LG WebOStv - Play games on RetroArch from USB drive

add_usb_drive_to_retroarch_media_folder_install.sh

#!/bin/bash
# === For rooted LG TVs with WebOsBrew installed only ===
#
# On LG WebOStv, RetroArch only have access to a few jailed folders so to run games on a usb drive,
# we need to 'merge' the USB mounting point with one of those jailed folders using OverlayFS.
# The scripts on folder '/var/lib/webosbrew/init.d/' will run after every tv boot.
# Remove the $STARTUP_FOLDER/$SCRIPT_TO_RUN_AFTER_BOOT and reboot to revert the change.
#
# Tested on 7.3.0-03.30.72
# 
# Steps:
# - Copy this script to a pen drive and insert it to the TV
# - Check if the folder '/tmp/usb/sda/sda1/' exists and have the content of your pen drive.
# - Run the script
# 
# The folder structure might be different depending of your TV version
set -euo pipefail

JAILED_FOLDER=/var/palm/jail/com.retroarch/media/internal
USB_MOUTING_POINT=/tmp/usb/sda/sda1/
SCRIPT_TO_RUN_AFTER_BOOT=add_usb_drive_to_retroarch_media_folder
STARTUP_FOLDER=/var/lib/webosbrew/init.d

echo -e "#!/bin/bash \nmount -t overlay -olowerdir=${JAILED_FOLDER}:${USB_MOUTING_POINT},nofail overlay ${JAILED_FOLDER}" > $STARTUP_FOLDER/$SCRIPT_TO_RUN_AFTER_BOOT
chmod +x $STARTUP_FOLDER/$SCRIPT_TO_RUN_AFTER_BOOT

echo "Script ${STARTUP_FOLDER}/${SCRIPT_TO_RUN_AFTER_BOOT} created."
echo "Press any key to reboot and activate changes or CRTL+C to quit."
read -n 1
reboot

Hi Tocchetto, please find my comments below: 1- Copy this script to a pen drive and insert it to the TV: the folder in my TV is '/tmp/usb/sda/sda1/' - run it from there. 2- The webosbrew is the app that you install on your tv and updates the HomeBrew Channel 3- Those folders are part of the tv OS: the colocation might differ depending on the version 4- SCRIPT_TO_RUN_AFTER_BOOT is what this little script creates Cheers, Alex

…

On Wed, Dec 20, 2023 at 10:51 AM MTocchettoP ***@***.***> wrote: ***@***.**** commented on this gist. ------------------------------ Hey Alexandre, I am a little confused on the usage here. 1 - I assume I just put this script in a file and put that... anywhere? in the webos fs , transfering i with the webOS Dev Manager tool 2 - By webosbrew I assume you mean the HomeBrew Channel? 3 - None of those folder's match for me (JAILED_FOLDER & STARTUP_FOLDER) , am I missing something or maybe it is a version thing and I can just change them? 4 - I don't get this SCRIPT_TO_RUN_AFTER_BOOT=add_usb_drive_to_retroarch_media_folder , what exactly it is referencing? Where is this other script? — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <https://gist.github.com/maatthc/792471812150010c935aedd34c93aedf#gistcomment-4800750> or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAIHARYRMNTMAEQITF4D3DTYKIR63BFKMF2HI4TJMJ2XIZLTSKBKK5TBNR2WLJDHNFZXJJDOMFWWLK3UNBZGKYLEL52HS4DFQKSXMYLMOVS2I5DSOVS2I3TBNVS3W5DIOJSWCZC7OBQXE5DJMNUXAYLOORPWCY3UNF3GS5DZVRZXKYTKMVRXIX3UPFYGLK2HNFZXIQ3PNVWWK3TUUZ2G64DJMNZZDAVEOR4XAZNEM5UXG5FFOZQWY5LFVEYTEMRTHEZDCMJRU52HE2LHM5SXFJTDOJSWC5DF> . You are receiving this email because you authored the thread. Triage notifications on the go with GitHub Mobile for iOS <https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1477376905?ct=notification-email&mt=8&pt=524675> or Android <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.github.android&referrer=utm_campaign%3Dnotification-email%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Dgithub> .

I have rooted lg c3.
On my fat32 flash device parent directory i created folders: tmp, on tmp folder i created sda folder, then sda1 on tmp/sda.
Then i placed file add_usb_drive_to_retroarch_media_folder_install.sh on this tmp/sda/sda1 folder.
Then i connected my rooted tv to webOS Dev Manager.
On terminal i entered: cd /tmp/usb/sda/sda1/
Then checked that file exist: ls
Then i successfully run the script and tv rebooted.
Then i put some snes and smd roms to folder /tmp/usb/sda/sda1/ - but retroarch still dont see my usb flash drive...
I tried to reboot tv, i tried to put roms on sda or sda1 or tmp or parent usb drive folders - still do not see it. Yes i run snes or smd retroarch core, and use properate roms extension.
I uploaded roms on tv rom with webOS Dev Manager - and retroarch perfectly see and run them. But usb flash drive still do not work.
Any suggestions? Thanx!

Hi Shienok,
When you plug your usb drive to the TV, the folder "/tmp/usb/sda/sda1/" should be automatically created for you by the TV itself on its filesystem - the path may vary depending on the TV model.
On the usb drive, you only need the script "
add_usb_drive_to_retroarch_media_folder_install.sh" and your roms.

lg c3, rooted, ver.03.20.17
Tried 2 usb flash drives, formated fat32.
On empty flash drive i put only 1 file add_usb_drive_to_retroarch_media_folder_install.sh
Connected to tv via webOS Dev Manager Terminal
Entered: cd /tmp/usb/sda/sda1/, then entered: ls - it shows me only 1 file add_usb_drive_to_retroarch_media_folder_install.sh.
Then i entered: sh add_usb_drive_to_retroarch_media_folder_install.sh
It succesfully installing and rebooting tv.
After that no files or folders are creating on usb flash drive, only this 1 file add_usb_drive_to_retroarch_media_folder_install.sh as it was before all the procedure... I put roms on flash - retroarch do not see anything(

Are the roms zipped? It must be uncompressed to retroarch to find it.

Are the roms zipped? It must be uncompressed to retroarch to find it.
no, all roms are unzipped of course

On RetroArch, if you go to "Load content" and select "/media/internal", what do you see?

Also, please send the output of following command with the usb drive attached:

ls -la /var/palm/jail/com.retroarch/media/internal/

And

cat /var/lib/webosbrew/init.d/add_usb_drive_to_retroarch_media_folder

And

ls -la /var/lib/webosbrew/init.d/add_usb_drive_to_retroarch_media_folder

screen 1 with donkey kong sfc rom - this rom i uploded on tv memory with the help of webOS Dev Manager.
screen 2 with above 3 commands on terminal

Everything looks okay.. could you please add all your roms to the usb drive and repeat all steps, adding the following?

ls -la /tmp/usb/sda/sda1/

I'm having an issue as well.

Here is output of script:

Fixed after reformatting usb using NTFS (overlayfs: filesystem on '/tmp/usb/sda/sda1' not supported)