Mod messed up my game

[1mjolnir1]

I use total tamriel and the map that you can get with it. When I downloaded an environment mod and tried to open the map, the tt map I guessed some how fatally conflicted with the environment mod and crash everytime. Knowing my data folder was filled with crap, I wanted to generally clean out everything. Me being the fool I am however deleted pretty much every folder in texture and meshes i could find that wasn't easily distinguishable from good mods I used. I then uninstalled the game and installed it again thinking that the files would come back back but, they didn't.

Now my game is completely screwed and I don't know what to do, I can't load any of my old game files only the previous one i was using the environment mod with. I don't want to go to the recycle bin, I want to clean everything out, how do I just restore the previous folder versions without deleting the stuff in the folder?

[bben46]

Here is an uninstaller for Oblivion. I haven't tried it yet, but it looks good.

It allows you to pick what you want to get rid of.

Based on what I see, it also will make a backup of your install if you want to go back.

 

The only thing I see that it doesn't have is a feature to remove the Registry entries.

 

Backtrace's Oblivion Installation Cleaner

 

http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=20258

 

To remove the registry entries (these sometimes cause reinstall problems) I use ccleaner. This only works if you completely remove Oblivion from your computer first - Leave the backups, just remove everything else.

ccleaner removes unused registry entries, along with a lot of other garbage. When you uninstall Oblivion, the registry entries associated with it become unused AFTER you reboot.

Unused in this case means not associated with any installed program.

Other registry cleaner programs will work as well.

 

Available free here: http://majorgeeks.com/download4191.html

 

Be sure to run the uninstaller first. Then REBOOT you computer BEFORE running ccleaner. then reboot again After running it.

 

Post back and let us know what happens

[1mjolnir1]

Now I have lost the ability to uninstall the game.

(The oblivion launcher could not find the uninstal program)

:(

[Kooki]

There is one other way of getting your files back but its rather extreme, its kind of a last resort thing but system recovery always does the job whether its a virus, deleted files, or the internet not working. Just make sure when you do it prepare all the programs your going to have to download after the reset because there will be no virus protector, graphics card drivers and stuff like that. But other than that the positive side of it is that you have a brand new fresh computer.^^

Anyway good luck with fixing oblivion.

[bben46]

The uninstaller is looking for a file called Oblivion.exe to uninstall. Try creating a dummy file named Oblivion.exe, place it in the place where you had Oblivion installed. then try the uninstaller again.

 

And, you need to use the original disk to uninstall, not the uninstall that is on your hard drive, or the Windows Uninstall programs feature.

 

If you just deleted the Oblivion directory, try using the ccleaner I recommended above before trying to reinstall.

 

Let us know if this works.

[1mjolnir1]

yeah i was able to uninstall and I tried the cleaner but it was taking a long time I dunno i let it run when I sleep but i don't think it was doing anything.It said it started cleaning and then it said it started backing up, then it said it was finished backing up but it never said finished cleaning. does that mean it's done? And is there's no way to simply delete all the data files and get new fresh default ones? Like is there a source or anything. And why can't I re load the original default files from the cd anyways, the data is all still there when i uninstall the game?!?

[bben46]

? ccleaner takes about 30 SECONDS to complete its scan. Then just a minute or two to completely clean your registry. What it sounds like is you are running a defrag. That takes quite a while, especially if you have not done it before or if your hard drive is almost full.

 

If you just delete the data files ( Oblivion\data ) you loose the Oblivion.esm file and all of the .bsa files. You could try copying them elsewhwere then after deleting the data folder, making a new oblivio\data folder and copying them back. However, some mods install their own .bsa files and a few actually modify the original ones (not a good idea)

 

Also, your saves are located in an entirely different place and will not be deleted. You will not be able to load saves that used the mods you deleted. that gives a CTD. Also, the Oblivion.ini is located in the same directory as the saves and some mods may have made changes to it. You are better off doing a full uninstall, cleaning the registry, cleaning your hard drive, defragging, then doing a completely new install.

 

Here is my complete manual uninstall and reinstall with a backup Many people have used it with a high success rate.

 

Bben46 Complete Reinstall Procedure for Oblivion

 

This is usually a last resort and your game is already trashed. I cannot be responsible for any damage you manage to do to your game when trying this. You are free to use this procedure and post it as you see fit.

 

When you uninstall Oblivion it doesn't really uninstall everything. Then when you start adding mods before you have started the game, some things may not get initialized properly. Here is my recommended procedure for uninstalling and reinstalling.

 

The game uninstaller does not remove your mods, save games or Oblivion.ini or the entries that the original installation of Oblivion placed in your Windows registry. It also does not remove helper programs such as OBSE, OBMM, Wrye Bash, The construction set or any other programs you have installed in the \Oblivion folder or the save game folder. I recommend that you go ahead and delete them, then re download and install the latest version of them again later. After you have verified that the game works.

 

I would appreciate any feedback on this as it is something I expect to post often and I hate to give bogus or useless information.

 

Uninstalling Oblivion

 

DO NOT DELETE THE GAME FOLDERS YET! This is very important.If you delete them,it causes problems later.

 

My instructions assume you are using Windows XP and have installed Oblivion into the default location. If you are using Vista or Linux, the file locations may be different, however, the procedure will be the same.

