N64 save files are deleted after binary update

vretro

Is there a way to avoid losing all of the save files for N64 Mupen (stand alone) after an update of the binary via RetroPie script?

I attempted to make a backup of all the save files (everything except the rom file) present in the N64 roms folder, then replaced those files after an update, however they didn't appear to be recognised in game and saves were lost.

Could Retropie be altered so that this doesn't happen after every update?

I thought that the roms folder would be safe from any kind of edits during an update, thus being a perfect folder for the save files?

dankcushions

a binary update wouldn't touch the roms folder. are you sure you're not just using a different n64 emulator than you were before? i think the default was lr-mupen64plus a few versions ago but now i think it's standalone (mupen64plus) - you can test that out by using https://github.com/retropie/retropie-setup/wiki/runcommand to change default emulator

vretro

@dankcushions I have set different versions of Mupen per rom. Every time I have updated binaries for all of Retropie - or simply Mupen individually, the games appear to be reset to first play with no save games.

dankcushions

are you sure you're still running the right mupen after the binary update?
do the save files still exist in your roms/n64/ directory?

if yes to both of those, then clearly the mupen emulator has changed how it saves between versions (which i don't think is true), but in any case that's not anything that retropie controls. if you don't want that risk - don't update the emulator :)

vretro

@dankcushions when you say “the right mupen” do you mean the exact same Mupen plugin version selected via run command after an update? I think so, unless after an update, the per rom settings get reset? I have been bouncing around between these stand alone plugins without issue.

I have tried launching using different plugins after the update to see if I could get the in game saves to return but it didn't seem to.

I am not using the lib-retro version at all now, but I would have at some point, so it may have made its own files.

I only launch with one of the mupen stand alone versions now though.

The files I see in the roms folder end with:
.eep
.mpk
.st0

The N64 emulators are getting more attention recently and each update is bringing great improvements, so not updating isn't really a great option.

I have now created a mupen "save state" (not to be confused with the main issue of this thread, in game saves) using Start + R, in the hopes of creating another method of restoring after an update if it happens again.

Has anyone else experienced losing saves with any/each update?

dankcushions

@dankcushions when you say “the right mupen” do you mean the exact same Mupen plugin version selected via run command after an update? I think so, unless after an update, the per rom settings get reset? I have been bouncing around between these stand alone plugins without issue.

i mean lr-mupen64 vs standalone mupen64. the plugin shouldn't make a difference

The files I see in the roms folder end with:
.eep
.mpk
.st0

the save files are .srm. these are not deleted per update. i changed and i have some knocking around from january that still work.

I have now created a mupen "save state" (not to be confused with the main issue of this thread, in game saves) using Start + R, in the hopes of creating another method of restoring after an update if it happens agai

such save states are only possible using the libretro version of mupen64. looks like you're not using the right mupen, if you think you're using standalone...

vretro

@dankcushions I was using Mupen stand alone. There may be files from when lr-mupen was set at the default in the folder too, as you’ve pointed out.

It is possible to make Mupen save states using the stand alone version of Mupen as well. If you press Start + R and the state can be loaded again using Start + L. I'm not sure where these files are save though. But it is possible.

The native N64 saves seeming to be wiped after binary updates though regardless. Maybe the files that relate to native saves are in the same folder as the binary? I haven't yet located the save location to confirm.

dagreatssj

Hello, this past Sunday I updated retropie from 3.6 to 3.7. The installation seems to be ok but I did get the same issue as @vretro. Most of my configurations for the n64 were kept but I did have to redo the hotkeys. I do see a .eep file but I am not sure if I had a .srm file before. I would have to reflash 3.6 back into my sdcard to check that out but the other .srm files such as the ones that I have for Playstation and Gameboy Color are still there. This seem to only happened to n64 and I have it set to be running Mupenplus64 with Glide plugin. @vretro have you figured out anything since this first happened to you?