Mising DLC? - [SOLVED]

[Smile44]

Hi I know that this on the surface is a missing textures problem for which there are other posts but from what I have seen they don't cover what I am experiencing. I have been trying to solve this problem with fresh installs of the game / packages etc. but I need some help.

 

When I run Skyrim un-modded everything is fine, but when I add textures through Step 2B, i get purple shapes etc.. which are missing and or corrupted files. Problem is when I uninstall them, I still have the same missing textures - I am using WB to install them and have done so without problems in the past. So I use steam to validate the game cache and it starts on a big file download. Looking in my data folder I find that the Bethesda HD DLC 2 bsa has disappeared from the data folder. In other words WB has uninstalled and deleted it. This happened recently but I assumed I had deleted it by accident - not the case apparently.

 

This is pretty freaky and I wonder if anyone has come across this before. Hopefully something ridiculously obvious - that I am not doing.

[z929669]

Looking in my data folder I find that the Bethesda HD DLC 2 bsa has disappeared from the data folder. In other words WB has uninstalled and deleted it. This happened recently but I assumed I had deleted it by accident - not the case apparently.

 

This is not possible. WB only uninstalls that which it has previously installed. Obviously, WB did not install any of the vanilla BSAs. My guess is that something about the Steam verify is incomplete.

 

You will need to retrace your steps and document them exactly to try and reproduce. Then post back those steps (leaving nothing to guess).

[Smile44]

Your guess was probably correct. In the end I reinstalled the game completely and this appears to have solved the problem - that said I have not started reinstalling textures. The thing with DLC 2 bsa going missing was and is a mystery as it was definitely there and I had run the game with it in prior to installing textures. When installing textures with WB is it better to install each mod individually in the recommended order or build a simple package incorporating the mods as in TPC. I have all the SRO files saved (light and full) so probably best to use those. Anyway this is getting off topic a little.

 

Thanks for the feedback 'Z'.

[z929669]

Recommend installing all mods separately in order using WB. Combined solutions can come in handy when there are particular textures you want from several mods rather than all of them; however, this is difficult to maintain when mods get updated.

[Smile44]

Hi Just as an update to this thread, I have just about had it with WB. I know it seems ridiculous but with a clean install and through adding texture packages, I find when I start the game, loads of missing textures. I uninstalled all the texture mods and still have the problem. I checked the game out before installing these texture mods and it was working fine. So what's is the problem? Skyrim - textures.bsa is missing. How? It was there before I began installing mods. Steam is re-uploading the file now.

 

If I optimised the texture bsa files with DDSopt and then stick the files in WB as in a normal texture mod would they automatically overwrite the bsa files HD DLCs as well?

 

I know NMM is not as user friendly as WB or as powerful but I never had any problems like this. I hate to have to go back but this is so */$£^%ing frustrating - I almost feel like going back to work.

[TechAngel85]

WB doesn't delete anything you don't tell it to. If you're somehow loading your vanilla bsa files in WB, don't! WB shouldn't have anything to do with them. Make sure no mod files are named with the same file names as the vanilla bsa files. Where possible DO NOT use the bsa versions of any mods; use loose file versions. Finally, make sure your mods are set up properly for WB use. If the file structure of the mods are not correct they won't install properly. I convert ALL my mod file structures to the WB simple file structure. Make sure any optionals are checked to install in the lower right box. I recommend you completely read through our Wiki Guide and the Official ReadMe before deciding to switch back to NMM.

[Smile44]

Hi thanks for responding to my rant. But I have done all of the above repeatedly with varying success over the last year. I do everything very carefully and am very familiar with file structures both BAIN and otherwise. I have not been placing any bsa files in WB. The Wiki DDSopt guide suggests optimising the bsa files then repackaging them as 7zip files and then placing them in WB. Which is where that idea came from but the last part of that guide is not too specific or clear so I have not done the last part, I just wanted to learn how to use DDSOpt. I am currently re installing the game for the second time this evening (don't ask about the last three days). Even with straight vanilla I'm getting purple patches. This has never been a problem for me before I started using WB to install my mods. Initially this was successful and has been for months but over the last couple of weeks it has been a nightmare. Something must be horribly corrupted in my game and I do not know what. But I do know that the game works fine at first and I can carefully install all my mods and get a working game - but of course there is tweaking involved finding the mod or mods causing CTDs etc.. perfectly normal, it's when I start removing the odd mod that suddenly I get purple patches. Today it began when I removed RLwC and replaced it with Cot. I was not messing with any graphics mods but was the last thing that happened before I lost a load of textures - this shouldn't happen of course but it has and I don't know why.

