Preserve the context before rearranging the files

A folder of old game-related files can lose meaning when names are shortened and everything is sorted by extension. A patch, a manual and a saved configuration may belong to different versions even when their filenames look compatible.

Begin with an inventory that leaves the originals untouched. Record the source, original name, size and any accompanying notes. If you calculate a checksum, treat it as a way to compare files, not proof that the file is safe, authorised or historically authentic. A matching hash only answers a particular identity question.

Keep your working notes outside the original material and distinguish confirmed facts from guesses. Do not execute an unfamiliar file merely to discover what it is. Software of uncertain origin may be unsafe, and preservation interest does not grant permission to bypass access controls or distribute copyrighted material.

The smallest successful archive may contain no downloadable software at all: a careful catalogue, authorised links and a record of what could not be verified. Context is not an optional extra around the files. It is what allows a future reader to understand why they were kept together.