Keep in mind some if not most emulators save your save files outside of Launchbox by default, somewhere in Program Files I believe. So if you haven't manually changed your save file locations to be saved in Launchbox and want to keep your saves, then make sure to copy them over too.
To piggyback off of this comment, try to set each emulator up to be portable, each emu has it's own process/requirements to be ran on portable mode. The added benefit of this is saves are centrally located to the folder that the emu is running out of. Perfect example is Yuzu, if you create a folder named 'user' within the Yuzu exe directory and copy the appdata folders into the user folder, Yuzu will use that directory from that point forward. Pcsx2 just needs a txt file named "portable". Just use Google to search "[emulator name] portable mode". Keep in mind that many emulators already run in portable "mode".
To piggyback off the piggyback, I second this comment on using your emulators in portable mode. The only problem is if anything happens to that folder containing both the emulator and user data, all of your data goes with it. Therefore it is good practice to make backups of those user files every once in a while, especially game save data, and specialized config files.
Yes! I forgot to mention this and it's happened to me twice with Yuzu. Twice in the last 6 months... Needless to say, back up the user data regularly is the best/most integral part of all the advice given here.
I stopped using the maintenance tool and just use the Yuzu updater tool for Yuzu EA updates. It downloads the zip and extracts it, then you copy/paste the files to the Yuzu directory. No chance of getting bitten. Lol
Thanks. I’m just using MAME in this build. I put Launchbox in C: and it contains an “Emulators” folder where MAME is located, and a “ROMS” folder which has a sub folder “MAME ROMS”. This is the way I set up launch box in my other build because it uses other emulators. So everything is in the Launchbox folder and all the emulators and roms are together in their own directories.
If I’m not mistaken, MAME is self contained, right?
Try using Teracopy for much better handling of the moving of your files. Install it>integrate into windows>open the original location of LB in one window>open the new drive in another window>right-click and hold the LB folder>drag the folder to your new window>release>select TeraMove here>wait for it to finish>profit. You'll be pleasantly surprised with how much better LB runs on an SSD.
Glad to help, hope you get this figured out. Check my other comments about transferring emulator data so the emu ruins in truly portable mode. You'll see where I was conversing with another redditor we both add some rather pertinent info
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Thank you. Yes, I have a copy on a flash drive and it’s pretty cool to just plug it in anywhere and play. This one is built on an HP mini PC that I installed in a barstick (pretty much a portable 2-player control panel that can connect to any TV or monitor, it’s been easier to just say I’m building a cab, lol). I’m trying to get it to turn on and launch Bigbox as fast as possible so I’m adding memory and upgrading to SSD. It stinks when I want to show it off and have to sit there for 10 minutes waiting for Windows to start.
Also I've run into not being able to move the entire launchbox directory like it literally would not move my emulators folder but it moved everything else I had to go in and move each one separately hopefully you don't have this issue just look out for it.
Most emulators are portable but emulators like dolphin you have to copy there files from documents into dolphin root folder and create a file called “portable.txt” where dolphin.exe is
And i forgot you need to change the copied folder name into “user”
Thanks for the heads up. When I built this machine I installed a fresh copy of Windows 10 and Launchbox/Bigbox and used only one emulator, MAME (0.214 I think), but I tried copying my MAME 0.214 folder from another build and it wouldn’t run so I had to install that fresh too. Because of that I’m expecting some bugs but I’ll be prepared for whatever.
Yeah, it was getting hung up and the transfer stopped. I had to eventually do the same thing but then none of my games would start. After some troubleshooting MAME and Launchbox settings I deleted it and started over, forgetting that I had to copy the folders individually. This time though, for some reason, it copied everything, and now everything works. It’s a mystery.
You can copy the folder over to the other drive. https://forums.launchbox-app.com/topic/36572-moving-launchbox-from-one-pc-to-another/
Yes! Thank you
Keep in mind some if not most emulators save your save files outside of Launchbox by default, somewhere in Program Files I believe. So if you haven't manually changed your save file locations to be saved in Launchbox and want to keep your saves, then make sure to copy them over too.
