Sega CD games not loading

MajorOCD · 9 Jan 2021, 03:09

I'm sure this is an old topic and I have searched many forums and sites and not found a solution.

I am running the latest Retropie as of today and I have the correct BIOS files for Sega CD (verified the MD5 Sums) but they still won't boot.

When I try to launch any game, it goes to a black screen for a few seconds, then back to the games list.

I have the following files in my BIOS folder and the MD5 sums are verified:
[BIOS] Sega CD (USA) (v1.10).md
BIOS_CD_U.BIN
us_scd1_9210.bin

Any help would be appreciated.

IanDaemon · 9 Jan 2021, 04:28

@majorocd Are your ROMs from a different region than your BIOS? Bad ROM? Have you tried putting different BIOS versions in the directory just in case?

MajorOCD · 9 Jan 2021, 04:57

@iandaemon
I am in the U.S. and they are U.S. BIOS files.
As far as I know, the games are U.S. versions. At least it says so in the file names.

I have tried multiple different BIOS files in the BIOS directory.
Do you mean trying ones from different regions (like Japan)?

mitu · 9 Jan 2021, 05:25

Please add some info about your setup as, detailed in https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first.

A verbose log from running the emulator should show if the BIOS files are found and loaded, you might want to enable that and check the log.

lostless · 9 Jan 2021, 07:07

@majorocd check if the file name in the cue matches the bin file. That might be an issue.

MajorOCD · 9 Jan 2021, 07:28

@mitu
I am using a Raspberry Pi 400 with an external 500 GB SSD drive.
I also have the official Raspberry Pi power supply.

I looked at the "verbose log" page, but I don't see an option to "Launch with verbose logging". How do I set it up to do verbose logging?

MajorOCD · 9 Jan 2021, 07:31

@lostless
I am aware of the issues with the .cue / .bin files. I had already verified that the .cue files had the correct entries for the .bin files.

But thank you for pointing this out. I have already seen this issue with a lot of Playstation files and fixed them.

mitu · 9 Jan 2021, 07:51

@majorocd said in Sega CD games not loading:

I looked at the "verbose log" page, but I don't see an option to "Launch with verbose logging". How do I set it up to do verbose logging?

Did you disable the Runcommand launch menu ? As explained on the doc page, when launching a game, press a button and the launch menu will pop-up, allowing you to select "Launch with verbose logging".
What emulator are you using to launch the game ?

IanDaemon · 9 Jan 2021, 15:51

@majorocd There are multiple revisions of the Sega CD BIOS for the U.S.. (e.g. G1-the drawer type underneath the Genesis, G2-the top loader on the side on the Genesis, the CDX) Each had a different U.S. BIOS file. (just a reminder, that tripped me up)

lostless · 9 Jan 2021, 15:58

@majorocd make sure bios is on the external.

MajorOCD · 9 Jan 2021, 19:12

@mitu
I did not disable the Runcommand launch menu.
I went into the config and verified that it is enabled.
When I hit a button right after launch, it did not go into the launch menu.

Retropie by default has both lr-genesis-plus-gx and lr-picodrive installed.
I uninstalled lr-genesis-plus-gx and tried it again. It brought up a launch menu, but the only option was to choose which emulator (only choice, of course being lr-picodrive).
It still wouldn't launch the game.

I then uninstalled lr-picodrive and reinstalled lr-genesis-plus-gx from binary.
Now, when I hit a button, it brings up the full launch menu.
It still wouldn't launch the game.

