This is one of the most common errors that can appear when booting almost any handheld emulator console’s OS using EmulationStation (ES) as its frontend. That’s why it’s often encountered on dual-microSD consoles running operating systems like ArkOS or Batocera. Luckily, fixing it on the Powkiddy V90S is quite simple. Here is how to do it.
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The Main Reasons For This Error
The “We can’t find any systems” error on the V90S usually occurs when a handheld emulator console running the ES frontend attempts to boot without at least one compatible game ROM file located in the correct game folder under a path recognized by the OS.
For this reason, it is commonly encountered when attempting to turn on an ES-based dual-microSD handheld emulator console for the very first time without any game ROM files on the second card dedicated to game storage. It can also appear when the second microSD, which is supposed to contain your games, is missing.
In other cases, it can also be caused by a misconfigured es_systems.cfg file, which points the ES frontend towards your main game ROM folder path. If this path differs from the actual location of the folders containing your game files, the error will be displayed, and your handheld will refuse to start.
In some rare situations, this error can also be caused by a failing microSD card, in which case the folder structure on the card and the paths set in the configuration file will be correct and the game ROM files present, but the error will still persist because of memory read errors.
The exact text of this error is: “We can’t find any systems! Check that your paths are correct in the systems configuration file, and your game directory has at least one game with the correct extension. Visit emulationstation.org for more information.”
It’s a common occurrence with handhelds making use of operating systems such as Batocera or ArkOS, which use ES as their main way of displaying your game lists and managing the emulation software. The very same error message can for instance show up on the R36S, as you can see here.
It’s also a widely known issue on the Powkiddy V90S, which sometimes ships with only the OS microSD, and without the second card used for storing your games. This requires users to configure their own game microSD from scratch.
Fixing this error on the V90S in most cases involves recreating the correct Batocera ROM folder file structure if it’s not already present on your microSD card, and inserting at least one correct format ROM file into one of the console folders. You can learn how to do that in just about a few minutes right here.
Recreating The Correct EmulationStation Folder Structure
Since the “We cannot find any systems” error is in most cases caused by the EmulationStation frontend not being able to find your game files either because of them not being present on your game microSD, or because of them being placed in a wrong directory, fixing the file structure of your game microSD card if it’s not already there, and/or moving at least one compatible game file to the ROM folder is the most common fix to this problem. Here is how to do it.
For your convenience, I’m keeping a copy of the correct empty file structure I found online for the Powkiddy V90S (which is a Batocera-based Linux retro handheld) I got by the courtesy of the Reddit user /u/briefingone, here on Google Drive. Feel free to download it and use it to recreate the original Batocera/EmulationStation folder structure.
After you’ve done that, add at least one compatible ROM file to one of the system/console folders within the “roms” directory. In the beginning it’s best to select a system that doesn’t need any additional BIOS files to work, like for instance GBA, or SNES.
Note: Keep in mind that folder structures and es_systems.cfg configurations can vary between different versions of Batocera, ArkOS, or other OS builds customized for specific handheld models, so always verify that the folder structure you use is compatible with your particular device’s software version to avoid mismatches.
The Whole Fix on The V90S – In 4 Short Steps
So in short, to fix the “We can’t find any systems…” error on the Powkiddy V90S:
- Prepare a clean, freshly formatted microSD card (in a format that your handheld supports, FAT32 or exFAT should work on most devices)
- Copy all of these files containing the folder structure compatible with the EmulationStation frontend directly onto your microSD. After you’re done, you should end up with a bunch of new folders on your microSD, including the “roms” and “bios” folders.
- Move at least one game ROM file to one of the dedicated console folders inside of the “roms” directory (best to do that first for a system that doesn’t require console BIOS files, like the GBA or SNES).
- Put the microSD card into your handheld’s game card slot, and turn on your console. The EmulationStation frontend should now load without any errors.
Once you’ve done all this, your handheld should now boot up and load the EmulationStation frontend correctly, without any errors.
Other Handheld Models, Other Troubles
This guide focuses on the Powkiddy V90S running Batocera with EmulationStation, so keep in mind that other handheld devices may have different configurations. For EmulationStation to properly recognize your ROM folders, especially on dual microSD systems, they must be located exactly where the system expects them, as defined in the es_systems.cfg file.
If your particular device uses a different folder layout, you’ll need to find and edit this configuration file with a text editor of your choice, to match your chosen ROM folder location.
Remember that folder structures and configurations can vary between Batocera, ArkOS, and other OS versions customized for specific handheld models, so verify that your setup matches your device’s software.
What If This Doesn’t Work? – Other Things You Can Do
If this fix doesn’t work for you, and neither recreating the correct folder structure with one ROM file present nor correctly configuring the es_systems.cfg file fixes the issue, you can also try using a different microSD card to store your games.
There is a small chance that the folder structure is correct but cannot be read by the console due to card damage, which is somewhat common with cheaper Chinese microSD cards. Replace your game card with a new one from a reliable manufacturer and repeat the entire process. I hope this helps you get your Powkiddy V90S up and running!
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