on a laptop this weekend to see what is going on.

When you run the script, it creates a rather large log file to /home/pi (*retropie_setup_ubuntu.log). Would you mind uploading the install log to some pastebin and post a link so we can take a look. Also, while at it, can you reply with with output of inxi -F -c0 - I am curious of what kind of hardware you're running.

edit: btw - what is the username you're using to login and run the 'retropie_setup_ubuntu.sh' script under? pi or something else?

etheling

I tested the install on fresh Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTS on old Lenovo x200 laptop with latest script from MisterB. And it works. I don't think it makes a difference but after I install Ubuntu, I do apt -y update && apt -y upgrade && reboot before launching the setup script.

That said, I think you're running stock kernel for 20.04.1 - did you try updating to newer kernel (see discussion here)?

Nobodyfamous

On a hunch I installed Ubuntu 18.04 server and got the same results (well, the black screen). I would see a mouse if I moved it around. I could not get to the cli with alt + f2

I follow the instructions on MrBs repo exactly. User/Password is pi/raspberry. I am a long time linux user, so also have a really good grasp on what I am doing.

I run (after downloading with wget) sudo bash ./bootstrap.sh and then sudo ./RetroPie-Setup-Ubuntu/retropie_setup_ubuntu.sh

I'll boot the laptop up again to get the log file.

Nobodyfamous

So, starangest thing. On the second boot after setting up with Ubuntu 18.04 it worked. I am copying over my roms now and will test. I am even getting hui sounds. If games play, I'll move on to fighting with the hdmi audio (had to do this with every thing I install on this laptop)

unfortunatly, I won't have a log file from the failed installs of all the 20.04 tries.

UPDATE:

So the games mostly work, PSX is crap, but there is only one emulator installed. I need the "fast" emulators for this old laptop. NES worked great, no suprise there. N64 worked better than I expected, but I got an "error" in Hot Wheels turbo racing saying the rumble pack/memmory card changed and it wouldn't save the game. I'll add more emulators and do my usual tweeks and post in new threads if I need as this would be related to RetroPie ands not specifically this install method.

etheling

I updated my Wine installation script that sets up RetroPie so that I can launch GOGcom Windows games [and other Windows apps via] RetroPie ports and made it compatible with post_install mechanism used by MisterBs script (PR sent). It is now also compatible with running under both KMS/DRM (in which case game is launched as X session) and X.

Script will on high level:

Add i386 architecture to Ubuntu (will install 32bit versions of many libraries)
Install wine32 and wine64 and winetricks
Create new wineHQ root /home/pi/winehq under which 32bit and 64bit wineprefixes
and shared data are stored (to avoid cluttering /home/pi)
Use winetricks to install xact, d3dx9, d3dx10, d3dx11_43
Set OS versions to Win7 (32bit prefix), Win10 (64 bit prefix)
Create new .xsession that will launch openbox or if /dev/shm/portruncommand.sh exists launch that as X session instead.

For Gog games best strategy seems to be to install them on Windows, and then move installed files to Linux/RetroPie (I am putting them to /opt/gog.com/....). This appears to work for most of my games where e.g. Fallout New Vegas is a notable exception. To check if a given game/program is supposed to run under wine - use Wine compatibility DB.

alt text

To support launching games under both KMS/DRM and X the port launch scripts in /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/ports look as follows (e.g. it creates /dev/shm/portruncommand.sh, and then determines how to launch it, and then cleans up):

pi@retropie ~ $ cat /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/ports/SotMI1\ Secret\ of\ the\ Monkey\ Island\ Remastered.sh 
#!/bin/bash

PORTRUNCOMMAND=/dev/shm/portruncommand.sh

PORT_DIR="/opt/games.gog/Monkey Island 1 SE/"
PORT_CMD='MISE.exe'

PORT_ENV="WINEPREFIX=/home/pi/winehq/win32 WINEARCH=win32 HOME=/home/pi/winehq/shared"

cat << EOF > "$PORTRUNCOMMAND"
#!/bin/bash
cd "$PORT_DIR"
$PORT_ENV wine ./$PORT_CMD > /dev/shm/portruncommand_winehq.log 2>&1
EOF
chmod +x $PORTRUNCOMMAND

if [[ -z "${DISPLAY}" ]]; then
    # DISPLAY not set; assume we're on console
    startx > /dev/shm/portruncommand_x.log 2>&1
else
    $PORTRUNCOMMAND   
fi
# .xession checks if portruncommand.sh exists
mv -v $PORTRUNCOMMAND $PORTRUNCOMMAND.previous >> /dev/shm/portruncommand_x.log 2>&1

