Data Integrity

Your Operator device doesn’t just read cartridge data, it verifies it. Every read and write operation goes through integrity checks that catch problems before they become permanent.

Why this matters

Original consoles don’t verify data. They read what’s on the cartridge and trust it’s correct. If a dirty contact causes a bad read, the console doesn’t know. If a save write fails partway through, there’s no warning.

Your Operator is different. It performs multiple verification passes to ensure the data you’re working with is accurate and that any changes are written correctly.

How verification works

When you back up or restore a save, your Operator:

1. Reads data multiple times: Compares consecutive reads to detect connection instability
2. Verifies after writing: Reads back what was written to confirm it matches
3. Checks game data integrity: Validates ROM data against expected checksums before play

If any check fails, Playback alerts you immediately so you can address the issue (usually dirty cartridge pins) before any data is lost.

What the alerts mean

Most integrity failures are caused by dirty contacts. Cleaning with 99% isopropyl alcohol resolves the vast majority of issues. See Cleaning Cartridge Contacts for instructions.

Multiple layers of protection

Data integrity verification is just one layer. Your saves are also protected by:

• Save Vault: Automatic backups every 5 minutes, up to 250 versions per game
• Verification settings: Configurable checks for saves and homebrew uploads
• Autosave to Cartridge: Keeps your physical cartridge in sync with your progress

Together, these systems ensure that even in the rare case something goes wrong, you have multiple recovery options.

Even if something goes wrong

If a save is ever lost or corrupted, whether from playing on original hardware, a power outage, or any other issue, the Vault has your back. As long as you’ve played the game through Playback before, you can restore from any of your previous backups.

See Protecting Your Save Data for step-by-step recovery instructions.

Counterfeit detection

Your Operator also analyzes cartridges for signs of counterfeits. See Authenticity Check for details.

The bottom line

Your Operator catches errors that original hardware would miss. By verifying data at every step, it protects your saves and game backups from silent corruption, giving you confidence that your preserved data is accurate.