Installation Questions

[xInfaRedx]

I'm currently running around 225 mods. (PS> I've had as many as around 340 installed (~250 esm 90 "light"), but after I had to rebuild the game when steam glitched and I had to go back to online to get it working, it automatically updated the main game and well, I had to rebuild, this time around I've been more selective with what is and isn't installed. Frankly a a lot of them were installed on a lark and I grew bored with what they offered within a day or two. I was just too lazy to dump them.

 

As I said before do as you will. I would never want to put anyone in an unfavorable position with anyone you know or look up to. I'm simply reporting my own experience. I'm no leet gamer.

For sure man, and I appreciate you chiming in to give the info, report your experience and simply just being here to help me ! Same goes for me to you man, I am never saying what you're doing is wrong or anyone else is right. I'm too newbie level with all this to even know that. What I am doing is simply taking consensus is all, so when I ask or debate over the subject, its more about reporting my consensus that seems to conflict with what someone else is saying, blah blah blah. You get it.

 

So again.. seriously, MUCH appreciated.

 

Let me still dig though if you don't mind. So we can make sense of all this. What Mod Manager do you use ? Because I think it is possible that the info I am getting might be mainly for MO II. Thats the Mod Organizer I want and will use (unless someone talks me out of it) cause from my extremely long research I came to the conclusion its the best, most flexible, etc.. (IMO).

 

And its possible when using it, the conflicts with the Program File place happen ? But using another mod manager this doesn't happen or doesn't matter as much ? Maybe ? IDK ?

Edited July 18, 2020 by xInfaRedx

[anjenthedog]

I use vortex. I looked at both (actually another one too...NMM? idk... ), saw a few videos showcasing the older mod managers, and I decided it seemed the easiest/most logical way to go on Nexus when I signed up spring of 2019, since it was effectively (or at least I thought) the flagship interface for the site to the game. last game i'd installed was FFXI back in ~2004-5, and aside from flight sims I'd never really keened to gaming. Never really had time for it either. I'm well accustomed to high performance computers and pretty serious engineering and analysis programs, but gaming systems and the kind of config that a game like skyrim requires...not in my experiential bag of tricks. I wanted the simplest no-brainer interfacing I could get, since my bread/butter work was very mentally taxing and had lengthy hours most days.

 

It has, for the most part, been a breeze using Vortex...for me. For you? For Joe? For Jane? Idk. I'm not here to be an apostle. Use whatever you prefer. but I can't speak MO2 is all...I can only filter processes as I know them. if you have some issue to work out in MO2, I'm not your resource.

[xInfaRedx]

Gotcha. Yes in my research I heard Vortex was the easiest. Had LOOT built into it even. I think that is the reason you are not experiencing issues. But I'm just guessing. I *think* from what I gather, MO II is harder to deal with because it does a few things no other mod does and in the longer run, it helps and is better, but you have to kinda set it up as I am saying, or there is issues. But once you go through that headache, you got the best most flexible mod manager there is for reasons that I am not knowledgeable enough to repeat yet ! LOL When I learn it good enough to recite it, I'll let you know ha !

 

Either way, sounds like you have a great set up and working great for you. And thats most important (for you). I get it man. Happy for you.

 

For me - I'm just starting my venture going down experimental lane !

[wfandrews]

Huh, go figure... Mine installed onto the normal Program files (x86) without ANY issue. I guess I must have a special computer or something.

 

best of luck to you.

I always thought the reason not to install in program files was the Windows UAC, Windows can be quite fussy about changes to program files. Which is why some people must run their game and tools as a administrator if Steam is installed in program files. What has puzzled me is that Program Files (x86) is where Windows keeps it's 32 bit programs and Program Files is where it's 64 bit programs are kept: SSE is a 64 bit program so it seems to me you could install Steam in Program Files if you wanted. Although you still might have to contend with that pesky UAC.

 

To me it is quite believable anjen that you have Steam installed in Program Files (x86) and have had no problems at all. It just reinforces my belief that when it comes to computers, games, modding and on and on, nothing is set in stone.

[anjenthedog]

 

 

Either way, sounds like you have a great set up and working great for you. And thats most important (for you). I get it man. Happy for you.

 

For me - I'm just starting my venture going down experimental lane !

 

Well, breeze or not in installing/setting load-order, it's not as if I don't encounter issues. Nor do I have a "perfect" game or setup.

Stiil trying to figure out why my character's hands keep changing into giant hand (scale ~1.5) for no apparent reason. The world ain't perfect but a stoic learns to make do with what he has and make the best of it he can.

 

Good luck. And don't think I was brushing you off with that comment about MO2 support, I just don't have anything to give on that front.

 

see ya around!

[anjenthedog]

 

Huh, go figure... Mine installed onto the normal Program files (x86) without ANY issue. I guess I must have a special computer or something.

 

best of luck to you.

I always thought the reason not to install in program files was the Windows UAC, Windows can be quite fussy about changes to program files. Which is why some people must run their game and tools as a administrator if Steam is installed in program files. What has puzzled me is that Program Files (x86) is where Windows keeps it's 32 bit programs and Program Files is where it's 64 bit programs are kept: SSE is a 64 bit program so it seems to me you could install Steam in Program Files if you wanted. Although you still might have to contend with that pesky UAC.

 

To me it is quite believable anjen that you have Steam installed in Program Files (x86) and have had no problems at all. It just reinforces my belief that when it comes to computers, games, modding and on and on, nothing is set in stone.