This is the runcommand.log

Parameters: 
Executing: /opt/retropie/emulators/retroarch/bin/retroarch -L /opt/retropie/libretrocores/lr-genesis-plus-gx/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.so --config /opt/retropie/configs/segacd/retroarch.cfg "/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd/Adventures of Batman and Robin, The (USA).cue" --verbose --appendconfig /dev/shm/retroarch.cfg
[INFO] RetroArch 1.8.8 (Git 9552f87)
[INFO] Redirecting save file to "/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd/Adventures of Batman and Robin, The (USA).srm".
[INFO] Redirecting save state to "/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd/Adventures of Batman and Robin, The (USA).state".
[INFO] === Build =======================================
[INFO] Capabilities:  NEON VFPv3 VFPv4
[INFO] Built: Nov  2 2020
[INFO] Version: 1.8.8
[INFO] Git: 9552f87
[INFO] =================================================
[INFO] Loading dynamic libretro core from: "/opt/retropie/libretrocores/lr-genesis-plus-gx/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.so"
[INFO] [Overrides] no core-specific overrides found at /home/pi/.config/retroarch/config/Genesis Plus GX/Genesis Plus GX.cfg.
[INFO] [Overrides] no content-dir-specific overrides found at /home/pi/.config/retroarch/config/Genesis Plus GX/segacd.cfg.
[INFO] [Overrides] no game-specific overrides found at /home/pi/.config/retroarch/config/Genesis Plus GX/Adventures of Batman and Robin, The (USA).cfg.
[INFO] [Environ]: GET_LANGUAGE: "0".
[INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_CORE_OPTIONS_INTL.
[INFO] [Environ]: SET_CONTROLLER_INFO.
[INFO] [Environ]: SET_INPUT_DESCRIPTORS:
[INFO] Core requested VFS version >= v1, providing v3
[INFO] [Remaps]: remap directory: /opt/retropie/configs/segacd/
[INFO] Redirecting save file to "/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd/Adventures of Batman and Robin, The (USA).srm".
[INFO] Redirecting save state to "/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd/Adventures of Batman and Robin, The (USA).state".
[INFO] [Environ]: PERFORMANCE_LEVEL: 1.
[INFO] [Environ]: GET_LOG_INTERFACE.
[INFO] [Environ]: PERFORMANCE_LEVEL: 7.
[INFO] Content loading skipped. Implementation will load it on its own.
[INFO] [Environ]: SET_PIXEL_FORMAT: RGB565.
[libretro INFO] Frontend supports RGB565 - will use that instead of XRGB1555.
[WARN] SYSTEM DIR is empty, assume CONTENT DIR /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd/Adventures of Batman and Robin, The (USA).cue
[INFO] [Environ]: SYSTEM_DIRECTORY: "/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd/".
[INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_CORE_OPTIONS_DISPLAY.
[INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_CORE_OPTIONS_DISPLAY.
[INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_CORE_OPTIONS_DISPLAY.
[INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_CORE_OPTIONS_DISPLAY.
[INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_CORE_OPTIONS_DISPLAY.
[INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_CORE_OPTIONS_DISPLAY.
[INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_CORE_OPTIONS_DISPLAY.
[INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_CORE_OPTIONS_DISPLAY.
[INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_CORE_OPTIONS_DISPLAY.
[INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_CORE_OPTIONS_DISPLAY.
[INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_CORE_OPTIONS_DISPLAY.
[INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_CORE_OPTIONS_DISPLAY.
[INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_CORE_OPTIONS_DISPLAY.
[INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_CORE_OPTIONS_DISPLAY.
[INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_CORE_OPTIONS_DISPLAY.
[INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_CORE_OPTIONS_DISPLAY.
[INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_CORE_OPTIONS_DISPLAY.
[INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_CORE_OPTIONS_DISPLAY.
[INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_CORE_OPTIONS_DISPLAY.
[libretro INFO] Game Genie ROM should be located at: /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd//ggenie.bin
[libretro INFO] Action Replay (Pro) ROM should be located at: /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd//areplay.bin
[libretro INFO] Sonic & Knuckles (2 MB) ROM should be located at: /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd//sk.bin
[libretro INFO] Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KB) ROM should be located at: /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd//sk2chip.bin
[libretro INFO] Mega Drive TMSS BOOTROM should be located at: /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd//bios_MD.bin
[libretro INFO] Game Gear TMSS BOOTROM should be located at: /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd//bios.gg
[libretro INFO] Master System (PAL) BOOTROM should be located at: /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd//bios_E.sms
[libretro INFO] Master System (NTSC-U) BOOTROM should be located at: /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd//bios_U.sms
[libretro INFO] Master System (NTSC-J) BOOTROM should be located at: /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd//bios_J.sms
[libretro INFO] Mega CD (PAL) BIOS should be located at: /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd//bios_CD_E.bin
[libretro INFO] Sega CD (NTSC-U) BIOS should be located at: /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd//bios_CD_U.bin
[libretro INFO] Mega CD (NTSC-J) BIOS should be located at: /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd//bios_CD_J.bin
[libretro INFO] Mega CD (PAL) BRAM is located at: /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd//scd_E.brm
[libretro INFO] Sega CD (NTSC-U) BRAM is located at: /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd//scd_U.brm
[libretro INFO] Mega CD (NTSC-J) BRAM is located at: /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd//scd_J.brm
[libretro INFO] Sega/Mega CD RAM CART is located at: /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd//cart.brm
[libretro ERROR] Unable to open CD BIOS: /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd//bios_CD_U.bin.
[ERROR] Failed to load content
[INFO] Content ran for a total of: 00 hours, 00 minutes, 00 seconds.
[INFO] Unloading game..
[INFO] Unloading core..
[INFO] Unloading core symbols..
[INFO] [Core Options]: Saved core options file to "/home/pi/.config/retroarch/config/Genesis Plus GX/Genesis Plus GX.opt"
[INFO] [Video]: Does not have enough samples for monitor refresh rate estimation. Requires to run for at least 4096 frames.

