Batocera PC Retro Gaming Setup Guide: PC Gaming from a USB Stick!

[@InsaneBean122]

great video i subscibed , i suffered a stroke years ago and have trouble remembering things often so your videos i can watch again and again through the process is a god send ty very much my friend

[@WagnersTechTalk]

I'm happy to hear that this video is making things easier for you! There is a written guide companion on my website here wagnerstechtalk.com/pc-batocera that might provide another route to memorization assistance, should you need it. Thank you for your kind comment and support it means a lot to me!

[@panicfarm9874]

Helpful is a understatement, this was the best video I’ve seen when it comes to Batocera. Thank you

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Very happy to hear that, thank you for your kind comments! You're very welcome.

[@seromar27]

Very helpful. Tnx for dis video. I wonder where to download those games you have added to batocera. Please "link"

[@sayonakoh6672]

​@@WagnersTechTalkHello, where did you purchase the arcade gun? Just correct me for the right name for it. Thanks.

[@gregghernandez2714]

This is without a doubt one of the best Batocera guides here on KZbin. Concise and very well explained. Thanks!

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Wow, thank you!

[@onebigbadgamer]

This Batocera video helped me create an amazing retro gaming pc system with over 100,000+ games. Thanks.

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Very welcome!

[@schenkbernhard]

Can I copy your USB stick :))) ?

[@LiviuMan]

Can we have the games?

[@MrKrashmoney]

Switched over to batocera today using this guide, much appreciated. Already enjoying batocera way more than my previous OS, Lakka. Lakka was stylish and worked well but had lots of issues with mapping controllers and transferring files over to the system it was installed on. So far this is way easier :D

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Awesome news, glad to hear you are enjoying it! 😎

[@SVBGameAndLiveWallpaper]

Man You Are The Best Batocera guides here on KZbin!

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Thank you for your kind comment and for watching! I ❤ Batocera and the developers!

[@yllib2012]

I made a Batocera build on exactly the same size and model flash drive several months ago. I just recently cloned the build to a 512GB Micro SD card. The clone (upgrade) process is super simple. Clone to larger drive with Balena Etcher and expand the partition to fill full storage capacity on target drive with GParted on any Linux OS or GParted Live USB. There are several partitioning programs to expand the partition in Windows if that's your thing. You can find complete BIOS packs specifically for Batocera builds with a bit of online searching. I generally dump the full BIOS packs into any new build so I don't have to find them later if needed. Most Batocera BIOS packs found online come with very simple instructions on where to put the bios files. I'm working on a similar Retrobat build that does basically the same thing but from inside a Windows OS.

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Good stuff! If anyone needs it, here are some steps to clone a drive: wagnerstechtalk.com/common/#Backup_Clone_a_Drive

[@xantithearsonist6856]

Dude!!! So freaking detailed. I learned a lot from this video. Thanks so much for the time you took to do this. I appreciate you bro.

[@WagnersTechTalk]

I'm glad it was helpful. Thank you for your kind words!

[@aseantravels8772]

I love you man. You're a superstar in my books...

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Thank you brother!

[@UltimateTechHub]

Great Video! Love the portability of the USB stick for gaming on the go!!

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Thank you for checking it out Mike!

[@bill5974]

Having created a few Batocera images recently (I say recently but it takes an extraordinarily long time to compile these images) I have to say that if you're using a reasonably powerful machine and don't want to have to boot from the drive to play retro games like this, then using Retro at is probably a better idea. The setup and config are almost identical to Batocera (both use Emulation station as a base from what I can tell) but with Retrobat, once you have configured it and loaded/scraped all of your rooms etc at you can simply plug in your external drive and run the Retrobat executable in Windows. I've used Batocera to create images for standalone retro gaming mini PC's, and it's great, but I find RB a far easier to manage setup if you want to have windows access quickly and easily etc. Great vid by the way. People who haven't set up one of these from scratch will not understand how much time and effort has to go into the process.

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Thank you Bill, it's funny you mention RetroBat, that's something I've been looking into more already. May see some content on that in the future. Thank you for watching!

[@bill5974]

@@WagnersTechTalk You're welcome. New sub from me too. One of the biggest issues I found was getting hold of romsets that suited my needs: I ended up downloading merged sets and deleting and renaming everything that i wanted to keep so that it was picked up correctly by various scrapers. That in and of itself takes AGES. I also curated the romsets, getting rid of the almost endless clones and games that I was never going to play (mahjong games for example). Keep up the good work.

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Thank you for your support!

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Just fyi - RetroBat video (and guide): kzbin.info/www/bejne/aom5qIKPnpWCZ7c

[@asaf9919]

Amazing tutorial!! i just install Batocera for the first time on my external hard drive 1TB and everything is working! thank you for the Amazing tutorial! :)

[@WagnersTechTalk]

You are very welcome, hope it brings you a lot of enjoyment!

[@chrisumali9841]

Thanks for the demo and info, have a great day

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Thanks, you too!