[TechAngel85]

Hi thanks for responding to my rant. But I have done all of the above repeatedly with varying success over the last year. I do everything very carefully and am very familiar with file structures both BAIN and otherwise. I have not been placing any bsa files in WB. The Wiki DDSopt guide suggests optimising the bsa files then repackaging them as 7zip files and then placing them in WB. Which is where that idea came from but the last part of that guide is not too specific or clear so I have not done the last part I just wanted to learn how to use DDSOpt. I am currently re installing the game for the second time this evening (don't ask about the last three days). Even with straight vanilla I'm getting purple patches. This has never been a problem for me before I started using WB to install my mods. Initially this was successful and has been for months but over the last couple of weeks it has been a nightmare. Something must be horribly corrupted in my game and I do not know what. But I do know that the game works fine at first and I can carefully install all my mods and get a working game - but of course there is tweaking involved finding the mod or mods causing CTDs etc.. perfectly normal, it's when I start removing the odd mod that suddenly I get purple patches. Today it began when I removed RLwC and replaced it with Cot. I was not messing with any graphics mods but was the last thing that happened before I lost a load of textures - this shouldn't happen of course but it has and I don't know why.

I have to say I'm at a loss here. I will say that I have never used DDSopt. It can screw up your textures if not done properly and the STEP guide is profoundly inefficiently wrote for complete noobs. I'm a IT guy and I'm sure that I could figure it out, but the guide confuses me in several places so I haven't touched it. It's been stated many times and in different threads that the guide needs a overhaul, but no one that is proficient with DDSopt has yet to take it on.

 

Upon thinking a little, if it mainly happens with you uninstall a mod it could be that WB is uninstalling those textures and not replacing them with textures higher in the load order...assuming they are conflicting textures.

[Smile44]

I used to be something of an IT guy, a long time ago - so I know this doesn't make sense. There is no way that WB should be in any way messing with the bsa files in the data folder. I have even removed WB and installed it again with a new download but no dice. Here's another weird thing in that there is no logic to this at all. But prior to SRO being removed I made some different graphics packs based around SRO both HD and light. I tested these packages out but my results were confusing to say the least as I had found before this that a full Step install with TPC was too much for my system with a very low frame rate, so I used a much more stripped down version based on Bethesda DLC optimised, SRO, SMIM, Better Dynamic Snow, Vurt's SFO, Water and Skyrim performance plus, I added no stretching and Ruins clutter improvement, and had a much better frame rate plus 10 to 15 fps. I sought to demonstrate this as at the time you all were (still are) working towards the next Step pack. For some strange reason when I built all my packages and tested them my frame rate didn't change at all regardless of how many graphics mod I used or how high def they were which completely defeated the purpose of my test and was confusing to say the least. Then SRO got pulled and my experiment became even more pointless. So I gave up on that and went back to my favourite group of graphics files as detailed earlier and found they had corrupted - this was the first time I started to get the missing textures - all my SRO packs were doing the same thing. So I rebuilt them - installed the individually etc.. gone back to standard 2.2a STEP install for graphics (have all the zips) but here I am struggling with disappearing textures. There is no way that SRO being pulled has anything to do with my texture issues just coincidental timing - very twilight zone. Oh well Steam has just finished fixing my game time to try again - definitely going to build packages this time rather than use individual mods, far less messy but I will be doing this all again soon when 2.2.1 comes online fully and Frostfall, Last seed etc..

 

Thanks for giving this some thought, I agree that it's possible that WB is not operating within acceptable parameters at least for me - I have noticed numerous glitches such as mods not showing sub-packages in the right hand pane consistently, not uninstalling mods and needing me to restart windows in order to be able to do so - definitely not right.

