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libretro/wiki/first-install.md
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Abdessamad Derraz 849991e800 docs: name the stop keys a computer has
First install said B or Ctrl+C stops the run, where a computer's screen
says Esc or Ctrl-C and the b key does nothing.
2026-10-23 22:38:08 +02:00

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First install, step by step

From an empty BIOS folder to games that start.

You need: internet and some free space. The installer says how much.

1. Open a terminal and paste

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

Open the Start menu. Type PowerShell and open it.

irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Abdess/retrobios/main/install.ps1 | iex

Open Terminal. It is in Applications, then Utilities.

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Abdess/retrobios/main/install.sh | sh

Open a terminal.

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Abdess/retrobios/main/install.sh | sh

Switch to Desktop Mode and open Konsole.

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Abdess/retrobios/main/install.sh | sh

Install Termux, a terminal app. Run these three lines in it.

pkg install python
termux-setup-storage
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Abdess/retrobios/main/install.sh | 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? Choose Another setup or folder, then browse to yours.
  • A handheld's SD card in a reader? It is listed, as muOS SD card.

Arrows move, Enter chooses, Esc goes back. A handheld's A and B do the same.

3. Install

The next screen counts missing files and free space. Press Enter on Install. Choose systems keeps the consoles you play.

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

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 the command again. It retries only those.
  • Nothing installed: the screen says why. See If it stops.

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

What the command does

Check it later

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

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Abdess/retrobios/main/install.sh | sh -s -- --check

All good:

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

Undo

Files it replaces go to a retrobios-backup folder beside your BIOS folder. The result says how to restore them.

If it stops

Nothing was found here.

Choose Another setup or folder, then your setup and its folder.

Error: Python 3.8 or newer is required.

The message shows the command that installs Python. Run it, then run the installer again.

A RetroPie 4.8 image has Python 3.7.3, and its update command finds nothing newer. Run it on a computer, the bios share open:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Abdess/retrobios/main/install.sh | sh -s -- --platform retropie --dest <the bios share>

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

The download was cut short. Nothing was changed. Run the command again.

Cannot create ...

You cannot write there. Do what the message says.

The card is full

Nothing was written. Free some space, or choose another folder.

The game still does not start

See When a game does not start.

Next steps