MO - Deleted Overwrites, now missing masters?

[yaytibbers]

So I just started using MO, and noticed that my TESVEdit back up saved into the Overwrite folder in MO. I wound up deleting, thinking "hey it's a back up, it won't do any harm", but now almost my entire mod list has the conflict tag and are saying that they're missing the master list. Update.esm, Dawnguard.esm, Hearthfire.esm and Dragonborn.esm are what was in my overwrite folder, and now they're missing from my plug ins.

I know I messed up, I just need help understanding what I did wrong, what I do in the future and if there's anything I can do to fix it or if I need to start over from the top with installing my mods.

[IsharaMeradin]

You will need to verify your local files with Steam in order to re-download the missing DLC files. Since you are using MO, this should not affect any "installed" mods.

 

What happened is that you most likely cleaned the ESM files with TES5Edit while running through MO. When you do this with the game's ESM files the modified copy is put into the overwrite folder.

 

Solution going forward is to either

1. create "new mods" that contain the cleaned ESM files (right click on the overwrite folder in MO and select 'create mod')

or

2. clean the ESM files directly with TES5Edit launched outside of MO.

 

#1 keeps the game files in their original state, but you'd have to either re-clean or copy/paste the cleaned versions if you wanted to play without MO.

 

#2 gives you the flexibility to play the game via any means with cleaned ESM files, but you'd have to re-clean if you ever had to re-verify your game files with Steam.

 

That said, you might be lucky if you have not emptied your trash bin. You could go in and restore the deleted files.

[yaytibbers]

You will need to verify your local files with Steam in order to re-download the missing DLC files. Since you are using MO, this should not affect any "installed" mods.

 

What happened is that you most likely cleaned the ESM files with TES5Edit while running through MO. When you do this with the game's ESM files the modified copy is put into the overwrite folder.

 

Solution going forward is to either

1. create "new mods" that contain the cleaned ESM files (right click on the overwrite folder in MO and select 'create mod')

or

2. clean the ESM files directly with TES5Edit launched outside of MO.

 

#1 keeps the game files in their original state, but you'd have to either re-clean or copy/paste the cleaned versions if you wanted to play without MO.

 

#2 gives you the flexibility to play the game via any means with cleaned ESM files, but you'd have to re-clean if you ever had to re-verify your game files with Steam.

 

That said, you might be lucky if you have not emptied your trash bin. You could go in and restore the deleted files.

Thank you much!

I've actually been sitting here digging through my bin. Found the overwrite folder, restored it, and...no files o.o

Just my luck, I suppose.

[yaytibbers]

You will need to verify your local files with Steam in order to re-download the missing DLC files. Since you are using MO, this should not affect any "installed" mods.

 

What happened is that you most likely cleaned the ESM files with TES5Edit while running through MO. When you do this with the game's ESM files the modified copy is put into the overwrite folder.

 

Solution going forward is to either

1. create "new mods" that contain the cleaned ESM files (right click on the overwrite folder in MO and select 'create mod')

or

2. clean the ESM files directly with TES5Edit launched outside of MO.

 

#1 keeps the game files in their original state, but you'd have to either re-clean or copy/paste the cleaned versions if you wanted to play without MO.

 

#2 gives you the flexibility to play the game via any means with cleaned ESM files, but you'd have to re-clean if you ever had to re-verify your game files with Steam.

 

That said, you might be lucky if you have not emptied your trash bin. You could go in and restore the deleted files.

 

Okay, I wound up taking a break for the night.

Came back to it today, and for whatever reason, one look into my (very-dirty-and-desperately-needing-emptied) recycle bin brought me to the deleted overwrite folder that contained the esms. It also contains the TESV back up. Can I safely delete that and then write the mod?

[Thallassa]

Why would you delete the backup? That's your uncleaned masters, it's good to keep them around.

 

But yeah, you'll want to put the cleaned esms into either your data folder or into a folder in MO.

[ironbender800]

Reference the STEP guide and go to the cleaning masters section for the correct way to clean your ESMs.

 

The newer versions of TES5edit and MO handle the backups a little differently than how some of the older videos you will find on youtube show how to do it.

 

I clean mine exactly how its described in the step guide.

[Zelrikriando]

I don't understand any of this, what do I need to do?