Files
libretro/wiki/first-install.md
T
Abdessamad Derraz 602945faf0 feat: logos, build stamps and exact wording
- The installer says "Every file on the list is in place." where it
  said "Everything is in place.": a check covers the files the
  collection holds, and the required ones it lacks follow.
- The FAQ, first install, legal and home pages state only what the
  code shows (PlayStation 1 and Saturn run without a BIOS on some
  emulators, save files are never touched, records are added).
- MinUI and MyMinUI show their own boot logos, and the Android,
  Linux handheld and iPhone tiles show the Android robot, Tux and a
  plain device icon, each credited in sources.json.
- Each Markdown copy, llms.txt and llms-full.txt name the commit
  they were built from, version.json the current one, and the
  answering rules tell assistants to fetch a stale copy again.
- The deploy lists the pages whose words changed (digests.json) and
  posts them to IndexNow once the site is live.
2026-11-09 10:47:37 +01:00

4.1 KiB

level, order
level order
start 30

First install, step by step

From an empty BIOS folder to a checked one.

Needed: internet and some free space.

1. Open a terminal and paste

A terminal is a window for typing commands. Paste the matching 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 this line. It installs Python and asks Android for storage access: allow both.

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

On Batocera, Recalbox and similar setups, see Get the 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 picks the consoles to keep.

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: every file on the list is 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.

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

Result:

  Every file on the list is in place.

Missing required files are named below it.

Undo

Replaced files go to retrobios-backup, and --restore puts them back.

If it stops

Nothing was found here.

Choose the 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, because something changed the file. Try another network.

Cannot create ...

That folder cannot be written. 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