How to Install ArkOS on R36S: Complete Guide with Game Preservation
Your R36S is great out of the box, but it’s capable of so much more. The stock firmware is often outdated and runs on a cheap SD card that’s bound to fail. In this guide, we’ll show you how to install fresh ArkOS — the community’s favourite custom firmware — while keeping all your games intact.
Why Upgrade to ArkOS?
Before we dive in, let’s talk about why this upgrade is worth your time:
Better Performance
Optimised emulators run games smoother
More Features
RetroAchievements, netplay, themes
Reliable Storage
Use quality SD cards that won’t fail
Easy Updates
Simple update process going forward
The SD card that comes with your R36S is typically low-quality and will fail eventually. We’ve seen cards die within weeks. The OS is also outdated, and updating it on the stock card is unnecessarily complicated. A fresh install on a quality card solves both problems.
What You’ll Need
Hardware
- Quality MicroSD Card — Samsung EVO Plus 128GB recommended
- MicroSD Card Reader — USB 3.0 preferred for faster transfers
- Your R36S — With the original SD card still working
- Windows PC — Required for Rufus (Mac/Linux alternatives available)
Software (Free Downloads)
- ArkOS Image — Latest release from GitHub
- Rufus — For writing the OS image to SD card
- 7-Zip — To extract compressed files (optional)
Where to buy quality SD cards: Purchase Samsung EVO Plus or SanDisk Extreme from Amazon India, Flipkart, or authorised retailers. Budget around ₹800-1,200 for a 128GB card. Avoid “too good to be true” deals — counterfeit cards are everywhere and will corrupt your data.
Before You Start: Backup Your Games
Your stock SD card contains games in a partition called EASYROMS. We’ll preserve these, but it’s wise to back them up first.
- Power off your R36S completely
- Remove the SD card from your device
- Insert it into your PC’s card reader
- Open File Explorer — you should see a drive labelled
EASYROMS - Copy the entire contents to a folder on your PC (e.g.,
R36S_Backup)
This backup can take 30-60 minutes depending on how many games you have. Use a USB 3.0 reader to speed things up significantly.
Step-by-Step Installation
Download ArkOS
Get the latest ArkOS build specifically made for R36S:
- Visit the official ArkOS GitHub repository
- Go to the Releases section
- Download the file named
ArkOS_R36S_[version].img.gz
Make sure you download the version specifically for R36S, not R35S or other devices. Using the wrong image can cause issues.
Download and Install Rufus
Rufus is a free tool that writes OS images to SD cards:
- Visit rufus.ie
- Download the latest version (portable version works fine)
- No installation needed — just run the executable
Write ArkOS to Your New SD Card
Now we’ll flash ArkOS onto your new, quality SD card:
- Insert your new SD card (not the original!) into your PC
- Open Rufus
- Under Device, select your new SD card
- Click SELECT and choose the ArkOS
.img.gzfile you downloaded - Leave all other settings at default
- Click START
- When prompted, click OK to confirm (this will erase the SD card)
- Wait for the process to complete (5-10 minutes)
Double-check you’ve selected the correct drive! Rufus will completely erase the selected drive. Make absolutely sure you’re not accidentally formatting your PC’s hard drive or another important storage device.
First Boot and Initialisation
Time to test your fresh ArkOS installation:
- Safely eject the SD card from your PC
- Insert it into your R36S (Slot 1 / TF1)
- Power on the device
- ArkOS will perform first-time setup (expanding partitions, etc.)
- The device may reboot once or twice — this is normal
- Once complete, you’ll see the ArkOS main menu
The first boot can take 2-3 minutes as ArkOS configures itself. Don’t turn off the device during this process — let it complete fully.
Transfer Your Games
Now let’s get your games back onto the device:
- Power off your R36S
- Remove the SD card and insert it into your PC
- You’ll now see a partition called
EASYROMS(ArkOS created this) - Copy all the game folders from your backup into this partition
- Safely eject and reinsert into your R36S
Folder Structure
EASYROMS/ ├── gba/ (Game Boy Advance) ├── gbc/ (Game Boy Colour) ├── nes/ (Nintendo Entertainment System) ├── snes/ (Super Nintendo) ├── psx/ (PlayStation 1) ├── megadrive/ (Sega Genesis/Mega Drive) ├── n64/ (Nintendo 64) ├── mame/ (Arcade games) └── ...
