How to move Vortex app after changing Mod/Download folder and Steam directory

[Cold995]

Q: Is there anything I have to do for moving the Vortex application itself. Can I just click and drag it to a new drive? 

I followed these steps:

1: On Vortex mods-tab, click "purge" and then done exit Vortex.

2: Use Steam to move Skyrim to another disk.

3: Run Skyrim launcher once to setup registry with new location.

4: Start Vortex, you'll get a message about Skyrim not located where expected. Hopefully Vortex should detect new location of Skyrim.

5: Just to be on the safe side, re-start Vortex.

6: In Vortex, under Settings - Mods, choose new location of the "Mod Staging Folder" and Vortex will move the files for you. This can take a long time.

7: Still under Vortex - Settings - Mods, make sure deployment method is "Hardlink Deployment".

//////////////////////////8: On Vortex mods-tab, choose Deploy.//////////////////////////////// *** I didn't do this step until moving the Vortex Folder *** 

Vortex moved both folders and Steam moved the game install to a new drive.

Is there anything I have to do for moving the Vortex application itself. Can I just click and drag it to a new drive? 

I have 3 Drives:  C (OS), D (Games), A (External Hard drive) I'm moving these files from A (external) to my D (games) drive. Hoping for better performance.

 

[Cold995]

(Solved)

After moving Vortex folder from A to D, I ran it and received a notification that said to reinstall Vortex. Notification stated that Vortex was missing or moved Uninstall directory.

I didn't know if this meant to uninstall and reinstall or just install over the same folder. I made a copy of the folder just in case. 

I then ran the Vortex installer and installed it to the location that I moved it to. I didn't uninstall anything just overwritten it.

Ran Vortex, Deployed mods/plugins. 

Success!

I tried to find this in the forums, but I only seen just the steps above. Nothing about the application.

I'm going to leave this post up in case anyone has a question about this before risking 1400 mods and hours of redownloading everything.

[Rhonail]

If I need to switch computers often, would you reccommend to do the following?

1) Save Steam game, Vortex downloads and staging folder on the external hard disk
2) Copy game, Vortex downloads and staging folder to the proper internal computer´s hard disk
3) Install Vortex on the computer´s hard disk
4) Run the new Vortex install and set download and staging folder at the directory of the copied folders on the internal hard disk

[Cold995]

22 hours ago, Rhonail said:

If I need to switch computers often, would you reccommend to do the following?

1) Save Steam game, Vortex downloads and staging folder on the external hard disk
2) Copy game, Vortex downloads and staging folder to the proper internal computer´s hard disk
3) Install Vortex on the computer´s hard disk
4) Run the new Vortex install and set download and staging folder at the directory of the copied folders on the internal hard disk

*Recommendation*

 Use the external for both computers. Just have everything you need on the external drive Game and all. I would recommend a fast SSD. For better performance. Then just make a copy of the Vortex Roaming folder and store it on your external every time you switch since it is stored on your OS drive. Then just replace it over the current system your on so it is up to date

every time you switch. I'm not sure if you need to do this since everything is in one spot, but if you run into trouble try it. since all the directories will be the same except 

the roaming folder.

*Recommendation*

 

You can't just copy the files over because it will break the links. When you switch the folders they have to be empty so vortex can save the links and transfer the files. 

If you have the mods already setup, you won't need the zip files(download folder). so you can just delete them or move them out into another folder.

This should save you time when moving the mod files each time when moving the directory of the mod folder and download (since the download folder will be empty).

These folders and steam game have to be moved by vortex and steam application.

*Rant*

Maybe you could... Every time you want to play on another drive.. Maybe look into making a profile for each drive. So it would keep the links for 1 drive on one profile and one for the other, but you would have to install your mods on

each profile and drive and not just copy them. Then you run into the issue that the roaming folder is not stored on the drives but rather your Operating system drive..

Then you would have to copy the roaming Vortex folder in %appdata% over... so it saves the data of the profiles and links.. but.. since you can't create links from one computer to another since they are not hooked up and the same time and can't create

the directories so it can't save the paths... Maybe just.. 

Create one profile on one computer with everything setup.. then download the everything to the  other computer. Start with the Steam and the game. Download vortex or copy over vortex (I'm not sure where the profiles are saved, I'm guessing the roaming folder)

*Not Likely*

Wait.. The profiles don't dictate where the Mod Staging Folder is... Every time you move it you will have to have the application move the files. If Vortex had the option to save mod folder location on different profiles then maybe, but as far as I'm aware it doesn't. Even if it did you would have to move the save files manually or maybe if you have cloud saves then it would work if that were an option. I would say that moving everything is just for what drive you are playing on and can't have it on two different drives at the same time or computers. Unless you do it independently and treat it as two different accounts.