Again, thank you for your patience and help.

mitu · 9 Jan 2021, 19:22

The BIOS file is not found by the emulator:

 [libretro ERROR] Unable to open CD BIOS: /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd//bios_CD_U.bin.

because:

[WARN] SYSTEM DIR is empty, assume CONTENT DIR /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd/Adventures of Batman and Robin, The (USA).cue

RetroArch looks up the BIOS files in the System Dir, which RetroPie sets - by default - to the bios folder where you copied your BIOS files. Did you use the 'Reset Configuration' option in RetroArch's menu ? This would explain why the BIOS folder was reset.

MajorOCD · 9 Jan 2021, 19:45

@mitu
I don't recall if I used the 'Reset Configuration' option in RetroArch's menu.
How do I check to see if it is pointed to the correct folder?

mitu · 9 Jan 2021, 19:48

@majorocd said in Sega CD games not loading:

How do I check to see if it is pointed to the correct folder?

It doesn't point to any folder ..

[WARN] SYSTEM DIR is empty, assume CONTENT DIR /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/segacd/Adventures of Batman and Robin, The (USA).cue

How did you install RetroPie ?

sirhenrythe5th · 9 Jan 2021, 19:53

This post is deleted!

MajorOCD · 9 Jan 2021, 19:55

@mitu said in Sega CD games not loading:

How did you install RetroPie ?

I used Etcher to install the official Retropie image from https://retropie.org.uk to microsd

MajorOCD · 9 Jan 2021, 20:18

@mitu
Should I reinstall Retroarch?

mitu · 9 Jan 2021, 20:29

@majorocd said in Sega CD games not loading:

Should I reinstall Retroarch?

Not sure if that would help, since you haven't said what you changed that reset the defaults. What you could try is to rename the configuration file for segacd (\\retropie\configs\segacd\retroarch.cfg) and then reinstall the lr-genesis-plus-gx emulator. The re-install would re-create the correct configuration file and you can then try again to see if the game works.

MajorOCD · 9 Jan 2021, 20:34

@mitu said in Sega CD games not loading:
(\\retropie\configs\segacd\retroarch.cfg)

Sorry, I don't see this directory.

MajorOCD · 9 Jan 2021, 20:38

@mitu
I found it under /opt/retropie/configs/segacd