MAME Help???

Good evening. I need a bit of help with getting MAME ROMs to run. I've been trying to figure this out for a very long time. Every time I download a MAME ROM, and try to play it, it ALWAYS says something about missing ROM files or CHD files. So far, I've only been able to get Killer Instinct to run. I can't get ANY Street Fighter type games to rum(Street Fighter III Third Strike and Double Impact, X-Men: Children of the Atom, Marvel vs. Capcom 2, etc). What am I doing wrong? How can I get these games to run? I would really like to play some of these excellent games again. I also have some trouble running other games too, not just fighter type games. I get the same "missing ROM files or CHD files" message. Any help would be extremely helpful and would make me very happy. Thanks in advance.

Mame files usually have one "working" version, and a lot of "dependent" versions. The working versions work on their own, while the dependent versions need the working version to be in the same directory to work. This is for old games, newer games actaully need other files called "CHD" files which contain all the game data in the same directory to work. CHD files are usually a lot larger than rom files, for instance rom files of one game might be a few kilobytes while the chd file could be bigger that 200 megabytes. The trick is to find the working roms and chd files. These are usually larger than their dependent counter parts and have more downloads, those are the metrics I use for finding them!

Don't forget the bios images as well ;)

That's just the problem I'm having. I don't seem to have any luck finding the working ROM and CHD files. I've tired many different ROM sites too not just this one. Still have the same problems. I'm usually good at this type of stuff too, but, this is one thing that's really wracking my brain. Guess I'll keep trying. If I don't have any luck, I guess I'll just stick with console emulators.

For MAME you need the correct version roms for certain versions of MAME

Mame 1.47 will work with rom dumps for 1.47, every time Mame gets an update it doesn't just add new rom but also used the newest dumps of existing games so older dumps will no longer be usable

Almost all roms have a master rom and all the others for the same game, i.e. different country releases use the master rom and the rom for that release for the game, so the master rom has data that is used by all the sub roms

Some roms require a bios rom that is like the master roms in that it is used by all the games from that hardware type of arcade cab, e.g. all neo-geo arcade games require a neo-geo rom file

Newer cabs that used a rom and HDD or GD require a CHD

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jonathan Baenziger

Guess I'll keep trying. If I don't have any luck, I guess I'll just stick with console emulators.

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It's easier than you think once you get the hang of it. I too wish they would just mention which one is the master rom. :)

they do every rom list for mame, list the master rom

rom sites don't always list there games very well, the best site for that is long gone now :( that told you if a game is a master or for the games that are not a master rom it will tell you what the master rom is

http://surumnam00.tripod.com/id7.html for example, it lists all the games for mame and the rom names are the master rom names, the sub roms are just not listed but all they do is add onto the file name, e.g.

Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom
ddtod is the master rom for a US release they would just add u onto the rom file name so that would be ddtodu

Just for the record, I'm running MAME 0.148 on a Windows 7 Home Premium Service Pack 1 64-bit operating system PC. This is just still very confusing to me as I'm still not having any luck with it. I'll give a few more ROMs a try, but, so, far, I still only have Killer Instinct working. All the others I've tried still keep giving me that missing ROM files or CHD files message.

I would guess at, that is because you have the wrong rom sets for the latest version of MAME, try using MAME 0.147 with the same roms you have there is probably nothing wrong with your roms you are possibly just using the incorrect version of MAME with them

It's easy to know the "master" romset, just type
mame -listclones
or:
mame -listclones >clonelist.txt
and open the clonelist.txt!

Seach the list and download the "master" romset, add to your roms dir with the "clone" and play.

The correct path are:
ROMS/ <---put your roms and bioses here (zip, rar, 7zip archives are fine)!
ROMS/SETNAME/ <-- put the CHD file here (a CHD file, don't use zip, rar, 7zip.)

For example:
roms/neogeo.zip <---neogeo bios
roms/roboarmy.rar <--- a romset
roms/kinstinct/kinstinct.chd <--a chd

Note:
CHDs format was upgraded to v5 on 0.147, most of CDs need a redump. Also most roms are renamed, changed during the mame development (betas and final releases). You can audit/update your roms with tools like Ctlrmamepro or Romcenter.

Also type
mame <gamename>
on mame 0.148 and you'll find "master/clone/bios" dependency

On the picture below mame "tryied" roboarmy and neogeo archives for the missing roms!

Attachment 36562

Well, I tried MAME 0.147 64-Bit. Still getting all the same problems with running any and all ROMs I download. I'm about ready to give up. I think I might just stick with console emulators. This is too confusing to me. I just can't get the hang of it.

I would be using MAMEUI at least it tells you what is wrong with a rom set if you audit your roms or you can do it the old command promt method shown by WitchHunter

MAME is easy enough to use but you must make sure your roms are correct and yours are obviously not correct you have something missing for running certain games

external rom checking tools like clrmamepro are also good for checking your roms

If you are just after emulating a few Arcade games mame is maybe not the best option anyway, especially for new users

http://www.barryharris.me.uk/fba.php Final Burn Alpha might be more like what you can use or maybe
http://nebula.emulatronia.com/descargas.php or Nebula
http://cps2shock.emu-france.info/dow...nkawaks163.zip or Kawaks (sorry there homepage is gone now)


there are others as well, actually that last host has a few Arcade emulators that cover multi systems http://cps2shock.emu-france.info/download.html

These other emulators are a lot more user friendly and depending on your systems specs will run the games a lot more smoother (MAME will almost always be the more accurate emulator though and is in general [that is not always a good thing though if you are after speed or just wanting a game to fully work])

MAME also has un-finished drivers so there are games that will not boot anyway or not work in other ways

http://nonmame.retrogames.com/ is a great site to check out, it will list certain games and hardware that is emulated at a more playable state in other arcade emulators that are not MAME

Well, tried all those other emulators that you suggesting, zorlon. No luck with any of them. None of the games on any of them work. I can't seem to figure out what I'm doing wrong. That command prompt method is even more confusing to me, so, that's out of the question too. Any idea where I can find MAMEUI, so I can try one last time? What if I list my system specs? Will that help at all? Thanks again for all your help.

http://www.mameui.info/

Missing Roms Report =

Roms are from an older set
You are missing main rom sets
You are missing bios roms
you are missing or the CHD is from an older set

P.S. what game are you trying to play and did you get the rom from here?

There's a lot of games I'm trying to play, and yes, I got them all from here(at first, not originally all from here, but, figured I'd give them all a try from here). Here's my list: Any and all Street Fighter games(including the "vs" ones), Marvel vs. Capcom I & II, Final Fight, X-Men(original 4 player arcade version), and so many, many more.

Your not renaming roms or anything like that are you as those should just work CPS systems 1 and 2 don't need CHD's
Your not extracting the roms either as they must be kept zipped and in the roms folder

Direct link me to a game that you really want to play (from here) then I can test myself and tell you what is going wrong

No. I'm not renaming or extracting anything. I'm keeping them as .zip files. Here's at least one game I really would like to play: http://www.emuparadise.me/M.A.M.E._-..._(Rev_A)/97967

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jonathan Baenziger

No. I'm not renaming or extracting anything. I'm keeping them as .zip files. Here's at least one game I really would like to play: http://www.emuparadise.me/M.A.M.E._-..._(Rev_A)/97967

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I was mistaken that game does need a bios file or 2 it's not a standard CPS2 game it's a Naomi game (Dreamcast arcade hardware)
http://www.emuparadise.me/M.A.M.E._-...omi_Bios/14983
http://www.emuparadise.me/M.A.M.E._-...OMs/mie/143826

