R36S Problems and Troubleshooting: Difference between revisions

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  |title=R36S Problems and Troubleshooting
  |title=R36S Problems and Troubleshooting
  |description=Guide for fixing common problems with the R36S retro handheld.
  |description=Guide for fixing common problems with the R36S retro handheld.
  |keywords=R36S, K36, clone, clones, handheld, emuelec, arkos, rocknix, black screen, white line, game not saving, pokemon save failed, no gamepads detected, no systems found, sd card, dtb, Blinking Line, Blinking Cursor, boot, booting, error, problem, retroarch, stuck}}{{R36S Handheld Wiki page navigation new}}{{TOC|limit=1}}
  |keywords=R36S, K36, clone, clones, handheld, emuelec, arkos, rocknix, black screen, white line, game not saving, pokemon save failed, no gamepads detected, no systems found, sd card, dtb, Blinking Line, Blinking Cursor, boot, booting, error, problem, retroarch, stuck}}{{R36S Handheld Wiki page navigation new}}{{TOC|limit=1}}{{SectionStyleStart}}
 
<div style="max-width: 100%; margin: 1.5em auto; padding: 1em; border-radius: 12px; background: linear-gradient(145deg, #ffffff, #f3f3f3); border: 1px solid #ccc; box-shadow: 0 3px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.07); font-family: sans-serif; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">
== Stock SD Cards ==
== Stock SD Cards ==


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{{Notice|Not every card will work in the TF2 (roms) slot}}
{{Notice|Not every card will work in the TF2 (roms) slot}}
</div>
<div style="max-width: 100%; margin: 1.5em auto; padding: 1em; border-radius: 12px; background: linear-gradient(145deg, #ffffff, #f3f3f3); border: 1px solid #ccc; box-shadow: 0 3px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.07); font-family: sans-serif; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">


{{SectionStyleEnd}}
{{SectionStyleStart}}
== Hardware clones ==
== Hardware clones ==


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{{Clickable button 3|[[R36S Clones|↪ R36S Clones]]}}
{{Clickable button 3|[[R36S Clones|↪ R36S Clones]]}}
</div>


<div style="max-width: 100%; margin: 1.5em auto; padding: 1em; border-radius: 12px; background: linear-gradient(145deg, #ffffff, #f3f3f3); border: 1px solid #ccc; box-shadow: 0 3px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.07); font-family: sans-serif; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">
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== Black Screen ==
== Black Screen ==


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{{Clickable button 3|[[R36S_Guides_Tutorials_HowTos#Video_Guides_-_Tutorials_-_How-To's|↪ Firmware Flashing Guide]]}}
{{Clickable button 3|[[R36S_Guides_Tutorials_HowTos#Video_Guides_-_Tutorials_-_How-To's|↪ Firmware Flashing Guide]]}}
</div>
<div style="max-width: 100%; margin: 1.5em auto; padding: 1em; border-radius: 12px; background: linear-gradient(145deg, #ffffff, #f3f3f3); border: 1px solid #ccc; box-shadow: 0 3px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.07); font-family: sans-serif; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">


{{SectionStyleEnd}}
{{SectionStyleStart}}
== Stuck During Loading Emulationstation ==
== Stuck During Loading Emulationstation ==


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{{Clickable button 3|[[R36S_Guides_Tutorials_HowTos#Video_Guides_-_Tutorials_-_How-To's|↪ Firmware Flashing Guide]]}}
{{Clickable button 3|[[R36S_Guides_Tutorials_HowTos#Video_Guides_-_Tutorials_-_How-To's|↪ Firmware Flashing Guide]]}}
</div>
<div style="max-width: 100%; margin: 1.5em auto; padding: 1em; border-radius: 12px; background: linear-gradient(145deg, #ffffff, #f3f3f3); border: 1px solid #ccc; box-shadow: 0 3px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.07); font-family: sans-serif; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">


{{SectionStyleEnd}}
{{SectionStyleStart}}
== White Lines ==
== White Lines ==


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{{Clickable button 3|[[R36S_Guides_Tutorials_HowTos#Video_Guides_-_Tutorials_-_How-To's|↪ Firmware Flashing Guide]]}}
{{Clickable button 3|[[R36S_Guides_Tutorials_HowTos#Video_Guides_-_Tutorials_-_How-To's|↪ Firmware Flashing Guide]]}}
</div>
<div style="max-width: 100%; margin: 1.5em auto; padding: 1em; border-radius: 12px; background: linear-gradient(145deg, #ffffff, #f3f3f3); border: 1px solid #ccc; box-shadow: 0 3px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.07); font-family: sans-serif; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">


