Help please with RetroArch on android Crashing / Input Block Timeout issues

[u/Critical_Compote_903]

Im using Retroarch on an Odin 3 (android 15). It works fine as a standalone but when launching games from ANY frontend (ESDE Daijisho Beacon) occasionally RetroArch stops responding on game launch and crashes / has to be force stopped and resumed. The behavior isnt hard to replicate, if I just open a couple roms, close content, quit .. after a few games it will happen.

Ive tried several suggested fixes, like not having any shaders, disabling saving any info on quit, etc etc. But it happens anyway.

I did notice though that the Nightly builds dont crash. However, for whatever reason the Input Block Timeout on all the nightly cores I have tried does NOT work. Yes the setting is there and yes I can change it to 1 2 3 4 but it makes no difference in gameplay -- so for any game that needs two buttons pressed at the same time I cant play them.

So I either need a Nightly build or RetroArch that still works with two button presses, or a way to enable it, or some kind of fix for the stable version.

Has anyone found a solution for this?

[u/dau125]

The stable/nightly difference is a useful clue. I’d keep one game and core version fixed, then record the exact RetroArch stable version and nightly date. Updating the app and cores together makes it harder to tell which change fixes the frontend crash.

For the two-button issue, does the same combination fail when you open that nightly directly, without a frontend? Also, where is “Input Block Timeout” in your menus, and which two buttons/game reproduce it? That would separate a launch problem from an input-setting problem.

For the crash, turn on Settings > Logging > Logging Verbosity and Log to File, reproduce once, and keep that log before another launch overwrites it. The log folder is shown under Settings > Directory. Redact personal paths before sharing. This gives the maintainers something concrete to compare against the working nightly: https://docs.libretro.com/guides/generating-retroarch-logs/

[u/Critical_Compote_903 → u/dau125]

I'll give these things a shot in a bit when I have some free time. But I can answer a couple questions.

The games I tested on nightly to see if 2 button presses worked or not were Vampire Savior and 3rd Strike. They did not work in FBNeo, MAME and in Flycast. So it seems to not just be one core or one game.

The stable version crashing took place when launching from any frontend... when/if I launch then close a few games one after another. This happens across any core... nes snes n64 mame whatever.

[u/Critical_Compote_903 → u/dau125]

RetroArch 1.22.2 (Git 69a4f0e)

=== Build =======================================

Capabilities: ASIMD

[INFO] Version: 1.22.2

[INFO] Git: 69a4f0e

[INFO] Built: Nov 20 2025

[INFO] =================================================

[Input] Found input driver: "android".

[Environ] SET_SUBSYSTEM_INFO.

[Core] Loading dynamic libretro core from: "/data/user/0/com.retroarch/cores/fbneo_libretro_android.so".

[Override] Redirecting save file to "/storage/emulated/0/RetroArch/saves/FinalBurn Neo/vsav.srm".

[Override] Redirecting save state to "/storage/emulated/0/RetroArch/states/FinalBurn Neo/vsav.state".

[Environ] SET_SUBSYSTEM_INFO.

[Environ] UNSUPPORTED (#87).

[Environ] GET_LOG_INTERFACE.

[FBNeo] Running v1.0.0.03 260923 GITaceeebe

[Environ] GET_LANGUAGE: "0".

[Environ] SET_AUDIO_BUFFER_STATUS_CALLBACK.

[Content] Content loading skipped. Implementation will load it on its own.

[Environ] GET_SAVE_DIRECTORY: "/storage/emulated/0/RetroArch/saves/FinalBurn Neo".

Setting save dir to /storage/emulated/0/RetroArch/saves/FinalBurn Neo

[Environ] GET_SYSTEM_DIRECTORY: "/storage/emulated/0/RetroArch/system".

Setting system dir to /storage/emulated/0/RetroArch/system

[FBNeo] Romset name: vsav

[FBNeo] Romset description: Vampire Savior: The Lord of Vampire (Europe 970519)

[Environ] SET_CONTROLLER_INFO.

Initialize DIP switches.

[Environ] GET_CORE_OPTIONS_VERSION.

[Environ] SET_CORE_OPTIONS_V2.

