The Tool Desk
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Make a private, redundant archive from files or media you lawfully acquired: the complete installer or disc image where permitted, patches, downloadable content, save files, manuals, checksums, and the hardware or software environment the game needs. Keep one working copy and at least one separate backup, then periodically restore a copy on supported equipment.
A backup preserves your files; it does not give you permission to bypass DRM, defeat authentication, redistribute game files, or turn a cartridge purchase into a licence to download someone else’s ROM. Server-dependent games may remain unplayable even when every local file is archived.
What a game backup can—and cannot—preserve
Digital purchases are generally licences or access rights rather than unrestricted ownership of the publisher’s code. Your archive can preserve the installer, update packages, downloadable content, saves, manuals, configuration files, and records needed to reinstall a game you already acquired. It cannot change the licence terms attached to those files.
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- Usually preservable: a complete offline installer, original physical media, patches, DLC installers, save data, manuals, serial or purchase records, checksums, and notes about operating-system or hardware requirements.
- Not automatically preservable: a publisher’s authentication service, account entitlement, matchmaking servers, cloud-only saves, rotating events, or a proprietary activation process that no longer accepts requests.
- Not created by making a backup: a right to remove DRM, decrypt a console, obtain a leaked key, share an image, or distribute a copy to another person.
Preservation therefore has two targets: the game’s data and the environment that can run it. A complete archive may still require the original console, a particular operating-system version, drivers, controller, runtime, or a legally configured emulator.
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Start with an inventory, not a download
Record each title before copying anything. This prevents a common failure in which a large archive contains an installer but not the edition, language, DLC, patch level, or platform needed to use it.
Fields to record for every title
- Game name, edition, platform, region, language, and physical or digital format.
- Store account or disc/cartridge identifier associated with the purchase.
- Purchase receipt, licence record, product key, and the account email or username needed for a lawful re-download.
- Installed version and patch level, including separate multiplayer or server components.
- All DLC, expansions, bonus files, season-pass content, and community-made files you are allowed to retain.
- Save locations, save format, profile name, and whether saves are local, cloud-only, or tied to an account.
- Whether the game launches offline, needs periodic sign-in, or depends on an external server for core play.
- Required console, operating-system version, graphics API, runtime libraries, controller, and unusual peripherals.
Use a plain-text or spreadsheet catalogue stored with the archive. Give every title a stable folder name such as Publisher_Game_Edition_Region_Year; avoid renaming multipart installers after downloading them.
Download the complete authorized package
Use the storefront’s own download page or the original physical media. Do not substitute a file-hosting site, ROM index, leaked key, or “crack.” If an official store offers offline installers, download every part listed for the exact edition you purchased.
For an offline PC installer
- Sign in to the account that owns the game and open the purchased game’s downloads or backup section.
- For GOG titles, GOG Support instructs users to select DOWNLOAD OFFLINE BACKUP GAME INSTALLERS. Download the base installer, every numbered or language-specific part, all patches, and each DLC installer that belongs to your edition.
- Save the files without changing their names. Multipart sets must remain in one directory; a missing part can make the entire installer fail.
- Download manuals, soundtrack or bonus files only when they are part of your purchase or otherwise licensed for you.
- Write down the download date, displayed file size, version number, account or store, and any activation requirement.
An offline installer is not necessarily DRM-free. A title can have local setup files yet still require account authentication, a product key, or a server at launch. Test that condition before assuming the archive is self-sufficient.
For discs and cartridges
Keep the original disc or cartridge, case, label, region information, and manual together. Photographing the label and recording serial markings helps identify the exact revision without altering the media. A physical copy may be the most durable source, but it still needs the matching console and accessories, and some games contact an online service after installation.
Capture saves, patches, and DLC separately
Game data and save data have different failure modes. A reinstall can succeed while the player’s progress is lost, or an old save can become incompatible after a patch.
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Save-file procedure
- Exit the game normally so pending writes finish; then copy the entire save directory, not only files with an obvious extension.
- Record the path, operating-system account, game build, and date. Include profile, settings, screenshots, replay files, and mods only when you are entitled to keep them.
- Export a second copy in the game’s own menu when that option exists. Keep the exported file alongside the raw save directory.
- Open a copy on a test installation, never the only original. Confirm that the expected profile and progress appear.
Cloud synchronization can overwrite a local save with an older or newer state. Before restoring, disable automatic sync temporarily or make an additional copy of both states and note which one you chose.
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Archive the base installer and each patch in application order. Keep version numbers in filenames or in a manifest, and save DLC installers beside the base game rather than in a separate unlabelled folder. If a storefront only re-downloads the current build, preserve the older installer before applying the update; some fixes or mods depend on a specific version.