[@ZeckArriaga]

this video made me subscribe it is very simple and super easy to follow and understand. I feel like you did not waste my time at all thank you.

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Thank you so much for your support! I try not to waste your time and stay focused on the topic at hand.

[@ZeckArriaga]

@@WagnersTechTalk wow! it's rare content creators reply back, usually AI is taking over LOL. I have a question, how can i play guitar hero arcade, daytona arcade, luigis mansion arcade this type of games in batocera? i am using a usb with batocera and booting up in it. i have mario kart DX running on Triforce but i dont know what emulator to use on the others or how to install the emulator i need. I would appreciate your help.

[@matheusbellis]

Wow! A masterclass! Thank you!

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Thanks a lot, I appreciate you watching!

[@z3r0c00l2]

Very nice and detailed guide ☺️. Thank you sir. And happy new year 2025 🎉

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Same to you, and thank you!

[@eddyeffendy_]

my weekend project. can't wait to start on this. thanks!

[@pixplaytips]

thanks bro, well explained i was confused by other videos but this video helped me alot

[@WagnersTechTalk]

You're welcome, glad it helped!

[@bradyseeger]

your videos are awesome! this was the best guide I found. keep up the good work!

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Thank you brother, I really appreciate it!

[@adamcohen69]

8:59 Notes for myself. THank you!

[@cryptojonnyboy3452]

outstanding video mate keep up the good work!

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Thank you so much!

[@nohopeaa-103]

CluTTerfree & Useful One Video Thanks a Bunch 👍👍👍

[@WagnersTechTalk]

You are very welcome, glad it was helpful to you!

[@humanbeingfromearth]

Great video! 😊

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Thank you so much!

[@humanbeingfromearth]

@WagnersTechTalk I learned some cool tricks, and am thankful

[@muzafferturhan]

Nice vid you sound like a cool uncle. Gained a subscriber. 👍

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Thank you kindly, I appreciate your support!

[@TheMavastone]

Thank you very much very well explained:)

[@WagnersTechTalk]

You're very welcome, glad it was helpful!

[@repairstudio4940]

Killed me with that share (Cher) 😂!!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@charismarising]

Whoa I've never seen the like button light up on a video before. 🤯

[@MrRwk314]

This is great thanks for the step by step

[@WagnersTechTalk]

You are very welcome

[@jd5787]

Got the sound to work! I went into Kodi/audio and selected the right HDMI output. Switched in passthrough (same hdmi output). Then in Batocera I had audio output to "auto" and audio profile set to the correct HDMI. Hope this can help others in the future.

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Excellent news and thank you for letting me know what it was! I've added your solution as #7 here: wagnerstechtalk.com/pc-batocera/#Troubleshooting . I and the rest of the community appreciates your contribution!

[@jd5787]

hope it helps someone else in the future! @@WagnersTechTalk

[@DavidPlante78]

**Question** My Batocera is on a live USB install. I boot my PC with Batocera launching from USB. How I'm supposed to copy game? Video seems to imply that the source, where ROMS are located, is from another PC. So I perfectly understand that over the network, we can share files. But Here, the USB is connected to same PC where roms are located. From Windows, I couldn't not access filesystem on Linux USB. And from booting in Batocera, I cannot locate windows files. Can you help me? Thanks!

[@WagnersTechTalk]

I've not tried the exact scenario you describe, but after booting into Batocera, if you press F1 you'll enter a Batocera file manager. If you can see the internal (Windows) drive, you may be able to copy files to Batocera if the drive in question isn't encrypted. I'd recommend backing up your PC before you try anything, just as a precaution. Some additional info here: wagnerstechtalk.com/pc-batocera/#Copy_from_a_USB_Connected_Drive

[@Dexter-jx3ly]

Help! My pc when trying to start the botecera doesn't open

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Please see here for Boot Menu keys for the various machines : wagnerstechtalk.com/pc-batocera/#Enter_the_Boot_Menu . For some troubleshooting points, see here: wagnerstechtalk.com/pc-batocera/#Troubleshooting

[@Dexter-jx3ly]

@@WagnersTechTalk Thank you

[@hamza-hh9vh]

That is great video i have another question can we add ps3 tekken tag 2 game and play on arcade controller

[@WagnersTechTalk]

You can add just about any controller you want. I'd recommend going through the button mapping as shown here to make sure all buttons and sticks are configured correctly.

[@hamza-hh9vh]

@@WagnersTechTalk can we play tekken tag 2?

[@RanNero]

This is a video that you need to save on a hardcopy :):):)..... thanks aaaaa lot !!!!

[@WagnersTechTalk]

You're very welcome, thank you for watching!

[@K74amina]

Thank you so much, bless your heart

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Most welcome and thank you!

