Troubleshooting

Are you having any problems, errors, crashes, games won't load, anything is wrong?

Most of these issues already have a known solution.

Please check the troubleshooting steps below before asking for help in our Discord server.

If none of it helps, here's how to ask for help.

Troubleshooting

Netplay or Not?

First and foremost, if you're using netplay, make sure your issue is related to netplay or not.

• If you're not using netplay, you can skip this question.

To confirm this, disable netplay mode (by clicking Stop Hosting or Disconnect) and try your game again.

If the issue persists, it's not netplay related, continue reading this page.

If the issue is gone after disabling netplay, it is netplay related, refer to the Netplay Troubleshooting page to help you fix your issue.

My game won't load, the console shuts down after 3 seconds

• If you have issues with PlayStation 1 games specifically, skip directly to this section: PlayStation Games Troubleshooting.

• For PlayStation 2 issues, refer to this section: PlayStation 2 Games Troubleshooting.
  
  
• You might be using the wrong file formats for that core. This is the most common cause, please do read the instructions on file formats CAREFULLY at this link.
  To see which file formats are supported for that core, click [List Supported Files] in its Core Options window.
  Additionally, look up the Libretro docs for your core, it will help you figure out what's wrong. Example: https://docs.libretro.com/library/beetle_psx/

• It might be a file permission issue with your installed directory. Try moving it to C:\EmuVR\

• The BIOS files for your core might be missing, incorrectly named, or they're not the correct files.

• Do not download cores using Retroarch. You must use Game Scanner for that. If you already did it through Retroarch, you can fix this in Game Scanner by clicking the [Update Core] button in their Core Options menu.

• Check if you can make the game load properly in retroarch.exe. This means running your Retroarch installation inside your EmuVR folder.
  If a game doesn't load in Retroarch for any reason, it probably won't load in EmuVR either.
  That said, do not test games in retroarch.exe before actually trying them in EmuVR first, this should be the last resort.
  Changing any Retroarch settings can randomly break EmuVR, so avoid running it directly as much as possible. (You can reset them by deleting retroarch.cfg, retroarch-core-options.cfg and the entire Retroarch\config\ folder.

• Finally, try a different core if one is available.

I can't load my PlayStation games!!!

Read this carefully and you'll fix your PS1 games: PlayStation Games Troubleshooting

I have issues with PlayStation 2 games

We also have a dedicated PS2 Troubleshooting section below.

Something is not working and I'm following this Youtube tutorial

• Short answer: If you're having any issues, avoid completely relying on Youtube tutorials and follow this wiki instead.

While videos can help visually with some basic steps, many of them have some wrong instructions that will just waste your time, and all of them will be incomplete.

As soon as the first thing doesn't work, you'll end up having to come back to this guide anyway, specially this page.

This question had to be added here as often #troubleshooting issues in the server end up coming from people following misleading instructions from some video tutorials that, even if with good intentions, can do more harm than good.

Don't download cores using Retroarch

Always use Game Scanner to download cores, and not retroarch.exe.

If it's too late and you've already downloaded them using Retroarch, you can fix it by going into Game Scanner and clicking the [Update Core] button in their Core Options menu to redownload them the right way.

Here's what will be broken if you don't follow this:

• PS2 (PCSX2) will load in EmuVR but your buttons won't do anything.
• NES (FCEUmm) light guns will not work.

There are missing consoles or games in the inventory menu

That means you did not scan your games, or Game Scanner could not detect your games. Check if you've added your game folders correctly, and if your games are in the correct formats supported by your chosen core.

• Each console will show up in the inventory only if there's at least one successfully scanned game for it.

If you've added new games using Game Scanner while EmuVR was running in the background, you'll need to restart EmuVR.

Read this to know more about supported file formats.

My games have no video but I can hear audio

Make sure both EmuVR.exe and retroarch.exe are using your dedicated video card, and not the integrated one. You can check which card is being used in Task Manager. More info on how to fix that in the following links for Nvidia, AMD, or both.

EmuVR does not support integrated graphics (such as "Intel HD xxxx"). You need a dedicated Nvidia or AMD graphics card.

The screen says some firmware .bin file is missing

You're missing your PS1 BIOS files.

Game Scanner keeps disappearing, deleting itself

Whitelist Game Scanner.exe in your antivirus settings, it's a false positive.

Then extract it again if it was deleted.

