Had to reinstall Windows 10- corrupt save files despite backups, can't start new game, overall cataclysm going down.

[Mantha065]

This is a long and complex story. Blame Microsoft and Windows 10. Please, serious replies/suggestions only. (Also I will be putting this on the Steam forums)

---My staging folder for Skyrim is not located in the game directory, just to clear that up now---

I have just about 250 mods, all of which are from Nexus, installed using the Vortex mod manager.

The most recent Windows 10 updated broke its own OS so I had to re-install Windows 10. However, things like Steam and basically everything other than Windows I have on a different drive, and were perfectly fine and accessible after the re-installation of Windows.

After finally getting my computer to work normally again, I ran Steam, only for it to tell me I needed to re-install it because some files were missing. So, I re-installed it, once more putting it on my other drive (HDD, SSD is for the OS). Then I proceeded to boot up Skyrim, and load my last save, only for the game to crash after just a few seconds. I tried loaded several various saves, even ones from several days ago, only to get the same result each time. I have a folder on an external hard drive where I back up things like game saves, and my most recent backed-up Skyrim SE save was from just a day before the Windows update disaster. I replaced the original save with the back-up copy, and found that it didn't work either.

A few error messages that came up in the game hinted that my mods were messed up. I had to re-install Vortex since it was one of the few things I had kept on the SSD with Windows. I opened it, and it asked me to "purge my mods". I didn't know what that meant, nor did official Nexus guides help much, but forums told me that it was essentially un-deploying all of my mods, allowing me to re-deploy them all. Satisfied my mods wouldn't be actually deleted, I went ahead and purged, then re-deployed them. Booted up Skyrim, loaded several saves only this time to be given a proper error: My save files had been corrupted. Presently, I figure they were corrupted before the re-installation of Vortex based on the game crashing seconds into loading, but of course I have no real idea.

At this point I had few ideas of what to do. I decided to try and fully re-install every mod I had downloaded, wondering if just re-installing Vortex hadn't been enough. Many hours later, the game still said my saves are corrupt. Then I tried re-installing Skyrim itself. Same thing.

That brings us to where I am now. Extremely frustrated, bummed out, and having not one clue of what to possibly do. Oh, and another detail that's probably important: I tried mutiple times to start a new game to see if I could just do that. All that happens is that the main menu disappears, and the Skyrim emblem and smoke effects stay. After a few minutes the theme will replay itself. Nothing ever happens. So, my game has been rendered totally unplayable. The best answer I can think of anymore is that a vicious demon has possessed my game and I did something to royally piss it off.

Please, please, O wizards of troubleshooting, sorcerers of Skyrim's inner workings, and any and all knowledgeable players of Skyrim SE...someone tell me what the hell happened to my game!

[FlamingCheeseMonkey]

Hhmm... not sure what's up, but there are a few things I would suggest trying.

 

This one I can't really see working because I'm pretty sure the game would, at the most, start up the game for a second or two before closing right away. In any case, if you go to the game folder, there should be a _CommonRedist(ributables), Install both DirectX and VC from there, and then try a new game.

 

[Edit: Oh, you may also need to restart the computer after installing both DirectX and VC. I've had a few situations where they don't get accessed despite just having installed them, and it only worked after restarting the computer. Usually doesn't do that, but it can happen.]

 

The other thing that I would recommend trying is purging the mods, verifying integrity through steam to make sure the core files are reset (unless if there are still mod leftovers for some reason, which would force you to delete the Data folder and verify integrity to regain them) to have a clean slate. Then trying to see if you can, at the very least, start a new game.

 

If trying either (or both) of these, and the new game works, see if you can load into one of your past save games (if the game allows you to load it without having mods installed, awesome, you can verify that the save file isn't corrupt). If, however, you can start a new game, but can't load a save file (even after deploying the mods), then... I have no clue. :sad:

[rmm200]

Typically if the game says a save file is corrupted - that means your save file is really corrupted and your only recourse is to load an earlier save that does not give that message.

This has nothing to do with the mods you have installed or your need to clean that save. A corrupted save file is not recoverable.

[Mantha065]

The first one didn't work, unfortunately.

The second one leads me to suspect something major is happening with my mods: Without deploying my mods, my save files still say corrupt, however I can start a new game. *But* if I do deploy the mods, save files are corrupt still, and I *can't* start a new game.

What could I do to figure out what's going on from here?

[HadToRegister]

The first one didn't work, however the second one partially did- I can thankfully load a new game, so I can grind my way back to where I was at least, however, both without (which I tried first) and with the mods deployed, the game still says they're corrupted. Urgh. Thank you very much for your help though, I'm finally able to at least play the darn game again lol.

 

Does anyone know what I might be able to do to recover the corrupted save files? Or are they totally kaput?

 

As a last ditch effort, try using FALLRIM TOOLS.

It will eliminate orphaned script etc from your save, and possibly clean it.

 

Just search the Nexus for it.

[Mantha065]

Apologies, for some reason rm200 and HadToRegister, your replies didn't show for me until after I made my reply, and then edited it.

I tried using Fallrim Tools, and didn't work. Thank you though. And I would load an earlier save, however every one of my save files are corrupted.

 

What can I do to be able to start a new game again?

[Mantha065]

So it turns out it was a mod. Specifically it was Umbra Island. I disabled everything and re-enabled all my mods six at a time, testing the game each time until I found which one was causing problems. I knew it was a mod...if anyone in the future has a problem like what I had, hopefully it's a also just a simple case of malfunctioning mods.