mirror of
https://github.com/Abdess/retroarch_system.git
synced 2026-10-23 20:29:06 -05:00
Abdessamad Derraz
8361575be8
The safety list names the save folder, every install command shows its Windows form, first install reads the last line of a run, the FAQ answers zip or unzip and the arcade version rule, and each page keeps one name.
108 lines
3.4 KiB
Markdown
108 lines
3.4 KiB
Markdown
---
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level: start
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order: 50
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---
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# Common questions
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## Do I need BIOS files?
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For many consoles, yes: PlayStation 1 and 2, Saturn, Dreamcast, Neo Geo and
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many home computers. For NES or Super Nintendo cartridges, usually not.
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[What is a BIOS?](what-are-bios-files.md)
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## How do I know which BIOS I need?
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Run the command with `--dry-run`. It lists what it would install and changes
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nothing.
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<!-- os-tabs -->
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```sh
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curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Abdess/retrobios/main/install.sh | sh -s -- --dry-run
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```
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Your setup's page lists every file.
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## Do I need every file of a console?
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No. A console often has one BIOS per region. The ZIP holds them all. To keep
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only yours, add your region, like `--region us`.
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## Zip or unzip? { #zip-or-unzip }
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Unzip the ZIP you downloaded once, into the folder your setup's page names.
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Leave the ZIP files inside it as they are, like `neogeo.zip`. Arcade emulators
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read them zipped.
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## Does a BIOS work on every setup?
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The same file usually works everywhere. Some setups also check the version and
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report one they do not expect. Arcade files like `neogeo.zip` change with the
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emulator. The command installs the version your setup expects.
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## Can I play without the BIOS?
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Sometimes. Some emulators carry a stand-in for it. Some games then glitch or
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do not start.
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## Is the command safe? { #is-piping-the-installer-into-a-shell-safe }
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- It checks the installer's fingerprint first. If it does not match its expected
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fingerprint, it stops.
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- It checks each file before saving it.
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- It writes in your BIOS folder. For some emulators it also adds files to your
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save folder.
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- It never changes or deletes a game or a save.
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- It keeps any file it replaces in a `retrobios-backup` folder, next to your
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BIOS folder. `--restore` puts it back
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([details](installer.md#files-you-already-had)).
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Read the script first: [install.sh](https://github.com/Abdess/retrobios/blob/main/install.sh),
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[install.ps1](https://github.com/Abdess/retrobios/blob/main/install.ps1) and
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[install.py](https://github.com/Abdess/retrobios/blob/main/install.py).
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Details: [How the installer checks itself](installer.md#what-the-bootstrap-does).
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## Windows or my antivirus blocks the command
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Download the ZIP of your setup instead, from [Get your files](../which-pack.md).
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It holds the same files.
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## Can I run it again?
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Yes, to update. It downloads only what is missing or wrong.
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## Fill an SD card from a computer?
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Yes. Name your setup and the BIOS folder on the card. On Windows, `E:` stands
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for the card.
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<!-- os-tabs windows: --platform retroarch --dest E:\retroarch\cores\system -->
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```sh
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curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Abdess/retrobios/main/install.sh \
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| sh -s -- --platform retroarch --dest /path/to/sdcard/retroarch/cores/system
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```
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## Why is a file missing from the ZIP?
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Some files come with the emulator. The ZIP leaves those out.
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## Required or optional?
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- **Required:** the emulator does not start games without it.
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- **Optional:** games start, with small differences, like no start-up screen.
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## My game shows a black screen
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Most of the time, a BIOS file is missing or is the wrong version.
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[When a game does not start](troubleshooting.md) shows how to check.
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## Is this legal?
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Laws differ by country, and nothing here is legal advice. Details, and how to
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ask for a file to be removed: [Is it legal?](legal.md)
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## Next steps
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- [Get your files](../which-pack.md)
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- [Words used on this site](glossary.md)
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