Just Bought Oblivion: Error on Startup

[scottym23]

Hi,

 

I just recently bought and downloaded Oblivion the deluxe edition on steam. I try to run it and I get to the start menu where I can change the settings and such, but once I try to hit play the screen goes black for a couple seconds and the error message pops up telling me oblivion stopped working. I've looked around for a solution but everything I tried didn't work. Here's what I've tried so far:

 

1. Running as compatible for Windows 8 (and 7 once that didn't work)

2. Running in administrative mode

3. Uninstalling/Reinstalling

4. Continually attempting to run it in hopes it just works eventually

 

None of these solutions have worked for me and I can't find anything else.

 

Another weird fact about this is that when I initially run Oblivion, a yellow bordered pop up appears letting me know that Windows can't identify the publisher and if i want to continue. I am running the game off of steam so this doesn't make sense to me. When I run Skyrim or Fallout games, this unknown publisher message does not show up. Maybe it has something to do with why Oblivion won't work? Either way i'm not computer savvy enough to figure that out.

 

Any help with this problem would be greatly appreciated, I just really want to play one of my favorite games that I haven't played in nearly half a decade and can't seem to get it to work. If you have any suggestions to what could be a solution, please let me know!

 

Here's some more information about my setup that might be useful:

 

I'm running Windows 10

I'm using a 980 TI, and every other Fallout/ES game I own is able to run with it

 

Please let me know if there's any more information that i'm leaving out that's key to figuring out the problem, and i'll provide it

[GaticusHax]

The Unknown publisher issue is a separate thing and as long as you accept, it shouldn't be a problem.

Though, it's not desirable it's a fairly common issue with FO/ES games.

 

You should move your steam library to a different Hard Drive location than the default to fix the permission issue.

Get the game working first though.

 

It sounds like the launcher is working for you, but the game itself is crashing. They are 2 separate programs.

To be clear, you launch the game and get the settings menu where you click the Play button, then the screen goes black and crashes? Yes?

 

You should know the locations where Oblivion is installed and where the configuration/save files are stored.

The default install location for steam versions on Windows 10 is something like:

 

(for 32bit steam)

C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\Common\Oblivion

(for 64bit steam)

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\Common\Oblivion

The configuration and save files are located somewhere like:

C:\Users\%USER%\Documents\My Games\Oblivion

First thing to try is to just delete the files in your config folder and then relaunch the game.

Start by only deleting the Oblivion.ini and then launch. This will create a fresh INI file from the default.

If that doesn't work, you may have some other files in there and you should try deleting those too.

 

Still not working, then try this: https://steamcommunity.com/app/22330/discussions/0/535152511367016850/#c517142253877766086

Make sure to delete all the configuration files after uninstalling. Then reinstall with Steam Sync disabled.

 

If you are able to make it work, then let me know and we'll see if you can't get rid of that Unknown Publisher issue and setup some mods if you like.

 

If you can't get it working, then you probably need to tweak the INI and you should provide a bit more info before going further:

- What is the exact location of the Oblivion install?

- What is the exact location of the Oblivion config files and saved games?

- Did you have Oblivion installed before on the same system? A Steam version?

- Do you have other FO/ES games installed right now? Which ones? Steam or Retail?

Edited June 18, 2017 by GaticusHax

[scottym23]

 

First thing to try is to just delete the files in your config folder and then relaunch the game.

Start by only deleting the Oblivion.ini and then launch. This will create a fresh INI file from the default.

If that doesn't work, you may have some other files in there and you should try deleting those too.

 

 

 

Wow, thank you so very much man. I knew from troubleshooting problems in the past with Bethesda games and also from getting mods to work, that there were multiple random locations where various parts of the game data was put. I saw someone else say to delete the oblivion.ini too, and honestly I thought I tried that already. It ended up being a case of me thinking I had checked everywhere for that oblivion.ini and couldn't find it specifically, so I deleted a file just labeled, "oblivion" and assumed that was the ini as well, which of course it ended up not being. Honestly it's a bit frustrating how difficult Bethesda sets up their game files and puts it into so many seemingly random locations that are difficult to find, making troubleshooting their games tedious and time consuming. I would have never found that ini file if you didn't specifically lay out to me where it was, so again I just have to say thank you so much for taking the time to do so!

 

Right after I deleted it and started up the game, I heard the intro music and just started smiling. Sure enough it's running perfectly fine now!

 

As you mentioned with the publisher popup, if it's just a message that doesn't effect anything negatively (besides just wasting a second of my time) then i'm okay with keeping it there for now. However, if it does negatively effect the game or the mod installation process, then I definitely would like to resolve it.

 

I didn't mention this in my original message because it wasn't relevant to the problem, but the reason I decided to start playing again was because randomly on YouTube a recommended video was one where a modder compiled a list of the best mods to make your game look graphically amazing, and I wanted to try installing them all to see if I could make my game look as good as he made the one shown in the video appear. So if the unknown publisher problem somehow will make the mod installation process more difficult, then I would want to fix it. But if not, then i'm fine with just dealing with it whenever I launch the game.

 

Just wanted to say thanks so much again for taking the time to write that out and help!

 

 

 

 

Edited June 18, 2017 by scottym23

[GeorgeLF]

Hi, can you guys help me ?

