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libretro/wiki/first-install.md
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Abdessamad Derraz 5bf29b3dab fix: find unnamed cards and fit the served copy
An ArkOS or AmberELEC games part is named on the first screen and comes
first at the folder question. Packs that lack files are said so before
any plan. The served bootstrap gives advice that fits it, and the site
build refuses a copy whose pin is not its installer.
2026-10-28 11:57:14 +01:00

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level, order
level order
start 30

First install, step by step

From an empty BIOS folder to games that start.

You need: internet and some free space.

1. Open a terminal and paste

A terminal is a window where you type commands. Paste your system's line, then press Enter.

Open the Start menu. Type PowerShell and open it.

irm https://abdess.github.io/retrobios/i.ps1 | iex

Open Terminal, in Applications, then Utilities.

curl -fsSL https://abdess.github.io/retrobios/i | sh

Open a terminal.

curl -fsSL https://abdess.github.io/retrobios/i | sh

Switch to Desktop Mode and open Konsole.

curl -fsSL https://abdess.github.io/retrobios/i | sh

Install Termux, a terminal app, and run these lines.

pkg install python
termux-setup-storage
curl -fsSL https://abdess.github.io/retrobios/i | sh

On Batocera, Recalbox and similar setups, see Get your files.

2. Check the setup it found

It opens a menu:

 RetroBIOS: Where do you play?
 Found on this machine:
 > <your setup>
   Another setup or folder
 BIOS folder: <its folder>
  • Right folder? Press Enter.
  • Wrong folder, or a handheld's SD card? Choose Another setup or folder. Press / and type the device (Miyoo Mini), or browse.

Arrows move, Enter chooses, Esc goes back (A and B on a handheld). On a touch screen, tap a row twice to open it, once to tick a box.

3. Install

Press Enter on Install. Choose systems keeps the consoles you play.

Game data (only a game reads it) has its own row.

Old card? In a card reader, choose Copy the BIOS files from your old card or a folder, then the card.

4. Wait

Esc or Ctrl+C stops, B on a handheld. Run again to resume.

5. Read the result

  • Done: all files are in place.
  • Finished with errors: run it again. It retries only those.
  • Finished with files missing: run it again online.
  • Nothing installed: the screen says why. See If it stops.

For line-by-line questions (screen readers), add --plain.

What the command does

Check it later

Add --check to the same command. It changes nothing.

curl -fsSL https://abdess.github.io/retrobios/i | sh -s -- --check

All good:

  109/109 present (109 verified, 0 wrong hash)

Undo

Replaced files go to retrobios-backup beside your BIOS folder. The result says how to restore them.

If it stops

Nothing was found here.

Choose your setup, then its folder. Where the screen offers Another setup or folder, choose it first.

Error: Python 3.8 or newer is required.

Run the command the message shows, then the installer again.

RetroPie 4.8 has Python 3.7.3, and its update finds nothing newer. Run it on a computer, with RetroPie's bios share open, \\RETROPIE\bios from Windows:

curl -fsSL https://abdess.github.io/retrobios/i | sh -s -- --platform retropie --dest <the bios share>

Error: the downloaded installer does not match its expected fingerprint.

Nothing ran. The file was changed on its way, most often by a proxy or an antivirus that rewrites downloads. Run the command from another network, or with that web protection paused.

Cannot create ...

You cannot write there. Do what the message says.

The card is full

Nothing was written. Free some space there.

The game still does not start

See When a game does not start.

Next steps