[z929669]

... /snip ... the STEP guide is profoundly inefficiently wrote for complete noobs. I'm a IT guy and I'm sure that I could figure it out, but the guide confuses me in several places so I haven't touched it. It's been stated many times and in different threads that the guide needs a overhaul, but no one that is proficient with DDSopt has yet to take it on.

 

I will clarify the DDSopt guide if you would please go into that guide and add some notes indicating anything that is unclear. To be honest, you are the only person that has indicated that it is difficult to follow ... some of the specifics no longer apply, and that has been stated.

 

Even better, use the Talk page to provide specifics. I am quite certain that it does not need a completer rewrite, as most of the info there still applies.

[Farlo]

 

... /snip ... the STEP guide is profoundly inefficiently wrote for complete noobs. I'm a IT guy and I'm sure that I could figure it out' date=' but the guide confuses me in several places so I haven't touched it. It's been stated many times and in different threads that the guide needs a overhaul, but no one that is proficient with DDSopt has yet to take it on.

I will clarify the DDSopt guide if you would please go into that guide and add some notes indicating anything that is unclear. To be honest, you are the only person that has indicated that it is difficult to follow ... some of the specifics no longer apply, and that has been stated.

 

Even better, use the Talk page to provide specifics. I am quite certain that it does not need a completer rewrite, as most of the info there still applies.

 

I think a lot of the problem is that the user's being introduced to the program while also managing all that stuff about unpacking them into the different folders, and it's a little unclear if you're just looking to learn the UI and not follow along with the whole process you have laid out.  

 

I believe a one page/tab overview of the program and the basic functionality before diving into unpacking and optimizing the main BSAs would be very helpful.  Even though DDSopt can do it, I find it much easier to set BSAs to be opened with BSAopt and just do extraction separately, it makes the whole process seem less complex, and learning BSAopt can also be used as a "launchpad" to learning DDSopt.

[z929669]

I used to be something of an IT guy, a long time ago - so I know this doesn't make sense. There is no way that WB should be in any way messing with the bsa files in the data folder. I have even removed WB and installed it again with a new download but no dice. Here's another weird thing in that there is no logic to this at all. But prior to SRO being removed I made some different graphics packs based around SRO both HD and light. I tested these packages out but my results were confusing to say the least as I had found before this that a full Step install with TPC was too much for my system with a very low frame rate, so I used a much more stripped down version based on Bethesda DLC optimised, SRO, SMIM, Better Dynamic Snow, Vurt's SFO, Water and Skyrim performance plus, I added no stretching and Ruins clutter improvement, and had a much better frame rate plus 10 to 15 fps. I sought to demonstrate this as at the time you all were (still are) working towards the next Step pack. For some strange reason when I built all my packages and tested them my frame rate didn't change at all regardless of how many graphics mod I used or how high def they were which completely defeated the purpose of my test and was confusing to say the least. Then SRO got pulled and my experiment became even more pointless. So I gave up on that and went back to my favourite group of graphics files as detailed earlier and found they had corrupted - this was the first time I started to get the missing textures - all my SRO packs were doing the same thing. So I rebuilt them - installed the individually etc.. gone back to standard 2.2a STEP install for graphics (have all the zips) but here I am struggling with disappearing textures. There is no way that SRO being pulled has anything to do with my texture issues just coincidental timing - very twilight zone. Oh well Steam has just finished fixing my game time to try again - definitely going to build packages this time rather than use individual mods, far less messy but I will be doing this all again soon when 2.2.1 comes online fully and Frostfall, Last seed etc..

 

Thanks for giving this some thought, I agree that it's possible that WB is not operating within acceptable parameters at least for me - I have noticed numerous glitches such as mods not showing sub-packages in the right hand pane consistently, not uninstalling mods and needing me to restart windows in order to be able to do so - definitely not right.

I can tell you with 100% certainty that you are suffering from a case of user error (no offense). Getting frustrated will only increase the likelihood of misunderstanding and mistakes.

