N64 roms not loading in Launchbox - logs

[TheRealUnderhill]

I've done everything I can think of and researched for hours and nothing has worked.  I did a brand new install on a new pc a couple days ago using 13.24. Everything but N64 works.  I've done complete new installs numerous times over the years and have figured out any glitches I had just by searching the forums.  Until today....  

I have been using the automatic import and love it.  Let Launchbox basically do all the work for me.  So with N64 it chooses Retroarch for emulator and the mupen64_next_libretro core.

I'll start by saying all the rooms work with retroarch directly and with the exception of Nintendo 64 they work within Launchbox.  Video snap playback stops for a few seconds while it tries to load but then nothing and the video starts over.  That's it.

I've made sure the platform catagory and associated platform names match.  I've made sure the core is correct in the associated platform section.  I've tried different cores.  I've reinstalled retroarch. I've updated the cores.  I've deleted the Nintendo 64 platform and did the whole import process again.  Every other platform associated with retroarch works.  I'm attaching a debugging log in hopes that it will help.  I tried loading a game 2 times before I turned logging back off.

I've probably over explained things and rambled a bit but wanted to be thorough.

Thanks for any help.Debug 2025-10-01 11-55-40 PM.log

[JoeViking245]

3 hours ago, TheRealUnderhill said:

I'll start by saying all the rooms work with retroarch directly and with the exception of Nintendo 64 they work within Launchbox.

To clarify, the N64 ROMs do work directly in RetroArch?  

If so, can you edit you RetroArch emulator (in LaunchBox) and share a screenshot of the main Details section and of the Associated Platforms section (with the Nintendo 64 platform showing).

[TheRealUnderhill]

6 hours ago, JoeViking245 said:

To clarify, the N64 ROMs do work directly in RetroArch?  

If so, can you edit you RetroArch emulator (in LaunchBox) and share a screenshot of the main Details section and of the Associated Platforms section (with the Nintendo 64 platform showing).

Yes the N64 do work directly in Retroarch.  

[JoeViking245]

32 minutes ago, TheRealUnderhill said:

Yes the N64 do work directly in Retroarch.  

Good.

Try un-checking Extract ROMs in the Associated Platforms section.

[TheRealUnderhill]

Thanks for the help but I should have mentioned I tried that also.  But to make sure I just tried again and same issue. 

I just noticed that if I right click and select "launch with" the core name is missing a _ right after mupen64plus.

I've confirmed checking in retroarch directly the core is named mupen64plus_next_libretro and also from the previous screenshot of associated platforms it is the same.  Does this make a difference and how do I change the launch with if it does.  Here's a pic of what I'm talking about.

Edited Thursday at 07:28 PM by TheRealUnderhill
Spelling

[JoeViking245]

Other than the Extract ROMs under Associated Platforms being un-checked, the only thing I see different from yours and mine is, I also have Extract ROMs in the main Details section un-checked. But that shouldn't matter because whatever's in the Associated platforms section should override that.

As for the underscore missing in the right-click menu, mine shows the same.  Oh, and the games do launch for me.

 

Beyond unchecking the 2nd mentioned checkbox, the only other thing I think it could be is your games' Application Paths.  Edit one of the N64 games and look in the Launching section at the ROM File and confirm the path and file are correct.

I suppose while there, look in the Emulation section and confirm Use an emulator is checked, RetroArch is the chosen emulator and Use Custom Command-line Parameters is un-checked.  That, coupled with you having RA set as the default emulator for the platform, you should be able to just click Play in the game details panel (vs having to right-click).

[TheRealUnderhill]

Unchecking the extract on the details tab does what it should and unchecks all platforms.  It breaks the dreamcast roms since they are zipped but changing to extract in the associated tab of dreamcast fixes it so its working as intended.

I usually just double click a game to start but I've highlighted a game and used play button also.  I only tried right clicking>play to attempt any way possible to get it to launch.

With that said everything is as you described.   I have still found no reason why the N64 will not load in Launchbox.

I do appreciate the help. Thank you.

Edited Thursday at 09:10 PM by TheRealUnderhill
Info

[JoeViking245]

52 minutes ago, TheRealUnderhill said:

I do appreciate the help. Thank you.

np

And you did check one (or more) of the game's ROM path (application path to the games actual ROM)?

 

From the secret vault:

Let's see what LaunchBox is attempting to execute to get it to launch (or not launch in your case) the game(s).

1. (In LaunchBox) Edit your RetroArch emulator
2. In the Running Script section, copy and paste the AHK code below, into it
3. Click OK to save and close
4. Launch an N64 game  (FAIL)
   1. All methods follow the same path. Click Play.  Double-click.  Right-click.... 
5. In Windows Explorer, go to your /LaunchBox/Plugins/ folder
6. Look for and open CommandLine_RA.txt
7. Share what's in there

 

queryEnum := ComObjGet("winmgmts:").ExecQuery("" . "Select * from Win32_Process where caption='retroarch.exe'")._NewEnum()

While queryEnum[proc]
{
     t .= proc.CommandLine "`n`n"
     FileAppend, % t, .\Plugins\CommandLine_RA.txt
}

 

[TheRealUnderhill]

I haven't tried the script yet but I was coming back to post I did make some progress.  I removed the extra command line parameters for Nintendo 64 on the associated platforms section for retroarch.  I removed the -f which I assume is full screen and it loaded.  Albeit not full screen but at least it loaded.   All other platforms load just fine full screen (some with bezels).  It's a 16:9 screen.

With that said do you have any ideas to hopefully get it to start in full screen and should I still try the script?  I'll probably still give the script a go.

Edited Thursday at 10:21 PM by TheRealUnderhill

[TheRealUnderhill]

Here is the text that was generated from the script.

"L:\LaunchBox\Emulators\RetroArch\retroarch.exe" -L "cores\mupen64plus_next_libretro.dll" -f "L:\LaunchBox\Games\Nintendo 64\007 - GoldenEye (USA).z64"
 

[JoeViking245]

11 minutes ago, TheRealUnderhill said:

I removed the -f which I assume is full screen and it loaded. 

Success!!!  (well, 90%. )

Testing mine, without -f, it does not go fullscreen.  With -f, it does go fullscreen.  (same 16:9)

Check the emulator is up to date.  Tools - Manage - Emulators.  Wait and look for a check mark.

If it's an icon of a cloud and a down arrow, there's an update available. (edit it and click the Update button).

 

10 minutes ago, TheRealUnderhill said:

Here is the text that was generated from the script.

Looks great! You can remove that script now. (otherwise, each time you launch RA [from any platform], it will add to that file.)

 

28 minutes ago, TheRealUnderhill said:

With that said do you have any ideas to hopefully get it to start in full screen

There's probably a way to set (force) fullscreen in the emulator itself.  Google should be able to help with that.  TBH, I'm not really even an RA guy. I set mine up several (5+?) years ago and have only done the occasional updates.  So, working "inside of it" is beyond my expertise.

[TheRealUnderhill]

The emulator is up to date.  The core is updated. 

Just went to RA and launched a game.  It starts in windowed mode.  I can switch it to full screen and it works with the menu. 

When I load a game it reverts back to windowed and the second I tried to switch it to full screen it crashed/shut down.  I wonder if something has recently changed with RA.  It's clearly a RA problem or core problem.  

Thank you for taking the time to help.

Edited Thursday at 11:12 PM by TheRealUnderhill