Lord Bobbymort

Ok yeah I forgot about that part with your issue. The biggest part of my problem was that I didn't want all the configuration of my shaders to be deleted if I re-installed or updated RetroArch, but it wasn't that bad. If you go to the folder location where you have RetroArch installed you can copy the config folder which has all the configs for your retroarch cores and games as a backup. Then when you update or re-install RetroArch you can just replace that folder with your backup. You might need to just ensure that you download all the media for your ROMs/platforms again, especially if you use the bezels.

I mean I almost gave up trying to get a log from RetroArch, but I figured it was important enough. And even after futzing around for at least half an hour with something that seemed like it wasn't going to work to get the log, it dumped an output that all seemed above board from my eye. So then just the mention of Vulkan (at least after exhausting all other options) it pointed me in the right direction.

You left the right breadcrumbs, and for that I am forever grateful. May the sun shine upon you, fellow royalty @Lordmonkus

Hey, check out what I just found that fixed my issue, maybe it will fix yours. Just see my latest post above.

EDIT EDIT: I GOT IT! After going through all these motions and boiling it all down to something else, maybe specific to my hardware, I did some more googling, specifically "AMD 5800h Retroarch will not launch using vulkan", and I came across this reddit thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/AMDHelp/comments/1aelvdm/mini_pc_ryzen_7_5800h_vulkan_suddenly_not_working/. The solution was going to Windows Settings and the Applications menu and uninstalling the application "OpenCL™, OpenGL®, and Vulkan® Compatibility Pack". As soon as I uninstalled that application RetroArch launched just fine with configs set for vulkan as the video driver.

Nothing has changed in my setup in RetroArch since last time successfully running anything about a month ago. If I remember correctly I set the driver to something within the RetroArch UI and then RetroArch would not even allow one or the other types of shaders, only showing what was compatible when I navigated into those folders. So in one core with one driver only shader files in the slangp folder would even show up, and another only glsl would show up. I can only open RetroArch standalone, not through RetroArch, so I have to load a core, and then it doesn't act like it has any shaders set. I get to the quick menu after loading a core and Shaders are just set to Off. And when I turn Shaders on from that point there are no parameters set. I reinstalled RetroArch (after making a copy of my config folder, retroarch.cfg, and retroarch.default) through LaunchBox and it opened the rom when launched through RetroArch. I replaced the config folder and retroarch.cfg and retroarch.cfg.default files with the backup and it goes back to not loading. Hahaha as I was trying to reisntall RetroArch again Launchbox updated to 13.15. On a fresh install of RetroArch I've opened it from Launchbox and added config files from my backup one at a time. I think I've boiled it down to the core-named config files within the config>core folders - so that would be mesen.cfg inside config > mesen. When I add my backed up mesen config to the new install it won't load. I then started started taking out lines of mesen.cfg and the one that got it running was taking out "video_driver = "vulkan". This seems odd as the the shader files I used were slangp and I have a mesen.slangp file in the backed up config folder. For some reason trying to load using vulkan at all isn't working. I tried one more time, instead of editing mesen.cfg in notepad editing it in RetroArch UI and saving the core overrides file in RetroArch UI - I changed the driver from gl to d3d11 and it opened (and loaded the slangp shaders), then changed the override file back to vulkan and it won't load. EDIT: Sorry for all the hassle to everyone who's been helping as it seems like a RetroArch issue with my hardware. I am running this on a Beelink SER5 with the AMD Ryzen 5800h. AMD Graphics drivers are up to date. Also, if run RetroArch standalone and change the video driver, save that config and try to relaunch RetroArch it will not open.