[@manishbhansali1968]

Hey, awesome video,. Do i have to boot everytime with usb ? Or can i have windows running and just you know plug the drive and play?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

For Batocera, yes you'll have to boot from the USB stick. Alternatively, you can use Retrobat within Windows. Here's a guide and video for that: wagnerstechtalk.com/retrobat/

[@manishbhansali1968]

@@WagnersTechTalk did you make that guide? Wow bro that's really amazing. I mean the details you have put in. And thanks for the info..this retro bat thing is really good. Happy gaming

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Yes Sir, I have a bunch of guides available for all kinds of tech-related stuff here: wagnerstechtalk.com/guides (Steam Deck, Pi5's, Pinball, Arcade machines, etc.) I appreciate your kind feedback., happy gaming and have a great weekend!

[@kevinwilkinson6048]

great video. any advice on how to change the screen orientation, mine boots at 90 degree angle and cant find how to change tnks

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Thank you Kevin, try : Main Menu -> System Settings -> Screen Rotation -> Set to 90 degrees.

[@aaronharwood5242]

Great vid. Looking to set this up very soon for my retro game station! Two questions: 1. Am I able to streamline the games list from the file menu without corrupting anything? I had a Rasp Pi in the past and when you have every game imaginable it's too difficult to decide what to play! 2. Can I use different controllers? I have USB pads from SNES mini etc. If I get PS, N64 etc pads can I just chop and change easily when I change console emulated? Thanks!

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Thank you! 1. Yes, you can add/remove games from the USB stick, then update the game list. Batocera has a lot of options you can enable to automatically create groups based on vertical games, light gun, etc. 2. Yep, you can remap the controllers and use a mix and match.

[@aaronharwood5242]

@@WagnersTechTalk noice. Thanks you 🙏

[@d.chriss]

Is it possible to make this my main OS on a pc? I think buying a cheap pc and making it an emulation machine could be amazing.

[@WagnersTechTalk]

It is, there is an option to install to the hard drive. I also have another video installing to a hard drive on an older PC here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGKqpJukdr6lf6s

[@Harfinou]

Thanks for this great tutorial ! Is it possible to use a SSD to replace the USB key ? It's to have one system without anything but pure gaming.

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Very welcome, you can certainly do the same with an SSD if you prefer!

[@Harfinou]

Yes, well I found the answer on your site : yes, an SSD can be used, instead an USB key. Overall, I'm playing with it right now : it's amazing, litteraly ! Nothing to do, except making an USB key and fire at will ! In search for roms... XD

[@tehcarnage]

lmao @ cher great tutorial and video btw :)

[@WagnersTechTalk]

😀👍 glad you enjoyed it!

[@panplayer]

Totally new to this. So I really appreciate the detail in this vid! I have some Wii controllers . But I’m assuming there’s no way to boot Batocera and get to the point of setting those up without a wired controller? Can things be set up with a keyboard?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Very welcome, here's some information on the Dolphinbar which will allow using the Wiimotes with Batocera: wiki.batocera.org/systems:wii . You can use the keyboard as well ESC, ENTER, A, etc.

[@panplayer]

Thanks! Also, do I need to format a brand new blank drive? Reason I ask is that I didn’t, and when I look at it in windows, I only see about 9gb of a 128gb drive. But then there’s another lettered drive that says it’s unformatted.

[@danfink8670]

Could this be used for a pinball cab vertically ?? Is that hard to make those changes ?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

This should work for Emulation Station: Main Menu -> System Settings -> Screen Rotation -> Set to 90 degrees. However, depending on the emulator, it may/may not look good rotated. What emulator/core do you plan to use? I came across this guide, you may find it helpful (I've not personally used Batocera in this way): www.reddit.com/r/batocera/comments/1abqxow/the_lazy_batocera_v38_builders_guide_to_visual . Though, something I may try out in the future.

[@queenday15]

for some reason it get stuck on the first launch on 60% but if i reset my pc and try it it opens but its saying ther's no space but i have 1t usb.... strange

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Might want to try another USB stick. I've bought some in the past that weren't legit and had problems with them.

[@queenday15]

@ thanks ! I’ll try although I had batocera full with games but I couldn’t add bios or other files:)

[@kitjesson6361]

Can you use arcade controls with this system? I have sanwa joysticks that connect to an encoder that plugs in via usb to my pc. My pc recognises them and they work with mame.

[@WagnersTechTalk]

They should work fine, yes. I've used a number of control panels with Batocera and the buttons + stocks worked fine.

[@TeachingAviation]

Thanks for the video.

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Very welcome, thank you for watching.

[@Antzmacadamia]

Great guide! Thank you so much. I recently formatted the Share drive to NTFS, so it wouldnt have so much difficulty finding it in windows and i can copy much faster. Do you have any opinion on this?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Very welcome, glad it was helpful to you. NTFS/exFat should be fine for accessing in Windows. One to avoid would be FAT32 as the file sizes are limited to 4GB.

[@Antzmacadamia]

@@WagnersTechTalk thank you! yes I've learned my lesson with it. Batocera wiki says that NTFS is just less reliable than the ext4. I've got a linux system, but the previous build i didnt know how to give access to the ext4 drive for copying. I'd sometimes use F1 in batocera to copy, but just want to be more efficient with it. I'd be copying to another drive first and this is no good for big long transfers. Thanks for your reply!

