What you need before you start

Batocera needs a GameCube BIOS file — called GC IPL ROM — to run GameCube games through its emulator. This file is not included with Batocera, and you have to add it yourself by placing it in a specific folder on your Batocera system.

The BIOS file is a copy of the original GameCube startup code. You can only legally obtain it by extracting it from a GameCube console you own. Once you have the file, the process of putting it into Batocera takes about five minutes.

You will need: a computer (Windows, Mac, or Linux), a way to transfer files to your Batocera system (usually a USB drive or network connection), and the BIOS file itself.

Key Takeaways

  • The GameCube BIOS file must be named exactly GC IPL ROM with no spaces or different capitalization, or Batocera will not recognize it.
  • The file goes into the bios folder on your Batocera system, which you access through a file manager or by connecting your storage device to a computer.
  • Batocera will not run GameCube games without this file present — you will see an error message if it is missing.
  • The BIOS file is small (less than 2 MB) and does not need to be extracted or modified once you have it.

Locating the bios folder on your Batocera system

Where the bios folder lives depends on how you installed Batocera. If you are running Batocera on a Raspberry Pi or other single-board computer, the folder is on the microSD card or USB drive you booted from. If you are running it on a PC, the folder is on whatever drive or partition holds your Batocera installation.

The path is always /bios (on Linux and Mac) or \bios (on Windows). If you are accessing it from a computer, you may see it listed as a folder called bios at the root level of your Batocera storage device.

If you cannot see the bios folder when you connect your storage device to a computer, it may be hidden. On Windows, open File Explorer, click View, and check "Hidden items". On Mac, press Command+Shift+Period while a Finder window is open. On Linux, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+H in your file manager.

Transferring the BIOS file using a USB drive

The simplest method is to copy the BIOS file onto a USB drive on your computer, then plug that drive into your Batocera system and move the file into the bios folder.

First, copy your GC IPL ROM file to the root of a USB drive (the main folder you see when you open it). Then plug the USB drive into your Batocera system. Batocera will recognize it as external storage. Open the file manager on Batocera, navigate to the USB drive, find your BIOS file, cut or copy it, then navigate to the bios folder and paste it there.

Once the file is in the bios folder, eject the USB drive safely and restart Batocera. The next time you try to launch a GameCube game, Batocera should find the BIOS file and start the game.

Transferring the BIOS file over your network

If your Batocera system is connected to the same network as your computer, you can transfer the file without a USB drive. This method is faster if you are doing it repeatedly or if your Batocera system does not have easily accessible USB ports.

First, enable network sharing on your Batocera system. Go to the Batocera menu, select System Settings, then Network. Note the IP address shown (it will look like 192.168.1.100 or similar). Make sure your Batocera system is connected to your network via Ethernet or Wi-Fi.

On your computer, open a file manager and type the IP address into the address bar as smb://192.168.1.100 (replace the numbers with your actual IP). You should see the Batocera folders appear. Navigate to the bios folder, then drag and drop your GC IPL ROM file into it. The transfer will happen over your network, and you can then restart Batocera.

Verifying the file is in the right place

After you have moved the BIOS file, check that it is actually in the bios folder and that the filename is exactly correct. Open a file manager, navigate to the bios folder on your Batocera system, and look for a file named GC IPL ROM (with no file extension like .bin or .iso).

If you see a file named something else — like GC IPL ROM.bin or gc ipl rom (lowercase) — Batocera will not recognize it. Rename the file to match exactly: GC IPL ROM with capital letters and no extension. On most systems, right-click the file, select Rename, and type the correct name.

Once the file is correctly named and in the bios folder, you are done. The next time you launch a GameCube game from Batocera, it will use this BIOS file to start the emulator.

Troubleshooting if GameCube games still will not start

If you have placed the BIOS file in the bios folder with the correct name but GameCube games still will not launch, check a few things. First, make sure you are using the correct emulator. Batocera can run GameCube games through Dolphin (the most common choice) or through other emulators. Go to the game's settings in Batocera, select the emulator, and make sure Dolphin is selected.

Second, verify that the BIOS file itself is not corrupted. If you extracted it from your own GameCube console, it should be exactly 2,097,152 bytes in size. You can check this by right-clicking the file, selecting Properties, and looking at the file size. If it is a different size, the file may be incomplete or incorrect.

Third, restart Batocera completely. Sometimes the system does not recognize a newly added BIOS file until you reboot. Power off your Batocera system entirely, wait a few seconds, and power it back on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a GameCube BIOS file from the internet instead of extracting it myself?

Legally, no. The BIOS file is copyrighted material, and downloading it from the internet violates copyright law in most countries. The only legal way to obtain it is to extract it from a GameCube console you own. If you do not own a GameCube, you cannot legally use this BIOS file.

What if I have multiple GameCube BIOS files with different names?

Batocera only needs one BIOS file, and it must be named GC IPL ROM exactly. If you have multiple files, keep only the one with the correct name in the bios folder and remove the others. Having multiple BIOS files will not help and may cause confusion.

Do I need to add BIOS files for other systems too?

Some other systems in Batocera also need BIOS files — Dreamcast, PlayStation, and a few others. Each one has its own filename and goes in the same bios folder. GameCube is one of the systems that requires it, but not all systems do. Check the documentation for each system you want to use.

Will the BIOS file work if I move my Batocera installation to a different device?

Yes. The BIOS file is just a regular file in the bios folder. If you copy your entire Batocera installation to a new device, the BIOS file comes with it. You do not need to add it again.