[GUIDE] Manual Cleaning Skyrim Master Files

[Deleted133263User]

Updated the end of the OP to include MD5 hash for each file cleaning stage

[Moosmupfel]

maybe stupid question, but I only get 67 removed records instead of 96 by cleaning Update.esm after clicking Removing Identical to Master - am I doing something wrong or has the number changed?

[dragonslayer2k12]

TES5EDIT has been updated to v3.1.2 and it handles more stuff now and seems to remove more stuff from master files. Mods that I had cleaned before this new version were cleaned again with new version and more stuff was found in my cleaned mods.

[Moosmupfel]

but I have TES5Edit v3.1.2 and get less removed than it is written in even older versions guides? I even completly did a new install- but still same problem that I have 67 instead of 96 ITM and only with Update.esm

 

Edit: I did compare every file with an friend, because for me it looks like a part of the game is missing. And it seems like his Skyrim-Voices.bsa has around 200 000KB more because he is playing the game in english and I do in german. So probably that makes the difference?!?

Edited February 4, 2016 by Moosmupfel

[Deleted133263User]

So you have a fresh download of Update.esm from steam ( verify cache )( if you delete the game original esm's that will guarantee steam will get you fresh copies )

You used version 3.1.2 of TES5Edit,

you ticked just Update.esm in the load box,

you chose filter for cleaning

you chose remove Identical to masters

 

And the results were wrong ?

 

If all the above is correct I suspect voodoo magic. :ermm:

 

Joking asside I have seen a couple of other people getting different results, but really do not understand why. If we are all working from exactly the same original plugins ( check the CRCs in the first post at the end, for a definitive check on those originals being correct ), and we are all using the same TES5Edit and using the same procedure, there just cant be any variation.

 

( FYI the couple of instances where people had different results, were with the multi-stages of cleaning Dawnguard.esm, they went away and went through the procedure from the ground up again .. And then got the same results as we would expect, so what went wrong for them initially could not be determined - You are the first I know of to have had problems just with update.esm )

 

Regional variations of the plugins causing differences in results - I doubt it, Gruftlord on AFK Mods topic uses a German version of the game http://afkmods.iguanadons.net/index.php?/topic/4110-manual-cleaning-skyrim-master-files/page-2&do=findComment&comment=158434

 

~ on another computer with a freshly installed skyrim and the exact same xedit files, i get the cleaning as described in the guide ~

 

Check the CRC and MD5 checksums of your original game files, if there are regional variations I cant help with that.

If its pirate files ( which makes modding the game a mess of wrong RefIDs ) the solution is get the legitimate game.

[Deleted133263User]

To anyone who still needs to follow this guide :

I am currently updating it ( some old direct links to wiki paragraphs have been lost due to Bethesda re-organising their wiki's )

So to become less dependant upon other links and information, I am fleshing it out a bit with more images

It also needs an update to file CRCs ( at the end of the first post ) due to Zilavs recent changes to xEdit

So you now need to be a bit more up to date and use the Work In Progress version of xEdit available from Fallout 4 Nexus ( link for this in the first post has also been updated )

[Deleted133263User]

See also a post by Zilav http://afkmods.iguanadons.net/index.php?/topic/4110-manual-cleaning-skyrim-master-files/page-4&do=findComment&comment=161384

 

If you need to know the Checksum of the resulting file, TES5Edit 3.1.3 now has a function to show you that too

[badkrma]

Thank you so much for this guide it really helped me out... cheers :thumbsup:

[Vyxenne]

I just had to drop a note to thank you for this. It's clear, concise, precise, accurate, well-illustrated and up to date. I just took a deep breath (OK, fine: several deep breaths) and cleaned my 4 esm's step-by-step including the manual edits to Dawnguard.esm. I hope Jeremy at Bethsoft doesn't mind me zapping his test cell. :laugh: I ran LOOT and giggled because it no longer screams at me about my 4 dirty masters, then I launched SSE and played a bit to make sure all was well, and of course, it was.

 

I have set a desktop shortcut to this exemplary guide as a hedge against Steam's unavoidable replacement of my masters the next time they "update" my SSE with more dirty Masters.

[lued123]

After following this guide, I consistently end up with a Dawnguard.esm file with a crc of 50FB6A39. All of the others come out as expected, but I simply cannot duplicate your results with Dawnguard. This is with TES5Edit 3.2 and a legitimate, up-to-date, Steam copy of Skyrim Legendary edition. Does this have something to do with the note at the bottom, about how the guide used to have an extra step, or am I definitely doing something wrong?