[@theblackadder8104]

Hey again, my pc got stuck at the Batocera logo (3:57 in your video). I’m trying on a 32Gb sd card before going big, could it be there’s isn’t enough space for batocera to expand?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Make sure if it's plugged in to a USB port that you're using a USB 3.0 (blue) port. If plugged into a USB 2.0 (white) connector, it will be very slow. Also, be sure to give it plenty of time to boot the first time. Depending on the machine, it could just take a long time to boot the first time as everything is getting setup (stick being expanded, all files prepared, etc.). I'd say, if it sat there longer than 30 minutes and still didn't boot there is something wrong. Otherwise, let it sit and see if it comes up. There are a lot of factors that can contribute to a longer initial boot, such as: speed of your PC, speed of the USB port, speed of the USB stick/card itself, etc. 32GB should be fine, you won't have much room for games, perhaps around 16GB but it should work.

[@DB-bb5ll]

Thank you for this video! I'm getting the splash screen, then goes to black with a flashing command prompt on the upper left of the screen. Doesn't respond to any keyboard input. Not sure what's up.

[@richwhite1784]

Great tutorial; followed the guide and I'm seeing a lot of performance issues with slowness running the roms and crackly audio, any ideas? I'm running on my MINI PC, [6GB RAM/120GB ROM Intel Celeron Processor J3455

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Likely has to do with the Celeron processor itself. I used AI to compare your machine to the Pi 5 and in some scenarios, the Pi 5 outperforms (Video on Batocera for the Pi5 here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jYXMdqx8l9SIgLM ). Here's a brief AI overview: Performance: The Raspberry Pi 5 outperforms the Intel J3455 in single-threaded workloads and energy efficiency. However, the J3455 holds an edge in multi-threaded, x86 software compatibility, and certain GPU-accelerated tasks. Efficiency: The Raspberry Pi 5 is significantly more power-efficient and compact. Expandability: Both are versatile but cater to different needs (Raspberry Pi for DIY; J3455 for prebuilt systems). For general-purpose computing or x86 applications, the Intel Celeron J3455 is better. For compact, efficient, and ARM-based projects, the Raspberry Pi 5 is a clear winner.

[@richwhite1784]

@@WagnersTechTalk Thanks for the reply & details. I researched a bit more and it looks like I got it to perform a lot better by changing the video output from 'Auto' to '1920/1080/60hz' and that miraculously solved the sound issue and slowness...maybe something to do with the 'auto' setting changing the higher frequency?

[@AJDRAGON01]

Hi again, By any chance do you know how to set the time in Batocera v39, for the life of me I just can not get it to set right?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

This should help: Go to System Settings Select Timezone Choose your preferred timezone You can also toggle the clock to 12-hour format in the same menu.

[@AJDRAGON01]

@@WagnersTechTalk I trired those, I live in Washington state and I have No idea which of the 200 + options it is that covers my time zone. I have tried several that I thought were right but they were not and when I hooked the internet up it changed again. I wish they had just left it so you could only choose from the 24 time zones.

[@derekswitzer9624]

awesome! so, batocera v36 can run on x86 and steamdeck from the same build? (no need to have a specific base for SteamDeak now?) that's awesome!

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Yes Sir!

[@The_UltimateBruh]

I have a doubt!, if I plugged my Removable device into my laptop, and installed Batocera into that Removable device. So does it remove all data of that Laptop or the Removable Device.? Answering this question to me will be a big help :)

[@WagnersTechTalk]

This video shows you step by step how to setup the USB stick for use with any PC. The data on the laptop/PC remains as-is since it's booting from the USB stick and launching games from it also.

[@The_UltimateBruh]

@WagnersTechTalk It means that the data present on my removable drive will be deleted ?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

@@The_UltimateBruh If you install Batocera to a removable drive (USB stick/SSD/HDD) then yes, all data on that drive will be deleted.

[@The_UltimateBruh]

@@WagnersTechTalk Thnx and By the way , You Earned A subscriber Congrats :) .

[@WagnersTechTalk]

@@The_UltimateBruh Thank you for your kind support!

[@Kinglaowai]

So you install Botecera on a USB 3.0 stick and roms on an external hardrive/network? What kind of drive for roms? SSD? Can you swap game drives? Like if you have a drive for PS3 games and another for PS2/Gamecube?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Actually, you can copy the game files directly to the USB stick (or an external SSD) just like what was shown here. No need to have two if you want to keep it portable from computer-to-computer.

[@TheMisterYassin]

So I have my batocera on a usb and my windows pc is where I have my roms stored. I read your comment earlier about using a linux filesystem for windows, but does that use the storage on the flashdrive as my flashdrive only has 128gb and my pc has 2 tb.

[@WagnersTechTalk]

It uses the storage on the Flash Drive, the video steps you through where to place the files. You can stick with the 128GB and copy some of your stuff or use a larger drive if you prefer.

