Starting Over

[poopgoblin]

Okay, I want to start over entirely with Oblivion. I especially want to get rid off all my mods. I was wondering what the best way to do this would be. I tried uninstalling and re-installing, but it kept all my Data Files. When I first started modding my game I had no idea what I was doing so my data folder is an ungodly mess, so going through manually and riding myself of all those mods is the last thing I want to do.

 

Would it do any harm if I just deleted my entire data folder and uninstalled Oblivion, then re-installed? I won't take any action until someone with more knowledge than I clarifies.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Peregrine]

Okay, I want to start over entirely with Oblivion. I especially want to get rid off all my mods. I was wondering what the best way to do this would be. I tried uninstalling and re-installing, but it kept all my Data Files. When I first started modding my game I had no idea what I was doing so my data folder is an ungodly mess, so going through manually and riding myself of all those mods is the last thing I want to do.

 

Would it do any harm if I just deleted my entire data folder and uninstalled Oblivion, then re-installed? I won't take any action until someone with more knowledge than I clarifies.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Note: I will assume for the moment that you do not have access to strategic nuclear weapons. If you do, ignore my other advice: just detonate one within a few miles of your computer, and Oblivion will be safely gone. Also, please PM me with your sale price, I could use a few.

 

 

Best non-nuclear way? Thermite. Don't worry about precise control, you can just dump a pound or so of the stuff on top of your case and it'll burn through and get the hard drive. I would suggest doing this outside somewhere you don't mind having a computer-sized hole in the ground, as burning down your house to remove a game is a bit inefficient.

 

Note that for complete removal, you have to completely destroy the actual disk in your drive. Merely erasing it or breaking it is not enough, the fragments can be reconstructed with the right tools and enough effort. Simply shooting the drive with a gun, for example, may be satisfying, but it will not be sufficient to remove the offending files beyond any chance of recovery.

 

After doing so, I would advise canceling your internet service. You want to be sure no mod files contaminate your computer if you attempt to start over, it would be rather silly to go to all this effort to remove them only to find yourself right back where you started. The fact that this will result in you being permanently removed from this forum is merely a nice side effect.

[poopgoblin]

Uh, that's not exactly what I had in mind.

 

I wouldn't waste thermite on a PC, I'd do something much more enjoyable with it.

 

And I wouldn't waste good ammo on a computer when there are things that need to be shot up.

 

And my brother works for the cable company, so the internet service isn't going. Sorry buddy, but it looks like you're stuck with me. Hey, turn that frown upside-down! I could be related to you.

[KawiRider]

Uninstall Oblivion from the Windows Installer first, then delete your Bethesda Softworks folder. Then reinstall again. BTW, your saved games are still safe as they are stored in subdirectories of your Documents folder. Should have no problems with it since no other programs rely on Oblivion.

 

The reason just uninstalling doesn't work (I think) is because the Oblivion uninstaller only knows to delete the original files that were installed. Since any mods you've installed are not recognized by the uninstaller, they are left in the directories. Then when you go to reinstall, the original files are just placed back in the directories, alongside all of the mods again. The only way to solve this is with the mentioned method above. NOTE: This will remove EVERYTHING. All mods installed, OBMM, OBSE, everything in those directories will be removed.

[poopgoblin]

Uninstall Oblivion from the Windows Installer first

Well, I think I'm royally ****ed. I checked Windows Installer and Oblivion wasn't in there, and then I tried to unistall Oblivion form the launcher, but it couldn't find the program, and I used the start menu's "Unistall Oblivion" option, and all it does is browse for the folder. :huh:

 

But I can still play the game.

[Peregrine]

Uh, that's not exactly what I had in mind.

 

Too bad, that's the advice you get. If you're honestly too stupid to delete a game, thermite is the solution you need.

 

 

But since I'm nice: screw the windows add/remove programs thing. It's beyond useless, and meant for people who don't know how to use their computer. Find the folder for Oblivion, and delete it. Since that folder contains all of the mod files, you can now reinstall without mods. If you had taken a few seconds to actually think about your problem before coming to beg for advice, this would be blindingly obvious.

 

If, due to some unforseen problem with Bethesda's poor coding, this doesn't solve the problem, find the folder it put in "My Documents" and delete it. Find all registry entries and delete them. If you do these two, all trace of Oblivion will be gone from your computer.

 

And my brother works for the cable company, so the internet service isn't going. Sorry buddy, but it looks like you're stuck with me. Hey, turn that frown upside-down! I could be related to you.

 

If you were related to me, I would kill myself in shame.

[KawiRider]

Just to clarify, I meant Add/Remove Programs from the Control Panel when I said Windows Installer. I posted that reply really late last night (or early early morning technically) and should have been more specific.

 

Anyways, it sounds like you already checked Add/Remove programs and Oblivion wasn't listed? Have you already uninstalled it before from the Add/Remove Programs utility before and then never reinstalled? That's my only guess, but if thats the case then I find it strange that you can still play the game.

 

*If it were me* (that was a disclaimer ;)) I would probably go ahead and delete the Bethesda Softworks folder anyways and attempt to reinstall. I can't think of a reason not to, but then again my Windows isn't acting fishy like yours might be. If you can wait, perhaps someone else can give you better advice than mine (points to Peregrine's post ;P). But if you can't wait, and feel semi-adventurous then go ahead delete the folder and reinstall.

 

And p.s., you're never royally ****ed when it comes to Windows... no bug can survive a good reformat and reinstall :)

 

***Edit*** oops, Peregrine posted while I left my comp at the reply screen, didn't know he was posting the same thing. But I guess you've gotten the go ahead from two people now...

[poopgoblin]

But since I'm nice: screw the windows add/remove programs thing. It's beyond useless, and meant for people who don't know how to use their computer. Find the folder for Oblivion, and delete it. Since that folder contains all of the mod files, you can now reinstall without mods. If you had taken a few seconds to actually think about your problem before coming to beg for advice, this would be blindingly obvious.

 

If you were related to me, I would kill myself in shame.

Well, it was about 2 in the morning, I wasn't thinking straight, and I didn't want to do something that would cause irreversible damage.

 

And why wouldn't you just kill me instead?

 

 

Any way, thanks for the help you two.

[Peregrine]

But since I'm nice: screw the windows add/remove programs thing. It's beyond useless, and meant for people who don't know how to use their computer. Find the folder for Oblivion, and delete it. Since that folder contains all of the mod files, you can now reinstall without mods. If you had taken a few seconds to actually think about your problem before coming to beg for advice, this would be blindingly obvious.

 

If you were related to me, I would kill myself in shame.

Well, it was about 2 in the morning, I wasn't thinking straight, and I didn't want to do something that would cause irreversible damage.

 

And why wouldn't you just kill me instead?

 

I would. And then I would kill myself. Both because of the shame of being related to you, and because I would share some of your genes that must never reproduce.

 

 

And how can you cause irreversible damage by deleting a game folder? Think about this for a second, the only thing you could damage would be the game... and you're trying to get rid of that!

[poopgoblin]

And how can you cause irreversible damage by deleting a game folder? Think about this for a second, the only thing you could damage would be the game... and you're trying to get rid of that!

I don't know, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.