Error creating SDL Window

cbr_greg

Pi Model or other hardware: Pi 4 B
Power Supply used: canakit 3.5A
RetroPie Version Used (eg 3.6, 3.8.1, 4.1 - do not write latest): 4.6.1
Built From: Installed on top of Raspbian Buster Full (2020-02-13-raspbian-buster-full.img)
USB Devices connected: targus powered usb hub, inland keyboard, afterglow ps3 controller, flashdrive, usb-sata ssd
Controller used: 8bitdo sn30 pro, afterglow ps3
How to replicate the problem:
I did a fresh install, had RetroPie running ontop of Raspbian Buster. Did a sudo apt-get update, and sudo apt-get upgrade. Also did update all in RetroPie Setup. Now when i type emulationstaion into a terminal i get the following:
Error messages received:
May 27 15:38:30 lvl0: Error creating SDL window!
Could not get EGL display
May 27 15:38:30 lvl0: Renderer failed to initialize!
May 27 15:38:30 lvl0: Window failed to initialize!

mitu

The manual install documentation :

The RetroPie SD image is built on top of Raspbian lite (Raspbian without the PIXEL desktop environment) RetroPie can also be installed on top of the full Raspbian but you can't run Retropie and PIXEL at the same time, you will need to logout of the PIXEL desktop environment in order to run emulationstation and the emulators RetroPie installs.

cbr_greg

It worked that way before the update, so i guess i assumed it would continue to work. I did try changing the boot options in raspi-config to text console, automatically logged in as pi. when i reboot and run emulationstation, i just get a black screen.

mechafatnick

@cbr_greg What's the video ram split? try increasing it to 256mb.

mitu

@cbr_greg said in Error creating SDL Window:

It worked that way before the update, so i guess i assumed it would continue to work

What RetroPie version did you have have before the update ? Since it's not supported configuration, there's no guarantee that at some point it will stop working - either by accident or through configuration.

cbr_greg

@mechafatnick said in Error creating SDL Window:

@cbr_greg What's the video ram split? try increasing it to 256mb.

From what i Read Rpi4 that doesnt matter, but i did change GPU_mem=256 in /boot/config.txt... Same results.

sudo git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup.git

@mitu said in Error creating SDL Window:

@cbr_greg said in Error creating SDL Window:

It worked that way before the update, so i guess i assumed it would continue to work

What RetroPie version did you have have before the update ? Since it's not supported configuration, there's no guarantee that at some point it will stop working - either by accident or through configuration.

I'm very new to linux and all this in general, so i'm not entirely sure, but i used the following command to install this morning. and it worked until i updated this afternoon.
sudo git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup.git

BuZz

The memory split won't help. Use the premade image or run outside of the desktop as @mitu has detailed.

mitu

... but i used the following command to install this morning. and it worked until i updated this afternoon.
sudo git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup.git

Then I think the problem is not from the RetroPie update, since there hasn't been any major update in RetroPie in the last 24 hours that would cause this.

Post your config.txt on pastebin.com and the EmulationStation log from $HOME/.emulationstation/es_log.txt - after you run it from the console terminal, not from the desktop env.

cbr_greg

@BuZz said in Error creating SDL Window:

The memory split won't help. Use the premade image or run outside of the desktop as @mitu has detailed.

I am trying to run it outside of the desktop too, and when i run the emulationstation command, the screen just goes black.

cbr_greg

@mitu said in Error creating SDL Window:

... but i used the following command to install this morning. and it worked until i updated this afternoon.
sudo git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup.git

Then I think the problem is not from the RetroPie update, since there hasn't been any major update in RetroPie in the last 24 hours that would cause this.

Post your config.txt on pastebin.com and the EmulationStation log from $HOME/.emulationstation/es_log.txt - after you run it from the console terminal, not from the desktop env.

config.txt

I'm trying to figure out the log but i am still really new to this.

mitu

@cbr_greg said in Error creating SDL Window:

I'm trying to figure out the log but i am still really new to this.

Then I suggest you don't modify the config.txt until you understand what it entails - especially for overclocking. You have disabled the necessary overlay (dtoverlay=vc4-fkms-v3d) for the Pi4 KMS video drivers. This is what breaks applications that use the GL drivers, including EmulationStation, and not the update you performed.

Why did you modify the config.txt ?

cbr_greg

@mitu said in Error creating SDL Window:

@cbr_greg said in Error creating SDL Window:

I'm trying to figure out the log but i am still really new to this.

Then I suggest you don't modify the config.txt until you understand what it entails - especially for overclocking. You have disabled the necessary overlay (dtoverlay=vc4-fkms-v3d) for the Pi4 KMS video drivers. This is what breaks applications that use the GL drivers, including EmulationStation, and not the update you performed.

Why did you modify the config.txt ?

I did do the overclock because i was trying to play n64 games. however i didn't comment out (dtoverlay=vc4-fkms-v3d). I must have changed that using raspi-config > advanced options > GL Driver... Before I did the fresh install I was trying to setup the pi to boot from ssd, but I gave up on that since its still in beta.

I uncommented (dtoverlay=vc4-fkms-v3d) and now i get:
(* failed to add service - already in use?)

mitu

@cbr_greg Please re-install from the Pi4 image provided in retropie.org.uk/download. If you want to use the desktop, then you can install it as indicated in the Docs.
Before attempting to overclock, just run the games you're interested in and see if you really need to overclock.