EmulationStation Constantly Freezing

maserspark

Raspberry Pi: 3B
RetroPie: 4.6.6 (based off the 4.6 official image)
EmulationStation: 2.9.3RP
ES Theme: anthonycaccese/es-theme-art-book

EmulationStation has started freezing every time I start my system. It's usually about 30 seconds to a minute after launch. I was using it successfully yesterday, so I think this is due to something I did today, which was:

Switched Mega Drive theming to Genesis, following the guide here.
Ran a full update through the RetroPie-Setup script, choosing to upgrade all OS packages. I've included the APT log at the end of this post, in case it helps pare down what the problem might be.

I can still SSH into the machine without issue, it just seems to be ES that's freezing. I've tried reverting my Genesis change, and removing the Genesis/MD game list, but that hasn't fixed the issue. I can actually start a game if I'm fast enough, but ES freezes and requires a reboot once I exit out.

Is this something a RetroPie reinstall can fix? Is there a way I can do that without completely wiping my SD card and/or the roms/configs?

APT Log:

Commandline: apt-get -y dist-upgrade
Requested-By: pi (1000)
Upgrade: libpython3.7-minimal:armhf (3.7.3-2+deb10u1, 3.7.3-2+deb10u2), vlc-bin:armhf (3.0.11-0+deb10u1+rpt1, 3.0.11-0+deb10u1+rpt2), bluez:armhf (5.50-1.2~deb10u1+rpt1, 5.50-1.2~deb10u1+rpt2), vlc-plugin-video-output:armhf (3.0.11-0+deb10u1+rpt1, 3.0.11-0+deb10u1+rpt2), libavformat58:armhf (7:4.1.4-1+rpt7~deb10u1, 7:4.1.6-1~deb10u1+rpt1), libraspberrypi-bin:armhf (1.20200601-1, 1.20200819-1), libpostproc-dev:armhf (7:4.1.4-1+rpt7~deb10u1, 7:4.1.6-1~deb10u1+rpt1), libavfilter7:armhf (7:4.1.4-1+rpt7~deb10u1, 7:4.1.6-1~deb10u1+rpt1), firmware-realtek:armhf (1:20190114-1+rpt6, 1:20190114-1+rpt8), libdbus-1-3:armhf (1.12.16-1, 1.12.20-0+deb10u1), libraspberrypi-dev:armhf (1.20200601-1, 1.20200819-1), libraspberrypi-doc:armhf (1.20200601-1, 1.20200819-1), libswresample3:armhf (7:4.1.4-1+rpt7~deb10u1, 7:4.1.6-1~deb10u1+rpt1), vlc-plugin-qt:armhf (3.0.11-0+deb10u1+rpt1, 3.0.11-0+deb10u1+rpt2), libvlccore-dev:armhf (3.0.11-0+deb10u1+rpt1, 3.0.11-0+deb10u1+rpt2), raspi-config:armhf (20200601, 20200817), dbus:armhf (1.12.16-1, 1.12.20-0+deb10u1), libavdevice-dev:armhf (7:4.1.4-1+rpt7~deb10u1, 7:4.1.6-1~deb10u1+rpt1), rpi-eeprom:armhf (7.4-1, 7.10-1), pi-bluetooth:armhf (0.1.13, 0.1.15), libopenmpt0:armhf (0.4.3-1, 0.4.3-1+deb10u1), libavformat-dev:armhf (7:4.1.4-1+rpt7~deb10u1, 7:4.1.6-1~deb10u1+rpt1), libpython3.7:armhf (3.7.3-2+deb10u1, 3.7.3-2+deb10u2), python3.7:armhf (3.7.3-2+deb10u1, 3.7.3-2+deb10u2), libvlc5:armhf (3.0.11-0+deb10u1+rpt1, 3.0.11-0+deb10u1+rpt2), firmware-atheros:armhf (1:20190114-1+rpt6, 1:20190114-1+rpt8), libswresample-dev:armhf (7:4.1.4-1+rpt7~deb10u1, 7:4.1.6-1~deb10u1+rpt1), libpython3.7-stdlib:armhf (3.7.3-2+deb10u1, 3.7.3-2+deb10u2), firmware-libertas:armhf (1:20190114-1+rpt6, 1:20190114-1+rpt8), libpostproc55:armhf (7:4.1.4-1+rpt7~deb10u1, 7:4.1.6-1~deb10u1+rpt1), libvlccore9:armhf (3.0.11-0+deb10u1+rpt1, 3.0.11-0+deb10u1+rpt2), libvlc-bin:armhf (3.0.11-0+deb10u1+rpt1, 3.0.11-0+deb10u1+rpt2), python3.7-minimal:armhf (3.7.3-2+deb10u1, 3.7.3-2+deb10u2), libavutil-dev:armhf (7:4.1.4-1+rpt7~deb10u1, 7:4.1.6-1~deb10u1+rpt1), raspberrypi-kernel:armhf (1.20200601-1, 1.20200819-1), libvlc-dev:armhf (3.0.11-0+deb10u1+rpt1, 3.0.11-0+deb10u1+rpt2), libavcodec-dev:armhf (7:4.1.4-1+rpt7~deb10u1, 7:4.1.6-1~deb10u1+rpt1), libinput-bin:armhf (1.12.6-2, 1.12.6-2+deb10u1), raspberrypi-bootloader:armhf (1.20200601-1, 1.20200819-1), libexif12:armhf (0.6.21-5.1+deb10u1, 0.6.21-5.1+deb10u4), libopenmpt-modplug1:armhf (0.4.3-1, 0.4.3-1+deb10u1), firmware-brcm80211:armhf (1:20190114-1+rpt6, 1:20190114-1+rpt8), bluez-firmware:armhf (1.2-4+rpt3, 1.2-4+rpt4), libavcodec58:armhf (7:4.1.4-1+rpt7~deb10u1, 7:4.1.6-1~deb10u1+rpt1), raspberrypi-kernel-headers:armhf (1.20200601-1, 1.20200819-1), libdbus-1-dev:armhf (1.12.16-1, 1.12.20-0+deb10u1), vlc:armhf (3.0.11-0+deb10u1+rpt1, 3.0.11-0+deb10u1+rpt2), libavutil56:armhf (7:4.1.4-1+rpt7~deb10u1, 7:4.1.6-1~deb10u1+rpt1), vlc-data:armhf (3.0.11-0+deb10u1+rpt1, 3.0.11-0+deb10u1+rpt2), libavdevice58:armhf (7:4.1.4-1+rpt7~deb10u1, 7:4.1.6-1~deb10u1+rpt1), libavfilter-dev:armhf (7:4.1.4-1+rpt7~deb10u1, 7:4.1.6-1~deb10u1+rpt1), libraspberrypi0:armhf (1.20200601-1, 1.20200819-1), libswscale5:armhf (7:4.1.4-1+rpt7~deb10u1, 7:4.1.6-1~deb10u1+rpt1), firmware-misc-nonfree:armhf (1:20190114-1+rpt6, 1:20190114-1+rpt8), libgnutls30:armhf (3.6.7-4+deb10u4, 3.6.7-4+deb10u5), bluetooth:armhf (5.50-1.2~deb10u1+rpt1, 5.50-1.2~deb10u1+rpt2), libswscale-dev:armhf (7:4.1.4-1+rpt7~deb10u1, 7:4.1.6-1~deb10u1+rpt1), vlc-plugin-base:armhf (3.0.11-0+deb10u1+rpt1, 3.0.11-0+deb10u1+rpt2), libjson-c3:armhf (0.12.1+ds-2, 0.12.1+ds-2+deb10u1), raspberrypi-sys-mods:armhf (20200514, 20200812), liblirc-client0:armhf (0.10.1-5.2, 0.10.1-6.2~deb10u1), nfs-common:armhf (1:1.3.4-2.5, 1:1.3.4-2.5+deb10u1), libinput10:armhf (1.12.6-2, 1.12.6-2+deb10u1)
End-Date: 2020-08-27  11:44:19