I can't get it to work in a way that seems correct but I did get there. I try to turn on logging, so in RetroArch > Setting > Logging and I turn on Logging Verbosity and it opens up a "Log Console" window. I turn on Log to File after that and click OK. I've done this a few times and every time RetroArch is closed and re-opened the logging settings are all turned off again. So I went through all of it and left the Log Console open then loaded a core and a rom. Just before this I updated RetroArch through the button in Launchbox's Edit Emulator window for RetroArch. Here's the log: [INFO] [Content]: Updating firmware status for: "C:\Users\xxxxxxxxx\LaunchBox\Emulators\RetroArch\cores\mesen_libretro.dll" on "C:\Users\xxxxxxxxx\LaunchBox\Emulators\RetroArch\system". [INFO] [Core]: Using content: "C:\Emulation\roms\nes\Bomberman.nes". [INFO] [Core]: Content ran for a total of: 00 hours, 00 minutes, 00 seconds. [INFO] [Core]: Unloading core.. [INFO] [Core]: Unloading core symbols.. [INFO] RetroArch 1.19.1 (Git 427e3fa6f6) [INFO] === Build ======================================= [INFO] CPU Model Name: AMD Ryzen 7 5800H with Radeon Graphics [INFO] Capabilities: MMX MMXEXT SSE SSE2 SSE3 SSSE3 SSE4 SSE42 AES AVX AVX2 [INFO] Version: 1.19.1 [INFO] Git: 427e3fa6f6 [INFO] Built: Jun 5 2024 [INFO] ================================================= [INFO] [Input]: Found input driver: "dinput". [INFO] [Core]: Loading dynamic libretro core from: "C:\Users\xxxxxxxxx\LaunchBox\Emulators\RetroArch\cores\mesen_libretro.dll" [INFO] [Overrides]: Core-specific overrides found at "C:\Users\xxxxxxxxx\LaunchBox\Emulators\RetroArch\config\Mesen\Mesen.cfg". [INFO] [Overrides]: Content dir-specific overrides found at "C:\Users\xxxxxxxxx\LaunchBox\Emulators\RetroArch\config\Mesen\\nes.cfg". [INFO] [Overrides]: Content dir-specific overrides stacking on top of previous overrides. [INFO] [Overrides]: Game-specific overrides found at "C:\Users\xxxxxxxxx\LaunchBox\Emulators\RetroArch\config\Mesen\Bomberman.cfg". [INFO] [Overrides]: Game-specific overrides stacking on top of previous overrides. [INFO] [Config]: Loading config: "C:\Users\xxxxxxxxx\LaunchBox\Emulators\RetroArch\retroarch.cfg". [INFO] [Config]: Appending override config: "C:\Users\xxxxxxxxx\LaunchBox\Emulators\RetroArch\config\Mesen\Mesen.cfg". [INFO] [Config]: Appending override config: "C:\Users\xxxxxxxxx\LaunchBox\Emulators\RetroArch\config\Mesen\\nes.cfg". [INFO] [Config]: Appending override config: "C:\Users\xxxxxxxxx\LaunchBox\Emulators\RetroArch\config\Mesen\Bomberman.cfg". [INFO] [Overrides]: Redirecting save file to "C:\Users\xxxxxxxxx\LaunchBox\Emulators\RetroArch\saves\Bomberman.srm". [INFO] [Overrides]: Redirecting save state to "C:\Users\xxxxxxxxx\LaunchBox\Emulators\RetroArch\states\Bomberman.state". [INFO] [Environ]: SET_VARIABLES. [INFO] [Environ]: SET_CONTROLLER_INFO. [INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_CONTENT_INFO_OVERRIDE. [INFO] [Content Override]: File Extension: 'nes' - need_fullpath: FALSE, persistent_data: FALSE [INFO] [Content Override]: File Extension: 'fds' - need_fullpath: FALSE, persistent_data: FALSE [INFO] [Content Override]: File Extension: 'unf' - need_fullpath: FALSE, persistent_data: FALSE [INFO] [Content Override]: File Extension: 'unif' - need_fullpath: FALSE, persistent_data: FALSE [INFO] [Environ]: GET_LOG_INTERFACE. [INFO] [Content]: Loading content file: "C:\Emulation\roms\nes\Bomberman.nes". [INFO] [Environ]: SYSTEM_DIRECTORY: "C:\Users\xxxxxxxxx\LaunchBox\Emulators\RetroArch\system". [INFO] [Environ]: SAVE_DIRECTORY: "C:\Users\xxxxxxxxx\LaunchBox\Emulators\RetroArch\saves". [INFO] [Environ]: SET_PIXEL_FORMAT: XRGB8888. [INFO] [Environ]: SET_GEOMETRY: 