MAME is an emulator, a legal piece of software. However, downloading ROMs for games you do not own is copyright infringement in most jurisdictions. This guide is intended for users who are dumping their own arcade boards or using legally acquired ROMs from licensed re-releases. Always support the developers and rights holders.
If you are using a graphical interface version of MAME, look for an option in the menu called "Audit All Games" or "Verify ROMs." This will create a list of working games and gray out the ones with missing files. mame 0239 roms install
Inside the C:\MAME folder, find the folder named roms . MAME is an emulator, a legal piece of software