Mod Organizer Install Location - Best Practice?

[Makkli]

I really hope I'm not embarrassing myself with my first ever created topic. I really did try searching for answers.

 

I'm new to STEP and actually Skryim as well. Yes I'm late to the party. My son just gave me a Legendary disc as a present. 

 

I want the best start I can. I found one guide that states that Mod Organizer should be installed to Steam Apps/common/Skyrim. I found another that states that its also valid to do it somewhere else (like D:GamesMod Organizer). It would seem its a personal choice matter but I feel underinformed to make that choice. Is there a benefit to one location over the other? My instinct says there's not since its a virtualized system anyway. But my obsession with following the rules and instructions says well, if both are valid why didn't they say that in the first guide?

 

My husband says I'm overthinking it...like everything else. So which should I do?

 

 

 

 

 

[Tannin]

No, there is a best practice: Install MO in a location where you don't need administrative rights to write to! Very simple: If you can install MO without needing administrative rights then it's a good location.

 

MO is designed as a portable app, it stores and changes files in its own directory.

The "Program Files" directory otoh is designed to contain only "static" data of an application that is not changed post installation (except for updates) with "dynamic" data being stored in the user directory.

 

tl;dr: Don't install MO below "Program Files" and don't run MO with administrative rights.

[EssArrBee]

Either of the two options you listed are the best practice. Just make sure your Steam installation directory is not in Program Files or Program Files (x86).

[DoubleYou]

As SRB says, both locations are valid. I prefer telling people to install it to the games installation directory because:

 

1. If UAC issues have been fixed for the game, it will be for Mod Organizer as well.

2. Mod Organizer (at least with the current beta) will not ask you to locate the game installation directory.

3. If you use Mod Organizer for multiple games, you will be able to easily separate which Mod Organizer installation is for which game, since they are located in the games' directories.

 

Only con to this is, if you use an SSD for your game, Mod Organizer will take up space on the SSD if you install it to it. This will be especially space prohibitive if you keep all your mod archive downloads there as well.

 

You can even successfully use Mod Organizer in Program Files if you set security settings to give users full control!