256x240, Aspect: 1.219. [INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_GET_GAME_INFO_EXT. [libretro INFO] [libretro INFO] Loading rom: Bomberman.nes [libretro INFO] PRG CRC32: 0xA913A222 [libretro INFO] PRG+CHR CRC32: 0xDB9DCF89 [libretro INFO] [iNes] Mapper: 0 Sub:0 [libretro INFO] [iNes] PRG ROM: 16 KB [libretro INFO] [iNes] CHR ROM: 8 KB [libretro INFO] [iNes] Mirroring: Vertical [libretro INFO] [iNes] Battery: No [INFO] [Environ]: SET_INPUT_DESCRIPTORS: [INFO] [Environ]: SET_MEMORY_MAPS. [INFO] [SRAM]: Skipping SRAM load. [INFO] [Core]: Version of libretro API: 1, Compiled against API: 1 [INFO] [Core]: Geometry: 256x240, Aspect: 1.219, FPS: 60.10, Sample rate: 48000.00 Hz. [INFO] [Audio]: Set audio input rate to: 47920.27 Hz. [INFO] [Video]: Set video size to: 879x720. [INFO] [Vulkan]: Vulkan dynamic library loaded. [INFO] [Vulkan]: Found vulkan context: "vk_w". [INFO] [Vulkan]: Detecting screen resolution: 1920x1080.n top of previous overrides. [INFO] [Overrides]: Game-specific overrides found at "C:\Users\rjcil\LaunchBox\Emulators\RetroArch\config\Mesen\Bomberman.cfg". [INFO] [Overrides]: Game-specific overrides stacking on top of previous overrides. [INFO] [Config]: Loading config: "C:\Users\rjcil\LaunchBox\Emulators\RetroArch\retroarch.cfg". [INFO] [Config]: Appending override config: "C:\Users\rjcil\LaunchBox\Emulators\RetroArch\config\Mesen\Mesen.cfg". [INFO] [Config]: Appending override config: "C:\Users\rjcil\LaunchBox\Emulators\RetroArch\config\Mesen\\nes.cfg". [INFO] [Config]: Appending override config: "C:\Users\rjcil\LaunchBox\Emulators\RetroArch\config\Mesen\Bomberman.cfg". [INFO] [Overrides]: Redirecting save file to "C:\Users\rjcil\LaunchBox\Emulators\RetroArch\saves\Bomberman.srm". [INFO] [Overrides]: Redirecting save state to "C:\Users\rjcil\LaunchBox\Emulators\RetroArch\states\Bomberman.state". [INFO] [Environ]: SET_VARIABLES. [INFO] [Environ]: SET_CONTROLLER_INFO. [INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_CONTENT_INFO_OVERRIDE. [INFO] [Content Override]: File Extension: 'nes' - need_fullpath: FALSE, persistent_data: FALSE [INFO] [Content Override]: File Extension: 'fds' - need_fullpath: FALSE, persistent_data: FALSE [INFO] [Content Override]: File Extension: 'unf' - need_fullpath: FALSE, persistent_data: FALSE [INFO] [Content Override]: File Extension: 'unif' - need_fullpath: FALSE, persistent_data: FALSE [INFO] [Environ]: GET_LOG_INTERFACE. [INFO] [Content]: Loading content file: "C:\Emulation\roms\nes\Bomberman.nes". [INFO] [Environ]: SYSTEM_DIRECTORY: "C:\Users\rjcil\LaunchBox\Emulators\RetroArch\system". [INFO] [Environ]: SAVE_DIRECTORY: "C:\Users\rjcil\LaunchBox\Emulators\RetroArch\saves". [INFO] [Environ]: SET_PIXEL_FORMAT: XRGB8888. [INFO] [Environ]: SET_GEOMETRY: 256x240, Aspect: 1.219. [INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_GET_GAME_INFO_EXT. [libretro INFO] [libretro INFO] Loading rom: Bomberman.nes [libretro INFO] PRG CRC32: 0xA913A222 [libretro INFO] PRG+CHR CRC32: 0xDB9DCF89 [libretro INFO] [iNes] Mapper: 0 Sub:0 [libretro INFO] [iNes] PRG ROM: 16 KB [libretro INFO] [iNes] CHR ROM: 8 KB [libretro INFO] [iNes] Mirroring: Vertical [libretro INFO] [iNes] Battery: No [INFO] [Environ]: SET_INPUT_DESCRIPTORS: [INFO] [Environ]: SET_MEMORY_MAPS. [INFO] [SRAM]: Skipping SRAM load. [INFO] [Core]: Version of libretro API: 1, Compiled against API: 1 [INFO] [Core]: Geometry: 256x240, Aspect: 1.219, FPS: 60.10, Sample rate: 48000.00 Hz. [INFO] [Audio]: Set audio input rate to: 47920.27 Hz. [INFO] [Video]: Set video size to: 879x720. [INFO] [Vulkan]: Vulkan dynamic library loaded. [INFO] [Vulkan]: Found vulkan context: "vk_w". [INFO] [Vulkan]: Detecting screen resolution: 1920x1080.