 

 

 

idk, I just installed them. I used the default install locations [ Program Files (x86) ]. Like I said in another reply, I was seeking a no-brainer to escape my mentally exhausting not-no-brainer life. (lol, as if, Skyrim has been anything but a no brainer, solving non-transparent issues with mods, ferreting out and removing fundamentally problematic mods or mods that contain undocumented gotcha penalties imposed by suspect mod authors into supposedly "crucial" mod addons, configuring MCM entries that have confusing selection descriptions or even none at all, etc etc oh and those gd lobster hands...f n a) But wrt to game installation and general operation, everything just worked using the default installation process, no user defined install directories, no special permissives used or changed. Maybe some folks are using his/her mom or dad's computer and she/he has them on a restricted user account where they have to work around security restrictions, idk. I'm an adult, I own my system, and my account has full admin privilege.

 

FTR, steam is installed in (x86) and so is skyrim, no if ands or buts. The only skyrim related progs not installed there are things like SSEdit, fallrim tools, etc, which are run from their respective download folders off my "tools" folder on the primary drive (it's a folder I usually create on new system to hold standalone utilities)

 

I can see splitting program installation locations and/or resources if one has a very small primary drive (small, contemporaneously speaking) or there's some other "physical" issue that precludes it and the user "has to". Otherwise, personally speaking, I think it's foolish and sets them up for problems and complications they need not face. Ideally, a program and its resources should be in a contiguous environment, and at least when speaking within the windows environment, installed to the primary drive in the "normal" installation area, either x86 for those that are suited, or the standard 64 bit program files folder for programs suited to it. Different drives isn't contiguous. And the idea that everything should be compartmentalized to its own drive segment (drive name/letter) is imo dated for general purpose programs (not speaking to pro level bread and butter work stuff or financial data, etc. different issue) . I spent years partitioning multiple drives and isolating stuff with all sorts of arcane tricks. Back in the day it made sense. Now...not so much. At least not for me. there are only 24 hours in a day. I don't have time (or the patience) to piss around with trying to be Leet Man any more. Time passes way too fast.

Whatever works for you is ok by me. Use MO2, install everything manually, use vortex, I don't care. Long as I'm not judged poorly or as an inferior (or worse as the enemy) for not using the same setup.

 

PS> SSE IS a 64-bit program, but when installed, it installs under the steam folder, so it still chooses the x86 path.

 

Note: /Program Files (x86)/steam/steamapps/common/Skyrim Special Edition/

[wfandrews]

I believe I said the you could install Steam in the Program Files if you were so inclined. I do realize that SSE is installed in the Steam folder and thus uses the x86 path. You can install Steam wherever you like that works for you and that, of course is where Legendary and SSE will be installed, also FO3, FNV, Doom and any other game which you have installed thru Steam.

[anjenthedog]

Yes, you can do all sorts of things. No doubt. I just went with the defaults. I didn't specifically "choose" the installation locations. I allowed the applications to install to their default installation folders. It has provided me with transparent use. No need to adjust or complain about "Needing" administrative permissions or anything.

 

But it's not "believable" that I would do so (after publicly stating that that's exactly what I did), as if to imply I might bother lying or making something up for a forum post, or that such a statement on the part of a player who claimed to have done so was dubious. it is what I did. I fired the executables, said yep yep yep to whichever questions were asked, and it was done. Simple. No-brainer. Exactly what I was hoping for. (if only solving issues like stopping my player from having lobster hands was so easy)

 

As I said, unless there is a special need to do so, installing to different locations than the default, and splitting portions of the programs components to different drives, is unnecessary, and I think (ie, in my opinion) it's foolish and sets them up for problems and complications they need not face.

[xInfaRedx]

Thanks again guys for all supplying info on this subject as all info helps ! And I agree in this computing field, plain and simple there is absolutely no set in stone holy grail of doing anything.

 

All that said, I at least want to report my findings too, as in case someone else with similar questions reads this thread one day to get exact help on the particular situation I posed. (Modding SkyrimSE with MO II).

 

So though this does not mean anyone in this thread is wrong/right or take away from the info and knowledge in this thread from them its only fair I post it.

 

Ok, so I found from the horses mouth (as I finally got a hold of the team on their Discord) that IF modding SkyrimSE and using MO II the recommended location to install is *everything* on the secondary drive. Which surprised me as I thought apps should at least be on the OS drive. But again, I don't know sh*t about this subject (yet). But they said to not split up the apps and its content across multiple drives (though you could do that as well) they say to instal Steam on the secondary drive and then also instal the game on that secondary drive (but obviously in another folder which will be the Steam Library Folder). On same drive but yet even a different folder you then instal MO II.

 

They said if you must use the OS drive, you can, but then in that case keep everything OUT of the program files places. Just make new folder(s) for the instals.

 

Again, this I know is "he said/she said" stuff. But this is mainly solid advice from *all* MO II/SkyrimSE gurus. So it must be a MO II with SkyrimSE thing. For disclaimer purposes: Sources are this guy (who is really a team of wizards) "Ai Cave". And another guy named "GamerPoets". I like Ai Cave better as his tutorials and way of describing things is detailed and at a proper pace.

 

 

[anjenthedog]

I'll take your post as "gospel" regarding MO2 use. Thanks for posting a followup. few do.