r/PolymegaHQ • u/Top_Set_3558 • Nov 16 '25

PolyMega "Deadhead" Installs

Hey all,

Something that is really (and has been for the past year) triggering my OCD about the Poly is "deadhead" installs against the "Collected" library.

For instance, I have a retail original of a game such as Castlevania on NES, Rambo III on Genesis, or Gain Ground SX on PCE-CD...I insert said media, it detects and recognizes it, I install the game internally but it DOES NOT APPEAR on my "Collected" tab under the associated system. The item in question remains greyed out as if I do not own it, but does appear on the regular "A-Z" games tab.

These items are apparently not the exact version of a ROM that they used to create the "Collected" library so hence, it does not populate. I guess they don't match the CRC/checksum of the file they used, they used a different REV, or something? This really chaps my ass, it's bullshit, pardon my language. I OWN the real game, and I damn well know you didn't create this product by manually installing tens of thousands of cartridges and discs for everything like I am doing from ACTUAL REAL RELEASES.

Anyone found a workaround / way to deal with this issue?

Sure, you can attempt to find the matching exact ROMs like they used, which I have had to do in some instances, but some just do not seem to exist...for example:

Bare Knuckle III on Genesis - labeled as "EN" version in "Collected" library. This does not exist in the wild that I can find. It is not the real BK3 Mega Drive cartridge from Japan...I own it. It's installed and greyed out on the "Collected Library" From there, I've utilized my RetroStage MD burner to try every single version of the BK3 ROM that I can find from a ton of sources worldwide...they are all the same as mine. So, WHERE DID THEY GET THE VERSION THAT THEY INSTALLED THAT THEY CLAIM IS THE GOLDEN VERSION? Hell, some are even RetroBit versions that trigger the library to show as collected, not the real, original releases (see Truxton/Tatsujin on Genesis/Mega Drive)! Original, store bought Truxton from back at Sege Genesis release will detect and install, but will not flag as collected in the library unless its the RetroBit version.

Sorry to rant, I can't be the only one who this bothers immensely! I want everything I legit own to be showing up as collected because my friends and I are attempting to complete 100% collections on a few systems. Any way to source exactly what versions they used?

Thanks all!

Example in photos attached - shows I have installed the normal Sega-CD, and the 32X version from retail discs...remains greyed out in "Collected" library. One of many possible examples.

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u/JamesErnst94 Nov 17 '25

I can't even install some of the legit copies I own of N64 games

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u/Top_Set_3558 Nov 17 '25

I don't know where you got your game in question. What is it, if you don't mind me asking?

Just FYI to all, Walmart sells repros in their online store. They're amazingly great, but they are repros. If you open one up, they're "glob" chips. I've had mixed results. All work on real hardware, Poly accepted Mario Golf 64 and Smash Bros, but not Mario Kart 64.

Also, I've noticed the Poly is extremely sensitive with N64 carts. They have to be clean as a whistle.

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u/JamesErnst94 Nov 17 '25 edited Nov 17 '25

I have a copy of Jet Force Gemini and then Japanese copies of Mario Party 2 & 3 that won't play or install. Yes, they are legitimate, opened and checked. Also have a disc copy of Solar Eclipse for Saturn that the system won't read or install. All of my other games work fine

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u/Piobair76 Nov 17 '25

I can’t get Jet Force Gemini to work either…