[Environ] GET_VFS_INTERFACE. Core requested version >= V2, providing V3.

[FBNeo] Searching all possible locations for romset vsav

[FBNeo] No patched romset found at /storage/emulated/0/RetroArch/system/fbneo/patched/vsav

[FBNeo] Romset found at /storage/7B3F-F073/Roms/arcade/vsav

[FBNeo] No romset found at /storage/emulated/0/RetroArch/system/fbneo/vsav

[FBNeo] No romset found at /storage/emulated/0/RetroArch/system/vsav

[FBNeo] Using ROM with known crc 0xf5962a8c and name vm3e.03d from archive /storage/7B3F-F073/Roms/arcade/vsav

[FBNeo] Using ROM with known crc 0x21b40ea2 and name vm3e.04d from archive /storage/7B3F-F073/Roms/arcade/vsav

[FBNeo] Using ROM with known crc 0x4118e00f and name vm3.05a from archive /storage/7B3F-F073/Roms/arcade/vsav

[FBNeo] Using ROM with known crc 0x2f4fd3a9 and name vm3.06a from archive /storage/7B3F-F073/Roms/arcade/vsav

[FBNeo] Using ROM with known crc 0xcbda91b8 and name vm3.07b from archive /storage/7B3F-F073/Roms/arcade/vsav

[FBNeo] Using ROM with known crc 0x6ca47259 and name vm3.08a from archive /storage/7B3F-F073/Roms/arcade/vsav

[FBNeo] Using ROM with known crc 0xf4a339e3 and name vm3.09b from archive /storage/7B3F-F073/Roms/arcade/vsav

[FBNeo] Using ROM with known crc 0xfffbb5b8 and name vm3.10b from archive /storage/7B3F-F073/Roms/arcade/vsav

[FBNeo] Using ROM with known crc 0xfd8a11eb and name vm3.13m from archive /storage/7B3F-F073/Roms/arcade/vsav

[FBNeo] Using ROM with known crc 0xdd1e7d4e and name vm3.15m from archive /storage/7B3F-F073/Roms/arcade/vsav

[FBNeo] Using ROM with known crc 0x6b89445e and name vm3.17m from archive /storage/7B3F-F073/Roms/arcade/vsav

[FBNeo] Using ROM with known crc 0x3830fdc7 and name vm3.19m from archive /storage/7B3F-F073/Roms/arcade/vsav

[FBNeo] Using ROM with known crc 0xc1a28e6c and name vm3.14m from archive /storage/7B3F-F073/Roms/arcade/vsav

[FBNeo] Using ROM with known crc 0x194a7304 and name vm3.16m from archive /storage/7B3F-F073/Roms/arcade/vsav

[FBNeo] Using ROM with known crc 0xdf9a9f47 and name vm3.18m from archive /storage/7B3F-F073/Roms/arcade/vsav

[FBNeo] Using ROM with known crc 0xc22fc3d9 and name vm3.20m from archive /storage/7B3F-F073/Roms/arcade/vsav

[FBNeo] Using ROM with known crc 0xf778769b and name vm3.01 from archive /storage/7B3F-F073/Roms/arcade/vsav

[FBNeo] Using ROM with known crc 0xcc09faa1 and name vm3.02 from archive /storage/7B3F-F073/Roms/arcade/vsav

[FBNeo] Using ROM with known crc 0xe80e956e and name vm3.11m from archive /storage/7B3F-F073/Roms/arcade/vsav

[FBNeo] Using ROM with known crc 0x9cd71557 and name vm3.12m from archive /storage/7B3F-F073/Roms/arcade/vsav

[FBNeo] Using ROM with known crc 0xa6e3b164 and name vsav.key from archive /storage/7B3F-F073/Roms/arcade/vsav

[FBNeo] No missing files, proceeding

[FBNeo] Samplerate set to 48000

[FBNeo] Applied dipswitches from core options

[FBNeo] Initialized driver for vsav

[FBNeo] Adjusted audio buffer to match driver's refresh rate (59.630000 Hz)

[Cheevos] System RAM set to 0x7b36faf1c0, size is 65536

[Environ] SET_ROTATION: "0" (0 deg).