Start-Date: 2020-08-27  11:44:30
Commandline: apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends libboost-filesystem-dev
Requested-By: pi (1000)
Install: libboost-system1.67-dev:armhf (1.67.0-13+deb10u1, automatic), libboost1.67-dev:armhf (1.67.0-13+deb10u1, automatic), libboost-filesystem1.67.0:armhf (1.67.0-13+deb10u1, automatic), libboost-filesystem-dev:armhf (1.67.0.1+b1), libboost-filesystem1.67-dev:armhf (1.67.0-13+deb10u1, automatic), libboost-system1.67.0:armhf (1.67.0-13+deb10u1, automatic)
End-Date: 2020-08-27  11:45:01

Start-Date: 2020-08-27  11:46:41
Commandline: apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends gcc-6
Requested-By: pi (1000)
Install: cpp-6:armhf (6.5.0-1+rpi1+b1, automatic), libasan3:armhf (6.5.0-1+rpi1+b1, automatic), libgcc-6-dev:armhf (6.5.0-1+rpi1+b1, automatic), libubsan0:armhf (7.3.0-19, automatic), gcc-6:armhf (6.5.0-1+rpi1+b1)
End-Date: 2020-08-27  11:46:57

maserspark

I've also tried updating EmulationStation with the latest source and it still freezes.

maserspark

I've now reinstalled RetroPie on a different SD card and get the same exact error. With this, I did a full update from the base image, copied over my gamelists/bios/roms, and the freezing still occurs.

BuZz

Does it happen with the default carbon theme? Are you overclocking? Please post your /boot/config.txt

If you're about to SSH in when it freezes, please check the output from dmesg

maserspark

It happens with the default Carbon theme as well.

Here's my boot config. It has some overclocking stuff, but I've been using it for a couple of years without issue.

Here's the dmesg output. I can still interact with the system through SSH, hence how I was able to grab this.

I'm about to try reinstalling RetroPie on a new SD card, moving my stuff over, then only updating RetroPie/the emulators. Also not moving the boot config. I'm thinking this is a problem with the OS/kernel.

BuZz

@maserspark did you test removing the overclocking? Also remove last gpu_mem line from config.txt (although the previous lines should take priority).

maserspark

@BuZz Looks like it works after removing the overclocking and keeping the base OS packages unupgraded. I'm able to move around my library, start games, exit them, and continue navigating my library without any freezes. It also works after I added the overclocking back in.

At this point, I definitely think the APT update messed things up, though I don't know how that could be. I also don't think the Mega Drive -> Genesis switch is the problem either. /shrug

Thanks for the help. I'll update this thread again if I learn more.

BuZz

@maserspark Your overclock wasn't stable. It may have seemed to be ok on an older firmware/kernel but it wasn't.

maserspark

I see! I'll play around with it, then.