Well I'm no Gaticus and hopefully he will return soon, but I have had no issues with this much at all.

What I did even before the option to import from different locations was offered (and possibly now causing issues) was to, by hand, cut and paste all the clones into the same folder side by side with this exe also next to the various Oblivion folders.

So with Nehrim it was to move the Nehrim folder out of the SureAI folder (which I left alone in case I want to uninstall) and up next to Oblivion - then imported it. I've never imported from anywhere except from within the same folder.

Even for the base game - I did not use my heavily modded main game for that. I renamed the modded game folder and made a pristine install with basic tweaks then imported my main game as a clone.

Like aellis above - I have mine on a drive partition in a non-default location in a folder called games (where I keep all bethesda games). Using default locations or weird install paths like to desktop are sure to bring up UAC on Vista and win7. Beebee I'm not sure if you had a default install (where the game wants to install) but that may be an issue.

other than all that I'm not sure what to tell you all. The ini files it places in each clone is easy to remove/rename for testing purposes. And once again the only thing ever that prevents me from switching clones is having windows explorer or a modding tool open to the folder of the active clone. Closing everything out allows fast switching.

Wish I could offer more help.

Gaticus where are you?

Hi Psymon, I went ahead & moved Nehrim into it's Oblivion install & am so far excited by the result.

I now have 4 installs of oblivion each with their own Folders & saves in my Documents & 1 Oblivion Nehrim install which behaves just like any other Oblivion install but only has the Nehrim components onboard.

I can install OBMM & Wrye & I expect any of the other tools with their installers as if I am installing into an Oblivion game.

I had to copy the Oblivion Ini & the construction set across from one of the other installs but now I have a Nehrim game almost totally independent of Oblivion with it's own saves & Ini & I am beginning the process of modding it up & so far it's looking pretty good.

The whole Bethesda folder is 30 GB, but it's on a 450 GB partition so it's hardly a pimple on it's back.

I am quite excited by the possibilities & am looking forward to building other versions a ROM based game, TIE , & probably FCOM .This is a wonderful tool Beebee

Hah my main install folder is 30+ gigs just for that one, not counting BAIN folder. All my installs and their BAIN folders comes to about 242 gigs (I archive a lot and have many mods I don't use - yet).

Yeah I did not import tools either - I hand installed each one clone by clone.

Not sure if what I wrote helped but it sounds like you are on the right track.

Another tip - using the bash.ini (in mooy folder rename Bash_default.ini to bash.ini) you an define the file for BAIN folder. for each install and each copy of bash I have a separate BAIN folder - this is the one area still where there are issues - because by default they each will look into the same BAIN folder - confusing bash and you. If you have the space I'd make a separate BAIN folder for each install.

If Gaticus returns and Wrye Bash gets a couple more updates then I hope his proposed changes are adopted and each install will by default have the BAIN info of what is installed stored where the save games are and not in the BAIN folder - that way each install would read the same BAIN folder differently and no need to replicate BAIN folders.

Best of luck, sounds like you are close.

Well I seem to have a working base install of mTES 4. I have 4 clones of Oblivion each with their own Installers folder. Now It's the steep learning curve of Bain & resisting the urge to slip back into the comfortable arms of OBMM.
The major issue I have with Bain is it's verbosity any time I open a Bain Help file, I am overwhelmed by the sheer amount of text. I"m going to go & have a read of your Bain Topic, & TESIV:POSItive & hopefully I will begin to see some of the trees rather than the whole forest Thanks Beebee

BAIN help me file? I guess you mean the tutorials.

It really is simple stuff - having a good handle on what manual installing is - is most of the battle ... understanding folder structure and folder numbering to get what wins in conflicts both in one BAIN package and between BAIN archives. I took my BAIN thread as far into complexity as I was wiling to go, but most have no need of all that.

OBMM on the other hand is black box installing (hold my hand ... do it for me) it doesn't show you all the conflict reports and give greater control - most OMODs are all or nothing (unless heavily scripted which means reinstalling to change anything) plus it is you that has to track the install order with OBMM. BAIN automates that too.

But I use OBMM too (probably more than some might think).

So you can also set up alternate OMOD folders for each install too (I did). In OBMM click on settings then find the button that says move omod directory. Do that for each clone and you are good to go. Otherwise things are working OK with switching?

A note on updating multiple installs:
After creating a new or updated BAIN archive I just work on one install updating them one at a time then without opening the other install bashes I replace the packages in their BAIN folders so that once I do open that installs bash I can then anneal in the changes.

With OMODs I recommend taking them out before updating (kinda no duh there). But with new OMODs - once created can be copied from one OMOD folder and dropped into the others then installed once OBMM is opened.

Having multiple copies of Oblivion - what effect would that have on the registry? The features of this manager sound appealing, but if it's going to cause slow loading up times for the computer, then I'd rather not use it.

