FF7 eboot file stops saving after 2 hours approx

[gorgar161]

Hi all,
FIrst post here, recently set up retropie using a stock image. I'm trying to play my favourite game PSX1 Final Fantasy VII which I am doing using a downloaded .eboot image and using the default emulator - lr-pcsx-rearmed on a Pi 3+.

I am storing my roms on an external WD USB drive. I have the bios files installed in the correct folder.

What is happening is that when I start out, I can use the in-game virtual memory card just fine to load and save at the in-game save points. However, after I reach a certain point - and I'm not sure EXACTLY where this point is but it's approx 1.5 hours into the game, the game continues to appear to save while I'm playing, but those saves are not retained. In other words, if I start playing to around an hour in, it saves fine and I can reboot and the saves are there where I put them. Then if I play on for another two hours, it looks it has been saving fine (multiple times during that session) but the saves for some reason, stop writing to the save game file so that when I reboot next time, I have lost all of the saves from that second session. If I delete the .srm file and start again, it looks like all is well and it is saving and retaining the saves. But I get to the same problem at a similar point.

I've played through this now three times (3 x the same 2.5-3 hours of gameplay) and I don't think I can cope any more. I have googled and have looked everywhere for a solution. I definitely have the correct bios files installed. My folders are not write protected - and the saving works fine at the early part of the game. One thing I wondered if whether the issue is because I am using an .eboot file, and am therefore not switching discs (because I don't have to) - could this be triggering the save failure for some reason?

Is there anyone out there using stock 4.4 retropie and the FF7 eboot who has been able to save the game normally using the in game virtual memory card PAST the shinra/midgar section - i.e. to the open world stage? I have been doing my head in trying to understand what the problem is - is it something to do with me using an external USB drive (but if so, why does it work up to a point in the game)? OR - is anyone successfully saving beyond the midgar/shinra building stage and NOT using an .boot file?

I'd be really grateful for any constructive suggestions. I have already tried reinstalling retropie from scratch and it went exactly the same way. I'm desperate to play this game again properly - if possible in retropie on my TV screen (I know I could just run an emulator on my laptop but it doesn't feel the same!)

(Oh and I have also done the reset permissions on folders in the config as well and that made no difference)

Thanks in advance
Martin

[lostless]

@gorgar161 how do you shut down the system? Because the memory card will not write to the Sd card until you proplerly exit the emulator by default. You can set the save to write every so often in the retro arch menu so no matter how you exit emulator, the save file has been writing every so often. If you’re using a retro flag nespi or snespi, and using @cyperghost script, I found that that script does not write the save file while shutting down in game.

[gorgar161]

Hi, and thank you for the response.

I exit using the select and hot key which takes me back out of the game to the rom list and I work up from there before switching off. To be honest, I can't say I'm 100% sure if I completely exit the PSX emulator before I switch it off - it might be that I switch it off when I've exited the game and am in the roms view - I suppose in my mind, I think I've exited the game - but I guess I haven't actually exited the emulator. So you think that could be it? I'll go and check that shortly.

I don't use retro flag etc. (I have no idea what that is) - I'm just using a stock Pi 3+ with stock retropie 4.4 image.

I'll go and have a look and report back.

[gorgar161]

@lostless OMG that was it! I've just been in and ensured I go completely out of the emulator and back to the main menu bar after saving and it has saved.

Thank you SO much. I can't believe that such a trivial detail has cost me about 12 hours of my life and a massive amount of stress and frustration! You've made my day - thank you :-)

[cyperghost]

@lostless Hi never tested SRM write by killing specifc emulator IP with all emulators.
I think it has something to do which emulator you are using.
In first instance I try to use siglevel 15 to terminate emu process and this should write SRM files, because this is a prober termination of process. If the emulator is still active after 2 or 3 seconds I try to kill with siglevel 9 and this is a hard breakup and it's very unlikely that a save state is ever written due this signal level.