So im sure there is a simple solution to this, but im missing it. I went into the oblivion construction set for the first time (I had a little experience with morrowinds) and loaded up oblivion and the human race mod (did not set an active file). Then I went and played around with the stats on the human mod, and saved it as a new plugin. When i went to load it on the data files list, it was not listed there. So i shrugged, figured i messed up, went back and this time i set the human race mod as the active file, and just made the changes there. I saved it, and closed out the cs. I go to date files list, and now my human race mod is gone. I went and checked omm, and its gone out of there too. What am i doing wrong?

Are you using http://cs.elderscrolls.com/constwiki/index.php/Windows_Vista

Yes windows 7, and i redownloaded the mod, and i have the same problem. except now oomm is able to recover the file.

Program Files virtualization. Vista and Windows 7 are designed to frustrate any attempts to mess with files installed under C:\Programs or Program Files. They do this by sending any changes you make to a private "virtual" folder that is, sadly, not the folder the game and the CS will look for. Read and understand the link The Vyper gave you above.

The easiest way, and the only safe and recommended way, around this is simply to not install the game or the CS under the default location in Program Files. That way, Windows will not think it has to protect these files from you.

If you have an installation under Program Files and want to keep it there, you will be frustrated by this unless you force both Oblivion and the CS to "run as administrator" or disable UAC.