How do I manually update downloaded MAME cores?

RetroArch Android devices
#1

I’ve downloaded the latest nightly MAME core in a .zip file and I would like to manually update it in my GPD XD device to see if I can get this core to work again. What are the steps to successfully update the core manually? Where should I put this file and how retroarch is going to recognize it?

#2

If you have root, put the core into /data/data/com.retroarch/cores.

We don’t currently have a good solution if you’re not rooted.

#3

Thanks Hunterk! Yes, my device is rooted so I have access to this folder. By the way, would you have a link to the MAME 0.174 core so I could download it and put it back here?

#4

No, we don’t keep any older builds lying around but perhaps someone else can provide it.

#5

I was searching for the cause of this problem and I found an older post that is pretty similar with I’m facing right now… The OP fr500 says:

“MAME 2003: The toolchain might not be exporting symbols for something older than lollypop, we’ve had that for a bit, if you select the core and it says ‘no core’ that’s the case.”

This is exactly what happens here: when I update the core and try to load the latest fetched 0.181 core, Retroarch says ‘no core’. My GPD XD Android version is lollipop 4.4.4 if I remember it correctly, I can verify it later this evening.

#6

Btw 4.4.4 is kitkat not lollipop (5.x)

#7

You are correct! My GPD XD came with KitKat 4.4.4. And my smartphone has lollipop 5.1. Maybe this is the reason why my retroarch 1.4.0 is unable to load the new mame 0.181 core in GPD but runs in my smartphone. When I try to just load the core in GPD retroarch says ‘no core’, and when I try to run any game, it says ’ failed to open libretro core’. However it was working fine in GPD and fast enough with the previous 0.174 core.

#8

Honestly these days it is hard to find a kitkat device to test (at least for me). Not 100% sure ,but if i remember corrrectly the default android api level with new toolchain is 21. So for lollipop. On mame side, we have to check but i think they recently raise the default android requirement to be api 21 too.

#9

Oh no. I have a GPD XD which is not so old and it runs over KitKat 4.4.4 :confused:

And the previous MAME 0.174 was working fine… I’m screwed now :frowning: