Verify MAME ROMs with audits and checksums before troubleshooting
Run a targeted `-verifyroms` audit for the game short name first. Use `-romident` when you need to identify unknown ROM data. Treat SHA-256 as a provenance check for your exact download or backup, and MAME’s expected hashes as the compatibility check.
Do this in order
- 01
Copy the authorized source file to a read-only working folder.
- 02
Calculate and record SHA-256 for the exact archive or CHD you received.
- 03
Find the exact MAME short name for the target machine.
- 04
Run `mame shortname -verifyroms` and save the complete output.
- 05
Use `mame -romident path/to/file-or-archive` only when contents are unknown.
- 06
Resolve named failures from your original source, then re-run the same audit.
Decision and diagnostic table
| Check | Answers | Does not answer |
|---|---|---|
| SHA-256 | Is this byte-for-byte the same saved file? | Is it the correct MAME set or legally obtained? |
| verifyroms | Does data match this MAME definition? | Do you have permission to use it? |
| romident | Does MAME recognize contained ROM data? | Is the archive layout complete? |
Preserve two kinds of evidence
A creator checksum ties your file to a specific authorized release. MAME’s audit compares contained data with the selected machine definition. Keep both results because they answer different questions.
Record command output with the MAME version and date. A later definition update may legitimately produce a different result.
Targeted audits beat giant scans
Start with one short name. A full-library audit can produce thousands of lines and make the first relevant dependency difficult to see. Once representative games pass, a broader audit becomes useful maintenance.
Do not delete files merely because romident reports them as unknown. They may belong to another system, another release, or a non-ROM asset; quarantine and identify them from provenance records.
A good audit narrows the next layer
When ROMs pass, check CHD placement, configuration paths, device initialization, video, and audio. This order prevents performance toggles from masking a missing-data error.
If your frontend does not expose the full audit, consult its log or verify with the exact standalone core version where possible.
Checksums are identifiers, not licenses. Do not use a checksum search to locate unauthorized copies.