Alternative Method To Linking both Data Folders and Get Textures mods Working with Vortex and

[SNAAAAAKEE]

Many (mostly texture) mods require that you install them to the -documents/my games/ Starfield//Data- folder instead of the install folder. This can be messy and frustrating to keep track of.

To circumvent this, you can trick your game by using MkLink (symbolic link) to make a functioning shortcut from your -documents etc data - folder to your main install, tricking Starfield into believing that the folder is still there.

 

 

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FIRST

• Shut Down Starfield
• Go to the Documents\My Games\Starfield\Data, copy the directory path and paste it in a notepad.
• Rename the Documents\My Games\Starfield\Data folder to anything that you will remember (Data_bak)
• The result is that there is no "Data" folder currently in the docs games SF folder

THEN

• It is time to use mklink:
• Open the command prompt (probably as admin) and type in the below command, Use the "quotations" for your path
• MkLink /D "former docs data location" "Main SF data folder"
• Press enter. It should say MK link created, and a new Data folder will be present that actually links to your main folder.
• DONE. now you can either Reinstall the texture mods through vortex (highly recommended) or copy the backup data into your starfield directory.

EXAMPLE

• mklink /D "C:\Users\**Your name**\Documents\My Games\Starfield" "C:\Games\Steam\steamapps\common\Starfield\Data"

NOTES

• IF YOU MOVE/DELETE EITHER FOLDER OR CHANGE THE PATH, YOU WILL HAVE TO MAKE A SYMBOLIC LINK AGAIN.
• The /D after MkLink and before your file path is case sensitive.
• For some you might have to use -D instead of /D. Type MkLink and press enter to verify
• use " quotations" when entering your file path, especially if your paths have any spaces.
• make sure there is a space between both file paths, and after the /D
• The Symbolic will not be made if the data folder in the MY GAMES is still there, so you will have to rename it or delete/move it
• Highly recommended to reinstall all texture mods through vortex, so that you can properly keep track of what mods are clashing.

 

 

Idea was gained from a Steam Post about using a similar method in Skyrim with different drives but the result is similar:

 

 

 

 

 

[HeyYou]

There is an easier way to do it. Change the location of where "Photos" are saved, then simply nuke the data folder in the My Games folder. The game then defaults to the Data folder where the game itself is installed.