Steam/Skyrim Lost my Load Order

[Fistandilius]

I usually don't have any mod problems. I have a very minimalist approach, which works for me because I like the stock game, but I recently ran into a problem. I subscribed to a new mod on Steam, but I didn't want to use it right away. I more or less just wanted to download it. So I started up Skyrim, but when the menu loaded up, as soon as it had downloaded the mod, I unchecked it. Then I went out of the data screen, and clicked exit. I never started the game. But then Skyrim froze up, and Steam crashed before it ever actually exited the menu.

 

I didn't think too much of it, that was a week ago or so, but when I went in today to start a game I checked my data files and everything was unchecked and all the mods were suddenly alphabetized. Also, I would swear my update.esm used to be in my load order, but it's no longer there. The update.esm file remains in my data directory. I'm trying to remember what mods I had an which ones I didn't, but when I load my character it's giving me the warning about the save file relying on files that are missing.

 

I'm guessing there isn't much I can do except play it as is, or try to keep guessing at what my load order used to be, but I thought I would ask. Maybe someone knows something I don't, like maybe Steam has my load order backed up somewhere or maybe there's a way to check the save files for what mods it uses.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

[Fistandilius]

Oh, also, just to check. Does Skyrim give you the message about things missing from your save file if you just change the load order, or is that only if you actually remove a mod from the data list?

[Valkyrie]

If your worried about just load order simply run BOSS. Its very easy to use and theres plenty of tutorials on youtube for it. Im not sure about the warning message pertaining to load order. I think if ya just changed the order, one mod would just overwrite the other on startup so the game really wouldn't be "missing" anything. Just getting it from another mod. I could be wrong tho. Your minimalistic attitude towards mods is a good one. Never install anything your not 100% sure your gonna keep. Even after uninstalling, your save game still looks for the mod in game and that can cause problems down the road.

[pandabane]

What would you do if the load order dissapeard compltely?

[AlanG66]

Run Wrye Bash (download from nexus site if you don't have it)

 

Select the Saves tab at the top.

 

Right click on your latest save and select Load Masters

 

This should select all of the active mods you last used.

 

For load order/missing mods, if you select the save in Wrye bash, it shows the load order used in that save in the panel on the right hand side - you could use that list to work out which mods are missing and recreate the load order you last used - or else use BOSS for optimum load order as previously suggested.

[camaro_69_327]

^^^Sweet another person that really gets the power of Wrye...yes if you want to save that save do as the above poster (AlenG66) says. Wrye will sort you right up.

 

Also ....the game ( and most of the tools) use a file called "plugins.txt" to know what mods you have and the order of them....in an obscure folder on C:\....

 

 

C:\Users\"your user name"\AppData\Local\Skyrim <<Plugins.txt is in that folder. IF it is missing or Corrupt, Delete it, and run the "default game launcher"..it will create a new one based on the mods in the DATA folder.

Not really sure what tool, or what ever creates the other file "load order.txt" haven't researched that one yet....

:smile:

 

EDIT: ok ya that looked stupid...if its missing you cant delete it...lol...but you get the point...

Edited April 23, 2014 by camaro_69_327