No Weapon Swings/Sheathing Sounds Without C: install workarounds?

[GrizzledTaco]

     After finishing a STEP install I realized I had no weapon swing/sheathing sounds.  After some googling I found that others had fixed this issue by moving Skyrim from an external to internal drive, which was odd to me as my install was already on an internal drive.  After further searching it became apparent that the install needs to be not only internal, but specifically on the C: drive. After moving my own Skyrim and Steam install to C: this did indeed fix my problem (note the install was still outside of the program files or program files 86 folders).  

I also noticed that there was no mention of this issue on the STEP instruction page and couldn't find mention of it on the forums so I was wondering:

 

-Is this not a universal issue on PC?  If so why is there no mention of it on the STEP page despite the recommendations to install Steam/Skyrim on a separate drive?

-Are there threads on this topic here on the STEP forums already that I just couldn't find, and if so would a helpful soul point me to them? :)

-Is there a workaround to this problem?  I'd rather have an extensively modded Skyrim/Steam on a different drive if possible.  Thanks to any and all for any help on this issue, and I apologize in advance if I am rehashing some sort of already well discussed topic.  

[Kelmych]

I have never installed a game on the system drive (C:). The game saves and some small configuration files are automatically there because the user directories are on the system drive, but Steam, the games (e.g., the Skyrim folder), and utilities used with the games such as Mod Organizer are installed elsewhere.

 

It's a good idea to always set any folder used for the game files and utilities to allow Everyone full access.

[GrantSP]

The instructions in STEP, and elsewhere, do mention the need to install into a different folder than that which is automatically selected by the game(s) and tools used. Installing into either Program Files or Program Files (x86) or any other folder that has UAC applied to it is not recommended. This is however different to installing to a different drive! Systems with just one drive, C:, will have folders that are not restricted by Windows UAC and can be used with great success.

 

If the user does have multiple drives, then yes, installing onto those is preferred but if not just ensure the install is into a folder without UAC applied.

[GrizzledTaco]

So I suppose that the issue of silent weapon swinging/sheathing when skyrim is installed on a non OS drive is obviously not a universal or common problem?  Is there any idea as to whether this is a fixable issue? 

[GrantSP]

The initial assumption that moving the install to C: may in fact be an over-simplification of the issue. Taking your case as an example it might actually be the result of shortening the PATHS to those assets that fixes the issue.

 

Could you post the relative paths of the initial and the secondary installs of all the applications in play here: Steam, Skyrim, Mod Organizer and the location of your "mods" folder?

[GrizzledTaco]

In relation to the STEP version of Skyrim, I agree that my assumption may be incorrect.  I'm actually basing my assumption off of a clean vanilla install of skyrim/steam to more easily test the issue - I tried a vanilla skyrim/steam install on drive D: and encountered the issue, but then did a simple move of skyrim/steam to drive C: and the issue was fixed.  

 

I'll have a STEP install up and running on drive C:  here soon and could better answer your question then - although I'm expecting the sounds will work (although as you say it may be for reasons other than the simple move)...

 

my previous setup was a little wierd:  Steam on C: but with a separate steam library setup on D:  (I was hoping that would circumvent any UAC issues) containing STEP Skyrim, with MO inside the skyrim base directory and the mods folder inside the MO directory.  I did try moving Steam itself to D: and repackaging STEP skyrim (along with MO and the mods folder) into the newly moved Steam as well but that didn't fix the issue.  

to clarify my new STEP install on C:  will essentially be identical to a previous STEP install on D:  that had the swing/sheath sound issues.  even then I may still be oversimplifying (I'm no expert) but it will be interesting to see if the new install works.  I'll update when I get there.

[GrantSP]

If MO isn't yet installed, actually even if it is, move it to a folder all its own outside of the Skyrim install. So you want to limit the length of all the paths as much as possible.

On my system Steam is on my D: drive as a root folder like this D:\Steam and hence Skyrim is: D:\Steam\steamapps\common\Skyrim\.

Mod Organizer is likewise moved to a place outside of the Skyrim Install like this: D:\Games\ModOrganizer\TES5\. (I have multiple installs for all the supported games in different sub-folders)

All my mods are installed into a folder below the main MO install. This means when MO 'hooks' the Skyrim executable there is less likelihood of exceeding any Windows path limits of 256 characters.

[GrizzledTaco]

Well now - I gave it a try, with Steam and Skyrim on D: with MO installed outside of skyrim this time. and...

 

it worked.

 

yay!

 

Now i'm still a bit flummoxed as to why I had this issue running skyrim through steam on D:, but all's well that end's well.  Thank you GrantSP for the help!

[GrizzledTaco]

update:  first off, I messed up a bit.  after installing Steam/Skyrim and MO to D: (in separate directories) the sound issue was fixed, but I soon realized the MO ini file still had the gamepath set to a backup install of skyrim on C: - I noticed this when LOOT wasn't showing any newly installed plugins.  

 

after changing the game path in the MO ini to D: LOOT (and TES5edit and Wrybash) began to detect everything correctly, but I again lost the weapon swing/sheathe sounds.  As an aside, there may be other sounds not working correctly in this situation that I simply haven't tested for. 

 

So I moved MO and mods (somewhere around 2.D section of the STEP guide at this point) back to C:, updated the backup steam install to work with the backup skyrim install (on C:) and voila, the sounds have returned. I am more convinced than ever that Skyrim is, for some reason, requiring an OS drive install in order to work proper.  of course I could still be wrong (computers are hard).

 

so in a nutshell:  The previous fix turned out not to work, and again only moving everything back to C: seems to do the trick.  Fortunately this isn't the end of the world for me, I have plenty of room on C:  but I figure this still seems an issue worth noting.