Starting over with Mod Organizer questions

[Tomack13]

As I stated in an earlier thread this is my second go-round on MO.  First time trying to follow the STEP GUIDE.  I am running Windows 7 with a 64 bit OS.  After my failure with my first attempt to run MO that I was not following STEP in I decided to try it this way.  I have completely deleted and uninstalled everything pertaining to Steam and the game from my computer and now off to a new start. 

 

Installed Steam I hope now in the right place in the games folder on C drive which is my only option other than purchasing a new computer (NOT!).  Installed Mod Organizer, SKSE, FNIS, LOOT, TES5Edit and all of my mods and I mean all.  Side note (Getting Good At This).

 

I have gotten down to 1.D.1. Skyrim INI.  I have gone to (Configurator tool) down to (Archive).  I have entered into sResourceArchiveList the information from the guide.  At this point I am supposed to enter more information into sResourceArchiveKist2 but it does not exist.  I am told in the instructions that I am able to simply add another line in the section if sResourceArchive2 does not appear there but I am unable to figure out how to create a second line.  I know it probably sounds stupid but I must be missing something or making a bigger deal out of it than needs be. 

Edited January 12, 2016 by Tomack13

[Nebulous112]

No worries. :-)

 

1. You don't need to keep the TES5Edit backups because you should have already restored the file from the copy you made on the desktop. I would ignore that step from the video.

 

Basically all that step from the video is doing is keeping a backup of the files before you cleaned them. You shouldn't need this if you followed the text instructions exactly, and if for some reason you ever did need to redownload it, you can always do so through Steam.

 

If you follow the process of the text instructions exactly, you'll be fine. I recommend double checking the exact process you used to clean in TES5Edit, as this step is quite important.

 

2. You shouldn't have two "Cleaned Dawnguard ESM"s, because you should wait to create the mod from overwrite until you have cleaned it twice. I'm guessing again that this is probably a difference between the video and the text. The text shows this, and has numbered steps.

 

The videos may confuse you more than anything. Now that you have a bit of experience with MO, I suggest only following the text, and disregarding the videos. It worked for me! :-)

[Nebulous112]

The MO configurator tool is good for editing most line items in Skyrim.ini and SkyrimPrefs.ini, but some it has trouble with.

 

I suggest getting a tool like Notepad++. This makes anything with code, like .ini files, much easier to read. (By default, after installing you'll have to "right-click --> open with Notepad++" to open files with it.)

 

Then edit the files manually. Can be found in "[...]Mod Organizer\Profiles\[current profile name]". Just open the file, ctrl-f to find, and search the .ini file in question to see if the setting you are trying to find is there.

 

You can probably edit most items in the configurator, and double-check by opening up the file yourself with Notepad++ and verify.

 

I think the sResourceArchiveLists are in by default, but you should verify to make sure (I'm not at home right now to check).

 

Edit: Also, you are fine to install Steam, Skyrim and everything on the "C:\" drive, as long as it's not in the default location (Program Files). A new folder like C:\Games is just fine.

 

Also, I noticed you mention you installed all mods, but are now working on .ini section of the guide. A little out of order, but it should be fine as long as you paid attention to all the info in the "detailed description" for each mod in the list (some special instructions are needed), and installed the mods in the order listed (top to bottom).

 

In MO, the order mods are installed is the default "priority number" MO uses to load textures, etc. Later mods in the list override earlier mods if there are conflicts. You can edit the priority value later (and the guide asks you to do this in some cases), but in other cases, no mention is made as it works by default (but only if the mods were installed in order). Hopefully that makes a bit of sense (I'm in a rush typing on my lunch break).

[Tomack13]

I miss spoke when I said I had the mods installed.  What I meant to say Is I have had to re-download the mods.  I have them in a backup folder ready to be placed in the MO download file when the time comes.  Yes I am trying to keep to the plan and follow the guide.  But thanks for looking out for me. 

 

As far as the changing of the INI files I thought what I was supposed to do was make the changes in the Configurator drop down.  So what I am actually supposed to do is make those entries in the actual folders as you describe.  If that is the case at this moment there are two profiles within the profile folder 1. Default and 2. Step Core.  Am I right that the changes described in the STEP GUIDE should be made in the Step Core profile?  Within the STEP CORE there is 1. archive.txt 2. initweaks.ini 3. loadorder.txt 4. lockedorder.txt 5. modlist.txt 6. plugins.txt 7. skyrim.ini and 8. skyrimprefs.ini.  I should add these two entries into the initweaks.ini correct?

 

 

 

By the way Thanks for the tip on opening the files.  I had learned that a wile back.

Edited January 13, 2016 by Tomack13

[Greg]

I just checked and I don't see sResourceArchiveList2 in the Configurator, either. I think the easiest thing to do in this case is to click INI Editor instead of Configurator. This brings up an editor showing Skyrim.ini and SkyrimPrefs.ini. Click on Skyrim.ini to make sure it's selected.

 

Scroll through the file until you find the [Archive] section. In this section you should see sResourceArchiveList... with the BSAs you've already entered. If you see sResourceArchiveList2=..., change it so it matches the guide. If sResourceArchiveList2 does not exist, add a new line immediately after sResourceArchiveList and paste in the text in the guide. When you're finished, it should look like this:

 

 

[Archive]
sResourceArchiveList=Skyrim - Misc.bsa, Skyrim - Shaders.bsa, Skyrim - Textures.bsa, Skyrim - Interface.bsa, Skyrim - Animations.bsa, Skyrim - Meshes.bsa, Skyrim - Sounds.bsa
sResourceArchiveList2=Skyrim - Voices.bsa, Skyrim - VoicesExtra.bsa

 

You may have other settings between [Archive] and sResourceArchiveList and this is fine.

