diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d96a20257..1b0302b45 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -6,6 +6,20 @@ A cross-platform graphical front-end for emulators with controller navigation.
 **Raspberry Pi users:**
 A cool guy named petrockblog made a script which automatically installs many emulators and ES. It also includes options for configuring your RPi and setting it up to boot directly into ES. You can find it here: https://github.com/petrockblog/RetroPie-Setup
 
+I found a bug! I have a problem!
+================================
+
+- First, try to check the [issue list](https://github.com/Aloshi/EmulationStation/issues?state=open) if there are already some entries that might match your issue. Then make sure to check closed bugs too, to find a solution to already solved problems.
+- Try to update to the latest version of EmulationStation using git (You might need to delete you `es_input.cfg` and `es_settings.cfg` after that to reset them to default values after this):
+
+```
+cd EmulationStation
+git pull
+cmake .
+make
+```
+- If your problem still isn't gone, the best way to report a bug is to post an issue on GitHub. Try to post the simplest steps possible to reproduce the bug. Include files you think might be related (except for ROMs, of course). If you haven't re-run ES since the crash, the log file `~/.emulationstation/es_log.txt` is also helpful.
+
 Building
 ========
 
@@ -139,11 +153,6 @@ The path element should be the absolute path of the ROM. Special characters SHOU
 The switch `--gamelist-only` can be used to skip automatic searching, and only display games defined in the system's gamelist.xml.
 The switch `--ignore-gamelist` can be used to ignore the gamelist and use the non-detailed view.
 
-I found a bug!
-==============
-
-The best way to report a bug is to post an issue on GitHub. Try to post the simplest steps possible to reproduce the bug. Include files you think might be related (except for ROMs, of course). If you haven't re-run ES since the crash, the log file `~/.emulationstation/es_log.txt` is also helpful.
-
 Themes
 ======
 
diff --git a/src/SystemData.cpp b/src/SystemData.cpp
index a34ecf4e6..899cfe5e9 100644
--- a/src/SystemData.cpp
+++ b/src/SystemData.cpp
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ void SystemData::populateFolder(FolderData* folder)
 		//add directories that also do not match an extension as folders
 		if(!isGame && fs::is_directory(filePath))
 		{
-			FolderData* newFolder = new FolderData(this, filePath.string(), filePath.stem().string());
+			FolderData* newFolder = new FolderData(this, filePath.generic_string(), filePath.stem().string());
 			populateFolder(newFolder);
 
 			//ignore folders that do not contain games
@@ -233,7 +233,11 @@ void SystemData::loadConfig()
 						sysPath = varValue.substr(0, varValue.length() - 1);
 					else
 						sysPath = varValue;
-				}else if(varName == "EXTENSION")
+					//convert path to generic directory seperators
+					boost::filesystem::path genericPath(sysPath);
+					sysPath = genericPath.generic_string();
+				}
+				else if(varName == "EXTENSION")
 					sysExtension = varValue;
 				else if(varName == "COMMAND")
 					sysCommand = varValue;
diff --git a/src/XMLReader.cpp b/src/XMLReader.cpp
index d8a8f0eea..517ae8509 100644
--- a/src/XMLReader.cpp
+++ b/src/XMLReader.cpp
@@ -133,7 +133,9 @@ void parseGamelist(SystemData* system)
 			continue;
 		}
 
-		std::string path = pathNode.text().get();
+		//convert path to generic directory seperators
+		boost::filesystem::path gamePath(pathNode.text().get());
+		std::string path = gamePath.generic_string();
 
 		//expand "."
 		if(path[0] == '.')
@@ -169,7 +171,7 @@ void parseGamelist(SystemData* system)
 				{
 					newImage.erase(0, 1);
 					boost::filesystem::path pathname(xmlpath);
-					newImage.insert(0, pathname.parent_path().string() );
+					newImage.insert(0, pathname.parent_path().generic_string() );
 				}
 
 				//if the image exist, set it
@@ -218,7 +220,9 @@ void addGameDataNode(pugi::xml_node & parent, const GameData * game)
 	//add values
 	if (!game->getPath().empty()) {
 		pugi::xml_node pathNode = newGame.append_child(GameData::xmlTagPath.c_str());
-		pathNode.text().set(game->getPath().c_str());
+		//store path with generic directory seperators
+		boost::filesystem::path gamePath(game->getPath());
+		pathNode.text().set(gamePath.generic_string().c_str());
 	}
 	if (!game->getName().empty()) {
 		pugi::xml_node nameNode = newGame.append_child(GameData::xmlTagName.c_str());
@@ -294,8 +298,10 @@ void updateGamelist(SystemData* system)
 						LOG(LogError) << "<" << GameData::xmlTagGame << "> node contains no <" << GameData::xmlTagPath << "> child!";
 						continue;
 					}
-					//check path
-					if (pathNode.text().get() == game->getPath()) {
+					//check paths. use the same directory separators
+					boost::filesystem::path nodePath(pathNode.text().get());
+					boost::filesystem::path gamePath(game->getPath());
+					if (nodePath.generic_string() == gamePath.generic_string()) {
 						//found the game. remove it. it will be added again later with updated values
 						root.remove_child(gameNode);
 						//break node search loop
diff --git a/src/platform.cpp b/src/platform.cpp
index 5690e5b9d..856161302 100644
--- a/src/platform.cpp
+++ b/src/platform.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "platform.h"
 #include <stdlib.h>
+#include <boost/filesystem.hpp>
 
 
 std::string getHomePath()
@@ -31,5 +32,7 @@ std::string getHomePath()
 	}
 #endif
 
-	return homePath;
+	//convert path to generic directory seperators
+	boost::filesystem::path genericPath(homePath);
+	return genericPath.generic_string();
 }