Shaders not working in windows 7

RetroArch Windows devices

slammin 9 January 2022 14:20 #1

Frustrating problem. I have a clean installation of windows 7 and a fresh installation of retroarch 1.9.14, but retroarch won’t display glsl shaders. When I swap out my hard drive for another windows 7 hard drive, also a clean install, same clean version of retroarch, all the shaders work fine. It’s the same version of Windows 7, I installed directX on both drives, but don’t remember what else.

Maybe someone can shed some light on this, I’m banging my head against the wall. What does windows 7 need to run the glsl shaders? I’ve reinstalled everything, but can’t get the new drive to display the shaders. What am I missing?

Any help would be appreciated.

hunterk 9 January 2022 14:45 #2

glsl shaders should work fine as long as the default “gl” video driver is active. If they’re failing to load, post a log of the failure and I/we can take a look.

slammin 9 January 2022 16:05 #3

thanks for the reply. Yes, gl video is active.

here’s the log:

[INFO] RetroArch 1.9.14 (Git e954a46) [INFO] === Build ======================================= [INFO] CPU Model Name: Intel® Core™ i5 CPU 760 @ 2.80GHz [INFO] Capabilities: MMX MMXEXT SSE SSE2 SSE3 SSSE3 SSE4 SSE4.2 [INFO] Built: Dec 6 2021 [INFO] Version: 1.9.14 [INFO] Git: e954a46 [INFO] ================================================= [INFO] [Input]: Found input driver: “dinput”. [INFO] [Environ]: SET_PIXEL_FORMAT: RGB565. [INFO] [Core]: Version of libretro API: 1, Compiled against API: 1 [INFO] [Audio]: Set audio input rate to: 48000.00 Hz. [INFO] [Video]: Set video size to: fullscreen. [INFO] [GL]: Found GL context: “wgl”. [INFO] [GL]: Detecting screen resolution: 1680x1050. [INFO] [WGL]: Extensions: WGL_ARB_extensions_string WGL_ARB_pixel_format WGL_ATI_pixel_format_float WGL_ARB_pixel_format_float WGL_ARB_multisample WGL_EXT_swap_control WGL_EXT_swap_control_tear WGL_ARB_pbuffer WGL_ARB_render_texture WGL_ARB_make_current_read WGL[INFO] [WGL]: Adaptive VSync supported. [INFO] [GL]: Vendor: ATI Technologies Inc., Renderer: ATI Radeon HD 5700 Series (CRT Emudriver - WDDM v1.20). [INFO] [GL]: Version: 4.2.11653 Compatibility Profile Context. [INFO] [GL]: Using resolution 1680x1050. [INFO] [GL]: Default shader backend found: glsl. [INFO] [Shader driver]: Using GLSL shader backend. [INFO] [GLSL]: Checking GLSL shader support … [WARN] [GL]: Stock GLSL shaders will be used. [INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL vertex shader. [INFO] Shader log: Vertex shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL fragment shader. [INFO] Shader log: Fragment shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Linking GLSL program. [INFO] Linker log: Vertex shader(s) linked, fragment shader(s) linked.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL vertex shader. [INFO] Shader log: Vertex shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL fragment shader. [INFO] Shader log: Fragment shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Linking GLSL program. [INFO] Linker log: Vertex shader(s) linked, fragment shader(s) linked.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL vertex shader. [INFO] Shader log: Vertex shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL fragment shader. [INFO] Shader log: Fragment shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Linking GLSL program. [INFO] Linker log: Vertex shader(s) linked, fragment shader(s) linked.

