Vortex file completely disappeared

[marenmotierre]

It's been a few days since I loaded my TESV SE save. In between that time I installed ESO. Today I go to open Vortex to launch the via SKSE like I always do, and the launcher and its program files are totally gone! The shortcut gives the "no longer exists" error message.

 

I searched my documents and game folders and the only folder I found was the one with all the mods I had installed. I also found this file: vortex.deployment.enb.json. Nothing else. Has this happened to anyone before? Can I just reinstall Vortex and will my mods be there since the mod files still exist?

 

Let me know if any of my computer specs or any other info is needed. Thanks in advanced!

 

EDIT: also just discovered my main save files are gone. I have backups but the folder it pulls from is empty.

[HadToRegister]

to find out if you can reinstall vortex and have everything with be back to normal, go to C:\users\YOUR NAME\appdata\roaming\Vortex

Is the folder full of stuff, does the folder even exist?

I'm curious as to where you installed Vortex to originally, and where did you install Skyrim SE?

[marenmotierre]

to find out if you can reinstall vortex and have everything with be back to normal, go to C:\users\YOUR NAME\appdata\roaming\Vortex

 

Is the folder full of stuff, does the folder even exist?

 

I'm curious as to where you installed Vortex to originally, and where did you install Skyrim SE?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi there, thanks for responding! Yes the file is still there on my C drive. Initially, everything was stored on my C drive, but then I got a second hard drive and now Steam (and Skyrim) is on the D drive. I moved everything game related except Vortex to D drive following instructions and tutorials (lord, that took a long time lol). Could having them on separate drives have caused the issue? I've been operating this way for a few months now.

 

If the folder is still there, with it would seem everything, should I be ok to reinstall?

[HadToRegister]

 

to find out if you can reinstall vortex and have everything with be back to normal, go to C:\users\YOUR NAME\appdata\roaming\Vortex

 

Is the folder full of stuff, does the folder even exist?

 

I'm curious as to where you installed Vortex to originally, and where did you install Skyrim SE?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi there, thanks for responding! Yes the file is still there on my C drive. Initially, everything was stored on my C drive, but then I got a second hard drive and now Steam (and Skyrim) is on the D drive. I moved everything game related except Vortex to D drive following instructions and tutorials (lord, that took a long time lol). Could having them on separate drives have caused the issue? I've been operating this way for a few months now.

 

If the folder is still there, with it would seem everything, should I be ok to reinstall?

 

 

 

How did you "Move" Steam, and Skyrim to the D drive?

Because right now, with the shortcuts saying "no longer exists" it sounds like you moved everything using Windows File Explorer and now Vortex has no idea that you moved Skyrim and Steam.

 

You should STILL have a savegame folder in C:\Users\YOUR NAME\Documents\My Games\Skyrim Special Edition folder

 

 

So, exactly how did you move Steam and Skyrim to the D drive?

[marenmotierre]

 

 

 

 

 

How did you "Move" Steam, and Skyrim to the D drive?

Because right now, with the shortcuts saying "no longer exists" it sounds like you moved everything using Windows File Explorer and now Vortex has no idea that you moved Skyrim and Steam.

 

You should STILL have a savegame folder in C:\Users\YOUR NAME\Documents\My Games\Skyrim Special Edition folder

 

 

So, exactly how did you move Steam and Skyrim to the D drive?

 

 

Ok so, correction: my main save files that Steam and Vortex pull from are still there, I was looking in the wrong area before. The save files are on the C drive. Nothing is saved in Program Files.

 

If I recall correctly, I dragged and dropped files from C to D. This was about 2-3 months ago so the memory is a little fuzzy. I researched a lot before and while I was relocating. I know I changed the default installation path for Steam games following the guide on this Steam webpage: https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=7418-YUBN-8129. I also changed the file paths in Vortex as well. I haven't had any issues in the past 2-3 months. I literally just used Vortex and played Skyrim just fine on August 1. And then today, the link pinned to my taskbar was gone, and the desktop shortcut gives the "no longer exists...has been changed, moved, etc." Is it really possible for it to take this long for the program to go AWOL?

[HadToRegister]

 

 

Ok so, correction: my main save files that Steam and Vortex pull from are still there, I was looking in the wrong area before. The save files are on the C drive. Nothing is saved in Program Files.

 

If I recall correctly, I dragged and dropped files from C to D. This was about 2-3 months ago so the memory is a little fuzzy. I researched a lot before and while I was relocating. I know I changed the default installation path for Steam games following the guide on this Steam webpage: https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=7418-YUBN-8129. I also changed the file paths in Vortex as well. I haven't had any issues in the past 2-3 months. I literally just used Vortex and played Skyrim just fine on August 1. And then today, the link pinned to my taskbar was gone, and the desktop shortcut gives the "no longer exists...has been changed, moved, etc." Is it really possible for it to take this long for the program to go AWOL?