E.g. if we're running under X, just run the /dev/shm/portruncommand.sh it creates, otherwise startx and modified /home/pi/.xsession will launch /dev/shm/portruncommand.sh as X session (.xsession created by install script and original is renamed to .xsession.orig - note if 1080p resolution is not supported, consider adjusting PREFERRED_RESOLUTION in .xsession):

pi@retropie ~ $ cat /home/pi/.xsession
## 
## Start /dev/shm/portruncommand.sh as X session if it exists. Otherwise
## start openbox normally. Debug logs are in /dev/shm/...

## give X time to start (shouldn't be needed)
#sleep 1

## document xrandr output $XRANDR_LOG
XRANDR_LOG=/dev/shm/xrand_modes.log
xrandr --version >> $XRANDR_LOG 2>&1
xrandr >> $XRANDR_LOG 2>&1

# Update the next line to customize the display resolution
# If will fall back to the display's preferred resolution, if the custom value is invalid 
PREFERRED_RESOLUTION=1920x1080
PREFERRED_RATE=60
if [[ ! -z $PREFERRED_RESOLUTION ]]; then
    current_resolution=$(xrandr --display :0 | awk 'FNR==1{split($0,a,", "); print a[2]}' | awk '{gsub("current ","");gsub(" x ", "x");print}')
    connected_display=$(xrandr --display :0 | grep " connected " | awk '{ print $1 }')
    echo "DEBUG: current_resolution: $current_resolution, connected_display: $connected_display" >> $XRANDR_LOG
    echo "DEBUG: preferred_resolution: $PREFERRED_RESOLUTION @ $PREFERRED_RATE Hz"
    if $(xrandr --display :0 | grep -q $PREFERRED_RESOLUTION); then
        xrandr --display :0 --output $connected_display --mode $PREFERRED_RESOLUTION --rate $PREFERRED_RATE &
    else
        echo "$PREFERRED_RESOLUTION is not available on $connected_display.  Remaining at default resolution of $current_resolution."
    fi
fi

# Disable screen blanking (only happens outside of EmulationStation)
# This prevents the display from doing any ‘screen blanking’ due to inactivity
xset s off && xset -dpms

if [ ! -f /dev/shm/portruncommand.sh ] ; then
    exec openbox-session
else
    ## don't exec; we want to return & exit
    /dev/shm/portruncommand.sh
fi

And lastly here is link to the install script gist (can be dropped to optional_scripts/post_install to be run automatically by MisterBs script, or be run independently (use sudo) to install Wine and setup .xsession):

URL: https://gist.github.com/etheling/359ff231514122b1beeefebd6e99db14

Nobodyfamous

FYI, I just ssh'ed into the laptop and got the message, (process:9106): dconf-WARNING **: 13:28:30.389: failed to commit changes to dconf: Cannot autolaunch D-Bus without X11 $DISPLAY

Is there a special way I should be ssh'ing in or should I just ignor this. I asume it's all part of the auto login auto start stuff.

etheling

@nobodyfamous Safe to ignore; I think that message is caused by these changes to your .bash_profile: https://github.com/MizterB/RetroPie-Setup-Ubuntu/blob/master/retropie_setup_ubuntu.sh#L258-L275

Nobodyfamous

I have a question, and I think it relates to this particular setup.

I want to install a web browser, so I added zerojay/RetroPie-Extras, have re-booted many times but the "extras" never show up in the RetroPie setup -> Manage packages -> Manage experimental packages (or any of them)

Do I need to do something extra? Am I looking in the wrong place?

mitu

@nobodyfamous The 'extras' don't appear as a separate section in RetroPie-Setup, it just adds new packages in the existing section of the packages ('experimental' should have the most additions).

Nobodyfamous

@mitu Thats where I am looking, they don't show up.