Everything was working yesterday, but now the games won't work anymore

Try restarting your PC. Seriously. Also, be aware that "shutting down" doesn’t fully shut down Windows 10, make sure to click "Restart".

I can grab objects but can't release them

Vive controllers: You need to start SteamVR before starting EmuVR.

Index or WMR controllers: EmuVR could not apply SteamVR bindings automatically for you, so you'll need to follow the instructions to do that manually here.

My consoles won't turn on, the power button doesn't even click

Make sure you actually see a cable connecting the console to the TV.

If it's connected, then this is usually a file permission issue. Try installing EmuVR into C:\EmuVR\

My games have no audio

If you're using the Oculus Rift with your own third party headphones, you'll need to enable the Don't Use Oculus Audio option in the Settings Menu.

I can't hit any shots with my light guns!

Check if you're using the correct core for light gun games for that system.

EmuVR runs great in desktop mode, but it's slow in VR mode

Try lowering your Graphics Settings, specially Supersampling and Ambient Occlusion.

Try lowering your Oculus and SteamVR supersampling values. Remember that there are two separate supersampling settings in SteamVR, global and per game.

Also, make sure to run start EmuVR using the correct exe as explained in How to Run EmuVR for best performance.

"The patch could not be applied!" error in Game Scanner

If you're installing this in your "Program Files" folder, it might not have write permissions.

Try installing EmuVR into C:\EmuVR\

If that doesn't help:

• Check if you can open your Command Prompt.

• If you can't, try this fix: https://stackoverflow.com/a/5374418

• If you can, try this one: https://stackoverflow.com/a/10246879

I can't extract retroarch.7z completely / it's corrupted

Don't use WinRAR, use 7-Zip.

PlayStation Games

As most questions come from issues with PlayStation 1 games, this special section gathers everything you need to know to fix them. Again, this is only for PS1 games, not PS2.

Most of this information is already in other places in this wiki, but repeated here for convenience.

Please read these steps CAREFULLY before asking for help and it will be very unlikely you'll even need help, or else your answer might be just a link back to this very page again, highlighting what you've missed.

1. Core

Use Beetle PSX instead of PCSX Rearmed, for best compatibility and to actually see the PlayStation intro when starting a game, instead of a flashing red screen. Attention, that's not the "HW" version, it's just "Beetle PSX".

2. No ZIP, 7Z or RAR

You always need to extract your PS1 games.

Otherwise they won't even show up in the inventory.

3. File Format

These are the only supported file extensions: .cue .toc .m3u .ccd .pbp .chd

Notice there's no .ISO there.

4. Cue + Bin files

Cue and Bin files work together.

Cue files are basically just pointers to one or more .bin files.

A .bin file alone does not work without its .cue file.

If you got a .bin file without a .cue file, use this online tool to generate one for you.

If you got a single game with multiple .bin files but no .cue file, that's usually a bad rip, and it might be better to find a different one.

Important: if you ever rename a .bin file, you'll need to open your .cue file in Notepad to fix the pointer to your new file name.

Here's an example for a "Ape Escape (USA).cue" file:

FILE "Ape Escape (USA).bin" BINARY
  TRACK 01 MODE2/2352
    INDEX 01 00:00:00

If you want to rename your .bin file to e.g. "ApeEscape.bin", you'll need to rename that inside the .cue file too.

More info about .cue and .bin files here.

5. No ECM files

ECM files are not supported.

A .bin.ecm file is not a .bin file.

Simply renaming it to .bin won't work. You'll need an actual .bin file.

You could try converting from ecm to bin using a tool like this, or simply get the same game from another rip, with actual .bin files this time.

6. BIOS

You'll need BIOS files to play PlayStation games. Don't ask where to find them, same as ROMs.

If you don't have it, when you try to start a game the TV it will show a message telling you that the file is missing instead.

These are the files you need:

Filename	Description	CRC32 Hash
scph5500.bin	Required for JAPAN region games	FF3EEB8C
scph5501.bin	Required for USA region games	8D8CB7E4
scph5502.bin	Required for EUROPE region games	D786F0B9

They need to be named exactly as shown above.
Notice there's no DASH: it's *not* scph-5501.bin, it's scph5501.bin, delete the dash if you have it.
They're case insensitive, which means either scph5501.bin or SCPH5501.BIN will work.

They should go in this folder: \EmuVR\Retroarch\system\
Example: \EmuVR\Retroarch\system\scph5501.bin

Now, what is that "CRC32 Hash" for?