Those also go into the roms folder

in MameUI just audit your roms it will tell you what is missing

Marvel Vs Capcom 2 is not playable in mame anyway though Game Protection is not fully emulated, it will boot but very slow, the link I gave you before that has a list of alt arcade emulators is what you want to look at

http://demul.emulation64.com/ is what you want for that game and other Naomi Hardware arcade games, it is also a very good Dreamcast emulator

The rom you have will not work in demul though it's the wrong version of the rom & I do not know where to find that exact rom but cvs2 for the dreamcast will also work in it

The game does lag a lil for me but I'm not on the greatest hardware so it may run better for you

While I'm at it I have also tested NullDC another Dreamcast emulator (That one only supports dreamcast so no arcade roms, there is another version of NullDC though that only support Naomi games) the game ran smoother in NullDC compared with demul for me

For a lil more info though the Dreamcast was a step down from Naomi based arcade hardware infact is very much based on Naomi, being both by sega and the ports are almost exact to the arcade versions with extra's, what is missing is the coin slot so you are stuck with a limited supply of continues with some games, you can either go with the GD-Rom dump or you can go with a cdi selfboot rip (nothing is actually ripped from that game and nothing was down sampled)

Original GD Roms are apx 1.2 GB because the disc is composed of a single 1GB track with game data on it and 0.2GB of normal CD tracks that can either be data or cdda tracks, when we dump GD-Rom they are in a RAW format so they are not a compressed size and there is empty data in there so it's keeps the full size but there will not be a full 1GB of data inside it most the time, there are a few though that do but not many.

Sorry for the late response, but, ok. I'll give it a few more tries. Also, I know you must be tired of all my questions by now, but, you wouldn't happen to know what other games are considered NAOMI hardware arcade games, do you? I'm sorry. I will try to stop asking as much as possible. Thanks again for all your help.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by http://nonmame.retrogames.com/

Atomiswave Games:

Demolish Fist
Dirty Pigskin Football
Dolphin Blue
Extreme Hunting
Extreme Hunting 2
Faster Than Speed
Guilty Gear Isuka
Guilty Gear X (Version 1.5)
Hokuto No Ken ~ Fist Of The North Star
Hustle Tamaire Kyousou ~ Animal Basket
King Of Fighters Neowave, The
King Of Fighters Neowave, The (Japan)
King Of Fighters XI, The (Japan)
Knights Of Valor: The Seven Spirits
Maximum Speed
Metal Slug 6
Neo-Geo Battle Coliseum (Japan)
Net Select Keiba Victory Furlong
Ranger Mission
Rumble Fish, The
Rumble Fish 2, The
Salary Man Kintaro
Samurai Spirits: Tenkaichi Kenkakuden ~ Samurai Shodown VI
Sports Shooting USA

NAOMI Cartridge-Based Games:

18 Wheeler
18 Wheeler DX
18 Wheeler DX (Revision A)
Airline Pilots (Revision A)
Airline Pilots Deluxe (Revision B)
Akatsuki Blitzkampf Ausf. Achse
Alien Front (Revision A)
Alien Front (Revision T)
Asian Dynamite ~ Dynamite Deka EX
Cannon Spike ~ Gunspike
Capcom Vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 (Revision A)
Capcom Vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 (Revision C)
Cosmic Smash
Cosmic Smash (Revision A)
Crack'n DJ
Crazy Taxi
Dead Or Alive 2
Dead Or Alive 2: Millennium
Death Crimson OX
Dengen Tenshi Taisen Janshi Shangri-la
Derby Owners Club (Revision B)
Derby Owners Club (World Edition) (Revision C)
Derby Owners Club (World Edition) (Revision D)
Derby Owners Club 2000 (Version 2) (Revision A)
Derby Owners Club II (Revision B)
Dynamite Baseball
Dynamite Baseball '99 ~ World Series '99
Ferrari F355 Challenge
Ferrari F355 Challenge (Twin)
Ferrari F355 Challenge 2 (Twin)
Giant Gram 2000: All Japan Pro Wrestling 3: Brave Men Of Glory
Giant Gram: All Japan Pro Wrestling 2
Giga Wing 2
Guilty Gear X
Gun Survivor 2: Biohazard Code: Veronica
Heavy Metal Geomatrix (Revision A)
Hopper Board
House Of The Dead 2, The
House Of The Dead 2, The (Original)
House Of The Dead 2, The (Prototype)
Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai 3
Illmatic Envelope
Inu No Osanpo (Revision A)
Jambo! Safari (Revision A)
Kick '4' Cash
Mamoru-Kun Wa Norowarete Shimatta!
Manic Panic Ghosts! ~ Pokasuka Ghost
Marvel Vs. Capcom 2: New Age Of Heroes (Revision A)
Mazan: Flash Of The Blade
Melty Blood: Actress Again
Melty Blood: Actress Again (Version A)
Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation Vs. Zeon (Cartridge Version)
Mushiking: The King Of Beetles 2003 (2nd)
Mushiking: The King Of Beetles II (Version 1.001)
Mushiking: The King Of Beetles II (Version 2.001)
Oinori-Daimyoujin *Matsuri*
OutTrigger
Power Stone
Power Stone 2
Project Justice ~ Moero Justice Gakuen
Puyo Puyo Da!
Quiz Ah Megamisama! ~ Quiz Ah My Goddess!
Radirgy Noa
Ring Out 4x4 (Revision A)
Samba De Amigo (Revision B)
Samba De Amigo (Version 2000)
Sega Marine Fishing
Sega Strike Fighter (Revision A)
Sega Tetris
Shin Nihon Prowrestling Toukon Retsuden 4 (Arcade Edition)
Shooting Love 2007
Shootout Pool
Shootout Pool ~ Shootout Pool Prize (Revision A)
Shootout Pool Medal ~ Shootout Pool Prize
Slashout (Cartridge Version)
Spawn: In The Demon's Hand (Revision B)
Super Major League '99 ~ World Series '99
Touch De Uno! (Revision A)
Touch De Uno! 2
Toy Fighter
Typing Of The Dead, The (Revision A)
Virtua NBA
Virtua NBA (Original)
Virtua NBA (Prototype)
Virtua Striker 2 (Version 2000) (Revision C)
Virtua Tennis ~ Power Smash (Cartridge Version)
Virtua Tennis 2 ~ Power Smash 2 (Cartridge Version) (Revision A)
Virtual ON Oratorio Tangram M.S.B.S. (Version 5.66)
Wave Runner GP
World Kicks
WWF Royal Rumble
Zero Gunner 2
Zombie Revenge

NAOMI GD-ROM-Based Games:

Azumanga Daioh Puzzle Bobble
Border Down (Revision A)
Capcom Vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 Pro
Capcom Vs. SNK 2: Millionaire Fighting 2001 (Revision A)
Chaos Field
Cleopatra Fortune Plus
Confidential Mission
Doki Doki Idol Star Seeker
Guilty Gear XX: Accent Core
Guilty Gear XX: Slash (Revision A)
Guilty Gear XX: The Midnight Carnival
Guilty Gear XX: The Midnight Carnival #Reload
Ikaruga
Jingi Storm - The Arcade
Karous
Kurukuru Chameleon
La Keyboard
Lupin The Third: The Shooting
Lupin The Third: The Typing (Revision A)
Maze Of The Kings, The
Melty Blood: Act Cadenza (Version A)
Melty Blood: Act Cadenza (Version B)
Melty Blood: Act Cadenza (Version B) (Revision A)
Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation Vs. Zeon (GD-ROM Version)
Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation Vs. Zeon DX
Moeru Casinyo
Monkey Ball
Musapey's Choco Marker (Revision A)
NAOMI DIMM Firmware Updater (3.17)
NAOMI DIMM Firmware Updater (4.01)
NAOMI DIMM Firmware Updater (GDL-0023A)
NAOMI DIMM Firmware Updater (GDL-0023C)
Noukone Puzzle Takoron
Psyvariar 2: The Will To Fabricate
Puyo Puyo Fever
Quiz Keitai Q Mode
Radirgy
Senko No Ronde
Senko No Ronde (New Version) (Revision A)
Senko No Ronde Special
Shakatto Tambourine Cho Powerup Chu
Shikigami No Shiro II ~ Castle Of Shikigami II, The
Slashout (GD-ROM Version)
Spikers Battle
Sports Jam
Street Fighter Zero 3: Upper
Super Shanghai 2005
Super Shanghai 2005 (Revision A)
Tetris Kiwamemichi
Triggerheart Exelica (Revision A)
Trizeal
Under Defeat
Usagui - Yamashiro Mahjong Hen
Virtua Athletics ~ Virtua Athlete
Virtua Golf ~ Dynamic Golf
Virtua Tennis ~ Power Smash (GD-ROM Version)
Virtua Tennis 2 ~ Power Smash 2 (GD-ROM Version) (Revision A)
World Series Baseball ~ Super Major League