[INFO] [GL]: Using 4 textures. [INFO] [GL]: Loaded 1 program(s). [INFO] [XInput]: Found XInput v1.3. [INFO] [Joypad]: Found joypad driver: “dinput”. [INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: “freetype”. [INFO] [Video]: Found display server: “win32”. [INFO] [XAudio2]: Requesting 64 ms latency, using 64 ms latency. [INFO] [Display]: Found display driver: “gl”. [INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: “freetype”. [INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: “freetype”. [INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: “freetype”. [INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: “freetype”. [INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: “freetype”. [INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: “freetype”. [INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: “freetype”. [INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: “freetype”. [INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: “freetype”. [INFO] [SRAM]: SRAM will not be saved. [INFO] [Playlist]: Loading history file: “C:\Users\H-Arcade\Downloads\RetroArch\RetroArch-Win64\content_history.lpl”. [INFO] [Playlist]: Loading history file: “C:\Users\H-Arcade\Downloads\RetroArch\RetroArch-Win64\content_music_history.lpl”. [INFO] [Playlist]: Loading history file: “C:\Users\H-Arcade\Downloads\RetroArch\RetroArch-Win64\content_video_history.lpl”. [INFO] [Playlist]: Loading history file: “C:\Users\H-Arcade\Downloads\RetroArch\RetroArch-Win64\content_image_history.lpl”. [INFO] [Playlist]: Loading favorites file: “C:\Users\H-Arcade\Downloads\RetroArch\RetroArch-Win64\content_favorites.lpl”. [INFO] [Core]: Using content: “C:\Users\H-Arcade\Downloads\Home Alone (USA, Europe).zip”. [INFO] [Core]: Content ran for a total of: 00 hours, 00 minutes, 00 seconds. [INFO] [Core]: Unloading core… [INFO] [Core]: Unloading core symbols… [INFO] [Video]: Does not have enough samples for monitor refresh rate estimation. Requires to run for at least 4096 frames. [INFO] RetroArch 1.9.14 (Git e954a46) [INFO] === Build ======================================= [INFO] CPU Model Name: Intel® Core™ i5 CPU 760 @ 2.80GHz [INFO] Capabilities: MMX MMXEXT SSE SSE2 SSE3 SSSE3 SSE4 SSE4.2 [INFO] Built: Dec 6 2021 [INFO] Version: 1.9.14 [INFO] Git: e954a46 [INFO] ================================================= [INFO] [Input]: Found input driver: “dinput”. [INFO] [Core]: Loading dynamic libretro core from: “C:\Users\H-Arcade\Downloads\RetroArch\RetroArch-Win64\cores\gambatte_libretro.dll” [INFO] [Overrides]: No core-specific overrides found at “C:\Users\H-Arcade\Downloads\RetroArch\RetroArch-Win64\config\Gambatte\Gambatte.cfg”. [INFO] [Overrides]: No content-dir-specific overrides found at “C:\Users\H-Arcade\Downloads\RetroArch\RetroArch-Win64\config\Gambatte\Downloads.cfg”. [INFO] [Overrides]: No game-specific overrides found at “C:\Users\H-Arcade\Downloads\RetroArch\RetroArch-Win64\config\Gambatte\Home Alone (USA, Europe).cfg”. [INFO] [Environ]: GET_CORE_OPTIONS_VERSION. [INFO] [Environ]: GET_LANGUAGE: “0”. [INFO] [Environ]: RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_CORE_OPTIONS_V2_INTL. [INFO] [Environ]: GET_VFS_INTERFACE. Core requested version >= V1, providing V3. [INFO] [Remaps]: Remap directory: “C:\Users\H-Arcade\Downloads\RetroArch\RetroArch-Win64\config\remaps”. [INFO] [Overrides]: Redirecting save file to “C:\Users\H-Arcade\Downloads\RetroArch\RetroArch-Win64\saves\Home Alone (USA, Europe).srm”. [INFO] [Overrides]: Redirecting save state to “C:\Users\H-Arcade\Downloads\RetroArch\RetroArch-Win64\states\Home Alone (USA, Europe).state”. [INFO] [Environ]: GET_LOG_INTERFACE. [INFO] [Environ]: PERFORMANCE_LEVEL: 4. [INFO] [Environ]: GET_MESSAGE_INTERFACE_VERSION. [INFO] [Environ]: GET_LANGUAGE: “0”. [INFO] [Content]: Loading content file: “C:\Users\H-Arcade\Downloads\Home Alone (USA, Europe).zip#Home Alone (USA, Europe).gb”. [INFO] [Content]: Did not find a valid content patch. [INFO] [Content]: CRC32: 0x8efc8434. [INFO] [Environ]: GET_CAN_DUPE: true [INFO] [Environ]: GET_RUMBLE_INTERFACE. [libretro INFO] [Gambatte] Rumble environment supported. [INFO] [Environ]: SET_INPUT_DESCRIPTORS: [INFO] [Environ]: SET_PIXEL_FORMAT: RGB565. [INFO] [Environ]: SYSTEM_DIRECTORY: “C:\Users\H-Arcade\Downloads\RetroArch\RetroArch-Win64\system”. [libretro INFO] [Gambatte] MBC1 ROM loaded. [libretro INFO] [Gambatte] rambanks: 0 [libretro INFO] [Gambatte] rombanks: 8 [INFO] [Environ]: SYSTEM_DIRECTORY: “C:\Users\H-Arcade\Downloads\RetroArch\RetroArch-Win64\system”. [libretro INFO] [Gambatte] Got internal game name: HOME ALONE. [INFO] [Environ]: SET_MEMORY_MAPS. [INFO] ndx flags ptr offset start select disconn len addrspace [INFO] 001 M1A1bc 000000000e8052a0 00000000 0000C000 FFFFF000 00000000 00001000 [INFO] 002 M1A1bc 000000000e8062a0 00000000 0000D000 FFFFF000 00000000 00001000 [INFO] 003 M1A1bc 0000000003a6d750 00000000 0000FF80 FFFFFF80 00000000 00000080 [INFO] 004 M1A1bc 000000000e8012a0 00000000 00008000 FFFFE000 00000000 00002000 [INFO] 005 M1A1bc 0000000003a6d5d0 00000000 0000FE00 FFFFFFE0 00000000 000000A0 [INFO] 006 M1A1bC 000000000e7e12a0 00000000 00000000 FFFFC000 00000000 00004000 [INFO] 007 M1A1bC 000000000e7e52a0 00000000 00004000 FFFFC000 00000000 00004000 [INFO] 008 M1A1bc 0000000003a6d5d0 00000100 0000FF00 FFFFFF80 00000000 00000080 [INFO] [Environ]: SET_SUPPORT_ACHIEVEMENTS: yes. [INFO] [SRAM]: Skipping SRAM load. [INFO] [Core]: Version of libretro API: 1, Compiled against API: 1 [INFO] [Audio]: Set audio input rate to: 32917.50 Hz. [INFO] [Video]: Set video size to: fullscreen. [INFO] [GL]: Found GL context: “wgl”. [INFO] [GL]: Detecting screen resolution: 1680x1050. [INFO] [WGL]: Extensions: WGL_ARB_extensions_string WGL_ARB_pixel_format WGL_ATI_pixel_format_float WGL_ARB_pixel_format_float WGL_ARB_multisample WGL_EXT_swap_control WGL_EXT_swap_control_tear WGL_ARB_pbuffer WGL_ARB_render_texture WGL_ARB_make_current_read WGL[INFO] [WGL]: Adaptive VSync supported. [INFO] [GL]: Vendor: ATI Technologies Inc., Renderer: ATI Radeon HD 5700 Series (CRT Emudriver - WDDM v1.20). [INFO] [GL]: Version: 4.2.11653 Compatibility Profile Context. [INFO] [GL]: Using resolution 1680x1050. [INFO] [GL]: Default shader backend found: glsl. [INFO] [Shader driver]: Using GLSL shader backend. [INFO] [GLSL]: Checking GLSL shader support … [WARN] [GL]: Stock GLSL shaders will be used. [INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL vertex shader. [INFO] Shader log: Vertex shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL fragment shader. [INFO] Shader log: Fragment shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Linking GLSL program. [INFO] Linker log: Vertex shader(s) linked, fragment shader(s) linked.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL vertex shader. [INFO] Shader log: Vertex shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL fragment shader. [INFO] Shader log: Fragment shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Linking GLSL program. [INFO] Linker log: Vertex shader(s) linked, fragment shader(s) linked.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL vertex shader. [INFO] Shader log: Vertex shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL fragment shader. [INFO] Shader log: Fragment shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Linking GLSL program. [INFO] Linker log: Vertex shader(s) linked, fragment shader(s) linked.

