Troubleshooting¶
This page covers general problems. For AI-specific issues see AI Troubleshooting.
The application does not start¶
| Check | Action |
|---|---|
| .NET Desktop Runtime | Install the .NET 10.0 Desktop Runtime |
| Log file | Read error.log next to the executable for the exact failure |
| Corrupt settings | Delete %LocalAppData%\FindRomCover\Settings.dat to reset to defaults |
| Permissions | Move the application to a user-writable folder such as C:\Tools\FindRomCover |
| Antivirus | Some scanners flag single-file .NET executables; allow the file if you trust it |
A fatal startup error is shown in a dialog and written to the log.
"WebView2 Runtime Missing" or "WebView2 component is not ready"¶
The Google Web and Bing Web tabs need the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime.
- Follow the in-app prompt to download the runtime from Microsoft.
- Install it and restart FindRomCover.
- If the problem persists, update Windows and reinstall the runtime.
All other features keep working without WebView2.
No search results¶
| Tab | What to try |
|---|---|
| Local Files | Lower the similarity threshold, switch algorithm, check the image folder |
| Google Web / Bing Web | Refine the Extra Query; verify the browser loads at all |
| Google API | Check the API key, quota, and Extra Query |
Also make sure the selected game has a meaningful name; enable MAME descriptions for arcade titles.
"API Key is not set"¶
Open Settings > API Settings... and enter a Google API key. The Local Files and web tabs do not need a key.
Images are not saving or converting¶
- Verify the image folder is writable.
- For web searches, save the image manually inside the image folder — automatic one-click saving is not possible due to browser security.
- Confirm a game is selected; the watcher renames new images to the selected game.
- Check the log for
ImageFolderWatcheror conversion errors.
Missing or corrupted MAME data (mame.dat)¶
mame.dat ships with the application and is copied to the output folder on build.
- If it is missing, copy a fresh one next to
FindRomCover.exe. - If it is corrupt, replace it with a fresh copy.
- Without it, MAME descriptions are unavailable and searches fall back to cleaned filenames.
Settings were reset unexpectedly¶
FindRomCover quarantines unreadable settings instead of failing:
| File | Meaning |
|---|---|
settings.dat.legacy |
Backup of the old encrypted settings file after SQLite migration |
settings.dat.corrupt |
Settings database that could not be read; defaults were restored |
To recover, restore a backup of %LocalAppData%\FindRomCover. See Data Storage.
The application is slow¶
| Cause | Suggestion |
|---|---|
| Network image folder | Move covers to a local disk |
| Huge collection | Narrow the supported extensions; rely on the trigram index |
| Slow local AI model | Lower Image max size and Max candidates, raise the AI timeout |
| Many results loading | Lower the thumbnail size |
Errors keep appearing¶
- Open the log window (
Settings > Show/Hide Log Window). - Note the error message and when it happens.
- Search the GitHub Issues for the message.
- If it is new, open an issue with the log excerpt and reproduction steps.
Reporting a bug¶
Include:
- FindRomCover version and Windows version/architecture;
- steps to reproduce;
- the relevant log entries;
- whether Google API or AI Assist was involved.
Remove any paths or information you do not want to share before posting.