ArkOS uses lowercase folder names. If your games don’t appear, check that folder names match exactly (e.g., gba not GBA).
Configure Your Device
Let’s optimise ArkOS for the best experience:
Essential Settings
- Navigate to Options → Advanced
- Set Device Type to R36S
- Return to Options → Systems Shown
- Hide systems you don’t have games for (cleaner menu)
Recommended Tweaks
- Disable Battery Warning Sound: Options → System → Audio → Battery Warning Off
- Set Hotkeys: Options → RetroArch → Hotkey Settings (we recommend Start+Select for menu)
- Adjust Brightness: FN + Volume buttons for quick adjustment
Verify Everything Works
Final checks to ensure success:
- ✓ Navigate through the menu — all systems should appear
- ✓ Launch a game from each system you play regularly
- ✓ Test save states (Start+Select → Save State)
- ✓ Check hotkeys are working as expected
- ✓ Verify audio and controls
Keep your old SD card as a backup! Store it safely — if anything goes wrong, you can always boot from it while troubleshooting.
Post-Installation: Adding More Systems
One of ArkOS’s strengths is support for additional systems beyond what stock firmware offers:
| System | Folder Name | File Formats |
|---|---|---|
| Commodore 64 | c64 |
.d64, .t64, .prg |
| Amiga | amiga |
.adf, .hdf |
| MSX/MSX2 | msx |
.rom, .mx1, .mx2 |
| Vectrex | vectrex |
.vec, .bin |
| Neo Geo Pocket | ngp |
.ngp, .ngc |
| PC Engine | pcengine |
.pce, .cue |
Simply create the folder in EASYROMS, add your games, and refresh the game list on your device.
Troubleshooting
“Device won’t boot / stuck on logo”
- Re-flash the SD card using Rufus — the image may not have written correctly
- Try a different SD card — some cards aren’t compatible
- Ensure you downloaded the R36S-specific ArkOS image
“Games aren’t showing up”
- Check folder names are lowercase (e.g.,
gbanotGBA) - Verify file formats are supported for that system
- Refresh game list: Start → Games Settings → Update Games Lists
- Some systems need BIOS files — see our BIOS guide (coming soon)
“SD card not detected by PC”
- After flashing, Windows may not recognise Linux partitions — this is normal
- The
EASYROMSpartition should still be visible - Try a different USB port or card reader
“Performance worse than stock”
- Ensure Device Type is set to R36S in settings
- Some games need per-game settings — check PortMaster for optimised configs
- Try overclocking: Options → Advanced → Overclock
“Clone device not working with ArkOS”
If you have an R36S clone (identified by inferior TN screen, mushy buttons), ArkOS may not work correctly. Clones often have different internal hardware that isn’t compatible with official firmware images. Unfortunately, there’s no reliable fix — this is one of the hidden costs of clone devices.
ArkOS vs Stock Firmware: Quick Comparison
| Feature | Stock Firmware | ArkOS |
|---|---|---|
| Update Process | Complicated | Simple OTA or SD swap |
| Emulator Versions | Outdated | Latest optimised builds |
| Theme Support | Limited | Extensive library |
| RetroAchievements | No | Yes |
| PortMaster (Ports) | No | Yes |
| Community Support | Minimal | Active Discord & forums |
| SD Card Quality | Cheap, will fail | Use your own quality card |
Quick Reference
| What | Where/How |
|---|---|
| ArkOS Download | github.com/AeolusUX/ArkOS-R3XS |
| Rufus Download | rufus.ie |
| Games Folder | EASYROMS/[system]/ |
| Device Setting | Options → Advanced → Device Type |
| Refresh Games | Start → Games Settings → Update Games Lists |
What’s Next?
Congratulations — you’re now running the best firmware available for your R36S! Here’s what to explore next:
- Themes: Customise your menu with community-made themes
- PortMaster: Play standalone games and ports (Stardew Valley, DOOM, etc.)
- RetroAchievements: Earn achievements in classic games
- Netplay: Play multiplayer games online with friends