Vortex 1.2.16 and The Witcher 3

[AugustaCalidia]

A puzzling thing happened today when I updated from Vortex v1.2.11 to v1.2.16 on my two gaming computers. On computer 1, Vortex v1.2.16 retained the "hardlink" and "move" deployment options for "The Witcher 3," which had been the two deployment options available in v1.2.11. My game did not skip a beat.

 

However, on computer 2, Vortex permitted only symlinks deployment with no other options available. (The latter case was mentioned several days ago in a forum post in regard to Vortex v1.2.14/15. See https://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/8798353-update-121415-breaks-deployment-witcher-3/.) I found symlinks deployment to be unworkable for "The Witcher 3," particularly when it came to Witcher Script Merger. Also, I disliked having to elevate every time that deployment was required. I therefore rolled back to Vortex v1.2.11 on computer 2 and quickly recovered my friendly "move" deployment game.

 

By the way, both computers use the default setting for Vortex - the mod staging folder and the game are on the same drive (in my case system drive C).

 

The puzzle that I'm left with is this. Which deployment method does Vortex v1.2.16 intend for "The Witcher 3?' Is it the one found on my computer 1, the one found on my computer 2, or neither?

[HadToRegister]

I'm curious are both computers set up exactly the same?
Same game folders and hard drive, and same install folder for Vortex etc?

Also, are you using an Admin account on both computers?

[AugustaCalidia]

Both computers are set up exactly the same, and I have Administrator accounts for both computers. There are no other user accounts on the computers. Vortex is not being run as administrator. UAC is enabled for both computers.

 

The problem is almost certainly system specific. I am very puzzled about this.

[HadToRegister]

Trying to think of things you can compare, because this is a nice chance to see what tiny little difference there could be that's causing this.

Both Vortexes in SHARED or Per-User mode?
Witcher set to run as Admin on one and not the other?
Witcher installed for ALL USERS, or just the one account?

Both Vortexes installed using the Custom Installer or the One-Click installer?
Witcher installed in Program Files or in their own folders?

Witcher on the same drive on both computers? or one on C the other on D or E etc?

UAC set to Default on both?

Same AV on both computers with exact same settings?
Windows firewall settings the same?

What about checking which services are running in the task manager under the SERVICES Tab on both computers, and noting if there are extra services running or not running on the one that Vortex insists on using Symlinks or Vice Versa?

Also, check the STARTUP tab on task manager to see if they're both running the same stuff
Also the Processes tab

Both using Macrium Backup?

Any memory resident software for peripherals that might be different?
Like a tablet on one computer and not on the other?
Different MIce and drivers?
Keyboard and drivers?

Identical Folder Permissions for the game folder?

[AugustaCalidia]

@HTR

 

Thank you so much for the list of things to check. I've been trying to compile a list, and you have already done all my homework for me. I'll report back when I've completed these tasks.

[AugustaCalidia]

@HTR

 

 

Both Vortexes in SHARED or Per-User mode?
Witcher set to run as Admin on one and not the other?
Witcher installed for ALL USERS, or just the one account?

 

All profiles on both computers have their own saves and their own settings.

Neither installation of Witcher 3 is set to run as Administrator.

On both computers Witcher 3 is installed to run for all users.

 

 

Both Vortexes installed using the Custom Installer or the One-Click installer?
Witcher installed in Program Files or in their own folders?

 

One-Click installer for both.

Witcher 3 is installed in Program Files.

 

 

Witcher on the same drive on both computers? or one on C the other on D or E etc?

 

Same drive (system drive C).

 

 

UAC set to Default on both?

 

Yes.

 

 

Same AV on both computers with exact same settings?
Windows firewall settings the same?

 

Same AV with identical settings.

Windows has ceded firewall control to my AV.

 

 

What about checking which services are running in the task manager under the SERVICES Tab on both computers, and noting if there are extra services running or not running on the one that Vortex insists on using Symlinks or Vice Versa?
Also, check the STARTUP tab on task manager to see if they're both running the same stuff
Also the Processes tab

 

I am lost at sea when trying to understand and compare all the data in the Task Manager. My awful suspicion is that my problems lies there, but I have no idea how to go about detecting it.

 

 

Both using Macrium Backup?

 

Yes.

 

 

Any memory resident software for peripherals that might be different?
Like a tablet on one computer and not on the other?
Different MIce and drivers?
Keyboard and drivers?