[INFO] [GL]: Using 4 textures. [INFO] [GL]: Loaded 1 program(s). [INFO] [Joypad]: Found joypad driver: “dinput”. [INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: “freetype”. [INFO] [Video]: Found display server: “win32”. [INFO] [XAudio2]: Requesting 64 ms latency, using 64 ms latency. [INFO] [Display]: Found display driver: “gl”. [INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: “freetype”. [INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: “freetype”. [INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: “freetype”. [INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: “freetype”. [INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: “freetype”. [INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: “freetype”. [INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: “freetype”. [INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: “freetype”. [INFO] [Font]: Using font rendering backend: “freetype”. [INFO] [Playlist]: Loading history file: “C:\Users\H-Arcade\Downloads\RetroArch\RetroArch-Win64\content_history.lpl”. [INFO] [Playlist]: Loading history file: “C:\Users\H-Arcade\Downloads\RetroArch\RetroArch-Win64\content_music_history.lpl”. [INFO] [Playlist]: Loading history file: “C:\Users\H-Arcade\Downloads\RetroArch\RetroArch-Win64\content_video_history.lpl”. [INFO] [Playlist]: Loading history file: “C:\Users\H-Arcade\Downloads\RetroArch\RetroArch-Win64\content_image_history.lpl”. [INFO] [Playlist]: Loading favorites file: “C:\Users\H-Arcade\Downloads\RetroArch\RetroArch-Win64\content_favorites.lpl”. [INFO] [Shader driver]: Using GLSL shader backend. [INFO] [GLSL]: Checking GLSL shader support … [INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL vertex shader. [INFO] Shader log: Vertex shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL fragment shader. [INFO] Shader log: Fragment shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Linking GLSL program. [INFO] Linker log: Vertex shader(s) linked, fragment shader(s) linked.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL vertex shader. [INFO] Shader log: Vertex shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL fragment shader. [INFO] Shader log: Fragment shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Linking GLSL program. [INFO] Linker log: Vertex shader(s) linked, fragment shader(s) linked.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL vertex shader. [INFO] Shader log: Vertex shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL fragment shader. [INFO] Shader log: Fragment shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Linking GLSL program. [INFO] Linker log: Vertex shader(s) linked, fragment shader(s) linked.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL vertex shader. [INFO] [GLSL]: Using GLSL version 120. [INFO] Shader log: Vertex shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL fragment shader. [INFO] [GLSL]: Using GLSL version 120. [INFO] Shader log: Fragment shader failed to compile with the following errors: [ERROR] Failed to compile fragment shader #2 [ERROR] Failed to link program #2. [ERROR] Failed to create GL program #2. [INFO] [GLSL]: Checking GLSL shader support … [WARN] [GL]: Stock GLSL shaders will be used. [INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL vertex shader. [INFO] Shader log: Vertex shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL fragment shader. [INFO] Shader log: Fragment shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Linking GLSL program. [INFO] Linker log: Vertex shader(s) linked, fragment shader(s) linked.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL vertex shader. [INFO] Shader log: Vertex shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL fragment shader. [INFO] Shader log: Fragment shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Linking GLSL program. [INFO] Linker log: Vertex shader(s) linked, fragment shader(s) linked.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL vertex shader. [INFO] Shader log: Vertex shader was successfully compiled to run on hardware.