I had an interesting time with timestamps, after repacking my BSA's I used the utility in OBMM, & it changed all my BSA timestamps back to 2006 including all the Nehrim ones. I decided this was probably not such a good idea & might cause problems later on, so went searching for another solution, & found a beauty http://tools.tortoisesvn.net/SKTimeStamp.html
KTimeStamp is a very simple shell extension which adds a new page to the Explorer properties dialog. On that new page, you can change the file/folder dates and times. Its really simple to use & does the job.

Another really useful website that iv'e wanted to recommend on the forums is http://www.techsupportalert.com/
Gizmo's freeware. its the best site I have ever found for windows tools defrag, Security etc very good advice and a very active forum hope this is not to far off topic regards Beebee

Riveon-

Read the description.

It changes the file path of various copies of the game by renaming all the essential folders each time you switch - amazingly light weight. So one registry entry that is then accessed/utilized by various install versions.

What slows down loading times is the amount of modding on each install. So for example my Nehrim install with its 20 mods loads in a snap and my FCOM deluxe install with nearly 400 mods takes a few minutes to load.

BeeBee-

Yeah I use something called SetFileDate.exe - which can do down to the second. That though is more of a modding Nehrim issue.

I'm Having an odd little problem wit my Nehrim install which may or may not be mTes4 related.
I first noticed that if I dropped an ESP into the Nehrim folder the Nehrim Launcher didn't see it unless, I activated it in OBMM first. I'm fairly sure that if I did the same thing in the standard sureAI\Nehrim\Data folder that issue didn't arise.
I have just installed the Nehrim_DarNUI_Dialog_Patch & I can't get it to see any of the fonts in my, C:\Games\Bethesda Softworks\Oblivion\Data\Fonts file. If I try to add any font to my oblivion INI, the game crashes & also none of the other menu options are showing up either.
OBSE loads fine so I'm not sure about it but I think there may be some sort of issue with paths. I did have some issues getting Nehrim to install properly in the first place. I did it partly as a manual install, in that I manually moved most of the content from the Nehrim folder, into the Nehrim clone that I had created. So the issue, if there is one was probably my own creation Beebee

Iv'e figured it out. I have been using the start menu shortcut for Nehrim it was taking me to C:\Games\Bethesda Softworks\SureAI\Nehrim rather than C:\Games\Bethesda Softworks\Oblivion.
The amazing thing is that anything that I had installed showed up in my game at all ! :toughninja: feeling a little stupid but the problem is sorted, I changed the shortcut target so now it points to my Oblivion folder as well

I'm hoping Gaticus has not vanished.

What tells any tool what esp is active is the plugins.txt found on Vista/Win7 in the AppData folder. That will be true of any mod management tools (OBMM, Bash, Either Launcher, etc), so I don't think it is an issue with this and maybe with the Nehrim Launcher - like perhaps it is having an issue with UAC? Or maybe not ... What I notice is that they don't match either - even after sorting the mods with Boss and sliding around a few with OBMM or Bash - the Nehrim Launcher presents them alphabetically and if I have an active mod that has not been part of save game then the launcher will not see it active (even if it is in OBMM or Bash) until -I think- I make a save with it active.Then after I load the game and save the mods will be in order (same as OBMM or Bash) but any deactivated mods (like roberts4 merged into the stunted bashed patch I have - so merged but deactivated) will be listed after the active mods even if not in that order.

Then also ghosting - Nehrim Launcher like OBMM won't see those.

As for Fonts - I don't think the Darn dialogue patch is meant to do anything other than change the dialogue subtitles - without using Darn that is. If you use Darn then I don't think you need it.

You mention OBMM - but one of the very first packages to be converted to BAIN was Darn UI by Wrye himself - found http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=22170. If you install with BAIN then it will add ini tweaks for Wrye Bash to apply the ini settings for the fonts automatically. May not fix the issue, but may give you insight on what is happening. Like if you set in bash does the ini reflect that.

Crash could be because the font is not installed though.

Use ShadeMe;s http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=26510 to read whether OBSE initializes - it outputs console to a text file. But, as we have discussed before - it may initialize but that does not mean that OBSE mods are working 100% when ported from Oblivion.

Iv'e figured it out. I have been using the start menu shortcut for Nehrim it was taking me to C:\Games\Bethesda Softworks\SureAI\Nehrim rather than C:\Games\Bethesda Softworks\Oblivion.
The amazing thing is that anything that I had installed showed up in my game at all ! :toughninja: feeling a little stupid but the problem is sorted, I changed the shortcut target so now it points to my Oblivion folder as well.

Thanks for the great collection of bain links that I found when I went to bainified Darn I grabbed ConScribe as well. Iv'e been meaning to for awhile. I like quite small screen fonts & I collected a folder of darn fonts a couple of years ago & I always set them up manually yes & the font wasn't installed, at least not where the game was looking for it :toughninja: Beebee

PPS I'm also having an issue that I think is related to shortcuts & or mTes4 & possibly OBMM .
I am finding ESP's in my Nehrim folder with the Extension ghost appended as in NehrimEnglish.esp.ghost.
I have never seen this before & think it may be mTes4 related. It's easily fixed I just removed the ghost extension & it worked fine.
I think I might hide the Games\SureAI\Nehrim folder, as I have noticed that the Nehrim Launcher shortcut seems to keep finding it again .
There are some odd issues with shortcuts to the Nehrim Launcher. I have taken to only launching the game from within the Oblivion folder then I'm really sure that it's the game that's Loading
Beebee

I can't seem to get Bash to see my Oblivion Mods\Nehrim installers folder. I'm probably doing something wrong in bash.ini .

