RetroArch on an Amazon Fire HD8 - Failed to Unpack Cores

RetroArch Android devices
#1

I am looking for feedback from the community.

Is anyone running RetroArch 1.7.0 on their unrooted Amazon Fire Tablets?

Problem:

I am running into an issue where some downloaded files through the updater, such as cores, download to 99% and then fail to unpack.

Overall, some Arcade cores will install but the majority will fail to unpack and install. Is an issue isolated to just me or is this a wider issue?

Troubleshooting

I have tested installing the .apk direct from https://buildbot.libretro.com/stable/1.7.0/android/ and from the Google Play store but it does not change the results.
Assets.zip installs correctly Info.zip fails

Example Error:

99%: Downloading ‘nestopia_libertro_android.so.zip’ Task failed: Downloading ‘nestopia_libertro_android.so.zip’

Folder directories created as discovered by ES Explorer:

\Internal storage\Android\data\com.retroarch \Internal storage\Android\data\com.retroarch\files \Internal storage\RetroArch \Internal storage\RetroArch\cheats \Internal storage\RetroArch\config \Internal storage\RetroArch\config\remaps \Internal storage\RetroArch\downloads \Internal storage\RetroArch\playlists \Internal storage\RetroArch\saves \Internal storage\RetroArch\screenshots \Internal storage\RetroArch\states \Internal storage\RetroArch\system \Internal storage\RetroArch\thumbnails

Tested Cores

Installed: Arcade (MAME 2010), Arcade (MAME 2014), Arcade (MAME 2016), Arcade (MAME)

Failed to Install: Arcade (FB Alpha), Arcade (MAME 2000), Arcade (MAME 2003), Handheld Electronic, All Gameboy, All NES, All N64, All PSX, All SNES

RetroArch Version: 1.7.0

Android Model: Amazon Fire HD8 (2017)

OS: FireOS 5.6.0

#2

I have Retroarch 1.7.0 on my unrootet Fire 7 tablet (version 2015, also known as the $50 tablet). It has Fire OS 5.6.0.1. I have installed all NES and the SNES9X cores and I have no such problems. The only thing I noticed is that the user interface sometimes behaves weird (missing icons, screen turns black) but it’s not too bad. I can live with it. In any case I have no problems with unpacking the assets or cores. I have downloaded it from here https://buildbot.libretro.com/stable/1.7.0/android/.

#3

Thanks for the feedback. Even after factory resetting my tablet, the results are the same.

I suspect that the issue could be that the folder structure is not being built properly with all of the write access or not being built at all.

Did you edit your directory paths or make any changes to the config file?

#4

The only thing that has to be changed is the “allow unknown sources” setting in the system settings. But you have certainly done that, otherwise you could not install the Retroarch app at all.

I haven’t changed anything in the directory structure. And I’ve never touched any files with a text editor. I just installed the APK file with ES-File Explorer and it worked the way it was.

Unfortunately I have no idea what could cause the problem on your device. Especially after you have even done a factory reset.

All I can tell you is that I have also installed Retroarch on another unrootet Fire 7 tablet and on an unrootet Fire TV stick (2. Gen with Alexa) and it always works good. (Though the user interface looks much better on the Fire TV stick and doesn’t has the weird display issues.)

I hope you will soon find a solution for your Fire HD 8.

#5

Thread from the dead!

Doesn’t look like this has been resolved. Just tried this exact procedure on my new HD8 using ES File Explorer and got the same result. I have a feeling this might require root, but the 7th gen HD8 has no known root methods that I could find.