Main Restorations Software Audio/Jukebox/MP3 Everything Else Buy/Sell/Trade
Project Announcements Monitor/Video GroovyMAME Merit/JVL Touchscreen Meet Up Retail Vendors
Driving & Racing Woodworking Software Support Forums Consoles Project Arcade Reviews
Automated Projects Artwork Frontend Support Forums Pinball Forum Discussion Old Boards
Raspberry Pi & Dev Board controls.dat Linux Miscellaneous Arcade Wiki Discussion Old Archives
Lightguns Arcade1Up Try the site in https mode Site News

Unread posts | New Replies | Recent posts | Rules | Chatroom | Wiki | File Repository | RSS | Submit news

  

Author Topic: Replacing computer  (Read 2457 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

jezell

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4
  • Last login:November 27, 2019, 04:36:05 pm
  • I want to build my own arcade controls!
Replacing computer
« on: November 19, 2019, 12:51:55 pm »
I am trying to fix a game console that is running your software on a windows XP computer for a company break room.   The computer motherboard is dead but I see that the hard drive is still good.  I copied the arcade folder off of the drive.  What is the easiest way to move everything over to new computer hardware?

Osirus23

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 849
  • Last login:August 23, 2021, 01:33:52 pm
Re: Replacing computer
« Reply #1 on: November 19, 2019, 05:37:19 pm »
Should this be somewhere else?

keilmillerjr

  • Trade Count: (+5)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1847
  • Last login:October 06, 2023, 10:20:39 pm
  • Web Developer.
Re: Replacing computer
« Reply #2 on: November 19, 2019, 08:24:15 pm »
Keep drive, replace motherboard.

meyer980

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 385
  • Last login:March 24, 2024, 04:54:50 pm
  • Building fun things for fun
    • sergiostuff.com/2020/04/15/felix-son-arcade-game/
    • Sergio Stuff
Re: Replacing computer
« Reply #3 on: November 21, 2019, 12:50:50 pm »
To OP: This website forum doesn't "own" any software. But I'm guessing you're referring to MAME.

If you just move all the files to a Windows 10 computer, you might have problems. It depends if all the software on that original drive are compatible.

We might be able to give better advice if you can specify what software you're using?

EwJ

  • Trade Count: (+6)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 366
  • Last login:October 12, 2022, 10:16:06 pm
Re: Replacing computer
« Reply #4 on: November 22, 2019, 12:16:42 am »
I am trying to fix a game console that is running your software on a windows XP computer for a company break room.   The computer motherboard is dead but I see that the hard drive is still good.  I copied the arcade folder off of the drive.  What is the easiest way to move everything over to new computer hardware?

We stand firmly behind our software product.  If you experience any concerns whatsoever, we will support you fully.  Contact our service department for assistance.  If we cannot assist you to your satisfaction, we offer a full refund.  We pride ourselves on our 100% customer satisfaction guarantee.

Regards,
Software company for game consoles that run on windows XP.

eds1275

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2157
  • Last login:Today at 10:43:03 am
  • Rock and Roll!
Re: Replacing computer
« Reply #5 on: November 22, 2019, 02:23:52 pm »
I imagine that if it is getting a new computer, I would just put the "arcade folder" in the same place as it was on the original. For example, if it was

C:/Program Files/Game Console running Windows xp

You would put it there and hope that it all fires up correctly with little messing around. Most of these emulators do not require an actual install, instead just running from the executable entirely so in most cases this works. You might have to reconfigure all the controls depending on how you have it set up but try this first!

jezell

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4
  • Last login:November 27, 2019, 04:36:05 pm
  • I want to build my own arcade controls!
Re: Replacing computer
« Reply #6 on: November 22, 2019, 06:32:59 pm »
Thank you for these replies.  I am sorry to be so ignorant about this.  I am just a contractor trying to solve a customer issue.  Someone else built this arcade cabinet and computer setup so I have no idea about how this was working before it crashed. 

meyer980 asked what software it was using.  Again I am pretty ignorant about this system.  All I know is what I see on the hard drive.  These are the subfolders I see under the Arcade folder
_Maximus Arcade
Genesis
MAME
NES
SNES

keilmillerjr suggested I just replace the motherboard.  I did think of that but Windows ties its operating system to the hardware to prevent unlawful software cloning,   so when you replace major components like the Motherboard it is a problem.  Even if I could find the same old model motherboard it would recognize it as a new machine and cause problems.  Windows XP went out of support in 2014 so probably no help from that side.  There might be some tools to force this to work and I am open to any suggestions if you have any ideas.


eds1275 suggested moving the folders over to a new computer and I am hoping this would work.  I am just not sure what I have to install along with the folder.  They tell me that in the past it would just boot up to the arcade when you pressed the power button.  So something has to be bypassing all the normal windows stuff.

Thank you all for your help and any followup suggestions.


benarcade

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 113
  • Last login:October 13, 2023, 04:59:32 pm
Re: Replacing computer
« Reply #7 on: November 22, 2019, 06:55:07 pm »
If it's booting into an arcade interface, then it's likely that the applications that you need to replicate that behavior can be found in the Startup directory.

I agree that just replacing the motherboard will do it. If I understand correctly, you want to rebuild it on a different computer. You will need the same MAME version that's on the original. You're also likely to need to come up to speed on the front end that was used.

Essentially, copy the arcade files to the new computer, install the same version of MAME, and install/configure the front end that runs in the Startup.


jezell

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4
  • Last login:November 27, 2019, 04:36:05 pm
  • I want to build my own arcade controls!
Re: Replacing computer
« Reply #9 on: November 25, 2019, 03:23:26 pm »


Thank you, thank you, again.

I would like to replace the motherboard but I don't have any of the original windows disks or license keys and I am pretty sure that will prevent me from doing the motherboard swap.  I still may try that first if I can dig up an XP CD and key from somewhere.  (I will back up the drive first).

If I have to move to a new machine.....
Essentially, copy the arcade files to the new computer, install the same version of MAME, and install/configure the front end that runs in the Startup.
How do I find the MAME version to be sure I install the same one and where do I go to find the front end configuration stuff?

Again I am very appreciative of all the help you have given so far.  I was not aware that all of this cool arcade stuff existed.

keilmillerjr

  • Trade Count: (+5)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1847
  • Last login:October 06, 2023, 10:20:39 pm
  • Web Developer.
Re: Replacing computer
« Reply #10 on: November 25, 2019, 04:26:56 pm »


Thank you, thank you, again.

I would like to replace the motherboard but I don't have any of the original windows disks or license keys and I am pretty sure that will prevent me from doing the motherboard swap.  I still may try that first if I can dig up an XP CD and key from somewhere.  (I will back up the drive first).

If I have to move to a new machine.....
Essentially, copy the arcade files to the new computer, install the same version of MAME, and install/configure the front end that runs in the Startup.
How do I find the MAME version to be sure I install the same one and where do I go to find the front end configuration stuff?

Again I am very appreciative of all the help you have given so far.  I was not aware that all of this cool arcade stuff existed.

Code: [Select]
$ mame -help

jezell

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4
  • Last login:November 27, 2019, 04:36:05 pm
  • I want to build my own arcade controls!
Re: Replacing computer
« Reply #11 on: November 27, 2019, 04:36:55 pm »
OK Thanks