[Tomack13]

Thanks.  I did find the file.  I was looking in the wrong file (initweaks.ini).  The one I need as you describe is in the Skyrim.ini.  All that looking and yes they are there.

 

Now the question as I asked in the previous topic is, should I be making these changes in the STEP CORE profile or the DEFAULT profile? 

Edited January 13, 2016 by Tomack13

[GrantSP]

Changes need to be made in the 'Profile' that you are running.

So assuming you made these in 'Default' and then you created a new profile from 'Default' those changes will be carried over.

However, if you already have two profiles, 'Default' & 'STEP CORE' then the changes will only be in one, whichever was active when you made the changes.

[Greg]

As Grant sagely notes, use one profile and stick with it. If you look closely you'll see that all of the mods you've installed and enabled in one profile are also installed but not enable in the other profile. I usually keep the Default profile pure vanilla and install into a STEP Core or a STEP Extended profile, but it really doesn't matter which profile you use but you do need to keep it consistent.

[Tomack13]

Thanks to both of you.  I should have known that. 

[Tomack13]

After cleaning the Dawnguard.esm and it shows up in the Overwrite folder and I try to move the Dawnguard TES5Edit into the TES5Edit - Backup mod it asks if I want to merge it with the existing file that was placed in there after cleaning the Update.esm.  Do I re-name the Dawnguard file to read TES5Edit Backup (Dawnguard)?  And do the same after I clean the Dawnguard.esm the second time and for the rest of the .esm files that are created after cleaning them?

Edited January 14, 2016 by Tomack13

[Nebulous112]

I'm really confused by your post, Tomack. Let me know if I'm getting anything wrong. You mention trying to move "Dawnguard TES5Edit" into a mod named "TES5Edit Backup".

 

Do you mean "Cleaned Dawnguard.esm" instead of "Dawnguard TES5Edit"? I.E. what we ask you to name the cleaned file?

 

And as for the TES5Edit backup mod...STEP asks you to delete this from overwrite, assuming you restored it in another step. After following the instructions to clean Dawnguard twice, this is the instructions:

 

In the first case, you should now do the following:

 

Restore the backed up Dawnguard.esm from step 1 to the data directory.

In Mod Organizer, at the bottom of the left pane modlist is the Overwrite mod, now labeled red because files have been written to it. Double-click to open it.

In Overwrite you will find two items: a TES5Edit Backups folder and Dawnguard.esm. Since you already restored your own backed up Dawnguard.esm to the data directory, right-click and delete the TES5Edit Backups folder and click Close.

Right-click Overwrite and select Create Mod..., name it Cleaned Dawnguard ESM, and click OK.

Drag and drop the new Cleaned Dawnguard ESM mod to immediately follow Dawnguard (the Non-MO mod) in the left pane modlist.

[Tomack13]

In watching the video tutorial several times I came a little confused myself.  There is an overlay on the video that states that it was revised but In my mind it only made things a little unclear.  In reading the STEP instructions it sounded more correct to me.

 

Lets start with the Update.esm. as it states in the video.  Copy the esm from the data folder.  past it on the desktop.  Now run TES5Edit.  In overwrite two items are there.  One the newly cleaned esm and a folder labeled TES5Edit.  Now drag and drop the Newly cleaned .esm into a newly created mod named (UPDATE - CLEANED).  tick it and place at the top of load order.  Return the copied .esm from the desktop to the data folder.  Now take the remaining folder (TES5Edit) from overwrite and place it in the earlier created mod named (TES5Edit - BACKUP) do not tick it. 

 

Do all other mods the .esm and mods that are to be cleaned in the same manner.

 

Taking the next .esm Dawnguard and follow the same steps and when you come to the step where you are to place the Dawnguard Backup from the overwrite and place it into the TES5Edit - Backup mod... This is when I get the message asking if I want to replace the existing one.  The video does not mention anything about deleting the TES5Edit Backups folder from the overwrite.  Again it tells you to place it in the TES5Edit BACKUP mod.  It does not tell you to delete it.  After reading the instructions and reading what you have said matches what I thought should happen.  But that brings up another question.  Is it necessary and what is the purpose of the TES5Eit - Backup mod?  it even states in the icon with the white X in a red box (no valid game data).  The next question I have is what do you do with the second .esm that is created after cleaning the Dawnguard.esm the second time?  Is it to be placed in the first (Dawnguard.esm - CLEAN) mod or should a second mod be created to accommodate the second Cleaned .esm? 

 

Sorry for the confusion but the video and the instructions just didn't seem to jive to me.  Thanks

[Nebulous112]

Where the video and the text instructions conflict, always, always follow the text.

 

The videos were made with an older version of STEP. Due to the labor involved in making them, they can't be updated for every version.

 

To be honest, I've never even watched the videos. If you stick with the text, you'll be fine.

[Tomack13]

I do realize the difficulty in trying to keep everything up to date and the idea one should take allowances for such things.  I am just trying to rectify the mistakes I had made with my first setup of MO.  This I think was the first mistake I made with that one.  With you and others help I have overcome several obstacles.  About my last question.  What is you comment or suggestion for the last two questions.  Again thank you Nebulous.