A new install of Vortex won't eat your mods!

[PernicketyJon]

Hi.

I've just spent a day (well, five or six hours) trying to find a definitive answer on the Nexus forums to the question, 'Will downloading and installing a fresh version of Vortex, over the old one, require me to manually reconfigure my existing Vortex settings and  re-install, re-link, re-order, and otherwise re-configure all my mods.  Maybe my search skills are not the best but, despite finding posts where others have asked basically the same question, I couldn't find one straight answer.

Well, I found the 'answer' in a link to 'Github' on the Vortex download page which reads,

Quote

 

"What can I do if Vortex fails to update/install?

The Vortex installer will be unable to write to the installation folder if some of the files contained therein are still in use by another process, such as for example antivirus programs, resulting in a failed installation.

Ensure that no security software is hampering the process (e.g., Windows Defender, BitDefender, Malwarebytes, etc.). Often, restarting your computer and/or updating or ensuring that Vortex related services and directories are 'whitelisted' can resolve these issues. Refer to the associated software's website for more information.

Note: As part of the update process, Vortex will delete the Vortex folder (where the program itself is stored, not your mods and/or downloads) and, after that, install the new version. Should the update process fail, it is safe to simply download the newest available version from the Vortex download page and install it.

If you are positive that no other program is blocking Vortex’s access to the files in the installation folder, please download and install the latest version of Vortex here: Vortex download page

The installer will automatically detect the existing installation and update accordingly."

 

The paragraph in Bold font (my edit) holds the somewhat vague answer to my specific question. I had suspected it to be so (because of how updates work) but, for my anxiety-crippled brain, it still wasn't a definitive answer.

Throwing caution to the wind, I decided 'gosh-darn it!' So I hit the Download button and installed the shiny, new package of coding mystery. The Installer automagically selected the existing path to install itself in and, after firing up the fresh new Vortex, everything was there, just like it had all been a bad dream!

NB: My Vortex was, and is, installed in the 'vanilla' location C:Drive, and the Vortex Downloads and Vortex Mods folders were installed on a separate drive, for the sake of storage space. I didn't have to redirect 'New Vortex' to the location.

I hope this helps others to save some time and spare some anxiousness!

 

https://github.com/Nexus-Mods/Vortex/wiki/MODDINGWIKI-Users-FAQ

 

 

Edited December 11 by PernicketyJon