I think I have two instances of the Data folder when I should only have one.

Based on advice I read about changing the default install location of Oblivion b/c of Windows Vista permissions, I installed my GOTY edition of Oblivion to C:Users\Me\Documents\My Games

Therefore, the Oblivion folder is C:Users\Me\Documents\My Games\Oblivion

Within that folder are the following folders and files: Data, TES4LODGen, Unofficial Oblivion Patch, Unofficial Official Mods Patch, Unofficial Shivering Islaes PAtch, BlendSettings config file, Oblivion, config file, ArchiveInvalidation, and RenderInfo

The Data folder there has the following folders: DistantLOD, Meshes, Sound, Textures, and Trees. It also has .esp files for all the unoffical patches for Oblivion, Knights, Shivering Isles, and the other DLC content.

Now, to the confusing part.



What confuses me is that there is also a Data folder in C:Users\Me\Documents\My Games (thus C:Users\Me\Documents\My Games\Data). Note that this Data folder is NOT a subfolder in the main Oblivion folder.


There is tons of Oblivion content in it- all the .esp files from the official downloadable content (FrostCrag, etc) and the unofficial patches. There are also BethesdaSoftworks Archive files like DLCBattlehornCastle, etc. And there are the following folders:
DistantLOD, Meshes, Music, Screenies, Shaders, Sound, Sound Optimizing, Textures, Video



I am wondering if my choosing a different install location for Oblivion might have confused things in terms of installing other stuff. I've been manually directing all those installs for other stuff (like the offical DLC content) when I can, to the C:Users\Me\Documents\My Games\Oblivion location.

Anyone?

Thanks.


PS- Important question: Does Windows 7 64bit have the same kinds of permission issues that Vista has, such that I should be using a different location than the default Program Files>Oblivion install location? If Win 7 doesn't, seems I'm better off wiping my current install and reinstalling to the default location, so that there's no confusion installing other stuff. I plan to install a lot, with FCOM and other stuff.

Thanks again.

You just didn't install things right, you've split the game into two different locations. You should only have one Data folder that's found inside your main game folder. So it would be C:/Whatever/Oblivion/Data. You should really figure out a less confusing way to install your game, how about just C:/Games/Oblivion? And yes, Windows 7 has the same security features that Vista does, which is why you don't want to install in Program Files. Anywhere else is fine though.

thanks. how in blazes did i split it into two different locations, i wonder?

would it be possible to copy the other Data folder into the Oblivion folder, or do you recommend wiping and doing a full reinstall?

If you had a previous install of Oblivion in the directory where the Data folder is located, thats where its from. When you uninstall Oblivion, your previous Data folder isn't deleted with it.

this doesn't make sense to me---

i instructed the game disk to install to C: Games

but the game doesn't seem to have properly installed the game there- there's no Betheday Softworks folder there, nor is there an Oblvion folder there...just a Data folder (C:Games\Data). there is a Behesda Softworks>Oblivion>Data folder in my Program Files (x86) folder though.

i'm not sure what's going on here...it seem that by directing the install to the Games folder taht the full game should install there.
confusing...

given the weirdness i'm encountering, i'm thinking of just letting it install to its default location...unless that is likely to create problems for me as far as administrative issues. thoughts?



thanks again.

tried it again, once more directing the install to C: Games.

again, i only have the Data folder (with subfolders Music, Shaders, Vido, and a Credits text doc and various .bsa and the oblivion .esm file) and atimgpud and binkw32.dll, the oblivion and oblivion launcher icons, obivlion default config settins, two read me docs, and launcher music.

doing a search for "oblvion" on my C drvie brings up an oblivion folder in C: ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs with the following shortcuts: elderscrolls.com, oblivion, read me, register, uninstall

and a location in C:Users\Me\My Documents, but the oblivion folder there is empty


a search for bethesda brings up the bethesda softworks in C: ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu, which has an oblivion foler with the 5 shortcuts i just listed above

it doesn't look like there's an Oblivion game folder with the master Data folder anywhere.

am i overthinking this, or is the game not installing properly when i change the default location? i am expecting a folder structure like: Bethesda Softworks>Oblivion>Data

correct?

Not the best place to put it. I would recommend putting it some place like a C:Games\ folder.

The path would should be:
C:\Games\Bethesda Softworks\Oblivion\


Most of that first list is the stuff that should be installed in your C:Users\Me\Documents\My Games\Oblivion folder (automatically, no matter where you direct the game to install.) BUT there should not be a Data folder, because you should not try to install the main game there.


The latter is your game folder (messed up somehow.)

C:Users\Me\Documents\My Games\Oblivion however is SUPPOSED to be the folder that the install program makes (as well as the main game folder) which is to contain your game saves, the oblivion.ini file etc. This is a separate folder for your saves, not the main one for mods etc.

I suggest trashing it all and starting again, installing in C:\Games\Bethesda Softworks\Oblivion\


Windows 7 doesn't have exactly the same security details as Vista (contrary to many reports) but it does have some, and thus installing elsewhere might still be a good idea.

thanks.

i did wipe everything and reinstall, using eh default location: C: Program Files (x86) and the file structure looks correct:

Bethesda Softworks>Oblivion>Data

i wonder why the game wouldn't install with this structure when i changed the default location. bummer.

if i do encounter a Win 7 administartor permission issue as a result of using this default location, what is likely to happen/how willl i know?

One of two things: you'll get an error right off the bat when trying to install a mod or you'll get an odd error when trying to do something! One example is if you run BOSS to sort your mods - you'll get an error because it tries to modify the dates on the files. I've seen in various threads other spurious errors. I'm puzzled as to why you couldn't install to another directory. I'm running Windows 7 on a couple of our machines here, but I use xp for my game machine. When you tried to install Oblivion, I presume you modified the installation directory? When you ran the install, were you running as administrator? I know under Windows 7, it isn't good enough to have your id as part of the admin group - you actually have to right-click on the exe and tell it to run it as administrator. Maybe that's why you were having trouble changing the install directory - though I'd think you wouldn't be able to install it at all if that was the case...

Anyway, just to clarify: the game install directory is Oblivion. The default would put this under Program Files and you'd get a Bethesda folder too, as you list above. You'll find a Data folder and perhaps some other folders if you have installed some mods or utilities. Now there is another set of directories under your user directory (sorry don't quite remember the structure right now). There should be a My Games folder and you will find an Oblivion folder in there as well. That's where Oblivion stores its ini file and the saved games. So installing Oblivion under the user directory is not a good idea... Just wanted to clarify that because some of the previous discussion seemed to be a bit confused...

Reinstall the game outside of the default folder. Install to C:\Games\Bethesda Softworks

This post should be helpful too: http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1102272-putting-mods-in-the-data-folder/page__view__findpost__p__16123655__fromsearch__1

thanks folks, and thanks tomlong for that link

Well of course. You're telling it to install to C:/Games, not C:/Games/Oblivion. It won't necessarily make that last folder automatically, some installers expect you do that yourself if you change the default path.

I had 2 data folders - one inside the other. 4 years ago. Now I know better.