Worried about having installed wrong RA version

RetroArch Android devices
#1

Hello. New here.

I have a device with ARMv8 aarch64, and manually installed the aarch64 apk. However I hadn’t seen the FAQ, which states that one should always use the more general fat apk instead of arch-specific.

But I’m also noob on Android stuff… If delete all data and uninstall the app from Android’s app manager in Settings, does it really uninstalls cleanly and completely an app, so I can install another version of it from scratch?

Or, if the way to update manually installed apps via apk is just downloading and installing the newer apk, can I do the same by just installing the general apk, even if I installed the arch-specific version?

How does the general fat apk work? I imagine it comes with both versions packed, but does it install both coexisting in the same device, or does it give an option or something?

Finally, what are the arch-specific apks actually for if they’re not supposed to be used?

Thanks for your help.

1 Like
#2

it doesn’t matter much. You’re fine using the 64-bit-only apk. We only suggest the fat one because people often don’t know whether their device is 64-bit capable.

#3

Then what about the part of many cores only running on 32bit, as the FAQ states?

How does the general fat apk work?

#4

There are some cores that run better on 32-bit and there are some cores that are only available for 64-bit, so it’s a give and take. (also, the 32-bit cores are less important now than when that FAQ was written)

The fat apk just has both versions inside and your OS will decide which one to use. If your device is 64-bit-capable, it will use the 64-bit version every time.