[@jpfm25]

Hi. Since I only have 1 windows pc (same one that will be used for emulating), is it possible to just load back to windows and transfer the bios files and games directly to the sandisk usb?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Please see #6 here: wagnerstechtalk.com/pc-batocera/#Q_A

[@lancelotjennings1646]

I might have missed it. How do you add new emulators? I copied over the BIOS and ROMS from the download. Was that supposed to add new emulators as well?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

The emulators are pre-installed with Batocera. Once you add your bios+roms, you then update the game list for them to show up. It was mentioned in the video, but here are the steps for a quick reference: wagnerstechtalk.com/pc-batocera/#Update_Game_List

[@md.sabbiriqbal6239]

Hello Do I need usb 3.0 or usb 2.0 also work? Please let me know for my daughter 😊. Thanks

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Either should work just fine (for controllers). For the USB stick itself, I'd recommend USB 3.x for faster transfer speeds.

[@xdsmastermia]

Nobody has made a comparison video. Which one is best batocera, retrobat, launchbox. So which is best for end user?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Everyone is going to have a different opinion, just like when deciding to buy a new car (all get you from point A to point B). A comparison video would likely be very subjective, especially when attempting to answer a question such as "which is best". It really depends on how you want to play the games. There are many other options and platforms to consider also (Handheld devices/Steam Deck, EmuDeck, pi4/5, Recalbox, RetroPie, etc.). It's a tough question, honestly.

[@vijayelectricals2426]

for ps2 emulation which one will be good for performance batocera direct install or PCSX2 emulation on windows 10? (in case of low end pc?)

[@WagnersTechTalk]

I think you'll see better performance with batocera in the case that you describe. Windows 10 will reach the end of support on Oct. 14th 2025, less than a year from now. While with Batocera you won't need to upgrade, unless you want.

[@jdspencer60]

Just know if you use usb, you're going to have stutters no matter how fast your pc is. It's better to flash Batocera to an internal drive if possible

[@WagnersTechTalk]

If it's USB 3.0 (stick and port on the PC), should be just fine. USB 2.0, yes there will be stuttering.

[@jdspencer60]

@@WagnersTechTalk it's 3.0 blue to 3.0 blue. Maybe I'm missing something

[@WagnersTechTalk]

What brand USB stick are you using? Reason I ask, I've bought some that were off-brand that were indeed slow. Also, what type of games are you experiencing stuttering with? It may be an issue with the emulation.

[@Svabby]

​@WagnersTechTalk how about through usb c

[@WagnersTechTalk]

@@Svabby Sure, USB-C will work also.

[@joshin2040]

Great video, would it work with a portable HD like say a 1/2 TB?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Thank you, yes you could use a portable HDD/SSD as well at any capacity you prefer.

[@mrtmiller7993]

Liked and Subscribed. I have a arcade 2 player vertical cocktail cabinet with JAMMA CONNECTORS. How can I utilize this a little more fully to something that would play or work with this? I am guessing I would also need a really nice modern wireless controller since this only has limited buttons, no track ball, etc. Thanks and all the best. Now that I retired I have time to learn again.

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Thank you for subscribing! I haven't personally done a JAMMA conversion, though I do have a JAMMA cabinet (60-in-1) in my shed that needs a new monitor. You could likely pickup a cheap PC and add a JAMMA to USB adapter (looks like there are several on-line, though can't recommend one since I've not personally tried any of them). That way, you wouldn't need to rewire all your buttons, add encoders, etc. Sounds like a fun project!

[@mrtmiller7993]

My cabinet has a Dell PC in it (or at least that is what the splash screen says) Modern build with same 60-1 Jamma situation like you have. I really just don’t know much about the PC side of things and how I would somehow tap into that since all my joysticks and buttons are in the area already wired. I'm more of a pinball machine repair and competitive player. Thanks. Todd@@WagnersTechTalk

[@88digitalelf]

If I download the desktop img, will it boot up Balocera on a Raspberry Pi4. I want setup Balocera on a sata drive and have the option to use either a PC or Raspberry Pi4 to play retro games. Thanks.

[@WagnersTechTalk]

To install to a Pi, you'll need the Batocera Linux OS installed to the Pi itself (microSD, for example). Here's a video for the Pi 5, it will be basically the same only select Pi4 instead of Pi 5 during the installation: wagnerstechtalk.com/rpi5/#Batocera . From there you can use this guide for using your external drive: wiki.batocera.org/store_games_on_a_second_usb_sata_drive

[@ChrisBucklin]

Question. I have a Pi 4 Running a Wolfanoz 12k 128G Batocera image. It works great on the Pi 4. Can I install Batocera on my PC, and then copy the Bios and Rom files from that image, and have it work on my PC? Or do I need to do something else?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

You definitely can.

[@ChrisBucklin]

@@WagnersTechTalk Fantastic. And is it the same with something like Recalbox? can I copy Bios and Rom files from a recalbox image, into Batocera, and have it work? I guess what I am asking is this: are Bios files and roms different from platform to platform (like Recalbox, Batocera, etc...) or can you use the same files no matter what the platform? Thanks for the help.

