Dave C

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Sep 1, 2015
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If you find yourself in the situation where you are not able to use a controller on the menus then you can follow the steps below to reset it if you have a USB keyboard.

The following steps which will reset the controller input and when it next boots it will have the option to configure the controllers.

Plug a USB keyboard into one of the side USB ports.
Plug the controller(s) into the front USB ports.

When it has booted up to the menu, Press F4 on the keyboard, this will go to command prompt
Type in: sudo ~/RetroPie-Setup/retropie_setup.sh and press Return on the keyboard

RetroPie Reset Controllers 1.png

Choose Manage Packages
RetroPie Reset Controllers 2.png

Choose Manage Core Packages
RetroPie Reset Controllers 3.png

Choose emulationstation (Installed)
RetroPie Reset Controllers 4.png

Choose Configurations / Options (it may also be named Configurations Tools)
RetroPie Reset Controllers 5.png

Choose the option to Clear/Reset Emulation Station input configuration
RetroPie Reset Controllers 6.png

Choose Yes to proceed to clear the controller settings.
RetroPie Reset Controllers 7.png

A prompt will confirm the settings have been cleared. Choose OK and then keep choosing Exit to return to the Command Prompt screen.
RetroPie Reset Controllers 8.png

Type: reboot and press Return on the keyboard.

This will reboot the system and go back into the menus where you will be able to reconfigure the controls when prompted.
RetroPie Reset Controllers 9.png

Do this for the first controller and to skip buttons, hold any button for a couple of seconds. Then when you get to HOTKEY, press the SELECT button.
RetroPie Reset Controllers 10.png

Then for the second controller, press START and you will see an option for configuring a controller. You can repeat the process again.

Your controllers are now set up.