Black screen with cursor on desktop boot

riptidewalrus

I think I supremely messed up. I was trying to launch into the desktop environment so I could configure the controls for dolphin as I heard that's what you need to do.
I have the Pi5 8GB running the latest version of retropie.

I tried to the desktop environment from raspbi config, which seemed to work.
However when using startx, it didn't seem to work as it would boot up and then show a black screen with my mouse cursor that I can move. I figured it had to do with login so I changed the option to boot into desktop with autologin but it has the same problem.

I can't figure out how to boot back into retropie or edit the config file on my laptop so I can configure the boot options again. It goes through the standard boot procedure but I don't know how to interrupt it so I can enter commands. The keyboard doesn't seem to input anything in its current state of the black screen which is pictured at the bottom.

My monitor is 1080p 144hz. I don't think that should be the issue however as it is with 4k. The screen still shows the cursor so I don't think it is the same problem.

I am super new to this so sorry if I'm unclear.

mitu

You're using a Pi5, so support is limited. Are you aware of that or you just thought that's fully supported now ? I'm just asking because users keep opening Pi5 support topics as if it was a supported platform, but they don't mention how they installed the system.

However when using startx, it didn't seem to work as it would boot up and then show a black screen with my mouse cursor that I can move. I figured it had to do with login so I changed the option to boot into desktop with autologin but it has the same problem.

It's probably because you don't have any X Session set-up, so no desktop nor window manager is started. startx is too simple and perhaps doesn't know how to do that.

I can't figure out how to boot back into retropie or edit the config file on my laptop so I can configure the boot options again. It goes through the standard boot procedure but I don't know how to interrupt it so I can enter commands. The keyboard doesn't seem to input anything in its current state of the black screen which is pictured at the bottom.

Use SSH and login to your system, then disable the graphical auto-login, either from raspi-config or from RetroPie-Setup (under the autologin configuration).

Then use RetroPie-Setup to install the desktop (see here) and you'll have a 'desktop' entry in the Ports system, which you can use to start the desktop fully.

PiBoyyy

BTW, you can get back into the text console using Ctrl-Alt-F2. This will switch to a different console, the second one, thereby allowing you to do what you need to do with your Pi to get things working.

abj

You don't have to install the desktop to configure the Dolphin emulator.

Run from terminal window:

nano /opt/retropie/configs/gc/emulators.cfg

Add this line:

dolphin-editor = "XINIT-WMC:/opt/retropie/emulators/dolphin/bin/dolphin-emu"

In the end, the file it will be like this:

dolphin = "XINIT-WM:/opt/retropie/emulators/dolphin/bin/dolphin-emu-nogui -e %ROM%"
dolphin-gui = "XINIT-WM:/opt/retropie/emulators/dolphin/bin/dolphin-emu -b -e %ROM%"
dolphin-editor = "XINIT-WMC:/opt/retropie/emulators/dolphin/bin/dolphin-emu"
default = "dolphin-gui"

Press ctrl+o and ctrl+x to save and exit from terminal.

Start a game and choose from runcommand menu the dolphin-editor. This will open Dolphin GUI, where we can change the parameters of the emulator and configure the controller.

mitu

@abj said in Black screen with cursor on desktop boot:

sudo nano /opt/retropie/configs/gc/emulators.cfg

Theres' no need to use sudo, configuration files under /opt/retropie/configs are editable by the installation user (pi or other username).

Please be patient, my English are not very good.

is not

abj

@mitu Thanks, i have the bad habit to use sudo very often. Can this create issues with the files i am trying to edit?

mitu

@abj said in Black screen with cursor on desktop boot:

Can this create issues with the files i am trying to edit?

Yes, it may. If it's a new file, the using sudo will make the file owned by the root user. Programs run as the installation user that will want to modify the file will get an error since they cannot write to the file.

riptidewalrus

@mitu I'm aware it's not supported! I installed it manually and I know many of the emulators don't work with every game. I didn't realize prior to purchasing it though so I am determined to make it work, even if minimally.

I don't understand how I could use SSH for logging in. Is there a guide? As it boots now there doesn't seem to be any time available for inputting any commands. I could try and record what happens if that helps. (I am currently at work as of writing so I will edit this later after trying and reply with an update)

mitu

@riptidewalrus said in Black screen with cursor on desktop boot:

I don't understand how I could use SSH for logging in. Is there a guide?

Yes - in our docs. Alternatively, as someone before said, use Ctrl + Alt + F2 (F3) to go to the command prompt and start RetroPie-Setup in order to change the settings.

riptidewalrus

@abj Thank you SO MUCH, I was super lost when it came to this but it worked <3