 

No to first two questions.

Identical mice and drivers (Logitech).

Identical keyboard and drivers (Logitech).

 

A question. Could different internal SSD's be a problem? Computer 1 (where Vortex plays nice with Witcher 3) has a Samsung SATA SSD. Computer 2 (where Vortex does not play so nice) has a Samsung V-NAND NVMe M.2 SSD.

[HadToRegister]

@HTR

 

 

What about checking which services are running in the task manager under the SERVICES Tab on both computers, and noting if there are extra services running or not running on the one that Vortex insists on using Symlinks or Vice Versa?

Also, check the STARTUP tab on task manager to see if they're both running the same stuff

Also the Processes tab

 

I am lost at sea when trying to understand and compare all the data in the Task Manager. My awful suspicion is that my problems lies there, but I have no idea how to go about detecting it.

 

 

Both using Macrium Backup?

 

Yes.

 

 

Any memory resident software for peripherals that might be different?

Like a tablet on one computer and not on the other?

Different MIce and drivers?

Keyboard and drivers?

 

No to first two questions.

Identical mice and drivers (Logitech).

Identical keyboard and drivers (Logitech).

 

A question. Could different internal SSD's be a problem? Computer 1 (where Vortex plays nice with Witcher 3) has a Samsung SATA SSD. Computer 2 (where Vortex does not play so nice) has a Samsung V-NAND NVMe M.2 SSD.

 

 

I think that our good friend 1ae0bfb8 might have a suggestion about the SERVICES thing, because as it stands, my suggestion basically involved having both computers running, clicking on the SERVICES tab in Task Manager, and comparing them side-by-side.

:/

 

Your last point is VERY interesting, considering that there seemed to be a problem with some people using SSDs with Vortex (I don't want to start a conspiracy theory or anything, but I remember a problem of people complaining about slow performance etc when using Vortex on an SSD drive) <------------------Take that with HUGE grain of Salt, as I don't know if it was across ALL SSDS or just NVMe (again, don't want to start a conspiracy theory, just trying to compile obvious differences and drill down to the actual problem, EVERYTHING, every difference at this point is a culprit, so we have to go after even the smallest, unrelated things to rule them out)

 

At this point I'm willing to consider ANYTHING, any minor difference.

I'm still trying to think of more tiny things that could stupidly cause this, because if we find it, a TON of Support Requests will be instantly solved.

Someday we'll even find out that "Vortex keeps disabling my mod/plugins" problem

 

(good lord....the time you must've spent formatting your post with all the quotes etc...)

[LawrenceFB]

 

 

A question. Could different internal SSD's be a problem? Computer 1 (where Vortex plays nice with Witcher 3) has a Samsung SATA SSD. Computer 2 (where Vortex does not play so nice) has a Samsung V-NAND NVMe M.2 SSD.

 

Do both SSD's have an NTFS filesystem ?

[AugustaCalidia]

 

 

 

A question. Could different internal SSD's be a problem? Computer 1 (where Vortex plays nice with Witcher 3) has a Samsung SATA SSD. Computer 2 (where Vortex does not play so nice) has a Samsung V-NAND NVMe M.2 SSD.

 

Do both SSD's have an NTFS filesystem ?

 

 

Yes.

[AugustaCalidia]

@HTR

 

Thank you for all your help in this matter. I think that you're quite right in thinking the issue arises out of some tiny, unnoticed difference between the two computer setups.

 

In regard to SSD's, I asked the question because I vaguely remember reading an article some months ago about a few problems involving NVMe M.2 SSD's and Windows 10. Since I barely understood what I was reading, I'm unable to state what the problems were. Otherwise, I've never had slow performance issues with Vorfex because of SSD's. In fact, Vortex loads and runs very quickly. I'm always impressed with the speed at which deployments occur.

 

In regard to comparing background services, etc., on the two computers, I am overwhelmed. It seems as if I would take the best years of my life in carrying out that task!

 

There's some information that I forgot to mention in my post and responses. When upgrading to Vortex v1.2.16 on computer 2, I received a message that "Move" deployment would no longer work for Witcher 3 because the game and mod staging folder had to be on the same drive. The puzzling thing is that Witcher 3 and its mod staging folder have always been on the same drive. Witcher 3 is (and was) installed on system drive C, and the mod staging folder is (and was) {USERDATA}\{game}\mods.