I renamed Bash default ini as bash.ini & added this to the path
sOblivionMods=..\Oblivion\Nehrim but the installers folder is empty.
If I insert the whole path to the installers folder sOblivionPath=.C:\Games\Bethesda Softworks\Oblivion Mods\Nehrim Bash wont start.
I know I'm probably doing something wrong but I can't figure out what.

I created an Oblivion Mods folders for each of my installs & that C:\Games\Bethesda Softworks\Oblivion Mods\Nehrim is the install path. I have added all my mods to the installers folder as 7Zips. I'm fairy certain I had it working when I first installed Bash. But I had to reinstall it as I had buggered up the install. I had installed 190, without installing 187 first. after a reinstall bash itself is working fine but then this problem surfaced.
Do you have any ideas as to what I might be doing wrong?
Beebee

Maybe it's just the way you typed it out, but that path should be ..\Oblivion Mods\Nehrim.

Yes I know that now, boy have I had a small saga.
I uninstalled & reinstalled Bash & then mTes4 wouldn't let me change clones, even after reboot. I tried uninstalling Bash with Revo uninstaller, I still don't know how it happened ,but that took out my Active clone ! Then mTes4 wouldn't start without a reinstall of Oblivion :toughninja:
I then used Revo to do a through uninstall of Oblivion reinstalled it & deleted my remaining clones,I'm starting out with a clean slate.

As I'm doing this from scratch again I would like to work out what I did wrong last time with importing Nehrim. These are the steps I did last time, 1 create Oblivion Clone rename it master at this point I have 2 clones. Click the import clone button, navigate to my sureAI\Nehrim folder, click OK, name the new Clone Nehrim. All that appears in the this clone is the mTes4 Oblivion ini. Last time I then imported all of the contents of the Nehrim folder which worked OK, but is there some step I'm missing? Beebee

Can't one just delete the mTES4 Manager ini that it places in the clones and thereby manually release the clone (but not the install)?

@BeeBee;

Have you tried this, as mentioned by Psymon a few posts up?


Right now I'm having my own problems with mTES4 suddenly (again!) not allowing switching of clones. I tried Psymon's suggestion of deleting the mTES4 ini file in each clone (which does remove the clone from the apps list) and re-importing but no luck. Short of starting from scratch and re-copying clones (that takes about 20 mins each) I don't know what else to do.

I really hope Gaticus returns soon, hopefully with an updated version. This is a great little app (if a little buggy).

Well you learn something new everyday, but it's way to late for that all the reinstallation is done, but the issues with Nehrim are still current. Are the steps I used to install a Nehrim clone correct or have I missed something ?
Beebee

I've no idea what Revo is?

I've posted my method and it worked for me. I too wish Gaticus would saunter back and give some help feedback to you all.

I've had next to no real issues with wonderful tool. Seriously none and so I no longer feel able to help because I've had no issues to resolve myself.

sorry

Nothing to be sorry about, you are a great help, with Gatacus missing in action we are lucky to have you . I also think it's a great tool & my issues were not really with mTes 4.

My Nehrim problem turned out to be in It's own settings, althought I would love to know where it was getting them from.

I had reinstalled Nehrim, & used Revo to do a through removal of everything it could find Nehrim related' but its ini was still stored somewhere. :toughninja:.

I'm don't know what the problem was, but when I got it to create a new ini the game started fine, now I can begin the process of building a new game, Thanks for all your help Beebee

When installing Nehrim it uses the Oblivion ini, but it greatly alters the oblivion ini - that is what I recall.

Is it possible you were using an earlier solution such as ShadeMe's INIzer which reassigns the ini?

New question, and yes I know Gaticus isn't around but perhaps someone else will know.

Is there any logical reason why mTES4 Manager is gaining access to the internet through my firewall? :unsure:

I just looked at mine and don't see that happening.

What happens when you deny it.

I noticed it through Norton firewall logs. It just attempts access every time it's launched. It's blocked now, I have no idea if it's doing anything or not, nothing earth shattering occurs.
Besides the switching problem I mentioned earlier I can launch tools like Bash or the CS on the active clone so it still works.
I don't know. :shrug:

Possibly you have set up zones on your computer and it asking for access to a UAC area? I dunno?

After the first few times using even though I didn't have a default installation location it did activate UAC once - but just once.

I haven't used Norton though in ... years.

Whatever it's doing is leaving IE history entries on my XP box, if that helps anyone figure anything out. It's not actually sending any packets anywhere though, so I've written it off as a "dirty edit".