Retropie update failure

Dr_Goggles

Hi,

I set up a pi 3b+ a few years ago with the basic Retropie install from the retropie.ork.uk website, nothing fancy. It has been working fine (before I interfered).
I decided I needed to properly scrape my roms - previous attempts had been partially successful.
One of the guides I was reading said to update the retropie set up script first so I attempted that.
However, I got a message saying retropie needed updating (can't remember wxactly what it said) so I clicked ok and it spent at least 10 hours updating.
When finished I got a bunch of fail messages but there are definitely some changes to the UI, so something must have happened.
However, I have two problems;

Minor problem - my 360 controller no longer works outside of Emulation Station. It's fine at selecting and playing games but won't work in the "blue" retropie menus whereas it did previously.
Main problem - when I go into Retropie Settings > Retropie Setup, I immediately get the message:
"Your version of RetroPie which is based on Raspbian Stretch is no longer supported.
We recommend you install the latest RetroPie image.
Prebuilt binaries are now disabled for your system. You can still update packages from source, but due to the age of Raspbian Stretch we can't guarantee all the software included will work".

What do I do? I don't want to mess things up further. How do I update to latest version?

G30FF

@Dr_Goggles The best thing to do is to flash an SD card with a fresh installation of RetroPie. RetroPie is now based on Raspbian Buster instead of Stretch (as of RetroPie 4.7), and the precompiled binaries are all based on that platform. The easiest thing you can do is back up your games, saves, and configs/customizations, flash an SD card with a fresh copy of RetroPie, and then add everything back. You can try to upgrade your OS to Buster from Stretch, but I'm not sure how easy or safe that would be.

windg

Try to configure again the controller.

sleve_mcdichael

@Dr_Goggles said in Retropie update failure:

What do I do? I don't want to mess things up further. How do I update to latest version?

This will be easier if it's on your network. On your PC, navigate to \\retropie and copy the roms, bios, and configs folders to a safe location on the PC.

Optional: use win32diskimager to save a backup of the entire SD card. You can use 7zip to access the image and extract files from it if necessary.

If it's not on your network, use the above method to backup and access the image, and extract the folders manually:

/home/pi/RetroPie/roms
/home/pi/RetroPie/BIOS
/opt/retropie/configs

Once your folders and optionally the entire card are backed up, download the latest RetroPie image (currently 4.8) for your hardware from https://retropie.org.uk/download and write it to the SD card using balenaEtcher or raspberrypidiskimager.

Get it back on your network and then restore your backed-up folders from the PC over the network share.

Dr_Goggles

@G30FF Thank you very much for your advice. I think that may be the best option.
My roms I have backed up, but I want to make sure I don't lose my high scores and ideally saves but I think I can copy everything.
If I follow the set up link from the RetroPie site it will be the latest version?

Dr_Goggles

@sleve_mcdichael Thanks. That's similar to @G30FF 's solution.
I may just buy a replacement SD and try from scratch and replace the backed up folders.
Wish me luck :)

G30FF

@Dr_Goggles The link from the RetroPie website will be the latest stable build. From there you can run the updater in RetroPie-Setup to get the latest cores and software.

Dr_Goggles

OK, I imaged a new SD card with the latest version, inserted and launched it.
Everything seemed to be going fine - created user, connected to wifi, check and download updates then it turned off and did nothing.
So I rebooted it and it loads the splash screen but then boots to linux windows instead of Retropie.
Please help!

sleve_mcdichael

@Dr_Goggles

created user

Why and how? I don't believe this is instructed in the official docs, although I also don't see why it would be a problem, I'm just curious. And, while I don't expect it should cause any problems, it's probably best to get comfortable working everything "by the book" first, before you branch out on your own.

linux windows

You mean the desktop? The default images do not come with desktop installed. Did you install the desktop, or what image did you use?

Dr_Goggles

I followed the guide here:
https://retropie.org.uk/docs/First-Installation/
And used the installer here:
https://retropie.org.uk/download/
The one for the pi3.
A part of the the boot process it prompted me to create a user so I did.
And yes it boots to desktop.
I have reformatted the SD and trying again.

sleve_mcdichael

@Dr_Goggles said in Retropie update failure:

A part of the the boot process it prompted me to create a user so I did.

This doesn't match up with my experience, but the last time I did a fresh install was still on 4.7.1 so it may be a new feature in 4.8. Maybe someone else can confirm? A lot has changed in the year-and-a-half between those releases.

And yes it boots to desktop.

Again, I've not done an install with the newest version but AFAIK it's not supposed to come with the desktop, that is purposefully omitted to allow a smaller filesize for the image download. The desktop can be installed by going into RetroPie-Setup > configuration/tools > raspbiantools > install Pixel desktop environment. You didn't do this? If this came pre-installed on your image, I believe that to be an oversight.

sleve_mcdichael

@Dr_Goggles said in Retropie update failure:

I have reformatted the SD and trying again.

What are you using to write the image to the card? Do you use raspberrypiimager and it was there that it prompts you to create the user, before you even boot the card? Or was it once the card was inserted and booted and you made the user from inside the system?

I do know that RPi Imager can do some pre-configuration, but I'm not familiar with exactly what since I use Balena Etcher to write my card. That just writes the raw image file with no manipulation.

If you're using RPi Imager, that might also be responsible for adding the desktop, I suppose.

Had you already restored your backups at this point, or were you still working off the (updated) fresh install?

Dr_Goggles

Hi, thanks for your help.
I am using a new SD card so I still have my old image.
I am using Raspberry Pi Imager.
On boot up, these are the images I get, in order:

It then downloads and installs an update which takes about 10 mins.
At the end of this it says system is up to date, click to reboot (sorry didn't get pic) and then it does as described - tries to boot, loads splash screen but goes to desktop.

sleve_mcdichael

@Dr_Goggles said in Retropie update failure:

On boot up, these are the images I get, in order:

This does not look at all familiar. Please clarify: these pictures are of raspberry pi imager on your PC, or these pictures are of your Raspberry Pi system?

At the end of this it says system is up to date, click to reboot (sorry didn't get pic) and then it does as described - tries to boot, loads splash screen but goes to desktop.

What does the splash screen look like? Does it say "RetroPie"? It almost feels like you're not even getting the RetroPie image on the card, and are just booting to standard Raspberry Pi OS.

At what point, in Raspberry Pi Imager, do you select the image to write? Can you post a picture of that screen?

windg

You install the Raspberry Pi Os not RetroPie. Just check on Pi mager for the gaming section and choose to install RetroPie for your Pi model.

Dr_Goggles

@windg said in Retropie update failure:

You install the Raspberry Pi Os not RetroPie. Just check on Pi mager for the gaming section and choose to install RetroPie for your Pi model.

facepalm

I shouldn't try this after a long week at work...
Many thanks.

nvyshrmp

@Dr_Goggles

I'm about to try the same thing you went through. I tried to update a pi which hasn't seen any updates for the better part of like 5 years, and got errors saying I need to update from stretch. The update finished (with failures) and now the pi boots up the retropie screen, then powers down. So I have to update or else I can't even use the pi.

I have another pi in the house which is basically identical, so I'll be attempting a clean install of buster with the hopes that I don't lose functionality of my very- simplistic use of it. Mostly just watching video files in kodi from an external hdd, and a bunch of roms I can copy from the other pi.

I'll probably make copies of the config and rom folders before I download and flash the new retropie software. But I haven't done this for a few years and I hope it's as easy as it used to be. Any roadblocks you overcame that might help me would be appreciated. I didn't see you make a 'success!' post so I can only assume you got it figured out and are back in business.