Squared Ground problem.

[AukKid]

I've been playing Oblivion since it's release and i've never seen something that didn't fix itself after three clean uninstalls and reinstalls. I don't know if it was first caused by a mod or generally over modding but the ground meshes are buggy.

Here are a few examples of my problems:

 

http://i55.tinypic.com/2vx2kgz.jpg

 

http://i55.tinypic.com/671gk4.jpg

 

http://i54.tinypic.com/11tncsp.jpg

 

http://i51.tinypic.com/11mccjb.jpg

 

http://i55.tinypic.com/vfwg0g.jpg

 

It's the same all over Cyrodiil and before i uninstalled it i had the same issue in Nehrim too. I didn't download any mods right before it started happening. I uninstalled it the way that it was shown in the pinned uninstallation thread and i installed it with Shivering Isles, DLCs, Unofficial Patches and CS in the correct order with the official patches. So i know i didn't do anything wrong in the reinstallation. If this is a known issue that i should've found myself i'm terribly sorry but if it's not i would really like a fix. Altough it's not a gamebreaker it just looks awful. Thank you.

[Smooth613]

You have mismatched normal maps. You say you have uninstalled but I must ask. What OS do you have? Windows 7, or Vista? Where did you install Oblivion to? Program Files? If you answered yes to the above questions then that likely explains your problem. Windows will "ghost" your files and you end up with pretty much the exact same installation as before. You can have a completely empty data folder but you'll have 100 mods from a previous install active. Why you might ask? Read on.

 

Below are my copypasta responses to these common UAC issues.

[/line]

Windows is basically ghosting your files since you installed to Program Files. UAC doesn't like it when files are altered in anyway and sees this as a security threat. This is why you should always install Oblivion outside of Program Files to a directory such as <drive letter>:\Games\Oblivion.

 

Windows is storing the files in the VirtualStore, located at C:\Users\<username>\AppData\VirtualStore.

 

Are you using Windows 7 or Vista? Did you install Oblivion to the default directory of Program Files? If you answered yes to to both then you are likely experiencing problems due to UAC, Windows security. Windows doesn't like it when an application, program, or even the user, attempts to alter files in a protected directory. UAC sees this a potential security threat and treats it as a malicious attack and blocks the action from happening. To prevent this you need to install Oblivion outside the jurisdiction of UAC, to an unprotected directory. A popular and suitable location is <drive letter>:\Games\Oblivion. For information on proper installation I suggest you follow Bben's Reinstall Procedure.

[AukKid]

I have Windows XP and I always installed oblivion on my second drive D. But this last time I installed in my first drive C but the issue started before my last reinstall. In the D drive I didn't have a Program Files folder but I did create a D:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\Oblivion folder during the installation of Oblivion. I'll try to reinstall after my exam tomorrow in another folder. I'll comment again after the result. Thank you for your help.

[AukKid]

Thank you very much for your help. The game is fixed and my computer is much more faster because of the clean up and the defrag. I've given you kudos.