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

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Ideas and Development
    flash drivemicrosdroms
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    • mediamogulM
      mediamogul Global Moderator
      last edited by 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.

      RetroPie v4.5 • RPi3 Model B • 5.1V 2.5A PSU • 16GB SanDisk microSD • 512GB External Drive

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
      • K
        Kreibich @Rion
        last edited by

        @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.

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • cyperghostC
          cyperghost @Rion
          last edited by

          @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.

          RionR 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
          • K
            Kreibich
            last edited by

            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.

            cyperghostC 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
            • cyperghostC
              cyperghost @Kreibich
              last edited by

              @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 ;)

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
              • RionR
                Rion @cyperghost
                last edited by

                @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

                FBNeo rom filtering
                Mame2003 Arcade Bezels
                Fba Arcade Bezels
                Fba NeoGeo Bezels

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • DarksaviorD
                  Darksavior
                  last edited by

                  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.

                  RionR 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • K
                    Kreibich
                    last edited by

                    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.

                    RionR 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • RionR
                      Rion @Darksavior
                      last edited by

                      @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.

                      FBNeo rom filtering
                      Mame2003 Arcade Bezels
                      Fba Arcade Bezels
                      Fba NeoGeo Bezels

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • RionR
                        Rion @Kreibich
                        last edited by

                        @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.

                        FBNeo rom filtering
                        Mame2003 Arcade Bezels
                        Fba Arcade Bezels
                        Fba NeoGeo Bezels

                        K 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • K
                          Kreibich @Rion
                          last edited by

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

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
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