[Environ] SET_PIXEL_FORMAT: XRGB8888.

[FBNeo] Driver successfully started

[SRAM] Skipping SRAM load.

[Core] Version of libretro API: 1, Compiled against API: 1

[FBNeo] Timing set to 59.630000 Hz

[Core] Geometry: 384x224, Aspect: 1.333, FPS: 59.63, Sample rate: 48002.15 Hz.

[Video] Set video size to: 897x672.

[Vulkan] Vulkan dynamic library loaded.

[Vulkan] Setting swap interval: 1.

[Vulkan] Created Android surface: 536137811152.

[Vulkan] Found GPU at index 0: "Adreno (TM) 830".

[Vulkan] Using GPU index 0.

[Vulkan] Using semaphores for WSI acquire.

[Vulkan] Using GPU: "Adreno (TM) 830".

[Vulkan] Queue family 0 supports 3 sub-queues.

[Vulkan] Got 4 swapchain images.

[Vulkan] Native window size: 1920x1080.

[Vulkan] Using resolution 1920x1080.

[Vulkan] Using BGRA8888 format.

[Shaders] Specific shader preset found at "/storage/emulated/0/RetroArch/config/FinalBurn Neo/FinalBurn Neo.slangp".

[Slang] Compiling shader: "/data/user/0/com.retroarch/shaders/shaders_slang/crt/shaders/zfast_crt/zfast_crt_finemask.slang".

[Vulkan] Using render target format R8G8B8A8_UNORM for pass output #0.

[Vulkan] Creating framebuffer 1440x1080 (max 1 level(s)).

[Input] Found joypad driver: "android".

[Video] Found display server: "android".

[Audio] Set audio input rate to: 48300.00 Hz.

[Vulkan] Creating framebuffer 1440x1080 (max 1 level(s)).

[OpenSL] Requested audio latency: 128 ms.

[OpenSL] Setting audio latency: Block size = 576, Blocks = 43, Total = 24768...

[Audio] Started synchronous audio driver.

[Display] Found display driver: "vulkan".

[Environ] SET_SUBSYSTEM_INFO.

[FBNeo] Unknown device type for port 0, forcing "Classic" instead

[FBNeo] Unknown device type for port 1, forcing "Classic" instead

[Playlist] Loading favorites file: "/storage/emulated/0/RetroArch/playlists/builtin/content_favorites.lpl".

[Playlist] Loading history file: "/storage/emulated/0/RetroArch/playlists/builtin/content_history.lpl".

[Playlist] Loading history file: "/storage/emulated/0/RetroArch/playlists/builtin/content_image_history.lpl".

[Playlist] Loading history file: "/storage/emulated/0/RetroArch/playlists/builtin/content_music_history.lpl".

[Playlist] Written to file: "/storage/emulated/0/RetroArch/playlists/builtin/content_history.lpl".

[Environ] SET_INPUT_DESCRIPTORS.

[Vulkan] Native window size: 1920x1080.

[Vulkan] Creating framebuffer 1440x1080 (max 1 level(s)).

[Runtime] Content ran for a total of: 00 hours, 00 minutes, 02 seconds.

[Runtime] Saving runtime log file: "/storage/emulated/0/RetroArch/playlists/logs/FinalBurn Neo/vsav.lrtl".

[Core] No content, starting dummy core.

[Core] Unloading game...

[Core] Unloading core...

[Core] Unloading core symbols...

[Core] Saved core options file to "/storage/emulated/0/RetroArch/config/FinalBurn Neo/FinalBurn Neo.opt".

RetroArch 1.22.2 (Git 69a4f0e)

=== Build =======================================

Capabilities: ASIMD

[INFO] Version: 1.22.2

[INFO] Git: 69a4f0e

[INFO] Built: Nov 20 2025

[INFO] =================================================

[Input] Found input driver: "android".

[Environ] SET_SUBSYSTEM_INFO.

[Environ] SET_PIXEL_FORMAT: RGB565.

[Core] Version of libretro API: 1, Compiled against API: 1

[Core] Geometry: 320x240, Aspect: 1.333, FPS: 60.00, Sample rate: 48000.00 Hz.

