Reicast VMU saving and "Boot to BIOS"-Crash

Libretro Cores
#1

Hi guys! First I want to thank everyone involved in porting Reicast to RetroArch, works way better than Makaron or demul! I can boot into games and they work near perfectly, amazing in this early stage!

But I’ve got one major problem, everytime I start a game the Emulator wants the date and time to get a setup. I can’t save either on the VMU, maybe because the VMU isn’t formatted properly? Anyway, when I select “boot to BIOS” it crashes instantly and I need to edit the core_config manually. I think my BIOS files are OK cause it boots games correctly. Any idea how to solve the saving issue?

Here’s the debug-log from retroarch(Win 8.1 x64, RetroArch 1.3 x64):

[reicast]: Got size: 640 x 480.
context_reset.
A8
vmem reserve: base: 3A240000, aram: 5a240000, vram: 3E240000, ram: 46240000
Resetting mem
Mem alloc successful!Loaded D:\Games\Emulatoren\RetroArch_SNESPC\system\dc\dc_boot.bin as bootrom

Loaded D:\Games\Emulatoren\RetroArch_SNESPC\system\dc\dc_flash.bin as nvram

Using Recompiler
Sh4 Reset
recSh4 Init
@@      ngen_ResetBlocks()
Freeing fpcb
#2

I think having to go through the date/time is unavoidable at the moment. I just skip through it without entering anything. Only takes a few seconds.

Reicast Issues/fixes since updating to 1.4
#3

Found a workaround for the unformatted VMU problem: Just created a new VMU with Demul, copied the .bin-File over to the /system/dc folder and renamed it. Now I have access to save files :slight_smile: Hope force feedback will be added :smiley:

#4

I tried this with nullDC but had no joy. What did you rename the .bin file to?

#5

Hi Charco, you rename it for exemple : vmu_save_A1 You can change the letter (between A and D I think) and the number ( between 1 and 4 ) as you wish. But as DK999 said, it works with Demul (I confirm it) but not sure with NullDC (not tried)

#6

Thanks, I will try that when I get home from work today.

#7

copying the file did not work for me

#8

Me either.

#9

While the BIOS time and date setup bug is still present, you can fix the VMU loading/saving. As DK999 said it works for Demul, it also works for NullDC.

Take a save file from NullDC called vmu_data_port01.bin and copy/overwrite it to vmu_save_A1.bin, vmu_save_B1.bin, vmu_save_C1.bin and vmu_save_D1.bin in /system/dc of Retroarch.

#10

You can work around that bug by placing this file in system\dc: https://github.com/libretro/reicast-emulator/blob/master/WorkDir/data/dc_nvmem.bin

#11

Didn’t work for me. It is still asking for date/time. Using Reicast from 09-24-2016 since the latest core is broken for Nvidia as it seems.

#12

Huh, it worked for me originally, but now trying again I’m getting the time enter screen every boot :confused:

#13

Did you figure any other solutions out?

#14

Nope. The guy who originally provided the nvmem file said it stopped working for him too :confused:

#15

Bummer. Also doesn’t look like RetroArch recognized AHK keystrokes. Was going to try to script my way around it

#16

Use SetKeyDelay, -1, 110 before any Send AHK commands and they will work with Retroarch.

#17

Can you post a full example? Thanks so much for sharing!!!

#18

; Pause 4Joy20:: SetKeyDelay, -1, 110 Send {p} Return

I use this small AHK script to map button 20 of my 4th gamepad to send P (Pause) to Retroarch through the Launchbox frontend.

The SetKeyDelay AHK command keeps the button pressed for 110ms so Retroarch can read the key. Without SetKeyDelay some emus can’t register the key-presses because they happen too fast.

(MAME is a special case which requires the command line parameter: -keyboardprovider dinput so it can recognize the AHK dinput commands.)

#19

Hey guys! I had the same problem, and renaming files and stuff did not work for me, I found a thread of somebody that shared his dc_flash.bin file with everybody. Since then its been working flawlessly for me.

Just download this dc_flash.bin and override the one you have. Should not ask for the date/time anymore:

Let me know how it goes!

1 Like
#20

Be careful with BIOS files from unknown sources! For example the dc_flash.bin you posted does not match any of the known MD5 posted here: https://github.com/retropie/retropie-setup/wiki/Dreamcast

Check with: http://onlinemd5.com/