[@WagnersTechTalk]

@@ChrisBucklin Should be just fine using the same bios and roms.

[@Mc-Snooze]

Great work my man, greetings from Algeria

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Much appreciated!!

[@rstout1152]

Awesome !! thank you so much for your video's !

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Very welcome, glad they are helpful to you!

[@yogi.pangestu]

Hi..can u help me? On my laptop, after the Batocera logo appeared, the emulator list did not appear and only a black screen appeared. only the f2 button can be pressed and it displays the time.

[@WagnersTechTalk]

I've not had this issue, but there were a few that mentioned it to me (but don't recall hearing a solution). See here for some links that will point you in the right direction: wagnerstechtalk.com/pc-batocera/#Resources . Particularly, check out the Batocera Discord and/or subreddit and ask the question there. When you find a solution, please let me know what it was and I'll update the Troubleshooting section to help others in the future.

[@fishface6247]

Ok I have Batocera on an external hard drive and I love it. But I also have a 4TB 2.5" internal hard drive with nothing on it and an old PC with no hard drive. I would like to install batocera on there as well. How can I install a fresh install of Batocera on this drive? I don't have a sata to USB cable or anything like that. Is there a way I can install it? Would the best way to install a portable Windows 10 on a USB drive then boot up with that USB drive then install on the internal hard drive?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

You could use your current Batocera drive to install it to an internal drive. Here's an older video where I demonstrate how to do that: wagnerstechtalk.com/pcretrogaming/#Running_Batocera_on_an_old_Laptop

[@fishface6247]

@@WagnersTechTalk this is exactly what I needed thanks!

[@nintendo1978]

Thank you. Will this run on shield pro?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

I don't own a Shield Pro and can't answer your question based on personal experience. Although, it seems like it may work, please see here: gameroomsolutions.com/the-best-hardware-for-running-batocera-retro-gaming-os/#:~:text=The%20NVIDIA%20Shield%20TV%20Pro,comes%20with%20a%20gaming%20controller.

[@nintendo1978]

@@WagnersTechTalk Thank you

[@Moshware]

Hi Wagner, Where can i download game images, for example for PS1 or Gamboy Advance?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

I can't provide direct links, but read the quoted sections here carefully for hints: wagnerstechtalk.com/pc-batocera/#Transfer_BIOS_and_ROMs

[@Moshware]

@@WagnersTechTalk Thank you Wagner, but is it illegal?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

@@Moshware read the link I have in that section, it explains.

[@Metalkorpse]

Im on my laptop and it's working great. The only thing i can't figure out is how to go back to the menu screen. I want to play another game but i don't know what key to press to get out of the game?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Press SELECT+START at the same time. It should exit the game.

[@Metalkorpse]

@@WagnersTechTalk on a controller? How about my keyboard?

[@davidchavez1330]

How do I exit out of batocera? I did what you said but now I want to revert back to my normal computer and I don’t know how. It sent me to a screen that says UEFI interactive and it’s telling me to press ESC to skip startup but I don’t know what any of that means. Please respond when possible!

[@WagnersTechTalk]

See 16:03, you'll need to re-enable secure boot.

[@felix_kunx]

Excellent

[@johnnywebb8696]

Wait... Im confused now... I have to type in //Batocera on my PC t add roms? Will that automatically detect the OS? and can I just INSTALL bATOCERA ON A m.2 ?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Please see this section in the written guide which goes into more detail for you: wagnerstechtalk.com/pc-batocera/#Transfer_BIOS_and_ROMs

[@aborakan.waleed]

There is no version 37, only version 38, and when you decompress, an erro message appears in the middle of the decompression, and then it completes, I converted several times, so what is the solution?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

At the time of this video, there was a v37. Where are you getting the error, from Etcher? If so, try Pi Imager here: wagnerstechtalk.com/common/#Write_Image_with_Raspberry_Pi_Imager (I've had a handful tell me etcher doesn't work for them)

[@jaafar66]

my pc is i5 3rd gen... just blank screen after batocera logo. must it be higher than 3rd gen?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

It's most likely a display issue, please see this article for more details: wiki.batocera.org/display_issues . If you have an external display connected, try unplugging it and plugging it back in after Batocera boots (with the black screen).

[@NikhchansGaming]

Can this be installed on an SD card? my laptop has a micro sd card slot.

[@WagnersTechTalk]

If the bios on your laptop will allow booting from the microSD, yes.

[@ashropshire7381]

Quick question can I download windows to the USB as well and have the emulator work?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Batocera is it's own operating system and doesn't run under Windows. If you're looking for something that does run under Windows, check out Retrobat here: wagnerstechtalk.com/retrobat/

[@oliverforceofficial]

Will this work plugged on my Nvidia Shield Pro? How good can I expect the performance to be? 🤔

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Sorry, I don't own one and not sure.