Verify files with a manifest and checksums
File names alone cannot tell you whether a drive has silently corrupted a multi-gigabyte installer. Create a manifest containing the relative path, byte size, SHA-256 hash, download date, and source account.
Windows PowerShell
Get-FileHash 'setup_game_part1.bin' -Algorithm SHA256Run the command for every installer, patch, and DLC file, then save the results as a text or CSV manifest in the same archive. After copying to another drive, run the command again and compare hashes.
macOS or Linux
shasum -a 256 'setup_game_part1.bin'On systems that provide it, sha256sum offers the same check. A changed hash means the bytes differ; it does not by itself prove which copy is correct. Compare against the original manifest or a checksum published by the authorized storefront.
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Use two independent copies
Keep the active library and the backup on different devices. A portable external hard drive is inexpensive high-capacity storage for installers, saves, and a second archive; a portable SSD is faster and more resistant to movement, but usually costs more per terabyte. Seagate describes portable hard drives as storage solutions that can include backup software, but the brand of drive does not replace your own verification process.
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A practical layout
- Working copy: the files you install from or access regularly.
- Offline or separate copy: disconnected when not being updated and stored in another room or location to reduce the impact of theft, malware, fire, or accidental deletion.
- Catalogue copy: a small text or spreadsheet file containing checksums, versions, licence records, and restoration notes. Keep it on both storage devices.
Do not rely on a second folder on the same physical disk. Disk failure, ransomware, or an accidental format can destroy both folders at once. Encrypt a portable drive if it contains account records or personal saves, and store the recovery key separately.
Preserve the platform and runtime
Store the software environment with the game’s files. The Library of Congress notes that console games may require the proprietary platform or an emulated version, and recommends documenting online dependencies when a playable copy cannot be recreated.
Document these dependencies
- Console model, firmware range, region, disc drive, memory card, controller, adapter, and any motion or camera accessory.
- Computer operating-system edition and architecture, graphics driver, runtime libraries, redistributables, font packages, and required launchers.
- Configuration files, command-line options, controller mappings, patches, and legally obtained emulator settings.
- Whether an emulator is lawful in your jurisdiction and whether you possess the original software needed to configure it.
- Network addresses or service names the game contacts, without attempting to impersonate or bypass those services.
Keep installers for required runtimes when their licence permits redistribution, or record where the supported installer can be obtained from the original vendor. A note such as “requires 32-bit runtime and controller adapter” can save more time than another copy of the game data.
Restore-test the archive
A backup is only useful if you can read and install it. Do not claim that an archive works until you have performed a restoration test.
- Choose a spare supported computer or the original console. Disconnect the working library so you cannot accidentally use it as the test source.
- Copy the archive from the backup device and verify its hashes against the manifest.
- Install the base game, then apply patches and DLC in the recorded order. Note every prompt, activation request, and error.
- Launch offline first. Confirm that the title reaches its main menu and that a short saved game can be created and loaded.
- Restore a duplicate of the archived save and verify the expected profile, progress, and downloadable content.
- Record the result, date, hardware, operating-system version, and any step that required an account or network connection.
If the test fails, preserve the failed log rather than deleting files at random. It identifies whether the problem is corruption, a missing installer part, an incompatible runtime, an authentication dependency, or a service that no longer exists.
Server-dependent games need a different preservation record
Copying local files cannot recreate a publisher’s login service, matchmaking, inventory database, anti-cheat service, rotating event, or cloud-only progression. A game may install and display a menu while its core mode remains unavailable.
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Classify the dependency
- Offline-capable: the complete game can launch and provide its principal mode without contacting an external server.
- Online-assisted: local play works, but updates, account checks, leaderboards, or optional features require a service.
- Server-essential: login, simulation, matchmaking, inventory, or progression is processed remotely; local files alone are insufficient.
For the last two categories, archive what can be lawfully saved and document what cannot: service name, required account, last known working version, network requirement, and which features disappear when offline. The Copyright Office regulation distinguishes games that do not require an external server, while preservation guidance recommends documenting online dependencies when a playable copy cannot be recreated. Do not promise that a server-essential game will remain playable after shutdown.
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Copyright and anti-circumvention rules are separate from the question of whether you paid for a game. U.S. Copyright Office guidance explains that section 1201 generally prohibits circumventing a technological measure that controls access to a copyrighted work, subject to specific exemptions.
The preservation exemption is narrow
The current video-game preservation exemption in 37 C.F.R. §201.40 covers eligible libraries, archives, and museums preserving lawfully acquired complete games under stated noncommercial and access restrictions. It is not a blanket consumer authorization to decrypt a console, remove DRM, download a ROM, or distribute an image.
