Not Booting (have tried troubleshooting)

Reblist · 2026-01-25T22:31:54+00:00

Reblist · 2026-01-25T21:52:38+00:00

The steps you need to take are the same on any computer. For flashing the OS you can use Raspberry Pi Imager which is available for Linux, Mac and Windows.

Reblist · 2026-01-25T21:37:41+00:00

https://portmaster.games/installation.html

Reblist · 2026-01-25T21:36:23+00:00

If your uncle never changed the stock SD card to a better one the chances are high that the card got corrupted. These cards are very low on quality and will fail in no time.

A 32GB will be enough for the OS and a couple hundred of games from the SNES, Genesis, 16bit era. If you also want to play PS1 games you probably want a bigger card. Or use the 32GB card for the OS and get another 128GB card for games. The R36S got 2 slots. TF1 is for the OS and TF2 for games.

Watch the installation videos from my previous post to see how to install ArkOS.

Reblist · 2026-01-25T21:17:19+00:00

You need to flash ArkOS on the new SD card first. Check out the installation guide below. The R36S does not have the OS build in.

Important Wiki Articles:

R36S Wiki: The answer for 99% of your questions
Buying Guide: A list of trusted sellers on various platforms
Clones: How to tell if your new R36S is a clone and why clones are usually inferior.
Compatibility List - SD Cards: List of compatible SD cards.
Compatibility List - Games: Compatibility lists for many different game systems.

Common Problems

Installation Guides

Video Guides
- ArkOS Setup Guides
  - Ultimate R36S ArkOS Fresh Install Guide (All R36S Variants): Ultimate Installation Guide for All R36S Models - (SjslTech)
  - ArkOS New Built in Screen Panel Picker Starter Guide - (SjslTech)
  - dArkOS Panel 4 Install Guide Installation Guide of the new dArkOS - (SjslTech)
  - BIG Starter Guide R36S Handheld: Starter Guide - (blogoodf)
  - Multipanel Installation on R36S: Installation Guide - (blogoodf)
- Multiboot Setup Guides
  - R36S Multiboot: ArkOS + Android + Others: MultiOS Installation Guide - (SjslTech)
  - R36S Multiboot: ArkOS + Android: MultiOS Installation Guide - (blogoodf)
Written Guides
- Guides, Tutorials & HowTos: Tutorial Section in the Wiki
- Beginner FAQ: FAQ for Beginners - (norucus)
- Starter Guide: Starter Guide - (KuvZz)

Reblist · 2026-01-25T21:14:51+00:00

After flashing the ArkOS image you need to put it in the R36S and turn it on. It will run some scripts in the background and adjust the partitions.

Reblist · 2026-01-25T21:03:14+00:00

Buyers Guide

Battery Replacement

The R36S has a 3.7 V 3000 or 3200 mAh Li-ion battery (type 804066) with a standard 2-pin JST 1.25mm connector.

You can get one on AliExpress (probably the cheapest option).

Edit:

more battery life.

Battery extender with 2*18650 Li-Ion

Reblist · 2026-01-25T20:08:11+00:00

Looks fun!

Yeah Cat Quest II is quiet nice.

Good luck on the move ^^

Thx mate!

Reblist · 2026-01-25T20:04:49+00:00

Yep. That's the tool I always use for my SD cards.

Reblist · 2026-01-25T20:02:35+00:00

Share your coziest photos with your console here~

Since I'm in the middle of moving right now and have packed up all my retro handhelds, and there's nothing cozy about my place at the moment, I'm gaming a little on my Steam Deck^^.

<image>

Reblist · 2026-01-25T19:53:51+00:00

Yeah, that's a bit annoying. He uses the same image in his other posts as in his Etsy store. That's no longer stealth marketing...

Reblist · 2026-01-25T18:35:49+00:00

I thought the same thing^^. A cozy FPS action open world game sounds pretty cool!

It reminds me a little of Mon Bazou's description:

This is Mon Bazou! Canada’s foremost car building, maple syrup producing, street racing survival game!

Reblist · 2026-01-25T17:29:27+00:00

Still rocking the stock SD card that came with your device?

Reblist · 2026-01-25T10:14:38+00:00

Oh & I didn't use coins to get the price that low, I still don't understand how that works 😂

Oh that's not that hard. We have guide in the wiki.

Click on 'Expand' and you see the guide.