Nothing, I will profess the ability of modern Windows Defender until they prove it's not as useful anymore (and never suggest anyone install bloatware a third-party antivirus software haha). This has gotten annoying because I have to keep getting up to go to the living room to test things with an annoying keyboard because it's a dedicated system on the living room tv, so I just got something good out of this whole thing - I just realized I can RDP to it from my office computer so I set that up. Anyway, there's nothing in Protection History in Windows Security, so it hasn't ever said RetroArch is a problem.

Well, I could yesterday or the day before so I thought this was going to be an easy response but now I can't. Went to the file system to open a rom from there with RetroArch - no dice. Spinny circles in exact same pattern. Short spin, gone for a sec, back for a few and nothing happens. Went to the file system and opened RetroArch fine. Loaded mesen core, loaded the rom, tried to start the rom and the RetroArch windows closed and the spinny circle next to the mouse did the exact same thing. Interestingly while mesen-s was available as a core according to Launchbox in the Associated Platforms window, only mesen was available natively in RetroArch to use. More interestingly mesen-s is available in the cores folder. I just checked to see if RetroArch was running in the background as a stuck app or something - no dice. Restarted computer and tried to run a rom in retroarch and still could not. I'll have to make a backup of my configs and shader files for each platform, but I could try removing RetroArch using Launchbox and running the import wizard again. BUT, I'd like to see if there's a troubleshooting step first that would take care of it. For posterity's sake.

I'm unsure what I had done initially, it's been set up since May or June 2023. I imagine I used the Launchbox import wizard as I was excited that I didn't have to do anything else manually. I had already reassigned the emulator path for Retroarch but just did it again. My most recent update with screenshots I had changed the associated platform core to mesen-s and changed it back to mesen with no success, so I just went through bulk editing the ROM path and tried to open another rom with no success. The spinny loading wheel came up (Windows 11, btw), went away for a split second, came back for a few seconds then went away without loading RetroArch. I wish I had taken a screenshot of the Manage Platforms screen a few days ago because a few of them had changed to the Retroarch installation folder, the Games folder in there. That's what I referenced in the original post here: I have changed the associated platforms file path to the true file path.

Checked retroarch history and there is no history from the last few days trying to run things because it isn't actually opening RetroArch at all from Launchbox enough for it to record history. Changed associated platform for NES from mesen to mesen-s and it launched retroarch but retroarch didn't actually run the game, it was just a black screen. Changed back to mesen and it didn't open. Changed to nestopia and it didn't open. 5-24 (probably was still open after sleeping and hadn't updated yet) was the last time I had run a game from Launchbox properly.

That's exactly what I'm thinking. Well, hopefully someone else chimes in - or we get a fix in the next update. And there's already a TBD dated changelog for 13.15 on Launchbox's website with some other things. https://www.launchbox-app.com/about/changelog

Hmm for you try unchecking that box. That's usually one of the first things I've seen in past threads about this. so you're directly in Retroarch looking at history?

Interesting. My file path in settings shows where I put them, which is a folder away from the Launchbox installation folder just in case anything happens which also makes my roms folder more easily portable for me. Your way of storing roms might be different than mine though, because it looks like you have them zipped up. Do you have the "Extract ROMs archive before running" setting checked or unchecked in your Retroarch emulator settings? How do you see the history? I'll investigate my instance. Maybe post screenshots here of the settings and the two history entries for reference.

Thanks, same to you then. I was excited about the newest updates natively hosting pcsx2 and dolphin for download, but now I can't play anything. I hope the recent updates weren't the problem but the timing seems to point to it as the May 13th and 16th updates have the updates to the Dependency File section and other things to do with Retroarch. Seeing as Retroarch is natively installed in the Launchbox folder I may need to be sure to make copies of the config files and slangp and glsl files for each core if I try blowing out the retroarch installation and re-installing it. And I'll wait to see if anyone comes back with some more suggestions before I try re-installing retroarch, or then re-installing Launchbox.