How to completely reinstall fallout 4, and keep your modded save files (progress)

[ConnetiXus]

Hello all, I am pretty sure many Bethesda fans have encountered this issue with skyrim(immense save bloat until you can no longer save, CTD), but naturally, we had more tools like SGSC to help fix these problems that occurred with faulty mod installations.

 

I have not been able to find any solutions that could reduce my save file size down to where it would be playable again for fallout 4.

 

With that though in mind, I wanted to ask you all what would be the proper process for a complete clean reinstallation of: the game, my mods, and if it is possible, to keep the save progress I currently have without breaking the game, once I have reinstalled the game.

 

I would really like to know if the third option is possible, if it is not, I would like hear what would be best practice, for starting completely over, after I have reinstalled fallout, and completely start the game over again.

 

Thank you for your time!

 

Note: I am working 30 hours a week, and currently studying at college, please forgive any slow responses.

Edited September 5, 2016 by ConnetiXus

[SharraShimada]

There is currently no savegame-cleaner like there is one for Skyrim. I would think the makers will wait till FO4 is really finished, and therefore they have not to update the tool nearly every month, because bethesda srewed something up again.

So, there is no way to clean bloated savegames at the moment.

 

On behalf of your other request, that should be really simple.

Backup your saves.

Uninstall and reinstall FO4

Use a Manager for your mods. Nexus mod manager for example, or Mod Organizer (still in Beta 3. it works, but you have to know, what your are doing)

[ConnetiXus]

Thank you for your comment SharraShimada, I will just have to experiment on my own to see what will be best for either starting over completely, or if a cell ripper will be able to save my settlements thank you :).

[damanding]

If your save game is too bloated to run unfortunately there is no way to save it. Reinstalling your game and mods won't do anything for that. Your game and mods are probably ok (assuming you don't have mod conflicts) and probably don't even need reinstalling. Certainly you can try cell ripper to avoid remaking your settlements in a new game. But it sounds like a new game is going to be required. However I would investigate what caused such severe save game bloat in the first place. If you have a mod or several that are causing significant issues you'll just end up in the same spot if you use them on a new game file. The only mod I'm aware of that is at risk for save game bloat is Build Your Own Pool. I'm sure there are any number of mods that will cause save game bloat, that's just the only one I'm aware of. I don't mean to single it out and pick on it specifically.

 

As Ethreon says repeatedly, if you're going to mod games, don't become attached to your save game files. It's advice that is incredibly aggravating but is unfortunately correct.

[DavidsFallout4Mods]

This is the first forum that comes up on a search for reinstall fallout 4 so I want to post this info here in case someone like past me comes upon it and gets the wrong idea.  I've seen this advice a LOT about abandoning saves and after months of intense modding with over 400 mods I can tell you that it's very very WRONG.  I have not come across a save game I was not able to recover even after revamping a ton of mods and installing ENB's etc.  It all depends on how much time you wish to put into saving it and/or small glitches you are willing to tolerate.

Anyway here are the steps from Steam Forums :

First CUT and PASTE your save folder to somewhere on your Desktop or anther Drive with lots of memory, if it's too big just Ctrl select a few saves and put them somewhere then purge all your mods if you use Vortex just hit the Purge button wait a minute then close Vortex.

1) Delete \Steam\SteamApps\Common\Fallout 4 and all subdirectoris.
2) Delete \Documents\My Games\Fallout4
3) Click Steam | Library | Games | Fallout 4 | Properties | Local Files | Verify Local Game Cache. 

Then download all or most of the mods you used for those saves, again if you have Vortex just hit the Deploy button and you're done.   Find your new fresh save folder and copy/paste your backup saves there.

Remember to configure all your settings and .ini files etc.  If you have vortex this is easy as it saves those and you can copy them to your new instance.

Edited December 18, 2023 by DavidsFallout4Mods