{{SectionStyleEnd}}
{{SectionStyleStart}}
== Small Blinking Line / Blinking Cursor ==
== Small Blinking Line / Blinking Cursor ==


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{{Clickable button 3|[[R36S_Guides_Tutorials_HowTos#Video_Guides_-_Tutorials_-_How-To's|↪ Firmware Flashing Guide]]}}
{{Clickable button 3|[[R36S_Guides_Tutorials_HowTos#Video_Guides_-_Tutorials_-_How-To's|↪ Firmware Flashing Guide]]}}
</div>
<div style="max-width: 100%; margin: 1.5em auto; padding: 1em; border-radius: 12px; background: linear-gradient(145deg, #ffffff, #f3f3f3); border: 1px solid #ccc; box-shadow: 0 3px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.07); font-family: sans-serif; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">


{{SectionStyleEnd}}
{{SectionStyleStart}}
== Themes Keep Disappearing ==
== Themes Keep Disappearing ==


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{{Clickable button 3|[[R36S_Guides_Tutorials_HowTos#Video_Guides_-_Tutorials_-_How-To's|↪ Firmware Flashing Guide]]}}
{{Clickable button 3|[[R36S_Guides_Tutorials_HowTos#Video_Guides_-_Tutorials_-_How-To's|↪ Firmware Flashing Guide]]}}
</div>
<div style="max-width: 100%; margin: 1.5em auto; padding: 1em; border-radius: 12px; background: linear-gradient(145deg, #ffffff, #f3f3f3); border: 1px solid #ccc; box-shadow: 0 3px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.07); font-family: sans-serif; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">


{{SectionStyleEnd}}
{{SectionStyleStart}}
== Stuck on Boot ==
== Stuck on Boot ==


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{{Clickable button 3|[[R36S_Guides_Tutorials_HowTos#Video_Guides_-_Tutorials_-_How-To's|↪ Firmware Flashing Guide]]}}
{{Clickable button 3|[[R36S_Guides_Tutorials_HowTos#Video_Guides_-_Tutorials_-_How-To's|↪ Firmware Flashing Guide]]}}
</div>
<div style="max-width: 100%; margin: 1.5em auto; padding: 1em; border-radius: 12px; background: linear-gradient(145deg, #ffffff, #f3f3f3); border: 1px solid #ccc; box-shadow: 0 3px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.07); font-family: sans-serif; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">


{{SectionStyleEnd}}
{{SectionStyleStart}}
== Stuck in RetroArch ==
== Stuck in RetroArch ==


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<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:349221003-d528274f-7df7-4269-afe2-cb7f9f004c74.jpg|thumb|none|300px|Hold B button during boot to enter this menu (ArkOS)]] </li>
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:349221003-d528274f-7df7-4269-afe2-cb7f9f004c74.jpg|thumb|none|300px|Hold B button during boot to enter this menu (ArkOS)]] </li>
</ul></div>
</ul></div>
</div>


<div style="max-width: 100%; margin: 1.5em auto; padding: 1em; border-radius: 12px; background: linear-gradient(145deg, #ffffff, #f3f3f3); border: 1px solid #ccc; box-shadow: 0 3px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.07); font-family: sans-serif; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">
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== No Gamepads Detected ==
== No Gamepads Detected ==


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{{Clickable button 3|[[R36S_Guides_Tutorials_HowTos#Video_Guides_-_Tutorials_-_How-To's|↪ Firmware Flashing Guide]]}}
{{Clickable button 3|[[R36S_Guides_Tutorials_HowTos#Video_Guides_-_Tutorials_-_How-To's|↪ Firmware Flashing Guide]]}}
</div>
<div style="max-width: 100%; margin: 1.5em auto; padding: 1em; border-radius: 12px; background: linear-gradient(145deg, #ffffff, #f3f3f3); border: 1px solid #ccc; box-shadow: 0 3px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.07); font-family: sans-serif; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">


{{SectionStyleEnd}}
{{SectionStyleStart}}
== Joystick Problems - Stick Drift ==
== Joystick Problems - Stick Drift ==