 

For a full reinstall, first you can try to preserve your mods and save games. I recommend that you save them in a new folder with a new name. Create the new folder in C:\Backup_Oblivion - or any other name you will remember, just as long as it is not in the programs folder.

 

Then copy the data folder where your mods are to the new folder - do not erase them, copy them. And in the new folder, rename the \data folder to \olddata. Then copy and rename the folder that has your saved games and Oblivion.ini, C:\documents and settings\your user name\my documents\My Games\oblivion to something like \My games\Old Oblivion - this saves your saved games and the oblivion.ini file.

 

 

Then, using the original CD, NOT the Launcher on your Hard drive. Select uninstall.

 

After it completes the uninstall, reboot your computer - this is important as it allows Windows to remove some references to the original Oblivion.

 

This would be the time to erase all of the helper programs you have in the \Oblivion folder. Such as OBMM, OBSE and some others. The simplest way is to delete the folder completely. The new install will re create the folder for you along with a fresh oblivion.ini and when you start the game and make a save, a new save folder and new \data folder.

 

Now you can delete the game folders if you want to do a complete fresh reinstall. Your original saved games & mods are backed up if you want to try to resurrect them later.

 

To remove the registry entries that were left behind. If all else fails, this usually works to resurrect your game.

 

I do not recommend manually editing the registry unless you know what you are doing. A mistake here could make your entire computer unusable.

 

There are several good programs for removing left behind entries. The one I use is ccleaner. Be sure to reboot before using it, and again after. It is free and available here:

 

http://majorgeeks.com/download4191.html

 

This would also be a good time to do a file clean up. Run the built in Windows 'Disk Cleanup' routine. If you uses the ccleaner, most of this has already been done, but it won't hurt to do it anyway.

 

Now that everything is cleaned up, do a full defrag on your hard drive to leave a large uncluttered area to reinstall to. This prevents your game from installing in a fragmented way, with parts scattered all over the drive. It also will speed up the install a little. It takes a while, but may speed up you game as well as the rest of your computer.

 

 

 

Now to Reinstall.

 

Again using the original CD, install Oblivion.

 

NOTE: If you are using Vista, DO NOT install to the default directory. Instead make a new directory I recommend C:\Games. Install Oblivion there to avoid the hassle with Vista UAC blocking mods.

 

Before adding any mods, patches, helper programs, Shivering Isles or anything else, start the game and make a save. This initializes some stuff that needs to be initialized.

 

If you are using the Game of the Year version of Oblivion you should not need any patches, skip the patching part.

 

Now, If you DO NOT use Shivering Isles, patch the game using ONLY the latest Oblivion patch. All of the stuff from the earlier patches is included.

 

Be sure you use the proper language patch. If you use the wrong one it may work, but with a strange mixture of languages. (Germanglish?) Or it may crash.

 

NOTE: there are two English Patches UK & US and they are different. (Some people actually think we speak the same language) Use the one that matches your original disk.

 

If you use Shivering Isles, Install it now. DO NOT install the Oblivion patch. Install Shivering Isles, then ONLY the latest Shivering Isles patch. All of the updates for Oblivion are included. There is only one Shivering Isles patch for both US & UK English (Maybe sometimes we do speak the same language.)

 

Now, again start the game, make sure it looks right, move around a little to test it, and make a save. Test to be sure everything is working right (No purple objects or yellow blocks)

 

Before adding any mods, back up both your \data folder and the save game folder. Copy them, don't move or rename them, to a different folder - such as \Bethesda\Clean Oblivion\data and \Bethesda\clean Oblivion\saves. Note that this is a different folder than the one used for your old data and saves.

 

Note, Your Oblivion.ini file is in the same folder, but separate from, the save game folder.

 

Now, if you want to try to run with your old mods, first rename the original folders. The \data folder to \newdata and the \oldata back to \data. this restores all of your mods. You should now have 2 data folders \data, and \newdata in your \oblivion folder

 

To restore your original saves and ini file, rename the new My Games\Oblivion to something like \New Oblivion. and the \Old oblivion to \oblivion - this restores all of your saved games and your original Oblivion.ini file.

 

DO NOT erase the files you renamed. These are your backup files in case the original mods do not work or give you the same problem.

 

If you have the same problem, it is most likely caused by a mod. However, you now have a clean install to fall back on. You can You can COPY (NOT move or rename) the backup files back to what they were and be back to your clean install without having to reinstall again.

 

Sounds like lots of work, but you will have a clean install and a back up clean install when you are finished.

 

Post your comments here: http://s1.zetaboards.com/TheStormRavenLibrary/forum/236320/

[1mjolnir1]

well it looks like the cleaner was apparently successful after all... to a degree. I went to sleep and when I woke up all the esp files were gone so I guess that worked. However I ended up with my entire mass storage drive used up of free space? Apparently the cleaner made 3 backups, like 50 GB worth of backups heh, but it worked. Even so, I do plan on doing a full reformat of my computer soon because it's just too dirty now, I'll quickly finish stuff up first.

Thanks alot for your help man, I don't know where I would be without nexus mod forums! I'll make sure to jot down that uninstall procedure because it looks like it could be useful.