 

I don't know if my problem is similar but, i can't launch Oblivion.

 

With some tinkering i can make the oblivion EXE work, God Knows Why, but its very rare.

 

Both the EXE and the Launcher dont work even if i try to launch the game on Steam. Its just loads and nothing happens.

 

I really don't know what is the problem, its a fresh install with no mods, nothing.

[GaticusHax]

 

Wow, thank you so very much man.

 

No problem. Glad it worked out for you on the first attempt. It's almost always that INI.

 

 

 

Honestly it's a bit frustrating how difficult Bethesda sets up their game files and puts it into so many seemingly random locations ....

 

It seems complicated but it's actually the correct way for games to be installed in Windows.

 

 

 

As you mentioned with the publisher popup, if it's just a message that doesn't effect anything negatively (besides just wasting a second of my time) then i'm okay with keeping it there for now. However, if it does negatively effect the game or the mod installation process, then I definitely would like to resolve it.

 

Yes, you should reinstall the game into a different folder if you plan to mod. It's trivial to do, just takes a few minutes.

 

The C:\Program Files*\ directories are windows system folders and are protected.

It requires Administrator permission (which you likely are if you are the sole/primary user on Windows) to write into them.

If you weren't an administrator, then you would get another popup asking you to run as administrator.

 

Windows also checks that each executable application in there has been signed with a certificate, much like a secure website.

Oblivion is old and is not signed. That is why you get the Unknown Publisher (unsigned application) warning.

 

Installing to a different location avoids all that. For most games it's fine and correct to be installed in Program Files, but not if you're modding.

 

As a rule, you should not be messing with anything in the protected system folders.

If you want to mod the game, then it's a good idea to install it in a different location to avoid the permission issues and for your own convenience.

 

When you start adding mods and stuff, you will be making changes to the installation folder regularly, so you'll have to deal with that popup quite a bit.

Some of the tools that you will use might have trouble with the admin permissions as well.

You also want to be able to easily organize your mods and such.

 

Just configure an additional content library folder in Steam and reinstall Oblivion to the new location.

 

Ideally, you should have your games on a fast drive, separate from the windows system drive (C:\).

It can help improve gaming performance, basically ensures that you have full control of those files and helps to prevent you from

potential disasters if you accidentally modify/delete the wrong thing in a system folder.

 

If you don't have another hard disc, then you can create a C:\Games\SteamLibrary\ folder and have Steam install there instead of the default location in C:\Program Files\.

 

Except for mods that are actually installed, you shouldn't store stuff in the game's install folder, so you should have another folder location to keep all your modding-related things.

Oblivion would be installed to C:\Games\SteamLibrary\Oblivion\ and your extra modding stuff (downloads, tools,etc) can be organized in C:\Games\Modding\Oblivion\

for example.

 

This way you can keep all your mod stuff close to the game install without polluting your C:\ with folders.

If you get into modding the Bethesda games (and you totally should), things can get out of control fairly fast, so you want to be organized.

 

To configure your new Steam Library folder:

1. Open Steam, go to the Steam menu, click Settings, then in the Downloads section.
2. Click the Steam Library Folders button.
3. Click Add Library Folder.
4. Browse to and select the new library location.
5. If you want the new folder to be the default, then right-click on the new entry and select Make Default Folder.
6. If you have other games installed already then leave the old library folder, otherwise you can delete it if you want.
7. Reinstall Oblivion to the new location.

 

Once you have the game moved to the new location, you should be able to run it without seeing the annoying security popup.

 

 

I didn't mention this in my original message because it wasn't relevant to the problem, but the reason I decided to start playing again was because randomly on YouTube a recommended video was one where a modder compiled a list of the best mods to make your game look graphically amazing, and I wanted to try installing them all to see if I could make my game look as good as he made the one shown in the video appear.

 

Be warned that if you want to overhaul the game like you mentioned (and you totally should), then you are gonna get knee-deep in this stuff.

Even if you only make cosmetic changes, some of the overhaul mods you can get make such a difference in the game it's night and day.

 

Next, you can start modding. I can help you get pointed in the right direction on that too if you want, but u should probably start a different thread in the modding forum, since this one is a Technical Support thread and we solved your issue. If you want to create another thread, just private message me the link. BTW, you should tag this thread (update the title) as [sOLVED] now.

Edited June 19, 2017 by GaticusHax

[GaticusHax]

Hi, can you guys help me ?

 

I don't know if my problem is similar but, i can't launch Oblivion.

 

With some tinkering i can make the oblivion EXE work, God Knows Why, but its very rare.

 

Both the EXE and the Launcher dont work even if i try to launch the game on Steam. Its just loads and nothing happens.

 

I really don't know what is the problem, its a fresh install with no mods, nothing.

 

I can try to help but you should create your own thread and send me a message with the link.

 

Be sure to list your setup in your thread/post.

• Number of CPU cores and speed
• System Memory
• Graphics card model
• Video Memory
• OS
• What version of the game (GOTY/Deluxe, etc)

[GeorgeLF]

Hi Gaticus:

 

Here is the link to my post here: https://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/5729262-fail-to-launch-oblivion-on-windows-10/

 

Thanks.