[@oliverforceofficial]

@@WagnersTechTalk no problem 🫡

[@Metal-Josh]

I’m having a bit of trouble. I’m running a really old netbook (MSI intel atom N450 1.66 ghz 1.67 ghz, 1 Gb ram, hope that helps) and I’m trying to run Batocera from an SD card. But when I try, I always end up booting into windows. I feel I’m missing a step

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Make sure that your boot device is available and at the top of the boot order in the netbook's BIOS. Here's a quick reference that should help:wagnerstechtalk.com/pc-batocera/#Enter_the_Boot_Menu

[@Metal-Josh]

@@WagnersTechTalk thank you. Honest. I was able to figure out (for whatever reason) this particular netbook wouldn’t read the sd card slot until after windows was up and running and I would have to eject and reinsert the card. However I tried a thumb drive, and I was able to do the install as shown in your video. Thank you all the same The only other issue now, is this netbook struggles to run Batocera, now I’ll experiment with older builds or try a different front end. But thank you again for the videos and reaching out to me to help

[@filevans]

Hello do you know how to fix black screen after the batocera splash anim? I flashed the latest image to a usb stick and that's all I get on startup (PC Laptop with GeForce GTX 1050)

[@KevinS-gf6fw]

I’m failing at stage one. I bought the same 256gb as you. Pc recognises it is this size. I use beleana etcher to copy the Batocera files. It seems to finish but belaena says it failed. The drive is then not appearing on my pc. I unplug it and plug it back in and it appears but the usb flash drive has been split in 2 (Batocera D - 4.04MB free of 6.98GB and USB Drive E- 511 MB free of 511 MB). Why is beleana fail and why does the the pc not recognise the flash drive has much more memory. Any help would be appreciated. I’ve tried it over and over but with the same result! Thank you UPDATE: I managed to get belena to complete the flash successfully and can boot into Batocera now. However, the process has automatically split my usb 256gb flash drive into 2 with the Batocera section only 7gb and the second partition the rest of the drive. Will this be a problem as I look to add new games?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

No, it's normal to have two partitions. Etcher did the right thing and you should be all set. If you have trouble, let me know and I'll help as best I can.

[@dreamleaf6784]

Everytime I try to put this on the USB with etcher, it basically gets done and then says there was a error and the image might be compressed. Idk what I'm doing wrong

[@WagnersTechTalk]

It's not you, a few have had this issue. Please try this method to write the image: wagnerstechtalk.com/common/#Write_Image_with_Raspberry_Pi_Imager . If it works for you, please let me know. There have been about 5+ folks that had a similar issue.

[@dreamleaf6784]

@@WagnersTechTalk okay. I will try it in the morning and report back. Thanks!

[@filevans]

you should put the batocera and etcher download links in the description?!

[@pyroregisvine5523]

is it fine to install it on an hdd while it has some files? "not important files"

[@WagnersTechTalk]

You can, here's an older video on installing Batocera to an internal hdd on an old laptop: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGKqpJukdr6lf6s . Just keep in mind, in this video the entire contents of the hdd is replaced with Batocera.

[@MrMeaney]

hello, i need some help please. i have everything working fine for my laptop, also, when i hdmi port to my tv it works for ps2 and xbox, however, systems like dreamcast just stay black screen on big screen. how can i fix this, hdmi is set on in video settings. ps, i think im on version 38 i believe

[@Superior-Studios]

When you download batocera now, it downloads a winzip file, should i extract it. And also the icon of the download is books instead of rasberry

[@WagnersTechTalk]

You don't need to extract it, it's still a *.img.tz file and etcher knows how to handle it.

[@Superior-Studios]

Thank you!

[@paulinetinsley68]

Can i use an ipac interface instead of a joypad

[@WagnersTechTalk]

You can, you'll just need to map the buttons you'll be using. Same as what was shown here, but using the buttons connected to the ipac.

[@FL_Cordis]

Awesome! What is the recommended size for the USB?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

I used a 256GB in this video, but you can certainly go as high as your budget allows.

[@boncboncki89]

What version be better for ROG Ally? Standard PC or for Steam Deck? I'm not sure bur SD version sounds better

[@WagnersTechTalk]

You can use the PC version. Alternatively, you can use RetroBat in Windows so you don't have to reboot. Here's more information on RetroBat: wagnerstechtalk.com/retrobat/

[@boncboncki89]

@@WagnersTechTalk nah, maybe It's Ally but with BazziteOS ☺️

[@fonzitheman]

The steam deck and X86 64 (PC) is the same image now. They only have them in diff pics for download so its easier for people to know what to download. The ROG Ally I think is same image too but from memory the changelog for v39 says 'initial support' for ROG Ally so its still early support Im guessing.

[@boncboncki89]

@@fonzitheman so in the evening I used ROG Ally for a bit and let me tell you that it works really well. the only problem I encountered when running games from ms dos was when there were more exe files in the game directory than just the executable game file (for example unistall and the like). then, even though Botocera displayed the selection menu, there was no response to arrows or selection buttons.

