How exactly missing esps can damage my safe file?

[itzadlx]

Hello everybody.

I know that I should not remove a mod from an active save file.

I'm using the mod "Torch of Everlasting", which provides me a lot of mutually exclusive esps with different names. I must use only one of these esps.

Today I wanted to try an other one, and now Mod Organizer says that my save file has one missing esp, because the new esp I installed from the same mod has a different name.

 

However, my save file seems to work well. If I understand, there's a list of all the esps I used inside my save file. So, if one or more of these esps are missing, how can this damage my save file, exactly?

Maybe there are esps that can safely miss from the load order, and other esps that should never be removed? If yes, how can I recognize them?

 

Thanks in advance for everything I can learn from you, people, and thanks for all the great mods!

[vram1974]

The only problem is that it leaves information in your save file. If you check through your papyrus log it will show a bunch of lines asking where the esp disappeared to. This usually won't cause CTDs but it's always good to try and clean the save file with Save Game Cleaner.

[iraido]

Usually, scripted mods are the ones that are most likely to damage your save file if they are removed,

 

Example :

 

An armor mod that you can craft at forge is removed : there is normally no reason to worry, because that doesn't affect the save too much

A heavily scripted mod is removed : It can cause problems because it created things in your save that are now missing.

 

I don't know the mod you used here, what does it do?

Edited June 27, 2015 by iraido

[itzadlx]

@vram1974 I checked with Save Game Cleaner and it says there are NO orphan scripts detected. Does it means the file is clean despite the missing esp?

 

@iraido the mod enhance the torch light radius and brightness, and it's just 1 esp (no esm, no textures, nothing else). How can I tell if a mod is scripted?

 

Thanks both for the answers!

[vram1974]

I don't know about totally clean but you're probably fine. I've added and removed dozens of esp over my Level 60 character and my game doesn't crash if I clean the scripts.

[iraido]

Well , if there's no orphan scripts, then there's no problem.

I dont think your mod was scripted btw.

[itzadlx]

Alright, thanks guys you've been very helpful :)

[iraido]

You're Welcome ;)

[Katy420]

You can tell if a mod is scripted by looking through its files. Go to its page, download manually (even if you already have it), don't save it, just open it with whatever unzipper you use and snoop around. Anything in a Scripts folder? Anything with a .pex file extension? It's scripted.

 

It's a pretty good practice to do that anyway, before you download.

 

But your question-- you're probably fine. The cleaner is very reliable.