Seperate Installation for Construction Set

[Themisive]

I wonder if you can help on this problem? I have been using multiple Oblivion installs, one to play the game on, and one for the construction set. by the way, the Oblivion game is patched to 1.20416, whilst the Construction set is 1.2.404.

 

When I was running Windows XP Pro 64bit, I had no problem as such with a multiple install, however I have upgraded my O/S to Windows 7 and have found that it doesn't seem to allow a multiple install! I wonder if this is actually the case or is there some way I can make a multiple install? I normally run Oblivion in D:\Games\Oblivion, and can easily set up a second install just for the construction set and the various Modder's resources in a separate file.

 

As for my system, I'm OK there, the specs are as follows:

• CPU: 2.2ghZ 64bit dual core +4400 AMD Athlon
  
• Sound: Creative labs Audigy 2 ZS Soundblaster
  
• Graphics: NVidia GeForce 9600GT with dual monitor support
  
• RAM: 2Gb DDR 2
  
• Monitors: 17" LCD
  

Note: ALL drivers for both the graphics and sound card are up-to-date.

[Jenrai]

I'm not sure what you mean by multiple installs mate. In actual fact, XP doesn't allow it either, if you mean installing the game twice. There are workarounds (Bben's ace double install article and revert to vanilla article can help) but unless you mean just switching out one data folder for another (and even if you're using Bben's .bat files, thats all you're doing btw) the Windows Registry blocks anything like a true dual install attempt.

Unfortunately, even considering the dated (read: flippin useless) beast it is, not only is it included in windows 7, its actually got yet more protection and safeguarding features, curtesy of the lovely UAC, probably.

Anyways, a little detail matey... just how were you running your double install? Maybe we can figure a work around to lelt you work the same way on 7 as you did on xp.

 

Jenrai

[Themisive]

I'm not sure what you mean by multiple installs mate. In actual fact, XP doesn't allow it either, if you mean installing the game twice. There are workarounds (Bben's ace double install article and revert to vanilla article can help) but unless you mean just switching out one data folder for another (and even if you're using Bben's .bat files, thats all you're doing btw) the Windows Registry blocks anything like a true dual install attempt.

Unfortunately, even considering the dated (read: flippin useless) beast it is, not only is it included in windows 7, its actually got yet more protection and safeguarding features, curtesy of the lovely UAC, probably.

Anyways, a little detail matey... just how were you running your double install? Maybe we can figure a work around to lelt you work the same way on 7 as you did on xp.

 

Jenrai

 

I was running three separate installs, one to play the game, one for testing purposes as I am writing a large mod, and one just for the CS to put all the modder's resources onto so they wouldn't conflict with the rest of the game.

 

What I did in XP was to install the game, then to rename the folder and move it away into another folder, then re-install it again, again rename it and move it, then to create a third and rename it. at this point I was able to put the other two installs back with it, they were named Oblivion-Current, Oblivion-Test and Oblivion-CS for fairly obvious reasons (current was the one I used when playing the game - the other two names are self-explanatory)

 

Though the game folders were re-named, the actual game folder in the My Documents\My Games was not, with the result that the whole thing worked perfectly. Unfortunately Windows 7 didn't seem to like that setup, in fact it would NOT let me start up the game at all!

 

Whilst I would like to use the Test version, I can dispense with that and just use the normal install, the one I would really like to set up is the CS version, as that way I don't need to worry about my Modder's resources interfering with the game.

 

Could it possibly be that registry settings need to be changed?

[bben46]

What you describe is pretty much what I did in my dual Oblivion article. I just automated it with a batch file to switch from one to the other. I only had 2 copies, but it could easily be expanded to three or even more copies of Oblivion. It should work for Fallout also, but I haven't tried it yet.

 

The trick in Win7 is to NOT install in the default location. Make a new folder outside of the program files folders - something like C:\Games\Oblivion

 

Beth doesn't allow true multiple installs. To prevent it, the Oblivion.exe links to files in the Windows registry so only one will work. To get around this, install one version, Patch it. Make copies of the data folder, save game folder and OBMM folder for each 'install' you want. Then swap out the data folder, save game folder, OBMM folder and anything else needed for each 'install' you use. The Oblivion.exe stays in the same place for each install, so you really only have one copy of Oblivion installed.

 

You can do it manually, But I have automated it with a simple batch program.

 

Here is a link to my dual Oblivion article.

http://www.tesnexus.com/articles/article.php?id=285

 

Feel free to modify and use it any way you want.

[Themisive]

What you describe is pretty much what I did in my dual Oblivion article. I just automated it with a batch file to switch from one to the other. I only had 2 copies, but it could easily be expanded to three or even more copies of Oblivion. It should work for Fallout also, but I haven't tried it yet.

 

The trick in Win7 is to NOT install in the default location. Make a new folder outside of the program files folders - something like C:\Games\Oblivion

 

Beth doesn't allow true multiple installs. To prevent it, the Oblivion.exe links to files in the Windows registry so only one will work. To get around this, install one version, Patch it. Make copies of the data folder, save game folder and OBMM folder for each 'install' you want. Then swap out the data folder, save game folder, OBMM folder and anything else needed for each 'install' you use. The Oblivion.exe stays in the same place for each install, so you really only have one copy of Oblivion installed.

 

You can do it manually, But I have automated it with a simple batch program.

 

Here is a link to my dual Oblivion article.

http://www.tesnexus.com/articles/article.php?id=285

 

Feel free to modify and use it any way you want.

Thanks, that looks like the thing I've been hunting for, however, when I use the link in the article, I get the following message:

You do not have permission to access this topic.

Error Code: 4:19124

I assume I have to register to get the topic is this correct?