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Having problems? Read this before asking.  Or expect to be pointed to this when you ask.

See also the [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues|issue tracker] or the Platform-Specific documentation page relevant to your needs.

More info: [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk#usage]

!! Introduction

! I am getting this error: "To run this application, you first must install one of the following versions of the .NET framework: v4.0.30319"

You computer did not have .NET Framework 4 installed on it and BizHawk requires this framework.  The [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk-Prereqs/releases|Prereqs installer] provided will fix this.  You can also get this from [http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=17851 Microsoft]

! Games are running way too fast even with Config -> Speed/Skip -> Limit Framerate On

Your computer hardware may not be accurately reporting time.  See [http://support.microsoft.com/kb/895980|this article] to see if this is your issue.  Adding /usepmtimer to your boot.ini may fix this.  Refer [http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms940839%28v=winembedded.5%29.aspx|this] on how to add multiple boot configs (do this temporarily in case this line causes a boot failure)

! What does BizHawk mean?

BizHawk is Hawk Biz.


!! Crashes And Such

! Out of memory errors while recording movies

Use config > customize > Store movie working data on disk instead of RAM - This will eliminate most of the possible out of memory errors by simply not using RAM. This option has been well-validated.

-or-

Use config > customize > Store movie working data in extended > 1GB Ram - This option is useful on 64bit systems with >=8GB of RAM - `AWE` is employed to access more memory than normal in a 32bit process. As mentioned, this has not yet been well validated and may require admin permissions.


!! Memory Manipulation

! I'm trying to cheat/poke/freeze a memory address, but it keeps changing

Bizhawk can only overwrite your address once per frame, so if the game changes it more frequently, you'll have to use memory write callbacks to track when the game does so, to overwrite it yourself right after that.

But since some callbacks happen before the event, and some happen after (depending on the core), you may have to change CPU registers instead, where the value initially comes from upon the memory write.

Note that not every Bizhawk core implements memory callbacks and register editing.

!! Running Games

! I get the error "You are missing the needed firmware files to load this Rom"

This is due to not having the Firmware/BIOS file(s) in the Firmware folder.

! Where can I find the Firmware files?

You need to dump them from the hardware.  They are not legally download able due to being copyrighted.

! How do I use N64 texture packs?

[https://wiki.ootrandomizer.com/index.php?title=HiRes_Texture_Packs#Bizhawk|Here's a guide] on the Ocarina of Time Randomizer Wiki.

! Does that include .hts packs?

Short answer: No.%%%
Long answer: See [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1718#issuecomment-1626140085|this comment] on our issue tracker and the others in that thread.

!! Recording a Video

! How do I make it stop splitting the video near 2GB?

* ''File -> AVI/WAV -> Config and Record AVI/WAV -> FFmpeg writer -> AVI Lossless FFV1''

! How to prevent splitting on resolution changes?

* ''File -> AVI/WAV -> Config and Record AVI/WAV -> Resize Video''
The resizing filter is Nearest Neighbor.

Another option (allows to control resizing filter):
* Set exact window resolution:
** ''Config -> Display -> Use custom size''
* Set {{Final Filter}} for resizing.
* Make Bizhawk capture client area instead of the internal framebuffer:
** ''File -> AVI/WAV -> Capture OSD''
* Disable on-scree-display itself if you want:
** ''View -> Display blah-blah''

! The recorded video has tiny resolution. How to fix that?

Do the same as right above, just set some real high resolution. In this case you won't need lossless video, so pick something lighter:
* ''File -> AVI/WAV -> Config and Record AVI/WAV -> FFmpeg writer -> Matroska''

! AVI Writer crashes when I try to select a codec or even cancel

In {{regedit}}, go to {{HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Drivers32}} and look for all names that start with {{VIDC}} (any case). One of them is probably your issue.

!! TAStudio

! My TAStudio project got corrupted and doesn't load anymore. What do I do?

TAStudio projects are {{.zip}} files. Get latest 7zip, open your {{.tasproj}} with it, and remove the {{GreenZone}} file.

If it can't remove it, unzip the whole {{.tasproj}} to some folder (ignore the errors/warnings), remove the {{GreenZone}} file, compress everything back to {{.zip}}, and rename that to {{.tasproj}}.

If the {{.tasproj}} still has issues loading, you can create a new {{.tasproj}} using BizHawk, unzip it to a new folder, copy the previous {{Input Log.txt}} file over, and recompress that movie.

! TAStudio forces an empty frame at the end of my inputs. How do I remove it?

It's not an extra frame, it's just a visual representation of when your last input will be sent to the game. See how TAStudio's first frame is 0? That is the point before anything has been emulated, it's just a way to send inputs to the game on its __first__ frame of emulation, which is listed as frame 1 in TAStudio.

During old-school movie recording (without TAStudio) you hold down your inputs before the frame you need, and hit the Frame Advance hotkey, and that way those inputs are being recorded to your movie file. If you open that movie as an archive and then open {{Input Log.txt}} in a text editor, you won't see the 0th frame there when you started holding down your inputs, you'll only see the 1st frame when you've actually sent them to the game. Similarly if you open your {{.tasproj}} file the same way, the last "empty" frame won't be there. Because the last frame is when the game has __received__ your last inputs.