This step always frustrates and chases me off of starting up a modded oblivion, what i basically want to do is create a stable "base" game that has the common features such as unofficial patches, body/environment texture packs as well as extensions like OBSE and Wrye Bash.

It's not a hard process from experience but i get fuzzy on how to do it everytime and for whatever reason it's the most exausting step in modding oblivion for me.

What i'm asking for is simply a quick checklist/install order (if important) beyond that i assume i just copy the whole oblivion directory file to back it up unless there is a better way out there i am unaware of yes?

I find it important to try to document the steps for a reinstall, as you're right it can be hard to keep track of everything. My own internal documentation is about 120 pages long for a fully modded install.

I've actually been toying with the idea of releasing it at some point just as an informational resource, although I'd need to do some formatting for public consumption and I don't know if anyone would even be interested in something that verbose.

http://afkmods.iguanadons.net/index.php?a=help, courtesy of Arthmoor.

If you need more info or have questions, don't hesitate to ask.

This is almost exactly what i was looking for, Strom i used to have this stuff documented (several times over several computers >.<) i'm curious as to your notes now though if only for the fact that i learned early on in morrowind that (and all the TES games by far.) the install i enjoyed the most was a copy of someone elses install in a separate location. The biggest part of this was the 3 big vampire mods (the set with an intricate compatibility install that was an outright no no for any other mod set that i remember) that i would have never tried otherwise.

I think http://tescosi.com/wiki/Complete_Installation_Guide_for_Oblivion is the best compromise of comprehensive and user-friendly, that I have seen.

The whole site is also well worth a look - and a read, in some parts - so I suggest bookmarking the home page.