How do I avoid having 4 copies of all my installed mods?

[Guest deleted34304850]

you asked why vortex is making multiple copies - you are told vortex isn't YOU are.

You then say that you're not going to change.

At this point, support surely stops because you don't want an answer to the problem you're creating all by yourself, correct?

[VictorCreed2]

you asked why vortex is making multiple copies - you are told vortex isn't YOU are.

You then say that you're not going to change.

At this point, support surely stops because you don't want an answer to the problem you're creating all by yourself, correct?

wtf? none of that happened. reread my questions, damn. I already eliminated the one extra copy that I made myself.

[VictorCreed2]

basically, despite your protestations, you're doing it all wrong.

 

first, go and read and watch videos on how vortex works.

second, pay close attention to what people in this forum are telling you. you're new to vortex, the people helping you have been using it since it came out. they've hit all the snags and figured it out. read their words, follow the instruction and it will make your life easier.

I'm pretty sure I'm doing it exactly how I saw in a video. It said to drag my files into Vortex. Nobody mentioned that dragging files in would create an extra copy. But I'm beyond that point now.

[AugustaCalidia]

When I manually download SkyrimSE mods I put them in a folder I created. I then drag them into Vortex, install, etc. Then every mod appears in C:\ProgramData\Vortex\skyrimse AND C:\ProgramData\Vortex\downloads\skyrimse AND then in the game's own data folder. This is almost 10GB of mods, multiplied to 40GB of precious hard drive space. Is this normal or what? The old NMM would only make one additional copy, so it'd be my downloads plus the game's data folder. And I thought that was bad.

If you want to use basically the same disk space with Vortex as you did with NMM, then keep either your own download folder or the Vortex download folder, but not both. You are then left with two folders - the download folder containing your mod archives and the Mod Staging Folder containing the expanded archives.

 

The mods in your game data folder are not a third group of mods taking up space. They are hard links that mirror what's in your Mod Staging Folder. If you don't know what hard links are, then google it.

[HadToRegister]

To me, download with mod manager is the hard way. I understand how to eliminate an extra copy of my mods, by downloading everything directly into Vortex's download folder. This doesn't stop there from being two versions of everything in the Vortex folder and a third version in the data folder.

 

But I see someone mentioned "Hard Links" and I have no idea what that is. Is that the copy of the mod that's in the data folder? If that is the case, then that's just confusing.

 

Vortex and NMM do this the SAME EXACT WAY.

 

 

1. Mod Archive in Download Folder

2. Extracted Mod Archive in Mod Staging Folder

3. Link to the Extracted Mod Archive from the Mod Staging Folder to the game DATA FOLDER

 

What you are seeing in the Data Folder is not actual physical files, you are seeing HardLinks, to the Files in the Mod Staging Folder, meaning there is only ONE COPY of the Mod Files actually existing, and they are existing in the Mod Staging Folder

 

 

"Mod Staging Folder" Actual Physical Files -------------------------------------->HARD LINK-------------------------------------> Data Folder = only one PHYSICAL file exists

 

Think of it like a "Shortcut" on your desktop, where a game shortcut sits on your desktop, the actual Game isn't on your desktop, only a LINK to it is.

Same thing.

 

NMM did the SAME thing

 

1. Mod Archive in the NMM DOWNLOAD folder

2. Extracted Mod Archive in VIRTUAL INSTALL folder

3. Link to the Extracted Mod Archive from the VIRTUAL INSTALL folder to the game DATA folder

[VictorCreed2]

 

When I manually download SkyrimSE mods I put them in a folder I created. I then drag them into Vortex, install, etc. Then every mod appears in C:\ProgramData\Vortex\skyrimse AND C:\ProgramData\Vortex\downloads\skyrimse AND then in the game's own data folder. This is almost 10GB of mods, multiplied to 40GB of precious hard drive space. Is this normal or what? The old NMM would only make one additional copy, so it'd be my downloads plus the game's data folder. And I thought that was bad.

If you want to use basically the same disk space with Vortex as you did with NMM, then keep either your own download folder or the Vortex download folder, but not both. You are then left with two folders - the download folder containing your mod archives and the Mod Staging Folder containing the expanded archives.

 

The mods in your game data folder are not a third group of mods taking up space. They are hard links that mirror what's in your Mod Staging Folder. If you don't know what hard links are, then google it.

 

 

That's basically what I needed to know. I don't know how many times I had to reiterate my concern before someone caught on. Thanks.

[Guest deleted34304850]

 

The mods in your game data folder are not a third group of mods taking up space. They are hard links that mirror what's in your Mod Staging Folder. If you don't know what hard links are, then google it.

 

That's basically what I needed to know. I don't know how many times I had to reiterate my concern before someone caught on.

 

we're all thinking the same about you.

[VictorCreed2]

 

 

The mods in your game data folder are not a third group of mods taking up space. They are hard links that mirror what's in your Mod Staging Folder. If you don't know what hard links are, then google it.

 

That's basically what I needed to know. I don't know how many times I had to reiterate my concern before someone caught on.

 

we're all thinking the same about you.

 

F**K off, you haven't said one helpful thing. Nobody on the first page told me that the files in the data folder don't take up real space, which should be evident in all my posts that

I didn't know that. If you can't explain something simply so that an idiot can understand it, then you ain't that smart. Not like you ever tried to help.

[Guest deleted34304850]

actually i have - i advised you to go and watch videos and read about how vortex works. the intent here was to save you from a lot of pain. it's okay that you ignored that good advice. i'm used to it.

i then pointed out that you'd been advised, and were protesting against that advice, so then to save you more pain, advised that if you want to carry on doing what you're doing - go right ahead, but there's nothing anyone can do to stop you doing something ridiculous, it's your system, fill your boots (or your disk space).

then, i simply replied with a friendly piece of snark - given your unnecessary snarky response waiting for people to catch on. they had already caught on - directly after your opening post. it was you who was slow to pick up the process. seems you can give out the snark, but you ain't that good at taking it.

anyway - good luck with your modding and let us know when you fill your hard disk with multiple versions of the same files.

[HadToRegister]

 

 

 

The mods in your game data folder are not a third group of mods taking up space. They are hard links that mirror what's in your Mod Staging Folder. If you don't know what hard links are, then google it.

 

That's basically what I needed to know. I don't know how many times I had to reiterate my concern before someone caught on.

 

we're all thinking the same about you.

 

F**K off, you haven't said one helpful thing. Nobody on the first page told me that the files in the data folder don't take up real space, which should be evident in all my posts that

I didn't know that. If you can't explain something simply so that an idiot can understand it, then you ain't that smart. Not like you ever tried to help.

 

 

 

I told you that in my 3rd response to you, and in every single response after that.

I knew exactly what you were talking about, which is why I explained HARDLINKS more than once.

As a matter of fact, the first time I mentioned HARD LINKS, the post you made right below my post said "Someone mentioned HardLinks"

 

It's as if you weren't even reading my responses.