This is a problem that has been plaguing me for a while now - I cannot load any of my saves. I originally put it down to corruption due to my use of the quicksave, but now whenever I exit the game I make a brand new hard save after reading about corruption from overwriting.

The problem is, none of my saves are loading, and I know that they aren't corrupted* because they used to load, and my mod load order hasn't changed. It will load, I will see the game world for a spilt second and it will go straight to the desktop. This is a recent problem.

I'm using the retail GOTY version as the Steam version was giving me the finger with regards to MGSO. My DVD drive has been giving me issues lately (making noises during boot like it's overspinning) but the disc check works and the game boots. I honestly have no idea what to do - I would like to think a reinstall would fix it but there's been no change to the game folder for a week or two and this problem has been there for a couple of days.

*they might be corrupted but it's very unlikely considering it's happened very suddenly.

First, loading a dodgy save and making a new slot just means you have a copy of the dodgy save in the new slot.

So, to test your install, does a new character have this issue? No, then reinstalling wont' fix your other saves.

Does an earlier save slot have this issue? No, then load that and play on from there.

Finally, do turn off the Autosave features, all of them, and never load one in this game, ever.

A new game does work.

Is there anything I can do to rescue my saves, if indeed there is a problem? I remember reading something about Wrye Mash.

Are you telling me that you ran this game on one save slot? That is about as dangerous as playing in traffic, while blindfolded and dizzy, with bacon grease on your shoes, and banana peels under your feet.

There are some save editors, the Enchanted Editor used to be one of them. But, they can only clean out stuff from mods. No one that I know of has ever successfully come up with a tool to clean out base game corruption from a save. Now, I have not stayed abriast of all the Morrowind tools for the past 4 or so years, so maybe something came out, but doubtful. As the technical reasons for this are still there.

Best thing, if you don't have a save is to re-roll a character, and either use the console to spawn some gold to pay for training, or buff up your skills and attributes before you leave Seyda Neen.

What an interesting anology.

I did use one save slot, but not for very long.

Oddly, if I load the test save created after leaving the Census and Excise Office, and then load a main one (that wouldn't load on it's own), it will load without problems. Would a corrupted save behave in this manner?

I am using the MCP, if you're wondering, and have been since installing the game for the first time.