Can someone please help me - MAME version and ROM compatiability

[Jeromebechaz]

Hey guys so I haven't posted on here in a while and my cap has just been sitting in my room for a long time so now it's time to finish it off. I just downloaded game ex (the full version). First question is. Is the best way to download mame through game ex, or to go to mame and download it separately. How do I verify that my ROM set is compatible with my version of mame? This seems like it would be a simple fix. All I need is a game ex expert! (I will also post this on the game ex forum, but I thought I'd just widen my options)

Edited October 29, 2013 by nullPointer
Content redacted. Please refrain from the discussion of obtaining ROMs. Refer to forum rules and guidelines.

[nullPointer]

Hi Jeromebechaz

I took the liberty of editing your post to better conform to our forum rules and guidelines. When you have an opportunity, please do take a moment to reacquaint yourself with the content therein.

OK! Now I can remove my moderator hat for a moment. How you download MAME will likely depend on your experience with MAME, and emulation in general. If you're just starting out, it would most likely be sensible to simply download MAME through the Setup Wizard. If however you'd like to be sure you're keeping up wiht the latest and greatest version of MAME, or particularly if you plan on compiling your own version of MAME, you'll want to download directly from mamedev.org.

Validating your ROM set can be a bit tricky, but if you plan on constructing a "seamless gaming experience", it's a rather important part of the process. There are tools available which will help you determine whether the version of your ROM set matches your version of MAME (this process is known as auditing your ROMs, and accordingly the tools typically fall under the umbrella of ROM auditing software).

For new(ish) users I tend to recommend ROMCenter. It’s a great tool to have in your arsenal. Here are a couple of tutorials to help get you started with ROMCenter:

Romcenter 3 tutorial
ROMCenter Wiki

Another great tool to be aware of is the venerable ClrMamePro. ClrMamePro is not nearly as user friendly as ROMCenter, but it’s got a lot more history behind it, and often times you’ll see the grizzled old emulation veterans using CMP over ROMCenter.

Here’s the complete guide to using ClrMamePro.

Let us know how you get on with this, and feel free to report back if you run into any problems.

[DazzleHP]

EDIT: null said everything i wanted to say, he did it much quicker and with more class lol. I shall leave my post for records sake

Hi Jerome,

Is the best way to download mame through game ex?

The simple answer is no. To get the best out of MAME you need the same version as your rom set. The GameEx version might be different. As far as I am aware, GameEx just downloads the latest pre-compiled version, regardless of your romset and that is something, in my opinion you should be fully aware of. Also, to get a "no-nag, highschore" version of MAME you will need to compile it yourself - the GameEx version (i'll bet my life on it) will not provide this.

The best advice i can give is to find out what rom set you have, then seek out the right version of MAME for it. If you do that, and are still unsatisfied then search on these forums for "MAME compile custom headkaze", if you still have trouble by all means let us know, and we'll be glad to explain things further

[naborneo]

ClrMamePro is what I use to verify my ROM set. But it is not very user friendly.

But it gives you a nice dialog i've pasted below.

You are missing 0 of 29437 Roms known 130929_MAME_150 sets (+ BIOS sets)You are missing 1 of 664 CHDs known 130929_MAME_150 sets (+ BIOS sets)World Combat (ver UAA?) [system: Konami Viper BIOS - folder: wcombat - size: 520kb]missing chd: c22d02.chd [chd-sha1: 69a24c9e36b073021d55bec27d89fcc0254a60cc]Missing·Sets                 0/29437·ROMs                 0/215150·CHDs                 1/664·Samples              0/4714·Bytes                0/153gbFixed Wrong Case·Sets                 0/0·ROMs                 0/0·CHDs                 0/0·Samples              0/0Fixed Unneeded·Sets                 0/0·ROMs                 0/0·CHDs                 0/0·Samples              0/0Fixed Wrong Name·Sets                 0/0·ROMs                 0/0·CHDs                 0/0Fixed Wrong Size·ROMs                 0/0Fixed Wrong Date Time·ROMs                 0/0Wrong Hashes·Wrong CRC32 ROMs     0·Wrong SHA1 ROMs      0·Wrong MD5 ROMs       0·Wrong SHA1 CHDs      0·Wrong MD5 CHDs       0Corrupt Containers    0---------------------------------------Active Sets           29437/29437·Parents              4356/4356·Clones               19870/19870·Others               5144/5144·BIOS                 67/67Active ROMs           215150/215150·Parents              39507/39507·Clones               130141/130141·Others               41341/41341·bad dumps            1179/1179·no dumps             2672/2672·verified dumps       0/0·BIOS                 310/310Active CHDs           664/664·Parents              57/57·Clones               73/73·Others               194/194·bad dumps            257/257·no dumps             83/83·verified dumps       0/0·BIOS                 0/0Active Samples        4714/4714·Parents              583/583·Clones               3927/3927Active Bytes          153gb/153gb

[Jeromebechaz]

Thanks everyone for you help I really do appreciate it.

I'll go try out your suggestions and then get back to you guys with my questions.

