Transferring ROMS to Micro SD help

Flexo55

Hi,

I am having a bit of trouble and I feel like I am going in circles. I would greatly appreciate any help as this is all very new to me and I'm trying to learn as I go. I successfully got RetroPie and ROMS working on a Raspberry Pi 400 last year for an arcade cabinet. I am now working on a Raspberry Pi 5 build.

Here is the following information:

Pi model: Raspberry Pi 5
Power Supply used: Official Raspberry Pi 5 power supply
RetroPie Version used: 4.8.8
Built from: Official RetroPie Image, Raspberry Pi 5, Raspberry Pi OS LITE 64 bit.
USB Devices: Currently only a wireless keyboard.

I used this guide to install the image:

https://github.com/danielfreer/raspberrypi5-retropie-setup?tab=readme-ov-file

I have read and used this method in the past:

https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Transferring-Roms/

I do not have enough knowledge to use the SFTP or Samba Shares method. That leaves me with the USB Stick method. Even that is proving to be difficult.

I have tried to create a "retropie" folder directly into the Micro SD card as I do not have a big enough USB Drive to transfer ROMS with. When I load the Micro SD card and give it some time and check again on my computer, the "retropie" folder does not populate with the console list. I did check that they are installed on the Pi 5. I also tried "retropie-mount" without success as well.

I am using a 512 GB Micro SD card, formatted to FAT32. When I open the Micro SD card on my computer, there is 40 lines with files ending in ".dtb," and a folder "overlays." The "overlays" folder has ".dtbo," ".dat" and various other files. I do not remember see those in the Raspberry Pi 400 but it has been over a year.

My ROMS are on an external hard drive if that is relevant.

If my rambling does not make sense, I guess I am asking if there is a way to take my ROMS from an external hard drive, connected to my computer, and transfer them to directly to a 512 GB Micro SD card, also on my computer, without a USB Drive?

Please let me know if there is any other relevant information I can provide and I will do my best to relay that.

Thank you!

mitu

@Flexo55 said in Transferring ROMS to Micro SD help:

If my rambling does not make sense, I guess I am asking if there is a way to take my ROMS from an external hard drive, connected to my computer, and transfer them to directly to a 512 GB Micro SD card, also on my computer, without a USB Drive?

Yes, you can copy them via File shares/SSG, as explained in the docs. For the USB methid to work, you need to have the usbromservice enabled - ~~I think this is also explained in the USB transfer doc page.~~ apparently is not.

Flexo55

@mitu thank you for the input!

I can see now I was not very accurate with my question. Once I have the retropie populated with the console list I should know how to get the ROMS onto the Micro SD card.

My issue is not being able to get the Micro SD card to populate the console list in the retropie folder. I tried to create a “retropie” and “retropie-mount” folder directly onto the SD card without success. If usbromservice will also take care of that I will install that package and report back.

Thanks again!

Edit: added some details

Flexo55

Update. I was able to install the usbromservice package and was able to get the retropie to populate the console list etc…

I then used a USB to transfer 1 snes game to test before loading it with all the games. Everything worked with the game. However when I plugged Micro SD card back into computer, the game was not listed in the snes folder. Since the RP 400 is running ROMS on USB drive this, is new for me. Is there a reason why Im not able to see the file?

mitu

@Flexo55 said in Transferring ROMS to Micro SD help:

However when I plugged Micro SD card back into computer, the game was not listed in the snes folder.

The microSD or the USB drive ?

Since the RP 400 is running ROMS on USB drive this, is new for me. Is there a reason why Im not able to see the file?

No, it's not running the game(s) off the drive, the games/ROM files were transferred from the USB drive to the SD card.

Flexo55

@mitu

https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Running-ROMs-from-a-USB-drive/

I used this guide for the RP400, the Micro SD card in there is not big enough for all the ROMS there… im new to this and lead me to believe they are on the USB.

Im still unsure why i cannot see the ROM i put on the RP5 micro sd card though?

mitu

@Flexo55 said in Transferring ROMS to Micro SD help:

I used this guide for the RP400, the Micro SD card in there is not big enough for all the ROMS there… im new to this and lead me to believe they are on the USB.

OK, so you created the retropie-mount folder on the USB drive ?

Im still unsure why i cannot see the ROM i put on the RP5 micro sd card though?

Not sure what you mean, here. You've not put any ROM files on the micro SDcard if you've used the 'run roms from the USB drive' method. You mean you don't see the games you have put on the USB drive showing up in EmulationStation ?

Flexo55

@mitu

I have 2 systems, a RP400 that is running ROMS with a USB drive in an arcade cabinet. No issues there.

The one I have questions about is the a new RP5 that i just purchased. Im going to use it for travel which is why Im using the micro sd card and not usb. In my initial post I was having a hard time getting the retropie folder to populate on the RP5 but used the usbromservice with a 1 gig usb you suggested with success.

I then transferred a single snes rom under 10 mb to onto the usb and plugged the usb into the RP5 and micro sd card and the game worked.

I then took the micro sd card out of RP5 and loaded it onto computer. The micro sd card now has the retropie pi folder and consoles list. I opened the snes file and the ROM i loaded and tested is not there. The folder is empty. The game is on the card but im unable to see it.

On mobile so formatting may stink.

mitu

[...]
I then took the micro sd card out of RP5 and loaded it onto computer. The micro sd card now has the retropie pi folder and consoles list. I opened the snes file and the ROM i loaded and tested is not there. The folder is empty. The game is on the card but im unable to see it.

Unless your computer is running Linux, you won't be able to see the RetroPie ROM folders on your computer, since they're located in the 2nd Linux partition on the sdcard. What you can see on your computer is the 1st partition, which is FAT formatted and Windows/macOS can read - though I'm not sure why there would be ROM folders there.

I also don't understand what you want to do with the mSDcard and your computer - as said above, unless your computer is running Linux, you won't be able to see or copy the ROMs.

Flexo55

@mitu

Okay I understand now, thank you mitu 👍🏻.