Canonical: https://rom-weaver.com/docs/faq

# Frequently asked questions

Find rom-weaver guides for ROM patching, checksum errors, supported files, privacy, and offline use.

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## Table of contents

- [Getting started](<#getting-started>)
  - [What can rom-weaver do?](<#what-can-rom-weaver-do>)
  - [Can I try it without a game file?](<#can-i-try-it-without-a-game-file>)
  - [Where are Trim and the Save Editor?](<#where-are-trim-and-the-save-editor>)
- [Files and privacy](<#files-and-privacy>)
  - [Are my ROMs or patches uploaded?](<#are-my-roms-or-patches-uploaded>)
  - [Does rom-weaver include games?](<#does-rom-weaver-include-games>)
  - [Will it overwrite my original?](<#will-it-overwrite-my-original>)
  - [Can I share the result?](<#can-i-share-the-result>)
- [Applying a patch](<#applying-a-patch>)
  - [Which page should I use?](<#which-page-should-i-use>)
  - [Which patch format should I choose?](<#which-patch-format-should-i-choose>)
  - [Can I drop a ZIP or 7z without extracting it?](<#can-i-drop-a-zip-or-7z-without-extracting-it>)
  - [Why does the expected filename not match?](<#why-does-the-expected-filename-not-match>)
  - [What does a source ROM checksum mismatch mean?](<#what-does-a-source-rom-checksum-mismatch-mean>)
  - [Does patch order matter?](<#does-patch-order-matter>)
  - [Why is Apply and Download disabled?](<#why-is-apply-and-download-disabled>)
- [Creating a patch](<#creating-a-patch>)
  - [What are Original and Modified?](<#what-are-original-and-modified>)
  - [How do I know the patch really works?](<#how-do-i-know-the-patch-really-works>)
  - [What belongs in release notes?](<#what-belongs-in-release-notes>)
  - [Can I convert a BPS patch to IPS?](<#can-i-convert-a-bps-patch-to-ips>)
- [Weaves](<#weaves>)
  - [What is a weave?](<#what-is-a-weave>)
  - [Does a weave contain the ROM?](<#does-a-weave-contain-the-rom>)
  - [How do I make one?](<#how-do-i-make-one>)
  - [Can a link open my hosted weave?](<#can-a-link-open-my-hosted-weave>)
- [Identify, prepare, and save](<#identify-prepare-and-save>)
  - [Why is my ROM unknown?](<#why-is-my-rom-unknown>)
  - [Can I find a ROM from its checksum without a file?](<#can-i-find-a-rom-from-its-checksum-without-a-file>)
  - [Can I compress or extract without a patch?](<#can-i-compress-or-extract-without-a-patch>)
  - [Can I decompress CHD to ISO?](<#can-i-decompress-chd-to-iso>)
  - [Can I make a trimmed ROM larger again?](<#can-i-make-a-trimmed-rom-larger-again>)
  - [Can I undo a patch?](<#can-i-undo-a-patch>)
  - [Can I edit a save state?](<#can-i-edit-a-save-state>)
  - [How do I back up my progress?](<#how-do-i-back-up-my-progress>)
- [Devices, browsers, and offline](<#devices-browsers-and-offline>)
  - [Does it work on a phone or tablet?](<#does-it-work-on-a-phone-or-tablet>)
  - [Does it work offline?](<#does-it-work-offline>)
  - [Which browser should I use?](<#which-browser-should-i-use>)
  - [Can I change the theme?](<#can-i-change-the-theme>)
- [CLI and support](<#cli-and-support>)
  - [Should I use the browser or the CLI?](<#should-i-use-the-browser-or-the-cli>)
  - [How does rom-weaver compare with the patcher I already use?](<#how-does-rom-weaver-compare-with-the-patcher-i-already-use>)
  - [How do I install the CLI?](<#how-do-i-install-the-cli>)
  - [Where can I report a bug?](<#where-can-i-report-a-bug>)

<!-- END doctoc -->

## Getting started

### What can rom-weaver do?

[Every feature in plain words](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/features.md>), or [choose a task](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs.md#choose-a-task>).

### Can I try it without a game file?

[Your first patch with supplied homebrew files](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/get-started.md>), or any of the [guided practice runs](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/guided-runs.md>).

### Where are Trim and the Save Editor?

[Enable beta tools](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/browser-settings.md#enable-beta-tools>).

## Files and privacy

### Are my ROMs or patches uploaded?

[Files and network requests](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/privacy.md#what-happens-to-your-files>).

### Does rom-weaver include games?

[Games, patches, and the supplied homebrew samples](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/how-patching-works.md#a-patch-is-not-a-game>).

### Will it overwrite my original?

[Browser input preservation and CLI exceptions](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/local-first.md#your-original-is-never-modified>).

