So many Huge problems


HalfLife1Forever

Still Fresh
Joined
Apr 17, 2012
Messages
26
Sorry if these questions have been answered but I can't find them. I just got my Pandora in the mail and it's almost impossible to use. I'm using the full Desktop experience sence the other on is useless. First of all, I can't open PND files at all. I go to execute and it does nothing. Also If i try to copy something from my SD card to somewhere besides the Desktop it won't let me. If I try to use the PNDstore, it says IOError (13 Permission Denied). I'm connected to my WiFi fine. The browser doesn't work. Terminal works ok but I have no idea use it. The Debian Sensible Browser says "Failed to execute default Web Browser. Input/Output error.". I've tried using Firefox but like I said before, I can't use PND files. Any help?
 
Hi and welcome! :)


Instructions for the current usage of PND-packaged applications are covered here, in the Unofficial User Manual. An image is provided there for reference, too. Basically, though, you're not supposed to double-click or right-click-and-click-execute from a file manager to use them - they need to be put in a specific place. When located in the place they need to be, they'll "automagically" appear in the Pandora menu, located at the bottom left-hand side of the screen.


I'm afraid I don't know what the rest of the issues are, though, so I'll have to defer to more knowledgeable folks than I on that front.


I hope this helps a little bit, though!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Sounds like some read/write permissions on the SD cards to me. Do they have a little white slidey thing on them that says "Lock/Unlock" or has a picture of a padlock or anything? If so make sure they're in the "Unlocked" position.
 
Could it be write protected in software? If I remember right there should be a little check mark box if you put it in a windows machine and right click it and go to properties. Should be "Read Only" or something.
 
Heres a video I made of when trying to copy something from the SD card to the console. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Wpzk-yaEqY


Sorry for the bad quality but it gets the point across.


Also with many emulators like the GPFCE emulator and the Apple 2 emulator looks on either only on the OP HD (which is too small to fit alot of games) or a REALLY obscure place on the HD.


Also when I put it in My XP it doesn't have a option for "Read only" or anything like that when I go to properties.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Your video is still processing so I'm just grasping at straws here. You say "copy something from SD card to the console". Why are you doing that? Do you mean you put something on an SD card, put the SD card in the Pandora, and then you are trying to copy it somewhere else inside of the Pandora's file system? There should never be a need to do that unless you're doing "power user" stuff.


Step by step, what is it you're trying to accomplish?
 
I'm trying to use some emulators. The NES emulator only looks on the Open Pandora Hard Drive. Wtf. The Apple 2 emulator also looks on some weird part of the HD.
 
Ok. As WizardStan pointed out, you're not supposed to copy anything to the NAND (the correct name for the internal memory, which is not a HDD :) ). There is definitely a gap in information for new users here so don't feel silly. I've been wanting to help address this gap for a while and you've spurred me on to start that today.


When you have put a PND on your SD card (in /pandora/desktop or /pandora/menu), go to the Documentation section of the XFCE menu and you should find a readme file for it (most of the time). It may tell you where ROMs need to go. It will always be on the SD card, sometimes in a specific location like /pandora/appdata/[emu name]/roms. But most of the time you can put them where you want (on the SD card) and just point the emulator to their location.


Make a folder on your SD card called /roms. Then make folders inside that for each system: /nes, /gba, etc etc. Use this as your central ROM storage and just tell your emulators where they are.


When an emulator dumps you into a strange part of the NAND filesystem, you want to find the /media folder, and inside that you will find your card. This is where Linux stores 'shortcuts' to mounted media. Once you do this once, the emulator should remember the path next time - as long as that same card is inserted.


Tip: When navigating folder lists in the filesystem, the ".." at the top takes you back one level.
 
Is that SD card write protected by any chance? was it formatted as Fat32? if it's ext2 or ext3 it may be a permission problem.
 
Is that SD card write protected by any chance? was it formatted as Fat32? if it's ext2 or ext3 it may be a permission problem.
The write protection switch is software enforced, and the Pandora doesn't enforce it.
 
I'm not sure if it has write protection on a software level. In the properties on Windows it doesnt tell me. I just formated it with SDformatter.
 
Yeah the panasonic sd card formatter is the one to use to make sure your card is fully formatted.The pandora has it's quirks but it's easy to use once your used to it.
 
Umm I'm having a weird problem. After I reset it asked me for my password. I have it set to where it asks what GUI you want. If I choose the MiniMenu it asks me for my password again. XFCE4 works ok but once I select the MM from there the system freezes. What.

Nvm I got it to work by trying it again. But I have another question. How do I remove my password. I know what it is but I just don't want this to happen again
 
The Apple 2 emulator doesn't do anything when i try to mount an image.
That'll require some specific help on that emulator which is not my area of expertise. Common causes for something like that include incorrect image/ROM format. Read the readme for that emulator, it may solve your problem.

First though, make sure you set up a /roms folder on your SD card as I described. For other emus that don't have documentation, stick with the /roms folder and point them there. If they still don't work, search the forums, your issue has probably been solved many times before. :)


Re: Password, you can't remove it but you can auto-login to stop it asking on startup. I think the option is in Settings -> Session & Startup.
 
The Apple 2 emulator doesn't do anything when i try to mount an image.
That'll require some specific help on that emulator which is not my area of expertise. Common causes for something like that include incorrect image/ROM format. Read the readme for that emulator, it may solve your problem.

First though, make sure you set up a /roms folder on your SD card as I described. For other emus that don't have documentation, stick with the /roms folder and point them there. If they still don't work, search the forums, your issue has probably been solved many times before. :)


Re: Password, you can't remove it but you can auto-login to stop it asking on startup. I think the option is in Settings -> Session & Startup.
The thing is with the Atari 2 emulator is that you can't change the folder it's in.
 
A small number of emulators are like that. The correct location is likely to be something like /pandora/appdata/[appname]/roms. The appdata folder is automatically created the first time you launch the PND. Look in there to see if there's a rom folder. Failing that, search the forum for info on that emulator.
 
Back
Top