NAOMI 2 Cartridge-Based Games:

Club Kart: European Session (2001)
Club Kart: European Session (2001) (Revision D)
Club Kart: European Session (2003)
King Of Route 66, The (Revision A)
Soul Surfer (Revision A)
Virtua Fighter 4 (Cartridge Version)
Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution (Cartridge Version)
Virtua Striker 3 (Cartridge Version) (Revision B)
Virtua Striker 3 (Cartridge Version) (Revision C)
Wild Rider

NAOMI 2 GD-ROM-Based Games:

Beach Spikers
Initial D: Arcade Stage (Export)
Initial D: Arcade Stage (Japan) (Revision B)
Initial D: Arcade Stage (Version 2) (Export)
Initial D: Arcade Stage (Version 2) (Japan)
Initial D: Arcade Stage (Version 2) (Japan) (Revision B)
Initial D: Arcade Stage (Version 3) (Export)
Initial D: Arcade Stage (Version 3) (Japan) (Revision B)
Initial D: Arcade Stage (Version 3) (Japan) (Revision C)
Virtua Fighter 4 (GD-ROM Version)
Virtua Fighter 4 (Revision B)
Virtua Fighter 4 (Revision C)
Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution (Revision A)
Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution (Revision B)
Virtua Fighter 4: Final Tuned (Revision A)
Virtua Fighter 4: Final Tuned (Revision B)
Virtua Fighter 4: Final Tuned (Revision D)
Virtua Striker 3 (GD-ROM Version)

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http://nonmame.retrogames.com/ like I said before is great site that lists games that are more playable is other emulators that are not MAME

Hello again. I just wanted to thank you for all you did to try to help me, but, I've given up on these games. No matter what I do, it seems like there's always something missing from the games in order to get them to work. I guess I just really have no idea what I'm doing no matter how closely I follow your directions. Thanks again for all your help.

Shame maybe another time

I could just give you a small starter pack with a few working games or something as it happens i don't think I could find the time to do that for you at this moment in time

Getting this working isn't hard, it's just confusing because of the way the roms are organised, you are not the first and will not be the last to find that difficult to get the hang of it

A small starter pack would be nice, but, if you don't think you'll have the time for it, then, that's ok. Was really looking forward to playing some of these games. I just wish every game I tried playing didn't say that some kind of file(or file extension)was missing. Someday, maybe I'll figure it out. If only I could understand how to get any of them to work. I tried so hard, but, just didn't have any luck. Very disappointed in myself for being so inept at this particular emulator. Funny. I can do anything else related to emulation(using virtual disc drives, using isos, etc), but, for some reason, I just couldn't figure this out. Guess I'll just stick to regular console emulators instead.

you need bios roms. download a neogeo bios and a neo geo game eg:samurai showdown, put them both in roms folder and try that...