# Installing MESS

This section deals with installing the MESS application. It includes where you can get MESS from, where to put it and what to expect when you extract it.

## Download and uncompress MESS

Download the latest Windows version of MESS from the homepage here.

Unzip the file into a directory of your choice. MESS is distributed in a ZIP file format so depending on what version of Windows you have you may need a tool like Winzip.

## MESS folders and files

When you have uncompressed the ZIP file you should see some folders and a few other files. Here is an example of what MESS version 0.105 (mess0105b.zip) looks like once it is uncompressed. The latest version should be similar.

Below is a brief explanation each folder.

artwork | Background artwork files for certain systems.
bios | The folder where you put MESS's BIOS images.
cfg | Configuration files for different systems.
cheat | Used for cheats for different games.
ctrlr | Used for custom controller configureations files.
hash | Contains files that MESS uses to identify software images.
ini | Where MESS saves its initialization files used for different systems.
memcard | Memory card files for selected games.
nvram | NVram files used to store system settings on certain games.
snap | Screenshots made at emulation time
software | This is where you store your games and software.
tools | Contains some programs used to manipulate disk images.

Below is a brief explanation each file.

chdman.exe | DESCRIPTION
imgtool.exe | DESCRIPTION
mess.chm | DESCRIPTION
mess.exe | DESCRIPTION
messgui.exe | DESCRIPTION
messlib.dll | DESCRIPTION
sysinfo.dat | DESCRIPTION
wimgtool.exe | DESCRIPTION