 

 

 

You can't just "Drag and Drop" stuff from hard drive to hard drive, and expect windows or the programs to "know" where everything is.

 

The fact that you said the Desktop Shortcut says "No Longer Exists" means that the shortcut is still expecting to find Skyrim and/or Steam where it USED TO BE.

 

The Same with your Taskbar link, none of your shortcuts or taskbar links have any idea where you dragged and dropped Skyrim and Steam, so they're still looking at the windows registry and expecting to find them where they used to be.

 

You can't do that

[marenmotierre]

 

 

 

Ok so, correction: my main save files that Steam and Vortex pull from are still there, I was looking in the wrong area before. The save files are on the C drive. Nothing is saved in Program Files.

 

If I recall correctly, I dragged and dropped files from C to D. This was about 2-3 months ago so the memory is a little fuzzy. I researched a lot before and while I was relocating. I know I changed the default installation path for Steam games following the guide on this Steam webpage: https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=7418-YUBN-8129. I also changed the file paths in Vortex as well. I haven't had any issues in the past 2-3 months. I literally just used Vortex and played Skyrim just fine on August 1. And then today, the link pinned to my taskbar was gone, and the desktop shortcut gives the "no longer exists...has been changed, moved, etc." Is it really possible for it to take this long for the program to go AWOL?

 

 

 

You can't just "Drag and Drop" stuff from hard drive to hard drive, and expect windows or the programs to "know" where everything is.

 

The fact that you said the Desktop Shortcut says "No Longer Exists" means that the shortcut is still expecting to find Skyrim and/or Steam where it USED TO BE.

 

The Same with your Taskbar link, none of your shortcuts or taskbar links have any idea where you dragged and dropped Skyrim and Steam, so they're still looking at the windows registry and expecting to find them where they used to be.

 

You can't do that

 

 

Well, according to the rest of the internet it is an option. And that's why you change the file paths within the programs themselves. Plus, it was working fine for nigh on 3 months. So why did it work fine in the meantime, if it couldn't find the program?

 

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=7418-YUBN-8129

[HadToRegister]

 

 

 

 

Well, according to the rest of the internet it is an option. And that's why you change the file paths within the programs themselves. Plus, it was working fine for nigh on 3 months. So why did it work fine in the meantime, if it couldn't find the program?

 

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=7418-YUBN-8129

 

 

 

OK, but one Steam post doesn't represent "The rest of the internet"

 

Again, you moved things using File Explorer in windows, that left you with Dead Shortcuts, because you did it wrong, or you weren't supposed to.

 

Which is why Vortex AND Windows has no idea where your Steam Install or Game Install or Vortex Install is anymore.

 

Anyway, I'll leave you to it.

[Guest deleted34304850]

When you come out with stupid statements like "the rest of the internet" it doesn't put you in a good light.

 

You have done something, blindly, with no concept of what you're doing or the consequences of your actions. None of this is a Vortex issue.

 

You have a couple of choices here;

1. Put everything back as it was.

2. Restore from a backup where everything is as it was.

3. Kiss your modded games/saves etc goodbye and start over with everything in its new location.

 

Option 2 is going to be the quickest thing you can do to get you going. I trust you have a robust backup procedure that can help you here, right?

[marenmotierre]

 

 

 

 

 

Well, according to the rest of the internet it is an option. And that's why you change the file paths within the programs themselves. Plus, it was working fine for nigh on 3 months. So why did it work fine in the meantime, if it couldn't find the program?

 

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=7418-YUBN-8129

 

 

 

OK, but one Steam post doesn't represent "The rest of the internet"

 

Again, you moved things using File Explorer in windows, that left you with Dead Shortcuts, because you did it wrong, or you weren't supposed to.

 

Which is why Vortex AND Windows has no idea where your Steam Install or Game Install or Vortex Install is anymore.

 

Anyway, I'll leave you to it.

 

 

Multiple sources describe it as an option. So don't get condescending with me. And you still haven't answered my question, unsurprisingly.

 

When you come out with stupid statements like "the rest of the internet" it doesn't put you in a good light.

 

You have done something, blindly, with no concept of what you're doing or the consequences of your actions. None of this is a Vortex issue.

 

You have a couple of choices here;

1. Put everything back as it was.

2. Restore from a backup where everything is as it was.

3. Kiss your modded games/saves etc goodbye and start over with everything in its new location.

 

Option 2 is going to be the quickest thing you can do to get you going. I trust you have a robust backup procedure that can help you here, right?

 

Multiple sources on the internet have explained this as a valid option for moving files as long as the paths within the programs themselves are changed/updated. To claim I have done this blindly is a falsehood. This process was done over multiple days and a lot of research.

 

Maybe you can answer my question since the other individual seems unwilling to do so. Vortex was working fine for nigh on 3 months. So why did it work fine in the meantime, if it couldn't find the program? Why all of a sudden after 3 months of perfectly fine operation, would Vortex just up and uninstall itself?