### Can I share the result?

[Weaves and redistribution](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/bundles.md#what-it-is-not>).

## Applying a patch

### Which page should I use?

[Apply a ROM patch](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/apply-rom-patches.md>), or [practise with supplied files](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/get-started.md>).

### Which patch format should I choose?

[Choosing a patch format](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/patch-formats.md>).

### Can I drop a ZIP or 7z without extracting it?

[Add archives in the browser](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/apply-rom-patches.md#add-the-files>), or [work with archives from the CLI](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/work-with-archives.md>).

### Why does the expected filename not match?

[Checksums and filenames](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/how-patching-works.md#what-a-checksum-proves-and-what-a-filename-does-not>).

<a id="why-does-the-checksum-not-match"></a>

### What does a source ROM checksum mismatch mean?

Work through [Fix a source ROM checksum mismatch](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/fix-checksum-errors.md>).

### Does patch order matter?

[Why patch order matters](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/how-patching-works.md#why-patch-order-matters>).

### Why is Apply and Download disabled?

[Check why Apply is unavailable](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/apply-rom-patches.md#choose-the-output-and-apply>).

## Creating a patch

### What are Original and Modified?

[Original and Modified](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/create-rom-patches.md>).

### How do I know the patch really works?

[Test the downloaded patch](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/create-rom-patches.md#test-the-downloaded-patch>).

### What belongs in release notes?

[Write useful release notes](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/create-rom-patches.md#write-useful-release-notes>).

### Can I convert a BPS patch to IPS?

[Convert BPS to IPS and other patch formats](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/convert-patch-format.md>).

<a id="bundles"></a>

## Weaves

<a id="what-is-a-bundle"></a>

### What is a weave?

[What a weave is](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/bundles.md>).

<a id="does-a-bundle-contain-the-rom"></a>

### Does a weave contain the ROM?

[What a weave contains](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/bundles.md#what-it-is-not>).

### How do I make one?

[Share multiple ROM patches as one weave](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/create-bundles.md>), or [from the CLI](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/cli-bundles.md>).

<a id="can-a-link-open-my-hosted-bundle"></a>

### Can a link open my hosted weave?

[Open a hosted weave](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/create-bundles.md#open-a-hosted-bundle-in-apply>).

## Identify, prepare, and save

### Why is my ROM unknown?

[Read an identification result](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/identify-roms-browser.md#identify-a-file>).

### Can I find a ROM from its checksum without a file?

[Search ROM checksums by CRC32, MD5, or SHA-1](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/search-rom-checksums.md>).

### Can I compress or extract without a patch?

[Extract files in the browser](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/extract-files-browser.md>) or [compress a ROM in the browser](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/convert-roms-browser.md>). For disc formats, see [RVZ to ISO](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/convert-rvz-to-iso.md>) and [ISO or BIN/CUE to CHD](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/convert-to-chd.md>). For terminal workflows, use [CLI archive commands](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/work-with-archives.md>).

### Can I decompress CHD to ISO?

[Convert CHD to ISO, BIN/CUE, or GDI](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/extract-chd.md>).

### Can I make a trimmed ROM larger again?

[Restoration limits](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/supported-formats.md#trim-support>) and [the CLI procedure](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/cli-trim.md#put-the-padding-back>).

### Can I undo a patch?

[Undo a PPF3 patch with undo data](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/undo-ppf-browser.md>).

### Can I edit a save state?

[Game saves and unsupported save states](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/game-save-support.md#unsupported-data>).

### How do I back up my progress?

[Export and restore emulator saves](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/test-roms.md#export-and-restore-a-save>).

## Devices, browsers, and offline

### Does it work on a phone or tablet?

[Browser memory, storage, and capability limits](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/local-first.md#what-this-costs-you>).

### Does it work offline?

[Prepare for offline use](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/browser-settings.md#prepare-for-offline-use>) and [offline limits](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/local-first.md#offline>).

### Which browser should I use?

[Browser capabilities and limits](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/local-first.md#what-this-costs-you>).

### Can I change the theme?

[Change browser preferences](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/browser-settings.md#change-preferences>).

## CLI and support

### Should I use the browser or the CLI?

[Browser and CLI](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/browser-and-cli.md>) compares them.

### How does rom-weaver compare with the patcher I already use?

[Comparison with similar tools](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/comparisons.md>).

### How do I install the CLI?

[Install the CLI](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs/install.md>).

### Where can I report a bug?

[Report a problem](<https://github.com/rom-weaver/rom-weaver/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md#report-a-problem>). For vulnerabilities, use the [security policy](<https://github.com/rom-weaver/rom-weaver/blob/main/.github/SECURITY.md>).

Still looking? The [documentation index](<https://rom-weaver.com/docs.md>) lists every page.