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<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:348526780-8b9727dc-568b-4807-aaf7-ff2a8a7d986d.jpg|thumb|none|200px|connector cable]] </li>
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:348526780-8b9727dc-568b-4807-aaf7-ff2a8a7d986d.jpg|thumb|none|200px|connector cable]] </li>
</ul></div>
</ul></div>
</div>


<div style="max-width: 100%; margin: 1.5em auto; padding: 1em; border-radius: 12px; background: linear-gradient(145deg, #ffffff, #f3f3f3); border: 1px solid #ccc; box-shadow: 0 3px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.07); font-family: sans-serif; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">
{{SectionStyleEnd}}
{{SectionStyleStart}}
== Saving not working / Can't save / Stuck at saving ==
== Saving not working / Can't save / Stuck at saving ==


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{{Clickable button 3|[[R36S_Guides_Tutorials_HowTos#Video_Guides_-_Tutorials_-_How-To's|↪ Firmware Flashing Guide]]}}
{{Clickable button 3|[[R36S_Guides_Tutorials_HowTos#Video_Guides_-_Tutorials_-_How-To's|↪ Firmware Flashing Guide]]}}
</div>


<div style="max-width: 100%; margin: 1.5em auto; padding: 1em; border-radius: 12px; background: linear-gradient(145deg, #ffffff, #f3f3f3); border: 1px solid #ccc; box-shadow: 0 3px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.07); font-family: sans-serif; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">
{{SectionStyleEnd}}
{{SectionStyleStart}}
== Emulator Settings Keep Resetting ==
== Emulator Settings Keep Resetting ==


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</ul></div>
</ul></div>
{{Clickable button 3|[[R36S_Clones#Custom_Firmware_for_the_EmuELEC_Clone|↪ Custom Firmware for the EmuELEC Clone]]}}
{{Clickable button 3|[[R36S_Clones#Custom_Firmware_for_the_EmuELEC_Clone|↪ Custom Firmware for the EmuELEC Clone]]}}
</div>
<div style="max-width: 100%; margin: 1.5em auto; padding: 1em; border-radius: 12px; background: linear-gradient(145deg, #ffffff, #f3f3f3); border: 1px solid #ccc; box-shadow: 0 3px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.07); font-family: sans-serif; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">


{{SectionStyleEnd}}
{{SectionStyleStart}}
== Stuck During Boot (EmuELEC clone) ==
== Stuck During Boot (EmuELEC clone) ==


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</ul></div>
</ul></div>
{{Clickable button 3|[[R36S_Clones#Custom_Firmware_for_the_EmuELEC_Clone|↪ Custom Firmware for the EmuELEC Clone]]}}
{{Clickable button 3|[[R36S_Clones#Custom_Firmware_for_the_EmuELEC_Clone|↪ Custom Firmware for the EmuELEC Clone]]}}
</div>
<div style="max-width: 100%; margin: 1.5em auto; padding: 1em; border-radius: 12px; background: linear-gradient(145deg, #ffffff, #f3f3f3); border: 1px solid #ccc; box-shadow: 0 3px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.07); font-family: sans-serif; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">


{{SectionStyleEnd}}
{{SectionStyleStart}}
== Red blinking light during boot (EmuELEC clone) ==
== Red blinking light during boot (EmuELEC clone) ==


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{{Clickable button 3|[[R36S_Clones#Custom_Firmware_for_the_EmuELEC_Clone|↪ Custom Firmware for the EmuELEC Clone]]}}
{{Clickable button 3|[[R36S_Clones#Custom_Firmware_for_the_EmuELEC_Clone|↪ Custom Firmware for the EmuELEC Clone]]}}
</div>
<div style="max-width: 100%; margin: 1.5em auto; padding: 1em; border-radius: 12px; background: linear-gradient(145deg, #ffffff, #f3f3f3); border: 1px solid #ccc; box-shadow: 0 3px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.07); font-family: sans-serif; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">


{{SectionStyleEnd}}
{{SectionStyleStart}}
== Missing dtb file on SD card (EmuELEC clone) ==
== Missing dtb file on SD card (EmuELEC clone) ==
<div><ul>  
<div><ul>  
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{{Clickable button 3|[[R36S_Clones|↪ R36S Clones]]}}
{{Clickable button 3|[[R36S_Clones|↪ R36S Clones]]}}
</div>
 
{{SectionStyleEnd}}


{{R36S sd card}}
{{R36S sd card}}

Revision as of 03:06, 1 June 2025

Stock SD Cards

  • stock SD cards
  • stock SD cards

There have also been reports of these cheap cards overheating and destroying the screen.

