@CodeKing Try installing the desktop first - https://retropie.org.uk/docs/FAQ/#where-did-the-desktop-go - and then selecting the boot to desktop - https://retropie.org.uk/docs/FAQ/#how-do-i-boot-to-the-desktop-or-kodi.

Make sure you're package list fully updated first - run sudo apt update from a terminal or use the RetroPie-Setup update function to update the OS/packages.

often youtube and other tutorials are wrong/outdated. please try starting again and following our official instructions: https://retropie.org.uk/docs/First-Installation/

@mitu ok good to know, i'll blow everything away and start from scratch. i must have glazed over the part about it not being supported on a DE. Also i was never planning on using vnc for it and figutred it would never work, was just using it for troubleshooting and setting up other things unrelated to retropie, im just to lazy to switch the input on my monitor :P

thanks for the info to you both, much appreciated.

sorry my bad just new to forrums etc and the retro thing :)

@adams Please do not post a support request without first reading and following the advice in https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

@mcorby17 said in Cannot get RetroPie to find ROMs via USB copy/paste:

Emulator: NES? Not sure. Do I need to install an emulator?

Please read the documentation
https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Nintendo-Entertainment-System/
All of your questions are answered there.