RetroArch – Issues and Fixes Guide

This is a list of issues and fixes I’ve had for the steam version of RA on a base model M2 Mac mini. These are my issues and my fixes but hopefully they can help you too.

Guide to Issues and Fixes

Note: Credit goes to Otakumons

Game/System Issues

“Failed to set last used disk”

I had this issue with dreamcast core flycast

Fix

1. Turn off boot to bios within quick menu (if RA crashes before you can close content or save core options the settings won’t save and you’ll have to try again)
2. Don’t rename disc based games, while cleaning up file names I discovered that changing cartridge based games was ok but when it came to renaming disc based games I ran into quite a bit of issues like this one

“Memory card is unformatted” (but after “formatting” in game nothing happens)

I had this issue with playstation core pcsx_rearmed

Fix

• I had multiple save game files and save states from trying to import new saves and the game could not understand so it caused a error. Going into RA save files AND save state files and deleting the duplicate and restarting RA fixed the issue

“No bios detected import bios for better compatibility”

I had this issue with playstation core pcsx_rearmed

Fix

• Move your playstation bios to RA’s system folder, do not put within a sub folder! I believe it depends on each system which bios need to be in a subfolder or not for example dreamcast (file named dc), and negeocd (file named neocd) do need to be in a subfolder

Game boots up and then says it’s a unrecognizable file

I had this issue with mame core final burn neo

Fix

• I simply was using the wrong core the game was a neo geo cd game not the arcade version once I changed core game worked

RA crashes when using quick menu to “close content”

I had this issue within all the cores I’ve used so far at least once I have multiple fixes

Fix

1. Don’t mess with RA files while RA is open RA will continue to work fine even open and run a game but once you try to use quick menu close content RA will crash
2. If you have too many heavy programs or tabs open when trying to close content RA can crash
3. Make sure when doing core changes within quick menu your Mac can handle or do said changes

Playstation Portable (PPSSPP)

When trying to run a psp came I would hear audio but it was a black screen

Fix

• Main menu > settings > drivers > video (had it on metal, changing it to vulkan fix the issue)

RA/Steam Issues

Transferring save files into RA

Fix

• Go to your original emulator and save the game from within game, find out what file format RA is saving your games for the core you want to import the save file to (I believe most save files save in .srm for RA), then go back to the original emulator save file, copy that file over to RA’s save file for the core your trying to save in. Rename to the approbate file type. (Make sure everything in the save file name is the exact same as your game file name)

Game won’t appear despite doing auto scan and file scan

Fix

• Doing a manual scan and choosing all matching data for the game being imported

Controller auto mapped buttons in strange order

Fix

• Go to settings > inputs > and for each button remap as desired

RA crashes and steam window pops up clicking close game from the steam page greys the button out and it says stopping but RA never closes also activity monitor can’t force close RA or steam

Fix

• Restart Mac