✅ Solution

Use quality/branded microSD cards. Please refer to the SD Cards section and Compatibility List or check out the buying guide.

↪ R36S Buying Guide

ℹ️
Info
Not every card will work in the TF2 (roms) slot

Hardware clones

A lot of problems are caused by Hardware clones. Those "fake" EmuELEC R36S are basically a different device in the R36S shell.

See the R36S Clones page for how to know if you have a clone, working custom firmwares and more info.

↪ R36S Clones

Black Screen

⚠️ Cause

Wrong "device tree blob" files (.dtb) in the BOOT partition. There are at least 5 different screen versions for the R36S.

✅ Solution (ArkOS)

You need to use the correct .dtb file. After flashing ArkOS Community Maintained Image to the SD card and before booting up your device, replace the rk3326-r35s-linux.dtb file in the BOOT partition with the one from your original/stock SD card (see Backup).

In case you didn't backup your original rk3326-r35s-linux.dtb file, here's a link to all the different versions: R36S-Device Tree Blob

✅ Solution (AmberELEC)

Rename your original rk3326-r35s-linux.dtb to rk3326-rg351mp-linux.dtb and replace this file on the AMBRELC partition. If you have no sound, use the .dtb files from this link: new DTB files for AmberELEC or use this to fix the sound + the FN button: Panel 4 (V5) AmberELEC sound + FN button fix

✅ Further Troubleshooting

  • Try the Panel 4 (V5) version of ArkOS Community Maintained Image
  • Make sure you are using the correct dtb file with the correct name
  • Delete all .dtb, .tony, .orig and boot.ini files, then copy/paste the dtb files plus the boot.ini from your stock SD card
  • Re-flash every time you try different .dtb files
  • Replace the .dtb file before booting up the first time
  • Delete the .dtb file first instead of replacing it
  • Use a different tool for flashing (Rufus, Win32DiskImager, ApplePi-Baker). balenaEtcher is not recommended
  • Flash the firmware image on a different PC or with a Android device
  • Use a different microSD card

✅ Black Screen Fix Step by Step Guide

This is a slightly modified guide by u/FreshNoobAcc

  1. Make sure device has been charged for several hours with a usb A to usb C charger (cable that came with device).
  2. Flash ArkOS (/or EmulELEC if clone) onto branded SD card. Make sure you are flashing the decompressed ArkOS (/EmulELEC if clone). It should not end in .xz, if it does, decompress it with a program like 7zip.
  3. Put SD card into device after flashing ArkOS (/EmulELEC if clone).
  4. Turn on device. Important: leave the device ON for 10 minutes, even if the device shows a black screen, it should be expanding the OS file and working away even if the screen is black. If you see black screen and turn device off too soon, you will corrupt the OS and have to start from step 1 again
  5. After about 10 minutes, turn device off with the off button (btw, once screen works, try to never do this, always turn off in the game menu)
  6. Plug SD into computer
  7. Important: delete all .dtb, .tony, .orig files in the OS partition (if you can’t see it you need to follow the youtube video to find out how to unhide the OS partition with MiniTool Partition Wizard)
  8. Only after deleting the above files (basically any file that has dtb in the name), copy/paste the dtb files from your stock OS card to the new branded SD card. (There is not always a 1:1 switch, some OS have 3-4 dtb files, others only 2, that is ok).

If you don’t have them (corrupted stock OS card), follow warning 3 in the reddit sidebar and copy/paste in one set of dtb files at a time from the github repository, (one panel at a time) and test the branded SD in the device (see if it turns on) after each copy/paste of dtb files from a panel folder. Best start with newer (higher number) panels and work backwards

  1. Eject SD. Then plug SD back into r36s

The good thing about this method is if you don’t know which dtb files your device needs (if your SD is DOA) you can quickly swap out/in new dtb files from the github repository (see warning 3 in the reddit sidebar) to test them and don’t necessarily need to re-flash the OS every time you want to test new dtb files (saves about 10 minutes per attempt)

  • stock SD card boot logo
  • stock SD card boot logo

⚠️ Cause

SD card problem. That's the bootlogo from the stock SD cards with an outdated firmware.

✅ Solution

Change the SD Card.

↪ SD Card Compatibility

↪ Firmware Flashing Guide

Stuck During Loading Emulationstation

⚠️ Cause

  • SD card problem (corrupted roms/bios or other files)

✅ Solution

  • Change the SD Card or re-flash your good card.

