Once you've dumped your games, it's time to submit the metadata to a preservation project for validating and cataloging. No-Intro focuses on game cartridges while Redump focuses on disc-based media.

If you are new to dumping and want to start sending in your dump information to places such as No-Intro, items in the Required Dump Info section are the minimum that's required. The more information about a dump, the better. If you want to provide more details than the bare minimum, then please take a look at the Optional info section below.

If you need help, please come chat with us on the VGPC or No-Intro discord servers.

The most basic information necessary for verifying a game dump are the hashes/fingerprints generated from the ROM file as well as the dumping tool including hardware, firmware, and software version.

You can use GameHeader to get all this info in one go, on Windows (or Linux/macOS using wine/mono), or a common tool like 7-Zip, HashTab or HxD. Or you can use built-in utilities:

Size/hashes:

• Size: The size of the ROM in bytes. You can view this in your file manager, or on GNU/Linux and macOS, in the terminal run wc -c ROMFILENAME
• CRC32: On GNU/Linux and macOS, in the terminal run crc32 ROMFILENAME.
• MD5: On GNU/Linux, in the terminal run md5sum ROMFILENAMEOn macOS, in the terminal run md5 ROMFILENAME. On Windows, in a PowerShell window run Get-FileHash ROMFILENAME -Algorithm MD5
• SHA-1: On GNU/Linux and macOS, in the terminal run shasum -a 1 ROMFILENAME. On Windows, in a PowerShell window run Get-FileHash ROMFILENAME -Algorithm SHA1
• SHA-256: On GNU/Linux and macOS, in the terminal run shasum -a 256 ROMFILENAME. On Windows, in a PowerShell window run Get-FileHash ROMFILENAME -Algorithm SHA256

If the game is made up of a folder with subfolders, follow the Dir2Dat guide for generating the hashes.

You should also include any text/metadata file output from the dump tool or ROM checking tools used.

PCB photos are an important, but often overlooked aspect of preservation. Along with providing some evidence that the game is genuine, they also help with verifying version numbers, manufacturing dates, and documenting component usage across games.

Photos should include all sides of packaging, physical media, and the PCB, with all text clearly readable, including any imprinted/stamped text and any serials on ROM chips hidden under batteries. You may need to take photos at an angle to capture some of this information. However taking apart DS/3DS carts to get PCB photos is generally unnecessary. If possible, details/other labels that are underneath labels should also be photographed.

Complete this template to the best of your abilities.

Game name:

Dumper (person who dumped the ROM):
Affiliation (if applicable):
Dump tool:
Dump date (YYYY-MM-DD):
Dump logs:

--ROM(s)/file(s)--
Size (bytes): 
CRC32: 
MD5 hash: 
SHA-1 hash: 
SHA-256 hash:

Links/attachments to Cart/PCB/box photos/scans:

This information isn't required, but maximizing the information in your submission helps the preservation community as a whole.

Aside from the hashes, items derived from the ROM file itself can be skipped if your ROM matches an existing dump. Serials are also less necessary as they can usually be transcribed from the photos/scans you provide.

• Dump release date: For public releases of prototypes, betas, or unreleased games. You should also include the build date, if known.
• Languages: Some games either show a language selection screen at startup or in the game options. If you haven't checked the language, note that in your submission.
  • Tip: Switching the BIOS language and fast-forwarding in an emulator can greatly speed up this process
• ROM Region: The region found in the ROM data. (Extractable with GameHeader)
• ROM Revision: The revision found in the ROM data. (Extractable with GameHeader)
• ROM Serial: The four character serial found in the ROM data. (Extractable with GameHeader, if the header includes it)
• Physical Media Serial 2: Secondary serial. For most carts, this is an optional “REV X” or “REV-X” (where X is a letter) on the top-right of the back label. For DS/3DS/Switch, it's a serial on the back of the cart.
• Physical Media Stamp: For most carts, this is two numbers imprinted on the top-left or top-right of the back label (front label for GB/GBC/GBA), possibly followed by an A or B. May need to view under a light source. Doesn't exist on DS/3DS/Switch.
• Box Barcode: Keep the spaces between numbers.

Please note if you have modified the physical media in any way.

DS/DSi/3DS dumps should include hashes for the originally dumped (encrypted) file, plus if it is a new ROM, the decrypted equivalent. Make a copy of the file, then use ndecrypt. You can use the -h flag to hash the ROM at the same time as decrypting it, saving time. Note that wooddumper and GodMode9i produce decrypted files by default, so re-encryption with ndecrypt is needed for that instead.

To submit your dump to No-Intro, please see their wiki for more information. For Redump, check this forum post for instructions on submitting new dumps and verifications.