[GH-ISSUE #209] Cannot launch ROMs on macOS - "Failed to create Vulkan instance." #21

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opened 2026-03-03 13:45:04 +03:00 by kerem · 2 comments

kerem commented

2026-03-03 13:45:04 +03:00

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Originally created by @MasterRee on GitHub (Feb 1, 2025).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/gopher64/gopher64/issues/209

I can run Gopher and launch the GUI, but whenever I attempt to run a ROM (tested with several ROMs that work in Ares without issue) the app panics.

I'm running the Gopher 1.0.0 ("gopher64-aarch64-apple-darwin) binary on an M1 Pro Mac running macOS 15.3.
On my initial attempt to run it there was an error about Molten-VK missing and I also didn't have Rust installed. So I installed both through HomeBrew and that error was cleared, but now when I run it I get an error that it "Failed to create Vulkan instance". Below is the backtrace in case that's helpful to identify the issue. I haven't tried compiling it myself yet, so I might try that next.

gopher64 2025-01-31 21:23:26.126 gopher64[23270:3212239] +[IMKClient subclass]: chose IMKClient_Modern 2025-01-31 21:23:26.126 gopher64[23270:3212239] +[IMKInputSession subclass]: chose IMKInputSession_Modern [INFO]: Targeting VK_KHR_present_wait latency to 1 frames. [INFO]: Layer count: 1 [INFO]: Found layer: MoltenVK. [ERROR]: Failed to create Vulkan instance. [ERROR]: Failed to create Vulkan instance. thread '<unnamed>' panicked at src/ui/gui.rs:347:17: process exited with: signal: 11 (SIGSEGV) stack backtrace: 0: 0x104b89b14 - <std::sys::backtrace::BacktraceLock::print::DisplayBacktrace as core::fmt::Display>::fmt::hadba1856081fe8dc 1: 0x1048c61f4 - core::fmt::write::h5358bd20891469bc 2: 0x104b5dba8 - std::io::Write::write_fmt::hbf0611cc5d72cc91 3: 0x104b8d16c - std::sys::backtrace::BacktraceLock::print::he2302a8c253c9a13 4: 0x104b8d860 - std::panicking::rust_panic_with_hook::h533a16f5f89e4278 5: 0x104b8d248 - std::panicking::begin_panic_handler::{{closure}}::h168c3a4362c8e4df 6: 0x104b8d1b8 - std::sys::backtrace::__rust_end_short_backtrace::h601e3529ca2053df 7: 0x104b8d1ac - _rust_begin_unwind 8: 0x104e0066c - core::panicking::panic_fmt::ha0f8363f677e0181 9: 0x10477cc9c - std::sys::backtrace::__rust_begin_short_backtrace::he245e22db689b145 10: 0x104787ac8 - core::ops::function::FnOnce::call_once{{vtable.shim}}::h086250cf9617bb98 11: 0x104b8ec70 - std::sys::pal::unix::thread::Thread::new::thread_start::ha1530855ce6ee203 12: 0x193f142e4 - __pthread_deallocate

Originally created by @MasterRee on GitHub (Feb 1, 2025). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/gopher64/gopher64/issues/209 I can run Gopher and launch the GUI, but whenever I attempt to run a ROM (tested with several ROMs that work in Ares without issue) the app panics. I'm running the Gopher 1.0.0 ("gopher64-aarch64-apple-darwin) binary on an M1 Pro Mac running macOS 15.3. On my initial attempt to run it there was an error about Molten-VK missing and I also didn't have Rust installed. So I installed both through HomeBrew and that error was cleared, but now when I run it I get an error that it "Failed to create Vulkan instance". Below is the backtrace in case that's helpful to identify the issue. I haven't tried compiling it myself yet, so I might try that next. `gopher64 2025-01-31 21:23:26.126 gopher64[23270:3212239] +[IMKClient subclass]: chose IMKClient_Modern 2025-01-31 21:23:26.126 gopher64[23270:3212239] +[IMKInputSession subclass]: chose IMKInputSession_Modern [INFO]: Targeting VK_KHR_present_wait latency to 1 frames. [INFO]: Layer count: 1 [INFO]: Found layer: MoltenVK. [ERROR]: Failed to create Vulkan instance. [ERROR]: Failed to create Vulkan instance. thread '<unnamed>' panicked at src/ui/gui.rs:347:17: process exited with: signal: 11 (SIGSEGV) stack backtrace: 0: 0x104b89b14 - <std::sys::backtrace::BacktraceLock::print::DisplayBacktrace as core::fmt::Display>::fmt::hadba1856081fe8dc 1: 0x1048c61f4 - core::fmt::write::h5358bd20891469bc 2: 0x104b5dba8 - std::io::Write::write_fmt::hbf0611cc5d72cc91 3: 0x104b8d16c - std::sys::backtrace::BacktraceLock::print::he2302a8c253c9a13 4: 0x104b8d860 - std::panicking::rust_panic_with_hook::h533a16f5f89e4278 5: 0x104b8d248 - std::panicking::begin_panic_handler::{{closure}}::h168c3a4362c8e4df 6: 0x104b8d1b8 - std::sys::backtrace::__rust_end_short_backtrace::h601e3529ca2053df 7: 0x104b8d1ac - _rust_begin_unwind 8: 0x104e0066c - core::panicking::panic_fmt::ha0f8363f677e0181 9: 0x10477cc9c - std::sys::backtrace::__rust_begin_short_backtrace::he245e22db689b145 10: 0x104787ac8 - core::ops::function::FnOnce::call_once{{vtable.shim}}::h086250cf9617bb98 11: 0x104b8ec70 - std::sys::pal::unix::thread::Thread::new::thread_start::ha1530855ce6ee203 12: 0x193f142e4 - __pthread_deallocate`

kerem added the

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2026-03-03 13:45:04 +03:00

kerem commented

2026-03-03 13:45:05 +03:00

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@loganmc10 commented on GitHub (Feb 1, 2025):

You probably didn't need to install Rust, maybe just MoltenVK.

I believe this is the same as this issue: https://github.com/Themaister/parallel-rdp/issues/70 ,but unfortunately I don't have a Mac to test.

@loganmc10 commented on GitHub (Feb 1, 2025): You probably didn't need to install Rust, maybe just MoltenVK. I believe this is the same as this issue: https://github.com/Themaister/parallel-rdp/issues/70 ,but unfortunately I don't have a Mac to test.

kerem commented

2026-03-03 13:45:05 +03:00

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@ghost commented on GitHub (Dec 23, 2025):

I'm running the Gopher 1.0.0 ("gopher64-aarch64-apple-darwin) binary on an M1 Pro Mac running macOS 15.3.

Where can I download that version?
It's not here: https://github.com/gopher64/gopher64/releases

@ghost commented on GitHub (Dec 23, 2025): > I'm running the Gopher 1.0.0 ("gopher64-aarch64-apple-darwin) binary on an M1 Pro Mac running macOS 15.3. Where can I download that version? It's not here: https://github.com/gopher64/gopher64/releases

kerem referenced this issue

2026-03-03 13:46:05 +03:00

[PR #21] [MERGED] don't use !0 #142