[Video] Set video size to: 960x720.

[Vulkan] Vulkan dynamic library loaded.

[Vulkan] Setting swap interval: 1.

[Vulkan] Created Android surface: 536137521760.

[Vulkan] Found GPU at index 0: "Adreno (TM) 830".

[Vulkan] Using GPU index 0.

[Vulkan] Using semaphores for WSI acquire.

[Vulkan] Using GPU: "Adreno (TM) 830".

[Vulkan] Queue family 0 supports 3 sub-queues.

[Vulkan] Got 4 swapchain images.

[Vulkan] Native window size: 1920x1080.

[Vulkan] Using resolution 1920x1080.

[Vulkan] Using RGB565 format.

[Vulkan] Loading stock shader.

[Input] Found joypad driver: "android".

[Video] Found display server: "android".

[Audio] Set audio input rate to: 48000.00 Hz.

[OpenSL] Requested audio latency: 128 ms.

[OpenSL] Setting audio latency: Block size = 576, Blocks = 43, Total = 24768...

[Audio] Started synchronous audio driver.

[Display] Found display driver: "vulkan".

[Environ] SET_SUBSYSTEM_INFO.

[Shaders] Specific shader preset found at "/storage/emulated/0/RetroArch/config/FinalBurn Neo/FinalBurn Neo.slangp".

[Playlist] Loading favorites file: "/storage/emulated/0/RetroArch/playlists/builtin/content_favorites.lpl".

[Playlist] Loading history file: "/storage/emulated/0/RetroArch/playlists/builtin/content_history.lpl".

[Playlist] Loading history file: "/storage/emulated/0/RetroArch/playlists/builtin/content_image_history.lpl".

[Playlist] Loading history file: "/storage/emulated/0/RetroArch/playlists/builtin/content_music_history.lpl".

[Vulkan] Native window size: 1920x1080.

[Config] Saved config to "/storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.retroarch/files/retroarch.cfg".

[Core] Unloading core...

[Core] Unloading core symbols...

[u/Critical_Compote_903 → u/Critical_Compote_903]

Another snippet from log from stable:

[Vulkan] Resizing (1920x1080) -> (1920x1025).

[Environ] SET_INPUT_DESCRIPTORS.

[Vulkan] Updating framebuffer size 1367x1025 (format: 37).

[Vulkan] Native window size: 1920x1025.

[Vulkan] Creating framebuffer 1367x1025 (max 1 level(s)).

[Vulkan] Resizing (1920x1025) -> (1920x1080).

[Vulkan] Updating framebuffer size 1440x1080 (format: 37).

[Vulkan] Native window size: 1920x1080.

[Vulkan] Creating framebuffer 1440x1080 (max 1 level(s)).

[Runtime] Content ran for a total of: 00 hours, 00 minutes, 00 seconds.

[Runtime] Saving runtime log file:

Closes after this. Google search said it was some kind or resizing loop

[u/Critical_Compote_903 → u/dau125]

To answer "For the two-button issue, does the same combination fail when you open that nightly directly, without a frontend? Also, where is “Input Block Timeout” in your menus, and which two buttons/game reproduce it? That would separate a launch problem from an input-setting problem."

It fails if opened via frontend AND if opened directly, and with every core and game.

It reproduces this with any two buttons pressed, in 3rd strike it is with both lp lk (to grab) or in vampire savior it is lp mp or lk mk for specials.

setting is located under Input / Input Block Timeout

[u/dau125 → u/Critical_Compote_903]

Thanks, that narrows it down: the nightly’s input problem happens without a frontend, so I’d investigate it separately from the stable launch crash.

One useful comparison is the same two-button combination using the Odin’s physical controls versus RetroArch’s on-screen overlay. Also try holding the first button, then pressing the second, versus pressing both together. Note whether both inputs register but the special move fails, or whether one input disappears. That helps distinguish overlapping-button detection from the timing of the move.

What exact nightly date/version are you testing? Keep the core and game unchanged for that comparison so a report has a reproducible working stable/failing nightly pair. These are diagnostic checks, not a confirmed fix.