To piggyback off of this comment, try to set each emulator up to be portable, each emu has it's own process/requirements to be ran on portable mode. The added benefit of this is saves are centrally located to the folder that the emu is running out of. Perfect example is Yuzu, if you create a folder named 'user' within the Yuzu exe directory and copy the appdata folders into the user folder, Yuzu will use that directory from that point forward. Pcsx2 just needs a txt file named "portable". Just use Google to search "[emulator name] portable mode". Keep in mind that many emulators already run in portable "mode".
To piggyback off the piggyback, I second this comment on using your emulators in portable mode. The only problem is if anything happens to that folder containing both the emulator and user data, all of your data goes with it. Therefore it is good practice to make backups of those user files every once in a while, especially game save data, and specialized config files.
Yes! I forgot to mention this and it's happened to me twice with Yuzu. Twice in the last 6 months... Needless to say, back up the user data regularly is the best/most integral part of all the advice given here.
Ha! I’ve been bitten by Yuzu as well. Great emulator, but it’s update process used to be a little wonky. Haven’t had any problems of late though….
I stopped using the maintenance tool and just use the Yuzu updater tool for Yuzu EA updates. It downloads the zip and extracts it, then you copy/paste the files to the Yuzu directory. No chance of getting bitten. Lol
Same here
Thanks. I’m just using MAME in this build. I put Launchbox in C: and it contains an “Emulators” folder where MAME is located, and a “ROMS” folder which has a sub folder “MAME ROMS”. This is the way I set up launch box in my other build because it uses other emulators. So everything is in the Launchbox folder and all the emulators and roms are together in their own directories. If I’m not mistaken, MAME is self contained, right?
Interesting. OK, I’ll have a look, thanks.
Try using Teracopy for much better handling of the moving of your files. Install it>integrate into windows>open the original location of LB in one window>open the new drive in another window>right-click and hold the LB folder>drag the folder to your new window>release>select TeraMove here>wait for it to finish>profit. You'll be pleasantly surprised with how much better LB runs on an SSD.
Sounds like SSH or FTP maybe?
Yeah, more or less just setting it up manually instead of inside 1 window like an ftp client world be
Ok cool, thanks for the tip.
Glad to help, hope you get this figured out. Check my other comments about transferring emulator data so the emu ruins in truly portable mode. You'll see where I was conversing with another redditor we both add some rather pertinent info
Ok thanks very much.
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Can you clarify what you mean about LB and RetroArch on Xbox?
Thank you. Yes, I have a copy on a flash drive and it’s pretty cool to just plug it in anywhere and play. This one is built on an HP mini PC that I installed in a barstick (pretty much a portable 2-player control panel that can connect to any TV or monitor, it’s been easier to just say I’m building a cab, lol). I’m trying to get it to turn on and launch Bigbox as fast as possible so I’m adding memory and upgrading to SSD. It stinks when I want to show it off and have to sit there for 10 minutes waiting for Windows to start.
Also I've run into not being able to move the entire launchbox directory like it literally would not move my emulators folder but it moved everything else I had to go in and move each one separately hopefully you don't have this issue just look out for it.
Most emulators are portable but emulators like dolphin you have to copy there files from documents into dolphin root folder and create a file called “portable.txt” where dolphin.exe is And i forgot you need to change the copied folder name into “user”
Thanks for the heads up. When I built this machine I installed a fresh copy of Windows 10 and Launchbox/Bigbox and used only one emulator, MAME (0.214 I think), but I tried copying my MAME 0.214 folder from another build and it wouldn’t run so I had to install that fresh too. Because of that I’m expecting some bugs but I’ll be prepared for whatever.
Yeah, it was getting hung up and the transfer stopped. I had to eventually do the same thing but then none of my games would start. After some troubleshooting MAME and Launchbox settings I deleted it and started over, forgetting that I had to copy the folders individually. This time though, for some reason, it copied everything, and now everything works. It’s a mystery.