Digital-store terms still apply
Microsoft’s usage rules state that digital goods may be used only as expressly permitted in the applicable terms and are licensed for personal, noncommercial use subject to device restrictions. GOG grants personal-use access while restricting distribution and modification except where law permits. Read the terms attached to your edition, especially when moving files between accounts or devices.
Console files and ROMs
Nintendo’s official FAQ says it does not authorize products that allow Nintendo game files to be played or downloaded on personal computers. Owning a cartridge therefore does not automatically make a ROM downloaded from the internet lawful, and it does not authorize sharing a dump with friends. Avoid ROM sites, leaked keys, console-decryption tools, and circumvention patches. Laws outside the United States differ; consult the rules where you live before making or using a copy.
Storefront and media choices compared
| Source type | Offline installer or media | DRM and authentication | Server or multiplayer dependence | Patches and DLC | Platform requirements | Second-copy practicality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DRM-free PC storefront, such as a title sold with GOG offline installers | Official offline backup installers may be available; GOG Support directs buyers to the “DOWNLOAD OFFLINE BACKUP GAME INSTALLERS” option. | Often less dependent on a launcher, but verify the specific title; an offline installer does not prove that every feature is authentication-free. | Offline play can survive when the game itself does not require a server; live features remain dependent on their service. | Download the base installer, every patch, and each DLC package separately and retain their version order. | Requires the supported operating system, runtime, drivers, and input devices recorded in your notes. | High: installer files can be copied to another drive, subject to licence terms and storage capacity. |
| Account-bound PC digital goods, such as Microsoft digital goods | Availability of a complete standalone installer is title-specific and not stated as a universal feature; retain the account and purchase record. | Expect the possibility of account, device, or activation checks; exact requirements vary by title and terms. | Offline features may work, while online modes and services remain dependent on the provider. | Preserve downloaded updates and DLC when the service permits; record the build because re-download availability can change. | Supported devices, operating-system versions, and account limits apply. | Moderate to low: copying files is easy, but a second device may still require the owning account or an activation service. |
| Console disc or cartridge | The original physical medium is the authorized source; a separate digital image may involve circumvention and is not automatically permitted. | Console security, region rules, and account checks may apply. | Some titles are fully local; others require updates, login, or multiplayer servers. | Keep update media or downloaded patches and DLC records with the physical copy. | Requires the proprietary console, compatible firmware, controller, storage, and sometimes accessories. | Physical duplication is not a simple consumer backup right; preserve the original and document its condition. |
| Server-essential or live-service game | Local files may be downloadable, but they do not contain the complete service. | Authentication is normally intrinsic to play. | Core play can stop when login, matchmaking, inventory, or simulation servers are retired. | Archive the last lawful build and notes, but do not imply that DLC or events can be recreated offline. | Requires the supported client plus the provider’s network service. | Low: a second local copy preserves data, not the missing backend. |
Common failure modes and fixes
The installer says a file is missing
Confirm that every multipart file is in one folder, that names and extensions were not changed, and that the checksum matches the original manifest. Re-download only the failed part from the authorized store.
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The game asks for a product key or sign-in
Use the account and key recorded in your purchase notes. If the service is unavailable, the archive cannot lawfully be made self-authenticating by applying a crack or leaked key; document the dependency instead.
The game launches but saves are absent
Check the documented save path, operating-system user profile, and game build. Copy the save into a test profile, disable cloud synchronization during the test, and keep both the untouched archive and the converted copy.
A patch breaks an older save
Restore the earlier installer and matching patch level from your archive, then test the save there. Keep both versions rather than overwriting the only known-working build.
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Inspect and clean the media according to the manufacturer’s guidance, test another compatible console, and record the failure. Do not assume that downloading an image from an unknown site is an authorized replacement.
The game installs but its main mode is unavailable
Classify it as server-essential or online-assisted, record the service and last known working version, and preserve any local offline mode. No local backup can restore a retired backend without an authorized replacement service.
Maintain the archive over time
- After every purchase or patch, update the inventory, manifest, save backup, and platform notes.
- At least once a year, connect the separate copy, verify checksums, and inspect the drives for read errors.
- Perform a restoration test after a major operating-system change, hardware replacement, or storefront policy change.
- Refresh storage before a drive reaches the end of its service life; copy to the new device and verify both copies before retiring the old one.
- Keep receipts, licence terms, account recovery information, and two-factor-authentication recovery codes in a secure location separate from the game files.
- When a provider announces a shutdown, download every authorized installer, patch, DLC package, and save export that is still available, then record the exact date and remaining online features.
The durable goal is a documented, tested private archive: authorized files on separate media, the saves and version history needed to use them, and an honest record of what still depends on a company’s servers.
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