SKYRIMSE Mod Organizer 2 wont install SKSE correctly

[DrukRath]

hi there, ive just come back to modding skyrim and have recently switched from NNM to MO2, however when installing SKSE i moved the rar files (excluding the data folder) into the game folder (which is outside program files and program files x86) even steam itself is downloaded into its own folder, i should mention this is still in my C drive as i dont have any other drive at the moment, the files went into the folder but when dragging SKSE into MO2 i get an alert saying 'the contents of <data> does not look valid',then before downloading it a pop up .......well popped up saying 'this mod was probably not set up correctly, most likely it will not work, you should first correct the directory layout using the content tree', as an amateur with this manager i have no idea what ive done wrong, i ignored this even though it was slightly different to the tutorial i was using to get used to MO2 but i brushed it off since i did exactly as they did on every step from completely reinstalling skyrim and starting off fresh, after downloading it and installing it another alert poped up saying 'data is missing, use query info' so i did and noticed small red X appeared next to the mod saying 'no valid game data' yet the download in the downloads tab is telling me theres game files present

 

my game is a legal copy bought only a few months ago via steam, and the SKSE version is up to date as i redownloaded it just the other day, with no other SKSE files on the site for SE i assumed they wouldve kept up to date with that

any help around this?

 for additional info im using the AI cave tutorial so you can see exactly what ive done 

Edited September 17, 2020 by DrukRath

[Mercury71]

I cant stand AI caves videos so i do not know how it tells you how to install.

 

A good practise is to Follow the STEP Guide installing SKSE.

 

https://wiki.step-project.com/STEP:Guide

[krossbonzz]

1st and Most Important is the Setup - https://wiki.step-project.com/Guide:SystemSetupGuide

 

After a very quick look at that video I agree with Mercury71. Obviously you must have WINRAR or 7-ZIP. After downloading the latest version of SKSE unzip to a folder. Delete the SRC folder, re-zip the DATA folder and name it SKSE64 (or SKSE64Data if you prefer). Leave MO2 off. Move the skse.exe & 2 DLL files to your Main SSE folder where the Skyrimse.exe/Skyrimse_loader.exe is located. Now open MO2 and click the 2nd button up top on the left "Install a mod from another Archive" and find that Data folder we zipped "SKSE64" and install it then tick the box. Click on the Gears symbol on the top bar (blue and green) and Mod Organizer 2 should've seen, installed, and done the work for you by adding it as an executable. It will show up in your drop down list on the right side and is the ONLY way you will launch Skyrim SE from now on. Watch Gamers Poets, Gopher, Sinitar gaming, Pred caliber, Hodilton etc etc on YouTube for tons of info for modding and mod installations and setups. Don't worry about installing an ENB & Preset till you've got it running smooth with no CTD's or STD's. And always always always 1 more! ALWAYS backup your Vanilla SSE install folder under (Secondary Steam Library folder) Steamlibrary2/steamapps/common/Skyrim Special Edition... right click and only Zip the "SkyrimSE folder" zip that sucker for later use. Name it SSEVanilla or something you can easily remember. In my Steam Library 2 folder I only keep Skyrim and Skyrim SE for ease of use and on another drive away from the Windows drive.

[Greg]

Installing SKSE is covered in the detailed instructions of the current guide.

[z929669]

1st and Most Important is the Setup - https://wiki.step-project.com/Guide:SystemSetupGuide

 

After a very quick look at that video I agree with Mercury71. Obviously you must have WINRAR or 7-ZIP. After downloading the latest version of SKSE unzip to a folder. Delete the SRC folder, re-zip the DATA folder and name it SKSE64 /snip.

I never pack MO mods as archives. I just Create Empty Mod and move all files into that. Then it's just the uncompressed mod ... this is how most mods install as well, but maybe that's configurable to package into archives, IHDK. I suppose archiving is good for saving disk space, but does add another error factor