↪ SD Card Compatibility

↪ Firmware Flashing Guide

White Lines

⚠️ Cause

  • Battery is empty. It says something like "Voltage level low" if you look closely.

✅ Solution

  • Charge the device with a 5V 1.5A-2A adapter and a USB-A to USB-C cable. Charging via Computer/Laptop USB ports also works fine.

⚠️ Cause

  • SD card problem.

✅ Solution

  • Change the SD Card.

↪ SD Card Compatibility

↪ Firmware Flashing Guide

Small Blinking Line / Blinking Cursor

⚠️ Cause

  • Blinking Cursor = Looking for TF2 (roms) SD card
  • Defect SD card in TF2 slot (most of the times)
  • Can happen after upgrading
  • Wrong card setting in the menu

✅ Solution

  • Change the defect TF2 SD card or re-flash the TF1 SD Card.
  • [Not very likely] If both cards are good you can change the rom card slot via a script. Read the comments in this thread for a possible solution.

↪ SD Card Compatibility

↪ Firmware Flashing Guide

Themes Keep Disappearing

⚠️ Cause

  • SD card problem - SD card is slowly corrupting/dying

✅ Solution

  • Change the SD Card

↪ SD Card Compatibility

↪ Firmware Flashing Guide

Stuck on Boot

⚠️ Cause

  • Another SD card problem

✅ Solution

  • Change the SD card

↪ SD Card Compatibility

↪ Firmware Flashing Guide

Stuck in RetroArch

  • different RetroArch "menu driver"

⚠️ Cause

  • Accidentally enabled the option to use RetroArch as the main frontend.

✅ Solution

  • Reboot the device and hold B to enter "Boot and Recovery Tools" (BaRT) and choose "Emulationstation".
  • Hold B button during boot to enter this menu (ArkOS)

No Gamepads Detected

  • error during boot

⚠️ Cause

  • Wrong .dtb or boot.ini file
  • SD card problem
  • Firmware problem

✅ Solution

  • Re-flash the firmware
  • Use the correct .dtb file or change the R36S SD Card
  • This error can also be fixed by replacing the boot.ini file (see this comment)

↪ SD Card Compatibility

↪ Firmware Flashing Guide

Joystick Problems - Stick Drift

⚠️ Cause

  • Common problem in lots of controllers. Can have different causes.
  • loose connector cable
  • defective joystick
  • SD card / software related problem

✅ Solution

  • Re-seat loose-connector cablek
  • Change the joystick (you can use any switch style joystick)
  • Read this thread for possible solutions or look for threads with similar problems.
  • connector cable

Saving not working / Can't save / Stuck at saving

Problems with saving can have different causes.

  • Save error in Pokemon caused by corrupt/bad rom file - source

⚠️ Cause

  • SD card problem
  • Bad rom dumps (from the stock SD cards)
  • Can also be a user error like not shutting down the device correctly which can cause problems.

✅ Solution

  • Change the SD card
  • Change the bad roms that were included in the stock SD card
  • Shut down your device safely from within the menu or the FN+Power hotkey
  • Don't press the reset button to exit your game

↪ Roms Guide

↪ SD Card Compatibility

↪ Firmware Flashing Guide

Emulator Settings Keep Resetting

✅ Don't forget to save the RetroArch configuration file after changing things or use overrides.

Error Message During Boot (EmuELEC clone)

"Can't find any syytems"

✅ Solution: Install one of the available custom firmware for R36S clones to a new SD card.

↪ Custom Firmware for the EmuELEC Clone

Stuck During Boot (EmuELEC clone)

✅ Solution: Install one of the custom firmware for R36S clones to a new SD card.

↪ Custom Firmware for the EmuELEC Clone

Red blinking light during boot (EmuELEC clone)

This happens when you install the standard (or community maintained) ArkOS custom firmware on a EmuELEC clone.

✅ Solution: Install one of the custom firmware for R36S clones to a new SD card.

Load video
Local File

↪ Custom Firmware for the EmuELEC Clone

Missing dtb file on SD card (EmuELEC clone)

  • different files on the Boot partition

If your stock SD card has the 📄rk3326-evb-lp3-v12-linux.dtb or 📄rf3536k3ka.dtb file, you got the EmuELEC Clone that is not compatible with standard ArkOS or AmberELEC custom firmware. See the R36S Clones page for more info.

↪ R36S Clones

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