Nobodyfamous

@etheling So I made a discovery about the black screen. I can not say for sure for Ubuntu 20.04, but for sure on my current Ubuntu 18.04 installation, if I have any USB dongles attached, I get the black screen. If I move the mouse around it showes up, but any mouse clicks does nothing. I think it is an empty openbox desktop.

This happens with a logitec k400 keyboard dongle plugged in and my EasySMX ESM-9101 controllers.

If a leave then unplugged, boot fully to the "no gamepad detected" screen, then plug them in it works.

elliot123

@nobodyfamous said in Retropie Installation on Ubuntu Server x64 18.04.1:

On a hunch I installed Ubuntu 18.04 server and got the same results (well, the black screen). I would see a mouse if I moved it around. I could not get to the cli with alt + f2

I follow the instructions on MrBs repo exactly. User/Password is pi/raspberry. I am a long time linux user, so also have a really good grasp on what I am doing.

I run (after downloading with wget) sudo bash ./bootstrap.sh and then sudo ./RetroPie-Setup-Ubuntu/retropie_setup_ubuntu.sh

I'll boot the laptop up again to get the log file.

Apologies for the long delay.

After trying the below:

Updating grub bootloader > Didn't change anything :(
Upgrading Ubuntu kernel (tried upgrading and downgrading) > Didn't work (Sorry @etheling )

I eventually went with installing the 18.04 version of Ubuntu server and it worked!!!!

Thank you guys so much for your help. Still curious why the 20.04 results in a black screen, but as this Retropie build is for a friend, 18.04 should be just fine.

I can also confirm with @Nobodyfamous that the 18.04 build only booted properly on the second boot onwards.

etheling

if I have any USB dongles attached, I get the black screen

Thanks a lot for figuring this out! Hopefully this will help others who maybe stuck with same problem.

I'm curious what might be causing this though. I plugged into x200 laptop that I setup with 20.04.1 USB hardware I had lying around, but couldn't reproduce this. :(

@elliot123 @Nobodyfamous Do you mind sharing what laptop/hw you're using (or at least if it has non-Intel graphics chipset)?

I am personally on Ubuntu 20.10 with KMS/DRM setup (e.g. no X) and that has been working well for me on NUC8i5BEK (and x200 and pixelbook laptops; but then again, so did 20.04.1 mostly).

If you're on intel GPU/graphics chipset, maybe you can try Ubuntu 20.10 and my KMS/DRM setup during xmas - I'd be curious to hear if it works any better for you (discussion, Ubuntu 20.10 server iso, forked 20.10/kms compatible install script, optional_scripts/post_install/00_kmsdrm.sh to setup for kms/drm)? Word of warning though - KMS/DRM script [probably] only works for Intel graphics chipsets ; if you have nVidia or AMD, probably not worth the time to test how it breaks the KMS/DRM modifications. :)

Nobodyfamous

@etheling The laptop I am using is an HP Compaq 8510p

I just did a fresh install of Ubuntu server 20.04.1 and rather than using MrB script, I just did the first 7 steps of this thread and installed RetroPie and it is working pretty good. At least it boots with USB dngles plugged in. I am just running my test games (Hot Wheels Turbo racing, and Gran Turismo, Tony Hawk pro skater)

UPDATE: game play is alright. I need to add some emulators. Out of the box, recalbox works so well with both N64 and PSX.

I still can not get Retropie-Extras to show up in the package lists. I just sshed in and installed google-chrome, and then added chrome launcher to kodi. It works okay. I had to remove -nocursor from the .bash_profile so I could see the mouse in chrome.

Nobodyfamous

One last thing I am trying to do is have Kodi auto start on boot. The autostart option in RetrePie-Setup only lists enable/disable for ES autostart.

I edited .config/openbox/autostart and put gnome-terminal --full-screen --hide-menubar -- kodi-standalone #auto\nemulationstation #auto which I gleaned from https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/blob/master/scriptmodules/supplementary/autostart.sh

Kodi will start, but when I exit, ES is not running or started.

Any ideas?

UPDATE: with help I figured it out

/home/pi/.config/openbox/autostart

gnome-terminal --full-screen --hide-menubar -- bash /home/pi/autostart.sh

and
/home/pi/autostart.sh (chmod +x)

#!/usr/bin/env bash
kodi-standalone
sleep 2
emulationstation