Which files does your emulator need?

A ROM image is a copy of stored data

ROM means read-only memory. A system ROM holds built-in software, often called firmware. A ROM image is a file containing that data for an emulator to use. Original hardware normally already has its firmware; setting up an emulator is a separate task.

The same word also appears in “game ROM”: a cartridge image containing a game’s program and data. A .nes file you build in the NES track is your cartridge image. It is not a missing operating system you need to buy.

Disk images are different again. On the Amiga, Kickstart is the ROM-based part of the operating system; Workbench includes the desktop and disk-based system software. They are separate files with version requirements. See Cloanto’s ROM and operating-system file guide.

Start with your system

A missing-file message does not automatically mean you need a purchase. First check that you installed the emulator’s required data package and selected the correct model. Follow the documentation for that particular distribution.

C64: identify the files before replacing them

VICE documents three C64 system images: basic (8 KiB), kernal (8 KiB) and chargen (4 KiB). The character ROM supplies character shapes. Disk-drive firmware belongs to the selected drive, not the C64’s main ROM set.

If VICE reports a missing ROM, check its system-file search locations or set an explicit file path in its ROM settings. File size is a useful check, but does not prove that a file is the right revision. The VICE manual describes the files, paths and drive requirements.

C64 Forever, published by Cloanto, is one commercial source of licensed Commodore system software. Compare the current editions and their terms before buying. If you intend to use the files in another emulator, confirm that the edition provides access to the files and permits that use.

Amiga: match Kickstart to the environment

Choose the model and Kickstart revision specified by the lesson. A newer ROM is not automatically a better match. Assembly games, AMOS and Blitz BASIC can use different configurations; follow the relevant setup guide.

Amiga Forever, also published by Cloanto, supplies licensed Kickstart and disk-based system files. Its Value edition covers early versions; Plus supplies a broader range. Check the file list against your required version and model, and consult the supplier for current prices.

The downloadable desktop installer is for Windows. On macOS or Linux, read the supplier’s cross-platform guidance before buying: using the files with another emulator is a manual setup, and you need an accessible distribution format. Do not assume the Windows installer will run on your host.

1. Choose a way to access the distribution. For macOS or Linux, Cloanto describes a platform-neutral DVD image made by Plus on Windows, or the physical DVD supplied with Premium. Mount that image or disc on your host to access its files. See the cross-platform distribution options; creating the Plus image requires access to Windows.
2. Locate the supplied ROM and system files. In Amiga Forever, the File menu’s Open Folder / Amiga Files command leads to the shared files; ROMs are under Amiga Files/Shared/rom. The supplier’s instructions also describe distribution-media access.
3. Import or select the matching Kickstart in your emulator. For FS-UAE, follow its file-placement instructions. Keep a supplied rom.key with encrypted ROM files when those instructions require it.
4. Attach the lesson’s disk image, or prepare the Workbench environment required by its language guide. A .adf disk image does not go in the Kickstart ROM setting.

Hardware extraction and replacement firmware

It is technically possible to read firmware from original hardware. For Amiga, the FS-UAE guide names extraction tools such as Transrom and Grabkick. Extraction requires a working machine and a way to transfer the file; it is not just a download step.

Check the applicable licence and local rules before copying or using an extracted image. Owning hardware alone is not a blanket permission to redistribute its software. Cloanto publishes its position on ROM use and distribution; that supplier statement should not be mistaken for a complete account of every jurisdiction’s law.

Open ROMs develops replacement firmware for Commodore machines. Read its implementation status and licence before choosing it. Being written in assembly does not by itself make a program independent of the original ROM’s behaviour.

FS-UAE also documents an AROS-based replacement, with compatibility differences and different selection behaviour in FS-UAE and its Launcher. These alternatives are useful subjects for investigation, but this guide does not establish that a whole Code198x track works with either replacement.

Check the configuration before starting a lesson

1. Record the selection. Note the emulator version, machine model, RAM configuration and firmware revision. Use the emulator’s recognised ROM identity or a documented checksum where available; a filename can be changed.
2. Check the boot. For a C64 BASIC environment, look for its startup screen and READY. prompt. For a 48K Spectrum, compare the startup screen with the first BASIC lesson. For an Amiga without a disk, expect the selected Kickstart’s disk request, not a Workbench desktop.
3. Run the lesson’s example. Load the supplied or built program and compare its screen and controls with the lesson. For NES, this is the first useful check; there is no separate desktop to reach.

A successful boot checks only part of the setup. If a later example differs, investigate the program, emulator, model and firmware rather than assuming that every ROM or emulator version behaves identically.

If you need help, include the page, your configuration and the exact error message. The Setup Guide explains where to report a problem.