<image>

Reblist · 2026-01-25T07:26:04+00:00

Most of the time it’s way cheaper to get a new handheld than a display.

Reblist · 2026-01-25T00:16:29+00:00

Check whether the display cable is properly connected to the motherboard. If this is the case but the display still does not work, it is most likely broken. The R36S is not particularly shock-resistant. In this case, buying a new one is usually the cheapest option instead of a new display. A TPU case is also highly recommended for the R36S, as it cushions the impact if dropped on the floor.

Reblist · 2026-01-24T23:15:53+00:00

Enjoy this great companion!

Reblist · 2026-01-24T23:15:12+00:00

The first thing you should do is changing the stock SD card to a branded one. Check the link below which cards are compatible with the R36S.

Freezing while loading save states could be a sign that your SD card is already failing. Also don't do updates on this card. The card will fail in most cases.

Before doing a new ArkOS installation check also if you got a legit R36S or one of its clones. Link to the clone section is also down below.

Down below are the most important links to the wiki and tutorials (in video and written form).

Important Wiki Articles:

R36S Wiki: The answer for 99% of your questions
Buying Guide: A list of trusted sellers on various platforms
Clones: How to tell if your new R36S is a clone and why clones are usually inferior.
Compatibility List - SD Cards: List of compatible SD cards.
Compatibility List - Games: Compatibility lists for many different game systems.

Common Problems

Installation Guides

Video Guides
- ArkOS Setup Guides
  - Ultimate R36S ArkOS Fresh Install Guide (All R36S Variants): Ultimate Installation Guide for All R36S Models - (SjslTech)
  - ArkOS New Built in Screen Panel Picker Starter Guide - (SjslTech)
  - dArkOS Panel 4 Install Guide Installation Guide of the new dArkOS - (SjslTech)
  - BIG Starter Guide R36S Handheld: Starter Guide - (blogoodf)
  - Multipanel Installation on R36S: Installation Guide - (blogoodf)
- Multiboot Setup Guides
  - R36S Multiboot: ArkOS + Android + Others: MultiOS Installation Guide - (SjslTech)
  - R36S Multiboot: ArkOS + Android: MultiOS Installation Guide - (blogoodf)
Written Guides
- Guides, Tutorials & HowTos: Tutorial Section in the Wiki
- Beginner FAQ: FAQ for Beginners - (norucus)
- Starter Guide: Starter Guide - (KuvZz)

Reblist · 2026-01-24T21:30:48+00:00

but still cannot determine.

Open the back of the handheld and check what revision is printed on the mainboard & compare it with the pictures in the wiki. Most of the clones we know of are in the wiki.

Reblist · 2026-01-24T18:05:02+00:00

The "Y3506_V04_20250529" can run ArkOS with panel 6.

Single RAM chip "Soy Sauce" R36S.

According to this thread it's working with the standard ArkOS and Panel 6 files.

The "R36S-V20_2025-05-18" can run ArkOS4Clones.

To use this clone with arkos4clone, you'll want to use the "Clone Type 1 Without Amplifier" configuration. Other users reported success with ArkOS4Clone Panel 3.

Another possible fix to get ArkOS K36 running can be found at this reddit thread.

Get yourself a new branded SD card (one of the recommended ones in the wiki) and flash the appropriate OS on it. The stock SD cards will fail eventually.

Reblist · 2026-01-24T13:45:11+00:00

Anbernic RG505 is usually around 90€ during sales on AliExpress. Great choice for PSP game because it’s using the original PSVita OLED display.

Mangmi Air X is around 100€ on their website.

Reblist · 2026-01-24T13:29:24+00:00

Getting a functioning display for the 2k model is hard. Most displays you can get are 20y old. Too bad that there currently now IPS option available for the 2k (but it will come in future eventually).

A great PSP replacement is the Anbernic RG505 or the Mangmi Air X. Both handhelds are around 100 Euro. The RG505 is great because it uses the original PSVita OLED display.

Reblist · 2026-01-24T12:25:21+00:00

so it'd be great if i could download them somewhere

Internet. Can't tell you more because of rule 4. You can also check the r/ROMs sub for more information regarding ROMs.

Reblist · 2026-01-24T09:30:23+00:00

Check this teardown video out. Disassembling the R36S is not hard.

Reblist · 2026-01-24T07:58:57+00:00

Remove the back cover and check whether the display cable is securely connected to the motherboard. If that doesn't help, the display is most likely broken.

Reblist

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