Can’t install Retropie manually ontop of raspbian on Pi zero 2w

Plantor07

I’ve manually installed retropie ontop of raspbian many times on other pi’s like the pi 3 and pi 5 but as soon as I tried to do it on the pi zero 2 w I get two errors at the very start when trying to download the core packages from the source
Error while trying to download Retroarch

Could not successfully build retroarch - retroarch - frontend to the libretro emulator cores - required by all lr-* emulators
(/home/Plantor07/RetroPie-Setup/tmp/build/retroarch/retroarch not found)

Error when I try and download emulationstation

Could not install package(s): cmake omxplayer

I’m currently using the 32 bit desktop version of raspbian

mitu

Which Raspbian version ? Any particular configurations you've done on the intalled system ?

Any reason you're not using the RetroPie provided image ?

Plantor07

@mitu I’m using the newest version off of raspberry pi imager(just imaged it a week ago), the only other things I’ve done is installed pi apps, some libraries for the camera module of raspberry pi, and made a python script that allows me to stream the video feed of the camera to a website I can access, and I like putting it over raspbian because it’s easy to add roms to, easy to configure, and honestly more useful because I can still use my pi for other things without having to get an entirely new micro sd

mitu

@Plantor07 said in Can’t install Retropie manually ontop of raspbian on Pi zero 2w:

I’m using the newest version off of raspberry pi imager(just imaged it a week ago) ...

That's not saying much - what's the actual verrsion of the RaspiOS installed ? The RPI Imager version is irrelevant here.

The error you encounted seems to be caused by modifying config.txt and removing the KMS/DRM GPU overlay, so RetroPie thinks the system is using the old firmware based GPU drivers. Thus it tries to enable the DipmanX and use the old GPU drivers, but the supporting userspace files are not there (i.e. the VC4 drivers and omxplayer) so building the packages that need it fails.
Can you post your config.txt ?

Plantor07

@mitu no I’m using whatever the newest version of raspbian 32 bit desktop os found on the raspberry pi imager app(which I wasn’t talking about the version of the imager when I first answered the question, I don’t know the exact version of the os all I know is that it’s the latest version of it), I haven’t modified the config.txt at all but I’ll see if I can post it (going to have to manually copy everything down because the pi zero 2 w can hardly use the web browser)

mitu

, I haven’t modified the config.txt at all but I’ll see if I can post it (going to have to manually copy everything down because the pi zero 2 w can hardly use the web browser)

You can copy the file through SSH/WinSCP, there's no need to start a browser on the Pi. Even though you haven't modified the file yourself, an installer you've ran may have done so. Either way, please post the contents of the file.

Plantor07

@mitu sorry it took so long, I had stuff to do and didn’t have access to a computer

  GNU nano 5.4     /boot/config.txt *             
#overscan_left=16
#overscan_right=16
#overscan_top=16
#overscan_bottom=16

# uncomment to force a console size. By default i>
# overscan.
#framebuffer_width=960
#framebuffer_height=540

# uncomment if hdmi display is not detected and c>
#hdmi_force_hotplug=1

# uncomment to force a specific HDMI mode (this w>
#hdmi_group=2
#hdmi_mode=35

# uncomment to force a HDMI mode rather than DVI.>

mitu

This doesn't seem the entire file - basically nothing is set in the configuration file as you posted it since everything is commented.

As I said a previous reply, you don't seem to have the default config.txt shipped with the lastest RaspiOS and without the proper GPU overlays added to the config.txt, the system will be able to correctly use the GPU with hardware acceleration (with RetroPie or without).

At a minimim, you need at least the following lines to be present in order for the GPU to be properly configured.

# Enable DRM VC4 V3D driver
dtoverlay=vc4-kms-v3d
max_framebuffers=2

If you want to use RetroPie with a recent RaspiOS I suggest you install it first after the OS, back-up the config.txt and then re-do the other installations you want on the system. If at any point you get an error, just compare the config.txt you have and you'll see what's missing.

Plantor07

@mitu sorry I thought I copied it all down, I mistakenly only copied the first few lines of it, this should be the full file

# 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 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=960
#framebuffer_height=540

# 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=2
#hdmi_mode=35

# 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

# Automatically load overlays for detected cameras
start_x=1

# Automatically load overlays for detected DSI displays
display_auto_detect=1

# Enable DRM VC4 V3D driver
#dtoverlay=vc4-kms-v3d
max_framebuffers=2

# Disable compensation for displays with overscan
disable_overscan=1

[cm4]
# Enable host mode on the 2711 built-in XHCI USB controller.
# This line should be removed if the legacy DWC2 controller is required
# (e.g. for USB device mode) or if USB support is not required.
otg_mode=1

[all]

[pi4]
dtoverlay=vc4-fkms-v3d
# Run as fast as firmware / board allows
arm_boost=1

[all]
gpu_mem=128
#scaling_kernel=8

mitu

@Plantor07 said in Can’t install Retropie manually ontop of raspbian on Pi zero 2w:

this should be the full file

Yes, this is better, but the same issue here - the proper GPU overlays are not added. You seem to have enabled the vc4-fkms-v3d overlay (while disabling the full KMS overlays that's the default) which is no longer supported with the latest RaspiOS. This is what I suspected based on the RetroPie installation error log and it seems to be true.

My advice above still stands.

EDIT: you can enable back the correct GPU drivers by uncommenting the

#dtoverlay=vc4-kms-v3d

line and commenting the following:

dtoverlay=vc4-fkms-v3d

and then rebooting. RetroPie should install in this configuration without the issues you've encountered.

Plantor07

@mitu that fixed the problem and now it’s fully built, thank you