C:\Games is not a special folder like C:\Users. You must create it yourself. Though yes, it should be created for you automatically when you reinstall to that location.

.. I really need to make a tool for folks to be able to move their Oblivion game folder without having to reinstall. It's actually very simple, but not so easy to explain. Moving the entire game installation only takes a couple of seconds if you know how.
If you would like to try, I can coach you through it.


I don't mind at all Psymon. I'm well aware that I often come across speaking g[r]eek, so another perspective is always welcome.

I just got my game reinstalled onto the C:/Games/Oblivion folder I had created, and now I was actually able to finally make several clones of the game itself! Now 1 final problem I have remaining! I am unable to switch between my named clones and whenever I try to switch between clones, I get an error message on that! And no, I didn't have any relevant applications, files and folders opened at all when this happened! Here's the pic with this new error pop-up for you guys to investigate! http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j98/thedukeofspoook/switchingerrormessage.jpg?t=1291121827

Man I wanted so bad to be able to switch between the modded game I was so used to playing (one that has The Elsweyr Deserts of Anequina mod, Onra's Heightmaps, Nascosto Isles, Midas Magic, and The Lost Spires that I reinstalled to the first clone I created and named "Onra's World") and another clone that has absolutely no mods at all (except for the Nehrim file I plan on installing later today!), but now I won't be able to unless someone points to me what I did wrong this time! I also wanted to switch to the one that says "Mikes Oblivion", the one I am keeping 100% mod free!!

Well I only get that message when I do have folders within the installs open or applications such as edit or bash that is accessing files within those folders - so I don't know what to tell you know.

But that is the exact message. I'd try closing all windows explorer folders then try.

Are all the clones within C:\games\ (or whatever drive you decided on)? Or are they spread out - like maybe one is in an area that UAC cares about?

You are close to all that though - you really are - hang in there. That message is more normal usage than the previous ones.

I have 5 installs to switch between:
FCOM and greatest hits
TIE-WAC and more greatest hits
Nehrim
Modding and editing
Vanilla with basic tweaks

Yes all the clones are in C:\Games\

Well other trying a restart - I don't know what to tell you.

It is late/early here - I need to crash - hopefully Gaticus can help when he is back on.

If you are getting that error when you try to switch to ANY other clones, this tells me that your actual game folder is in use, rather than one of the clones being the cause.

If you really can't find the file/folder that is blocking, try a restart like Psymon suggests. If that doesn't solve the problem then we'll have to try some troubleshooting.

I already found out what the problem was this afternoon with the clones not switching! For some reason when I went to rename the clone (the one in use) to a name that sounds similar to the clones name, I was able to switch between clones once again! So now if I have the problem with being unable to switch clones again in the future, I'll just have to resort to renaming the clone that's in use to a name that fits the theme with the mods I have installed in said clone that's in use!


I already found the problem this afternoon (around 4PM Central Time) and I was able to resolve it by renaming the clone in use!



And now since I got those hurdles cleared and solved, now comes the true challenge for me! I'll need to know how to install Nehrim to a single clone I made the right way!

Ok, I need help too here. First time I'm using this tool and I really don't have any problems installing it. Never got any error messages and what not. My problem is more about confusion on how to use it. First of all, I made an "original copy" of the game. Second, I selected my "original copy" and made a "Clean Copy". Third, I selected the "Clean Copy" and made an "Modded Copy". Now, if I want to start adding mods to test which copy should I use? My logic at first was to use the "modded copy" to play with. But that doesn't work. So how does it goes?

Duke:
That's good. I knew you would get it solved.
I don't know why you were able to rename but not switch clones, both actions should have caused the same error.

In any event, if it happens again and you find that you still need to rename to workaround the problem, then please let me know because something is fishy.
You certainly should not have to do that. Really, it's probably just a coincidence.


lorca:
Ok, it sounds like you were following the guide. Good.

1. Is your Original Copy from a fresh install? IE, not modded?
2. If you want to start adding mods, you should use the 'modded copy'. That's correct.
3. What do you mean it doesn't work?
4. Did you set your 'modded copy' as the active clone in mTES4?

Ok, I did it finally. It works. Now, in my "modded Copy" instance if I finally like a mod and decide to keep it, what should I do next?

It's up to you how you decide to utilize your clones.
What is your intention for having multiple clones?

If you are using your modded copy just to test new mods with, then you will need to install the tested mods into your actual game, whichever clone that is.

Generally the idea would be that you have a currently ongoing game and you want to try some new mods but don't want to break your game. So you create a clone of your actual game, then mod the new clone.
Once you have tested that everything works, your new clone becomes your actual game and you can delete the old one or keep it as backup in case you missed some problem with the new mods.

