Manual source installation fails in Pi4 & No binary install available

zranx · 3 Aug 2021, 07:51

I manually installed retropie once and it worked. Then, after a system update it stopped working, and I have not been able to install / make it work again. I followed the docs guide and I do not see the option to download binaries. Installation from source fails with multiple error messages.

I have tried enabling and disabling vc4-fkms-v3d overlay and reboot, but it has not helped. Thanks for all the help.

My system information:

Model: Raspberry Pi 4 Model B Rev 1.4
OS version: Raspbian GNU/Linux 10 (buster)
Power Supply used: output 3.6-6.5V=3A; 6.5-9V=2A9-12V=1.5A
RetroPie Version: 4.7.17
Manual installation
USB Devices connected: 1 ssd + 1 hdd
Controller used: Deskpi Pro

My config.txt:

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ cat /boot/config.txt 
# For more options and information see
# http://rpf.io/configtxt
# Some settings may impact device functionality. See link above for details

# uncomment if you get no picture on HDMI for a default "safe" mode
#hdmi_safe=1

# uncomment this if your display has a black border of unused pixels visible
# and your display can output without overscan
#disable_overscan=1

# uncomment the following to adjust overscan. Use positive numbers if console
# goes off screen, and negative if there is too much border
#overscan_left=16
#overscan_right=16
#overscan_top=16
#overscan_bottom=16

# uncomment to force a console size. By default it will be display's size minus
# overscan.
#framebuffer_width=1280
#framebuffer_height=720

# uncomment if hdmi display is not detected and composite is being output
#hdmi_force_hotplug=1

# uncomment to force a specific HDMI mode (this will force VGA)
#hdmi_group=1
#hdmi_mode=1

# uncomment to force a HDMI mode rather than DVI. This can make audio work in
# DMT (computer monitor) modes
#hdmi_drive=2

# uncomment to increase signal to HDMI, if you have interference, blanking, or
# no display
#config_hdmi_boost=4

# uncomment for composite PAL
#sdtv_mode=2

#uncomment to overclock the arm. 700 MHz is the default.
#arm_freq=800

# Uncomment some or all of these to enable the optional hardware interfaces
#dtparam=i2c_arm=on
#dtparam=i2s=on
#dtparam=spi=on

# Uncomment this to enable infrared communication.
#dtoverlay=gpio-ir,gpio_pin=17
#dtoverlay=gpio-ir-tx,gpio_pin=18

# Additional overlays and parameters are documented /boot/overlays/README

# Enable audio (loads snd_bcm2835)
dtparam=audio=on

[pi4]
# Enable DRM VC4 V3D driver on top of the dispmanx display stack
dtoverlay=vc4-fkms-v3d
max_framebuffers=2

[all]
#dtoverlay=vc4-fkms-v3d
dtoverlay=dwc2,dr_mode=host
gpu_mem=256

mitu · 3 Aug 2021, 08:17

What error do you get during installation ?

zranx · 3 Aug 2021, 11:03

@mitu
These are all the errors I get:

mitu · 3 Aug 2021, 11:41

@zranx Is your internet connection having issues ? Looks like connection problems retrieving the source of the packages.

Get the log file referenced in the last error message and upload its contents to pastebin.com.

zranx · 8 Mar 2021, 16:31

The log is too large for pastebin (8.7MB uncompressed), so I upload it temporally to dropbox. Here is the compressed log and uncompressed log.

Regarding the internet connection... I don't think I have issues, although sometimes git gives up downloading, do not know why. My RPi4 is wired with ethernet cable, and the network is fast and performs without issues in my computer. The RPi4 has connection, as I am able to update normally or download files with wget. I also have the firewall disabled.

mitu · 3 Aug 2021, 15:58

@zranx said in Manual source installation fails in Pi4 & No binary install available:

Regarding the internet connection... I don't think I have issues, although sometimes git gives up downloading

That's a contradiction in terms - your internet connection, for various reasons, has some issues. For instance, trying to install EmulationStation from source fails because github.com is not properly resolved:

fatal: unable to access 'https://github.com/RetroPie/EmulationStation/': Could not resolve host: github.com

I've looked at the beginning of the log and I see RetroArch failing to compile and ES failing to install because of missing sources. Other cores or emulators that I've seen don't have errors.

The lack of a binary install option is a bit weird - did you modify your config.txt and removed the vc4-fkms-v3d overlay from it ? This is not supported on the Pi4, since it removes any GPU drivers and emulators + EmulationStation will not be able to run.

I'd advise to start from a RetroPie image from retropie.org.uk/download and go from there.

zranx · 4 Aug 2021, 08:04

I restored an old backed up version I had, and everything works again.

I am not sure how the old one broke, and why after removing retropie I could not install it correctly again. I had not disabled vc4-fkms-v3d overlay from config.txt either. In fact, in the newly restored system I don't see binary installation option, but the overlay is set in config.txt. Don't know why the option does not show up. To double check, should it appear in the main entry menu?

Regarding the github resolving errors, I also have no clue what they where or if I still have them. I've read somewhere they might be related with ipv6, so I disabled it but still got the resolving errors in the old system. In the restored version I don't know how to test it without attempting a reinstall.

