Run ROMs from USB flash drive instead of microSD card - manual

cyperghost

@Rion Hehe :) We want easy solutions :)
+1 for your extended explanation and information about issues :D

Rion

I have probable missed something and i can make in a little bit more detailed regarding ES_Sytems.cfg..

cyperghost

@Rion
Yes but it's really better to use the fstab-method :)
Just for maintaining and helping the forum members :)
I also use the symbolic link but I know about it's weaks.

And in your solution you may have to edit the es_system.cfgwhich isn't always a good deal... if you do not know what are you doing :) So the proper solution is @herb_fargus posted :)

mediamogul

@cyperghost said in Run ROMs from USB flash drive instead of microSD card - manual:

We want easy solutions

There are no easy solutions, only small actors. Personally, I use the fstab method, but I believe every solution has a drawback or two.

cyperghost

@mediamogul I think the easiest solution will be a setup within RetroPie which scans all connected drives and asks for the current roms place for every emulator that can be selected by joypad control :)

mediamogul

The ability to run roms off of external media is probably the most requested feature that doesn't have a gui solution of any kind. RecalBox handles this from Emulation Station, but even a terminal menu would be a welcome addition. The other side of the argument is that there are so many ways to achieve this that leaving up to the user's own personal preference might be best.

Kreibich

@Rion Thank you, this might be a safe, but hard way... anyway thanks for explanation... It would be great if this would be implemented in next RetroPie version as simple swith SD / USB.

cyperghost

@Rion said in Run ROMs from USB flash drive instead of microSD card - manual:

I would highly recommend to "not" move /home/pi/RetroPie/* to /media/usb0/.
This will likely break things in the long run.

.... long posting :)

Rions' method got the big advantage to mount specific drives marked by an UUID.
So we can use several USB stick, HDDs.... whatever we want and every partition can be mounted seperatly. So we can use an old small USB stick for NES, SNES, Genesis Roms and we can use a big HDD with several GB to mount PSX, MAME, SCUMMVM and Dreamcast games for ex.

The big clue is the mount --bindcommand.
The content of USB stick1 can be mounted to a specific folder maybe /home/pi/retropie/roms
and also the content of HDD1 can also be mountend to same location :)... Without editing RetroPies config data (es_systems.cfg)

Sometimes automount and it's specific USB0, USB1 method can cause errors, because sometimes the devices responds differently. So the volume identification via UUID is a good deal :)

Thanks again rion for your entry.

Kreibich

For multiple flash drives in one folder you can also use mhddfs: https://romanrm.net/mhddfs

That is probably the best solution, how you can merge all folders in one.

cyperghost

@Kreibich As you see there are several ways to solve one problem. But as I said some postings before...

Yes but it's really better to use the fstab-method :)
Just for maintaining and helping the forum members :)

I suggest this thread as a infopool ;)

Rion

@cyperghost said in Run ROMs from USB flash drive instead of microSD card - manual:

@Rion said in Run ROMs from USB flash drive instead of microSD card - manual:

I would highly recommend to "not" move /home/pi/RetroPie/* to /media/usb0/.
This will likely break things in the long run.

.... long posting :)

Rions' method got the big advantage to mount specific drives marked by an UUID.
So we can use several USB stick, HDDs.... whatever we want and every partition can be mounted seperatly. So we can use an old small USB stick for NES, SNES, Genesis Roms and we can use a big HDD with several GB to mount PSX, MAME, SCUMMVM and Dreamcast games for ex.

The big clue is the mount --bindcommand.
The content of USB stick1 can be mounted to a specific folder maybe /home/pi/retropie/roms
and also the content of HDD1 can also be mountend to same location :)... Without editing RetroPies config data (es_systems.cfg)

Sometimes automount and it's specific USB0, USB1 method can cause errors, because sometimes the devices responds differently. So the volume identification via UUID is a good deal :)

Thanks again rion for your entry.

mount --bind should work.

There is a Feature Request about it here

Play games from USB [Feature Request] #1130

Darksavior

I just edit es_systems.cfg and make it point to /media/usb0/ done and done.
It does get overwritten with updates so I back it up. I wonder if I can make it read-only.

Kreibich

Well, in my opinion mhddfs method is probably the best, because you don't care where the files are located. If there is no free space left on one device, it automatically switchs you to another and it looks still as one merged folder.

Rion

@Darksavior said in Run ROMs from USB flash drive instead of microSD card - manual:

I just edit es_systems.cfg and make it point to /media/usb0/ done and done.
It does get overwritten with updates so I back it up. I wonder if I can make it read-only.

If you want to customise your es_systems.cfg or add themes without them being overwritten on updates you can add them to /home/pi/.emulationstation EmulationStation first checks in /home/pi/.emulationstation and then checks /etc/emulationstation.

Rion

@Kreibich said in Run ROMs from USB flash drive instead of microSD card - manual:

Well, in my opinion mhddfs method is probably the best, because you don't care where the files are located. If there is no free space left on one device, it automatically switchs you to another and it looks still as one merged folder.

I care where my files are located.
But i agree to disagree. We all have our own preferences.

Kreibich

@Rion You can still view files separately in their original folders.