[@fonzitheman]

@@boncboncki89 Never tried ms dos but Batocera has a pad to key feature so if you plug in a keyboard you can assign keyboard buttons to controller buttons. Dont know how well that works with a handheld PC like Ally or Deck though. But worth looking into if you really want to have those on your Batocera build.

[@Legend_G]

Hey I did the steps and see the Logo on first boot but afterwards it just blackscreens what should I do? pls help

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Please check on the Batocera Discord for this issue: wagnerstechtalk.com/pc-batocera/#Resources . There have been some who have encountered this issue, but no one has let me know what the solution was for them yet.

[@antonyward8075]

I'm Sure There's A Way That Use Can Use Disc Management On The PC And Create A Separate Partition From The C Drive And Format Bacetona Onto It And Still Use Windows Or Bacetona When You Start Your PC So You Have Best Of Both Worlds?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

I do have a video that demonstrates how to do this with an old laptop (one that you don't care about replacing the drive contents) : wagnerstechtalk.com/pcretrogaming/#Running_Batocera_on_an_old_Laptop . I intentionally didn't cover it in this video to avoid any data loss situations.

[@tuwangtv3158]

thank you for nice video

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Very welcome, thank you for watching.

[@KelinGazabı1]

Can I use this on TV? Will it work?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

If you plug it into a PC that is connected to a TV. A PC is required for this.

[@KelinGazabı1]

@@WagnersTechTalk Can I make something like a gamestick? Like flash disk, it can be used on TV without a computer. Also thank you for your reply.

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Depending on what kind of games you want to play, this might fit the bill: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ooWVlXduZp57f7M . Keep in mind, this is not Batocera but running EmuElec instead.

[@jd5787]

thanks for the detailed tutorial!! 1 issue for me: no audio and no option to switch to HDMI audio somehow... anyone had a similar issue please? thank you!

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Try shutting down the PC, powering it back on and see if the option is there. I've not heard of anyone having this specific issue.

[@jd5787]

@@WagnersTechTalk hi! Thanks for the reply! I've been doing that a few times actually but still no joy. I tried to go into Kodi and setup audio there (as apparently that's a know workaround) but it still doesn't work :(. I will report back if I find the solution. By the way, is it poss2to run Switch games on Batocera please? I haven't found "easy" tutorials like yours to enable it. Thanks!

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Thank you, I appreciate you letting me know once you find a solution. I'll add it to the troubleshooting to help others if they run into it. The Yuzu emulator isn't pre-installed by Batocera. There are ways to add it, but I've not personally done that at this point. I have used Yuzu/Switch with RetroBat and it was fairly easy to setup. You can find that video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aom5qIKPnpWCZ7c

[@Hawaiian.AoiTodo_808]

I'm missing emulators even though I added the roms, how do I fix this?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Did you update the game list? If not, here's how: wagnerstechtalk.com/pc-batocera/#Update_Game_List

[@Hawaiian.AoiTodo_808]

@@WagnersTechTalk I figured it out. It wasn't the games list update I realized I had the rom's in the wrong folder. Ex: You can't just place 3ds games in a folder named n3ds, it needs to be in the (3ds) folder. Otherwise it doesn't show up. Or (PS1) needs to be in the PSX folder. Not a folder named PS1* That's how I solved my issue and after updating the games list again they finally appeared.

[@MRB_TV]

WHERE can we download the games like: street figher, tekken etc.? tnx btw

[@WagnersTechTalk]

I can't provide direct links, but see this section: wagnerstechtalk.com/pc-batocera/#Transfer_BIOS_and_ROMs . Pay close attention to quoted areas.

[@savitargod0fspeed290]

Is Batocera coming into an ISO file? i wanna add it to my Ventoy NVME USB Drive.

[@WagnersTechTalk]

The download is an .img file that is written to the drive you want. It can be an NVME drive.

[@maryosep69]

@Wagner's TechTalk can you give me a link to download games like ps3 psp and other retro games

[@WagnersTechTalk]

I can't provide direct links, no. But, read this section for clues: wagnerstechtalk.com/pc-batocera/#Transfer_BIOS_and_ROMs . Pay particular attention to quoted sections.

[@mohanadwael7]

Can My PC Play Xbox Original With This Requirements 8ram Intel i5 660 3.33GHz Intel HD Graphics Its Work well or not

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Not sure, Batocera has this page but doesn't go into minimum requirements for smooth gameplay: wiki.batocera.org/systems:xbox

[@filipealves9032]

Hey love the video !!! Can you tell how many gb is ocupied in the usb flash drive ?

[@WagnersTechTalk]

Thank you Filipe! There are two partitions created by Batocera, the first is the BATOCERA partition (FAT32) which will be about 6GB. The other (SHARE) will be the remaining size of whatever USB stick you use, minus roughly about 500MB (unsure exactly, my drive is populated). I'd recommend a 64-128GB or larger USB stick if you want to play games up to PS1. 256GB-1TB+ for more modern systems but depends on the number and type of games you want to add. In this video, I used a 256GB USB stick.

[@filipealves9032]

@@WagnersTechTalk thank you so much