[Bug] Save states are inconsistently saved and fail to load

[pscriptos]

RomM version 4.1.3 (Docker on Ubuntu 24.04)

Describe the bug Save states are often not saved correctly and therefore cannot be loaded properly.
Sometimes save states are stored and restored as expected, but other times the save state seems to not be saved correctly and then cannot be loaded at all.

This behavior can be reproduced across different devices:

• Desktop PC (Windows 10, Chrome latest)
• Laptop (Windows 10, Chrome latest)
• Samsung Note 20 Ultra 5G (Android 13, Chrome latest)
• Samsung Tab S9+ (Android 14, Chrome latest)

To Reproduce Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Launch any game in RomM.
2. Create a save state.
3. Try to load the save state.
4. Sometimes it works, sometimes the save state is either not saved correctly or cannot be restored.

Expected behavior Save states should always be saved correctly and should reliably restore the game to the saved point.

Screenshots I have attached a short video that demonstrates the problem.

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/25bf79d0-ffe3-4f41-96e8-93fc7527eb5a

Desktop (please complete the following information):

• OS: Windows 10
• Browser: Chrome (RomM installed as a PWA)
• Version: Latest stable Chrome at the time of testing

Smartphone (please complete the following information):

• Device: Samsung Note 20 Ultra 5G, Samsung Tab S9+
• OS: Android 13 / Android 14
• Browser: Chrome
• Version: Latest stable Chrome at the time of testing

Additional context This issue occurs inconsistently, but reproducible across multiple devices and platforms.

[byteme4188]

Also experiencing this. Just played pokemon platinum. Saved and quit. When to load my new save on my android tablet and it failed to load. None of the saves load.

[pscriptos]

I would like to add the following:

We now feel that saving is becoming more and more of a problem the longer you play a game. My mate has now lost several hours of gameplay because all the save stats are broken.

[warnwar]

I accidentally filed a duplicate (#2562) , so I'm moving some information here in the hopes that it will help solve this issue:

When starting a game with a save state, sometimes the save state corrupts the game. I have only seen this happen on SNES games, and maybe 50% of the time a save state is corrupted.

That save state becomes useless. I can try to reopen the game with that state a dozen times and it never works. Some other save states created for the same game will load just fine, as long as they weren't corrupted.

I use Edge as my browser, and RomM is in a docker container. There is nothing special about my setup (I used the example docker-compose).

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/63ca4ec6-694e-4801-80f7-9dd08907d5a1

Screen Recording 2025-10-17 201602.zip

This second screen recording is a little too big to attach directly, so I had to put it in a zip file.

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With regards to @byteme4188 having issues loading DS saves: I may have experienced something similar.

• I played Mario Kart DS on my desktop computer for a bit
• When I was done I clicked "Save & Quit"
• Later I decided to play more on my laptop
• The first time I loaded MKDS with a save on my laptop, it completely failed to load the save (or the save state)
• So I closed the game, and reopened it. The second time it loaded up the save (and save state) correctly.

I'm wondering if this sounds similar to what happened to you or if it might be a separate issue.

[piskel]

I have a similar issue with both the Muppen Plus Next and Parallel N64 emulators. I no longer trust the save and exit button after losing hours of gameplay to it. My only workaround is to repeatedly test that my save states are functional by loading them in a separate browser window while keeping my main game window alive at the same time. Definitely hurts the experience, especially when you want to stop playing right away without spending 20 mins getting a functional save state.

[Dseterwind]

Same issue olaying SNES9X inconsistent ability to load at all. CHROME. Strangely I can hit restart and then load the last save file in the rom and continue that way... REWIND feature won't work then. Latest 4.4.0

[piskel]

I have found another workaround that seems to work consistently, at least on N64 emulators:

1. Press the "Export Save File" button.
2. Pause the game.
3. Press the "Save State" button.