Here's the scoop. The computer is windows 7 (recently downgraded from windows 10 trial) Oblivion is the steam version. This is for a friend who hasn't played in a long time, so I don't know if it was working before I started changing things or not.
I uninstalled a modded version of Oblivion, copied a clean (unmodded) backup oblivion folder to steamapps/common and re-installed Oblivion, allowing it to verify all files. I then put an adjusted .ini into the intact documents folder. I went to launch, and it auto detected video settings to high. I then realize that it auto detects video settings every time I launch, that the settings in the option menu always remain at lowest settings possible regardless of what "high" "ultra" setting I choose, and when I deleted everything out of the Documents folder, it doesn't actually put any files back in, .ini, saves, nothing.
I think windows might be being a little **** about Oblivion trying to add or change files, but I'm stumped as to how to give it the athority, and why it doesn't care if fallout 4 makes new saves. I've tried running the launcher as administrator, unchecking "read-only" on the Oblivion(documents) folder, nothing seems to work. Any ideas?
EDIT: So, I moved the folder out of steam, launched the launcher, and then put the game back and I eventually got it working after a few minor oddities. Dunno how I fixed those but it's working for now.