 

Read through the SIG and get your rig cleaned up and prepped. THEN, I recommend:

• forget about DDSopt for now. You need to better understand how to use Wrye Bash to successfully install a relatively simple modded setup.... simplify.
• Begin by methodically following the WBG, beginning with "Establish a Clean Skyrim Install" ... and follow that to the letter.
• Once you have a clean skyrim install, launch skyrim and create a new character. Save the game after creating, and you should have 2 saves to use as a base for testing purposes. This will also eztablish the INI files and prove that you have a functional install.
• COPY YOUR SKYRIM DIRECTORY to another location so that you can easily restore it, and reference the latest STEP Guide to help with pre-install configuration
• Go back to the WBG and follow along with installation of WB (v302.1) and BOSS 2.0+ (hold off on installing anything else)
• Carefully read about BAIN structure and the examples of BAIN package restructure (you are not repacking mods correctly if they are not showing their contents in the right-hand panes)
• follow the guide very carefully and Install only the Unofficial Patches, SMIM a texture overhaul and a couple of mods with plugins using WB. Ensure that these are installed and that your game directory is consistent with what you have done thus far.
• Run BOSS, and reference the latest STEP Guide to help with post-install configuration

If anything wierd happens, then you have a ghost in your machine, the universe is not behaving correctly ... or you did not reference and successfully interpret and implement the instructions provided in the guides I have referred to.

 

After you get this all behaving correctly, then you can mess with DDSopt, as this may be what is ultimately making your BSAs "dissapear". (it is very easy to mess up BSA extraction and compression locations, as that application is a bit clunky in these regards).

 

HTH

[z929669]

 

 

... /snip ... the STEP guide is profoundly inefficiently wrote for complete noobs. I'm a IT guy and I'm sure that I could figure it out' date=' but the guide confuses me in several places so I haven't touched it. It's been stated many times and in different threads that the guide needs a overhaul, but no one that is proficient with DDSopt has yet to take it on.

I will clarify the DDSopt guide if you would please go into that guide and add some notes indicating anything that is unclear. To be honest, you are the only person that has indicated that it is difficult to follow ... some of the specifics no longer apply, and that has been stated.

 

Even better, use the Talk page to provide specifics. I am quite certain that it does not need a completer rewrite, as most of the info there still applies.

 

I think a lot of the problem is that the user's being introduced to the program while also managing all that stuff about unpacking them into the different folders, and it's a little unclear if you're just looking to learn the UI and not follow along with the whole process you have laid out.  

 

I believe a one page/tab overview of the program and the basic functionality before diving into unpacking and optimizing the main BSAs would be very helpful.  Even though DDSopt can do it, I find it much easier to set BSAs to be opened with BSAopt and just do extraction separately, it makes the whole process seem less complex, and learning BSAopt can also be used as a "launchpad" to learning DDSopt.

 

BSAopt is totally obsolete though, but you make a good point about general use and specifics RE optimizing vanilla textures.

[Farlo]

I think a lot of the problem is that the user's being introduced to the program while also managing all that stuff about unpacking them into the different folders, and it's a little unclear if you're just looking to learn the UI and not follow along with the whole process you have laid out.  

 

I believe a one page/tab overview of the program and the basic functionality before diving into unpacking and optimizing the main BSAs would be very helpful.  Even though DDSopt can do it, I find it much easier to set BSAs to be opened with BSAopt and just do extraction separately, it makes the whole process seem less complex, and learning BSAopt can also be used as a "launchpad" to learning DDSopt.

BSAopt is totally obsolete though, but you make a good point about general use and specifics RE optimizing vanilla textures.

Does it have any bugs that are fixed in DDSopt?  I find it a lot easier to use BSAopt instead of messing with the DDSopt setting when I just want to extract something (mostly when I download a mod with BSAs).  Just open the file, copy-paste the destination from Windows/7zip, hit "Unpack", and done.

[z929669]

Understandable, but I would rather use one tool for all I guess.

[TechAngel85]

I'll go through and follow the guide, making notes as I go and report them. It'll mainly be a list of questions. When using a guide and following instructions I need specifics. I drove my teachers crazy, but it's allowed me to be a fairly good technical writer as far as instructions go.