Seriously, I thank you all!!

[nullPointer]

To get the best out of MAME you need the same version as your rom set. The GameEx version might be different. As far as I am aware, GameEx just downloads the latest pre-compiled version, regardless of your romset and that is something, in my opinion you should be fully aware of. Also, to get a "no-nag, highschore" version of MAME you will need to compile it yourself - the GameEx version (i'll bet my life on it) will not provide this.

The best advice i can give is to find out what rom set you have, then seek out the right version of MAME for it.

This is very, very good advice, and it's something I neglected to mention. Above all else you'll want to make sure that the version of your ROM set matches the version of MAME you run. ROM auditing tools can help somewhat in this capacity, but if you unwittingly run the tool against a ROM set that is a very poor match to your version of MAME, it's going to completely work your ROMs over so that they might not work with any version of MAME.

Always pay attention to the audit process, and any dialog messages that may appear, but even more importantly, remember to back up your ROM set before doing anything.

[Jeromebechaz]

Ok so I have a few questions. When you say rom set that just means the few ROMS you have? Cause I only have 4 that I'm trying to use at the moment. And anyway I put them in rom Center and run it and it did a few things and out of the 3 2 Came back green and 1 is red. I don't see what I do from here because I then went to mame and none of them worked. It said it was missing CHD images or something like that. When I went and downloaded the database file I needed for romcenter it was from like 2010 so it was super old and for a really old version of mame. Is this a problem or should it still work?

Edited October 31, 2013 by Tempest

[Adultery]

You just answered your own question. You need the CHD files for them to work if the ROMs you want to run requires them. You might want to Google that. ;-)

[Tempest]

Talking about downloading copyrighted material is against the forum rules.

[Tempest]

I see that you have already been warned of the forum rules in this thread. We are a friendly bunch, and will help you if we can but repeatedly breaking the rules will not be tolerated. Try and watch your wording.

[Jeromebechaz]

Ok so from what Google has taught me, you have your ROM file, and then you also have your CHD file. You put they ROMS in the ROMS folder (obviously) and you also make a folder in the ROM folder named the exact same as the ROM itself and that's where the CHD file goes? Haha

Sorry if that was confusing

[naborneo]

Ok so from what Google has taught me, you have your ROM file, and then you also have your CHD file. You put they ROMS in the ROMS folder (obviously) and you also make a folder in the ROM folder named the exact same as the ROM itself and that's where the CHD file goes? Haha Sorry if that was confusing

The problem everyone is having here it trying to help you while walking that thin line of the TOS for this forum.

Your MAME folder should look like below.

* < > we'll use these to mean folder

<MAME>||---<ROMS>       |       |----Game1.zip       |----Game2.zip       |----Game3.zip       |----<Game1>                |                |----blahblahblah.chd       |----<Game2>                |                |----blahblahblah.chd       |----<Game3>                |                |----blahblahblah.chd

[Jeromebechaz]

Ok that makes sence. I looked at the rules and I read them well.

But it's hard when I need help and this is the only place to get it.

But thanks dude that makes sence. I'll try it when I get on my computer!

[Draco1962]

Ok that makes sence. I looked at the rules and I read them well. But it's hard when I need help and this is the only place to get it. But thanks dude that makes sence. I'll try it when I get on my computer!

It may be difficult, but others seem to be able to manage just fine with describing their issue without noting how/where they obtained the ROMs and actually show a little remorse and are apologetic when the issue is addressed. Instead it comes across that you blew off the mods when they brought it to your attention several times in this same thread.

The rules are what they are for a damned good reason - we want to keep this forum community going and available to others. It's not a warez site nor is it going to get you far on how and where to obtain ROMs. If it is a choice between helping you and you continue to put the forum at risk with your responses or keeping this community resource going, then you can go - it's that simple.

This is not the only place to get the help you need for the issue reported. You used ROMCenter and don't like the results, then try ClrMAMEPro as recommended by nullpointer and naborneo. You are going to have to put in a little effort to educate yourself on how to use the utilities available for this hobby. We are here to help if you get stuck along the way but we won't do it for you!

[Jeromebechaz]

Yeah dude I'm sorry.

I'm not asking where to get them I just want to figure out how to get the ones I have working.

I'll make sure in future that I don't put you guys at risk.

You guys have been awesome with help and I appreciate that. And it's really hard to google a lot of this stuff because you not even allowed to talk about it.

So I guess if I can talk to someone privately that would be a help. I have everything working now I just have a few more questions.

But I will look elsewhere.

[Draco1962]

Again, we are here to help you so if you have questions that do not involve the how and where to obtain things or discuss the same, then it is all good. Feel free to ask away!

[Adultery]

You can talk to people about stuff, just be careful when you're saying things like "I downloaded these ROMs from xxx place" or "I used this game I got at xxx site" our linking to any of the places or web sites that have any kind of ROMs on them.

You will be okay, just don't mention those things.

In the meantime, let's hear your next question. :-)

[Tempest]

What Adultery said.