Can't get Qarl's Texture Pack III to Work

[AleksDuv]

Hi,

I'm extremely new to the whole modding thing and so any explanation will have to be as simple as it can possibly be. So I've downloaded the Mod Manager and then after that I downloaded Qarl's Texture Pack III. As soon as it downloaded I just double clicked it and it took me to the Mod Manager where I activated it and followed the instructions on the read me regarding the utilities and archive invalidation (which I've inserted as a screenshot so you guys can see). But then when I load up my game with Qarl's apparently activated and everything updated correctly I can't notice any differences as far as I can tell.

I've also then tried to download the unofficial patch v.1.2.416 and upon opening that by double clicking it, the update starts and gets to around 8% and then I get a message saying "old file not found, however a file of the same name was found. No update done since file contents do not match.".

I really need help with this, I'm useless with this sort of stuff usually.

Thanks.

[Joehtosis]

"I've also then tried to download the unofficial patch v.1.2.416"

I would not recommend installing patches after anything. Really, the order in which you install mods should be like this:
1. The actual game

2. The official patches & DLC

3. The unofficial patches

4. Gameplay changes

5. Overhauls

6. Textures & anything else

 

You should never install mods before patches. For a texture pack, this shouldn't really matter as much, but I would still avoid it just to be on the safe side. The reason you're getting this message "old file not found, however a file of the same name was found. No update done since file contents do not match", is because your game file has been changed by a mod you've already installed. The only real way to fix this is to completely re-install the game. This is why I use Wrye Bash. It really lessons the need to take that kind of step.

It takes maybe 2 hours to learn, but it will save you (literally, in my case) days worth of modding time in the future.

[AleksDuv]

God that's frustrating. If I uninstall it, I can still re-install it on steam for free right?

[Joehtosis]

Of course lol, if you bought the game on Steam it's yours to uninstall and reinstall as often as you like.

I'm not 100% positive, but I think the only restriction they put on that is how many machines you can install it on, but I've never really went looking into that.

[DrakeTheDragon]

Keep in mind the v1.2.0416 patch is the "official" one, not an unofficial one!

You using the game from Steam I'm led to believe Steam will already have it patched up to this latest version 1.2.0416, and this would be the more likely reason for why you can't apply yet another patch on top of the already latest version again now.

 

If in doubt about your game version, you can always read it up at the bottom of the main menu title screen where the map loop video plays.

 

That said, I wouldn't use "BSA Alteration", if I were you. The only sanely advisable approach nowadays is "BSA Redirection". And coming back to this being the Steam distribution, it shall also be noted that Steam's BSA files are dated far more recently than any replacement mods' files will ever be, file date always trumping everything else this will disable replacement mods from working until it's fixed first. That's what the button "Reset BSA timestamps" in the dialog you screenshotted is for.

 

Next time click "Reset BSA timestamps" first, then apply "BSA Redirection", and you should never have to come back to this dialog ever again. Well, until your Oblivion.ini gets reverted or something and the changes applied become undone, that is.

 

And this being Steam Oblivion, and Steam most likely being installed at the default location, inside program files, you're also quite likely to run afoul of the infamous User Account Control (UAC) messing with your folder permissions, redirecting the mod manager's files into a "VirtualStore" folder inside your user folders instead, while your Windows Explorer might still show them inside your program files folder, practically lying to you, and the game will never find them.

 

In this case a move of the Steam installation out of the over-protected program files or similarly restricted areas is highly in order. There's a very comprehensive clean reinstall guide around here somewhere, telling you exactly what needs to be done in order for this move to work and your game files to remain playable at the same time, found over there: http://s1.zetaboards.com/bbenlibrary/topic/4871346/1/#new