Thanks for all the help.

mitu · 4 Aug 2021, 08:44

@zranx said in Manual source installation fails in Pi4 & No binary install available:

I had not disabled vc4-fkms-v3d overlay from config.txt either. In fact, in the newly restored system I don't see binary installation option, but the overlay is set in config.txt

Post your config.txt.

zranx · 4 Aug 2021, 08:48

Here it is:

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ cat /boot/config.txt
# For more options and information see
# http://rpf.io/configtxt
# Some settings may impact device functionality. See link above for details

# uncomment if you get no picture on HDMI for a default "safe" mode
#hdmi_safe=1

# uncomment this if your display has a black border of unused pixels visible
# and your display can output without overscan
#disable_overscan=1

# uncomment the following to adjust overscan. Use positive numbers if console
# goes off screen, and negative if there is too much border
#overscan_left=16
#overscan_right=16
#overscan_top=16
#overscan_bottom=16

# uncomment to force a console size. By default it will be display's size minus
# overscan.
#framebuffer_width=1280
#framebuffer_height=720

# uncomment if hdmi display is not detected and composite is being output
#hdmi_force_hotplug=1

# uncomment to force a specific HDMI mode (this will force VGA)
#hdmi_group=1
#hdmi_mode=1

# uncomment to force a HDMI mode rather than DVI. This can make audio work in
# DMT (computer monitor) modes
#hdmi_drive=2

# uncomment to increase signal to HDMI, if you have interference, blanking, or
# no display
#config_hdmi_boost=4

# uncomment for composite PAL
#sdtv_mode=2

#uncomment to overclock the arm. 700 MHz is the default.
#arm_freq=800

# Uncomment some or all of these to enable the optional hardware interfaces
#dtparam=i2c_arm=on
#dtparam=i2s=on
#dtparam=spi=on

# Uncomment this to enable infrared communication.
#dtoverlay=gpio-ir,gpio_pin=17
#dtoverlay=gpio-ir-tx,gpio_pin=18

# Additional overlays and parameters are documented /boot/overlays/README

# Enable audio (loads snd_bcm2835)
dtparam=audio=on

[pi4]
# Enable DRM VC4 V3D driver on top of the dispmanx display stack
dtoverlay=vc4-fkms-v3d
max_framebuffers=2

[all]
#dtoverlay=vc4-fkms-v3d
dtoverlay=dwc2,dr_mode=host

mitu · 4 Aug 2021, 08:50

...
[pi4]
# Enable DRM VC4 V3D driver on top of the dispmanx display stack
dtoverlay=vc4-fkms-v3d
max_framebuffers=2
...

This looks correct. With this config you don't have the option of a binary install ?

zranx · 4 Aug 2021, 08:59

This is what I see when I launch the setup script:

mitu · 4 Aug 2021, 10:16

@zranx That's normal, the binary update option is not shown on the start-up screen. You can check on an individual package screen to see if a binary update/install is available.

Note : if a package is already installed from source, updating it will try to use the same method (vs. updating from binary if a binary update is available).

zranx · 8 Apr 2021, 11:26

Binaries are displayed as installed when checking core and main packages, thanks for the clarification.

Will a "Basic Install", install binaries by default on the rpi4? So if I see compilation messages, there would be something wrong?

mitu · 8 Apr 2021, 11:50

@zranx said in Manual source installation fails in Pi4 & No binary install available:

Will a "Basic Install", install binaries by default on the rpi4? So if I see compilation messages, there would be something wrong?

Some packages don't have a binary install since it's not needed (i.e. runcommand or packages that are just a couple of scripts), but most of the packages should install from binary with a basic install - including RetroArch, EmulationStation and all emulators.

tavuntu · 16 Aug 2021, 16:18

@mitu I haven't tried compiling from Source but I'm seeing the same issue about not having the binary install available in the last RetroPie setup (tried yesterday). I know some don't have the binary install because they don't need it, but none of the lr-xxxx emulators have it now... and they should, this is weird.

mitu · 17 Aug 2021, 04:54

@tavuntu Did you modify the config.txt as the original poster ? Then you won't have the binary install option, since running without the kms drivers is not supported.

zranx · 17 Aug 2021, 11:41

The first time this happened to me I had not disabled the kms drivers. I only disabled them when everything started failing and I was never able to fix it again (had to roll back to a backup).

tavuntu · 22 May 2022, 15:01

@mitu Sorry for the long time. The issue about no having the binaries available seems to be caused by me.. for not using a supported OS (I'm using DietPi). If you have a minute, plese look at this and this for context. I have successfully installed retroarch in DietPi, but I'm still unable to tweak it enough to make the binaries available. I still have a lot to learn about shell and retropie/retroarch in general.

mitu · 22 May 2022, 15:55

@tavuntu said in Manual source installation fails in Pi4 & No binary install available:

If you have a minute, plese look at this and this for context.

You already had an answer on the Github issue, not sure what else can be added. Even if installation would work, there's no guarantee the binaries would work on a different system/distro, since they're only tested on RaspiOS.

tavuntu · 22 May 2022, 21:47

@mitu I just saw the other answer in there, I'll try changing those flags and see what happens, thanks!