I've been working on a new mod. I created it on a standard C: install, but I wanted to work on it in an install on M:, so I copied the .esp and pasted it into the M:data files directory.

When I tested the mod, I was testing body loot on an NPC created by the mod with specific content, notably an adamantium sword. I had forgotten to move a sound file and got warnings on that, which was easy to fix, but on the first test the adamantium sword was missing when I checked the body. On the second test it was there.

Both installs have Morrowind, Tribunal, and Bloodmoon, but the M: has no mods whiloe C: has a very large number.

I've had issues where meshes pulled textures from C: to M:, resulting missing textures in published mods, and I'm wondering about this sword. Why was it missing, and then why was it there... Does anyone have any ideas?

I used to have some full dumps of exactly how Morrowind searched for files, but the general idea is:

Fullname = FolderForResourceType + Filename;Windows::Find("Data Files\\" + Fullname)BSAs::Find(Fullname)

If I remember right, it only uses relative paths (so working directory may matter, esp from a shortcut) and I know it uses basic Windows API file search functions. BSAs are handled internally.

Cross-loading resources is not typically possible, but could happen in a few odd cases. If MW's current working directory is in your other install and it does use relative paths, it could happen. MGE has been known to cross-load by mistake on occasion, as have some other tools that rely on registry entries (the CS can browse to the registry install, but then fail when you select a file). I put out a proof-of-concept mod to load resources from the My Games folder a while back, but that shouldn't be the issue here.