In the same way that a file named "flower.jpg" could have a dog in it, your "scph5501.bin" file might not actually be the actual file you need on the inside. It could be corrupt or simply the wrong file.

That's why, if you installed 7-zip as required in the Installation Guide, you can simply right click your "scph5501.bin" file, then click "CRC SHA", then "CRC-32". For this example, it should show a small window titled "Checksum information" saying "CRC32: 8D8CB7E4".

That's the code from our table above! If it's a different code for the file you chose, your file is incorrect, and you'll need to find a new BIOS file that matches the one in the table.

7. Finally

Your games must be able to run with Retroarch.exe (the one in your "\EmuVR\Retroarch\" folder).

If it doesn't work there, it won't work in EmuVR with the same core.

If you're 100% sure you followed everything above and it still doesn't work, your PS1 game files could be corrupt, so try finding another rip of the same game again.

8. Extra Info

If you need more information about Beetle PSX, check the official manual for the core, including how to add and swap multiple disc games and much more.

PlayStation 2 Games

The most common issue is missing BIOS or not putting them in the correct folder.

The PS2 core does not support light gun games or netplay.

Keep reading with full attention to know how to fix your PS2 issues.

1. Core

Don't download the core using Retroarch, use Game Scanner only, or else your buttons won't work.

2. No ZIP, 7Z or RAR

You always need to extract your PS2 games.

Otherwise they won't even show up in the inventory.

3. File Format

These are the only supported file extensions: .bin .iso .ciso .img .chd .cso .mdf .nrg .gz

The most common formats are .bin and .iso.

This core does not need .cue files. You don't need to delete them, they'll simply be ignored.

4. BIOS

This is likely your issue.

You'll need BIOS files to play PlayStation 2 games. Don't ask where to find them, same as ROMs.

PS2 BIOS files must be in this folder: EmuVR\Retroarch\system\pcsx2\bios\

* Again, notice it's not ...\pcsx2\bios\ps2_bios\, your .bin files must be in the ...\pcsx2\bios\ folder, there's no additional folder after that.

[TL;DR] Use a USA / NTSC BIOS to be compatible with all games, read below for some examples and notes.

PS2 has dozens of different BIOS files and while they're all technically compatible and not region locked:

• Prefer a USA / NTSC BIOS for better compatibility with all games.
• If you get stuck at the Memory Card / Disc screen, it means you're using a non USA BIOS with an USA game.
• USA BIOS are compatible with every game from all regions. But PAL/Japanese BIOS are only compatible with PAL/Japanese games respectively (or else you'll get stuck at the screen mentioned above).

How to know if my BIOS is USA / NTSC?
Since they can be named anything, here are some common USA filenames to look for:

• SCPH-39001 SCPH-30001 SCPH-30001R SCPH-35001 SCPH-50001 SCPH-70001 SCPH-70011 SCPH-70012 SCPH-75010 SCPH-79001 SCPH-79010 SCPH-90001
• Filenames containing (U), (USA), (NTSC), not (PAL)
• Filenames starting with "ps2-xxxxa-" (not e- or j-). Example: "ps2-0160a-20020207.bin"
• scph10000.bin is never compatible, it will just be ignored.

If you have multiple BIOS files in the folder, the USA BIOS will be used first, and the other files will be ignored.

5. Buttons don't work

Are your PS2 games actually working, but your buttons (besides the analog stick) don't do anything when controlling them?

Don't download cores using Retroarch, use Game Scanner.

You can fix this in Game Scanner by clicking the [Update Core] button for your PS2 folder in its Core Options menu.

I tried everything above but I still have problems, help!

If nothing above helped fixing your issue, you can ask for help in the #troubleshooting channel on our Discord server, and someone will help you figure out how to make it work.

Make sure to check the pins in #troubleshooting to find more information or some quick fixes for temporary issues.

Here are some useful information that you can provide when you ask for help:

• Are you in desktop mode or VR mode?
• Your VR HMD
• Your video card
• Your CPU
• What cores are you using
• What games are you trying to play
• Which troubleshooting steps above have you tried?

Be precise on what's happening for you: "It doesn't work" and "It crashes" won't help.

What exactly is not working? EmuVR? The emulated games? How is it not working?

Does the console turn off after 3 seconds? Do the games run on Retroarch but not in EmuVR?

What steps exactly would you need to do to make the problem happen again?

If anyone asks you to take a screenshot of some of your folders, please enable your file extensions before doing so.