So, my "modded Copy" that has the mods that I like to have becomes my actual game and I can go ahead and delete if I want my "Original Copy" or the "Clean Copy"?

Importing Nehrim is super easy - just manually cut and past the Nehrim Folder (found in he SureAI folder) up to the same game directory next to where the other clones are then import it. The launcher inside that is used to update Nehrim will still work.

What is tricky is setting up 3-4 different Wrye Bash programs and all that and if you really read the last thread you will see me and Gaticus walking though that.

Yes, if you don't want or need your Original Copy anymore, you can delete it. Make sure your save files get copied over to your new clone before you delete the old one.
You should not delete your Clean Copy though unless you have no intention of creating more clones.

Like I said, it really just depends on what you want to do. You don't have to keep any of the clones you made from following the guide. It's just a recommendation.

Thanks. All is clear now. This utility is going to save me alot of time. Before, I stopped playing Oblivion for a while because I got tired of all the hassle of installing/uninstalling the game not to mention all the time consuming install of the big overhauls. One last thing, I noticed during the copying process that I'm asked if i want to create a "private" folder for Bash patch or something like that. Usually I say no but I don't know if that will create problems, since if I recall, the utillity says that all the clones will share the same bash records if I choose NO.

Yes, if you choose NO, each copy of bash in all of your clones will use the same Oblivion Mods\ folder. Some of Bash's settings are stored in that folder, meaning that none of your copies of Bash will have unique settings.

This sounds like it could be a good thing, but it makes a mess when you realize that Bash is keeping track of your plugins for each clone. When you switch clones and restart Bash it will be freshly confused everytime, thinking that it's still looking at the last clone you had activated.
Clear as mud I bet?

In any case, I strongly suggest you configure the Oblivion Mods\ folder to be different for each copy of Bash you have.
Not to worry, it's pretty easy, even if you didn't have mTES4 do it for you.

How to manually configure Bash's Oblivion Mods folder: (for each copy of Bash)
1. browse to the mopy folder.
2. copy and rename Bash_Default.ini to Bash.ini if you don't already have a Bash.ini file
3. open Bash.ini in notepad.exe
4. this is optional, but it will make it much easier to read the ini file... from notepad's Format menu, select Fonts and change the font to FixedSys (any fixed-width font will do, if you know what that means)
5. now in the ini file, find the line that reads 'sOblivionMods=..\Oblivion Mods'
It's near the top of the file, the first setting under the General section.
6. change the path to the Oblivion Mods folder for this copy of Bash.
What I do is change it to something like 'sOblivionMods=..\Oblivion Mods\Original Copy'
Another clone copy would use 'sOblivionMods=..\Oblivion Mods\Modded Copy', etc
7. Save the changes to the Bash.ini and that's it. Be sure to configure the bash.ini for each copy of bash.

Great, I'll do that. I'll do it tomorrow since is time for bed time for me.

I just noticed your comment, you actually don't even need to move the Nehrim folder anymore since v0.6, but you will end up with a dummy clone.

Also, Bash can be easy to deal with if the clone you are copying from (ie. your clean clone) already includes Bash.
If mTES4 detects Bash in the source clone, it will offer you the option of customizing the Oblivion Mods folder for that clone using a folder browser window, instead of having to create and edit the Bash.ini manually as I have just explained to lorca how to do.

I was mostly referring to BAIN and having discreet BAIN archives for each install, but didn't just say that - so that is what I meant.

Still waiting for Wrye bash update to address this and many many other requests.

Thanks for the instructions. Where should go the copied Bash.ini file?

In the mopy folder

Thanks, I just used yesterday mTES4 Manager to clone my Oblivion installation. Now I have:

1- Original Oblivion (no mods installed in this copy):
C:\Games\Oblivion

2- Nehrim
C:\Games\Nehrim

3) TESIV (will mostly used for MMM4OOO)
C:\Games\TESIV

I'm using the stable version.

Just in case you don't realize already, I should point out that your Original Oblivion clone folder is actually C:\Games\Original Oblivion

If you switch to Nehrim, then you will have:
C:\Games\Oblivion <- Nehrim now
C:\Games\Original Oblivion
C:\Games\TESIV

Hi, I did what you said and it works. I always get asked if I want to create a Bash "private" folder. I click NO and just change the Bash ini. of the new clone to have a new current path. One thing I noticed is that the new modded clone and the previous modded clone have all the mods unchecked in wry bash. I have to check them over again(which I don't mind really)

Do you mean repeatedly every time you switch clones or only at the creation?

I do not have to reactivate mods with each switch - that would not be right.