[INFO] [GLSL]: Found GLSL fragment shader. [INFO] Shader log: Fragment shader failed to compile with the following errors: [ERROR] Failed to compile fragment shader #63 [ERROR] Failed to link program #63. [WARN] [GL]: Failed to set multipass shader. Falling back to stock. [INFO] [Config]: Saved new config to “C:\Users\H-Arcade\Downloads\RetroArch\RetroArch-Win64\retroarch.cfg”. [INFO] [Core]: Content ran for a total of: 00 hours, 00 minutes, 04 seconds. [INFO] [Runtime]: Saving runtime log file: “C:\Users\H-Arcade\Downloads\RetroArch\RetroArch-Win64\playlists\logs\Gambatte\Home Alone (USA, Europe).lrtl”. [INFO] [Core]: Unloading game… [INFO] [Core]: Unloading core… [INFO] [Core]: Unloading core symbols… [INFO] [Core]: Saved core options file to “C:\Users\H-Arcade\Downloads\RetroArch\RetroArch-Win64\config\Gambatte\Gambatte.opt”.

hunterk 9 January 2022 16:08 #4

Ah, nice, thanks for the log. Unfortunately, it’s not passing the compiler error directly, just saying that it failed.

Which shader are you trying to use? Have you tried any others?

slammin 9 January 2022 16:29 #5

yes, I tried others with the same results. either a black screen or the handheld overlay shows, but the screen is blank…I think Ill just install windows 10 at this point. It’s definitely something in windows since it works under the exact settings on my other windows 7 drive. Their must be some files in windows that are missing on this drive. Interestingly, the drive that it works on has a clean install of windows 7 over top of an older install from 2009. The drive that it doesnt work on was formatted first. Im thinking that when windows was installed on over top of the previous install some files were kept, maybe some common files? And they persisted into the new install which is why it works on that drive…I can’t think of any other reason. Installing windows 7 now is unsupported and it’s a pain to get any drivers installed. Lot’s of errors and problems even to install directX…

more of a pain than its worth.

slammin 9 January 2022 20:31 #6

OK, just wanted to post an update.

I installed windows 10 and the shaders still don’t work. I’m specifically trying the gameboy handheld /console borders/dmg shaders. The shaders do work with my video card on another computer.

hunterk 9 January 2022 22:37 #7

any change in the log?

slammin 17 January 2022 23:25 #8

Ok, just wanted to post an update. Shaders started working after windows 10 updated. However, even with windows 7 updated, I am unable to get shaders to work on my new, formatted install. Only my older hard drive that I installed windows 7 over top of an existing install works with shaders. Something is missing in windows, but I cant figure out what.

1 Like

GemaH 18 January 2022 04:30 #9

Maybe theres something missing from the display drivers that the system can’t detect and doesn’t update correctly. Uninstall the display drivers using DDU in safe mode. Then reinstall the correct drivers for Windows 7 again after the restart.

slammin 18 January 2022 14:04 #10

Thank you for suggestion. I just tried what you said, but unfortunately the shaders still don’t work.

1 Like

Duimon 23 February 2022 19:42 #11

Have you tried a non modified driver?

Maybe the stock driver installs something that the modified driver lacks.

If it works with the stock driver you can try installing the modified after.

1 Like