To start I need to say:
- english is not my native language
- english is not the language on my computer, so I don't know if the buttons is called the same or not on other computers
- I have Windows 7 on my computer

It all started with an unfinished mod I wanted to upload at Planet Elder Scrolls. BUT... when I looked in the Oblivion Data folder where I saved it with TES CS I could not see it! Then I tried to search for it on the computer - and there it was. I right-clicked the esm. file and clicked the "Open File Location". It said something like "Can't find the file". Planet Elder Scrolls couldn't find the file too.
The next thing I did was to download 7-zip (because I knew that many other modders used that). Once again I searched on my computer, found the file and right-clicked it. I clicked "7-zip" and then "Add to "FileName.7z"". Suddenly (can't remember if I did anything else) I could use the "Open File Location" and the data folder opened - I could see my file!
BUT... again it shouldn't be so easy as I had hoped. When I entered the Oblivion folder I couldn't see the data folder - searching "oblivion data" could not find it too, but it could find anything else INSIDE the data folder. Strange. And anyway, it didn't help. Planet Elder Scrolls said now when I tried to upload my the 7-zip folder with my file inside: "There were problems with your last operation: Unable to create temporary directory to store files."

I'm lost. It feels like this whole project is totally hopeless. So if anyone knows what I've done wrong or how to add my file to Planet Elder Scrolls, please, please, please tell me!

The Wormple

Hm. Ran out of free hdd space, perhaps? If not, might be a UAC issue. Is it disabled? Also, in what folder have you installed the game?

Try using TES Alliance or TES Nexus once you find your missing file.

Windows 7 takes the folder aliasing/indirection that came in at XP to a whole new level. It works a bit like unix symbolic links in cross-linking the file system's tree structure so that a sub-folder can be common to more than one parent. But the goofy side of it in Windows is that not all views of the file system see it the same way, so older software that can't follow those "virtual" links can't always see all the data that newer stuff can.

So my guess is that your esm is on the far side of one of these links, and some things can see it and others can't. You may be able to simply take a copy to another folder that you know to be totally "real" rather than "virtual" and then do everything with that.

I've got a lot of space I don't even know how to disable/enable UAC. And if mean where I've installed Oblivion then I would say in the Bethesda Softworks folder.

...And one thing I forgot to mention: Before my file became visible and the data folder became invisible was there a small lock on my file's icon when I searched for it. Maybe it's a hint?

It is. That's the way UAC tells you the file is locked for your user, i.e. you aren't anymore authorized to modify it in any way, but as you've already found out you can still look for it. Something might have been seriously messed up with your file authorizations, or perhaps your windows user is not on the administrator group anymore? Your best bet is turning off UAC and install the game somewhere else than the default programs directory [which is UAC protected], e.g. c:\games\Oblivion. First off you have to disable UAC, see http://www.petri.co.il/disable-uac-in-windows-7.htm then you should be able to access your files.

I realize that this probably isn't the solution, but have you tried getting out of the folder and coming back? A couple other suggestions include trying to move your file. When you first try to move it, it will probably say admin needed, but press try again and it might take off permissions. Sometimes when you keep a computer on for too long, it starts to bog down and run out of RAM. At that poin, menial tasks can become impossible. It is always a good idea to restart your computer.
(Disclaimer): It is likely that none of these solutions will work, but it is always a possibility. Hope I helped :biggrin:

Funnyfiggy - thanks for the reply but your suggestions doesn't work.

dAb - I have not tried your solution yet. To install Oblivion again I would need to uninstall it first. I fear what would happen if I do that. What would happen to my mods, saved games and anything else inside the Bethesda Softworks/Oblivion/Data folder? And what about TES CS? And is there any changes when installing it another place than the in the Bethesda Softworks folder?

Mods, and anything not installed by the disk, are not deleted when you uninstall. The CS will need to be reinstalled so that it points to the correct new location.

Just disable UAC first and you should be able to access your files.

The rough and dirty procedure to move an Oblivion installation is as follows:

- rename your Oblivion install folder to something else, e.g. C:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\Oblivion to C:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\OblivionOld
- just to be sure, rename as well your Oblivion saves and settings folder to something else, e.g. C:\Users\YourUsername\Documents\My Games\Oblivion to C:\Users\YourUsername\Documents\My Games\OblivionOld
- uninstall the CS, then uninstall Oblivion. No files will be removed by any means, uninstalling the game will just remove the registry entries
- reboot
- install Oblivion outside the C:\Program Files folder, e.g. C:\Games\Oblivion
- install the CS
- don't run the game yet
- overwrite C:\Games\Oblivion with the content of C:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\OblivionOld
- rename C:\Users\YourUsername\Documents\My Games\OblivionOld to C:\Users\YourUsername\Documents\My Games\Oblivion

I can't stress it enough, you *must* turn off UAC prior to doing anything else or you won't be able to copy anything from the original Oblivion installation folder, as it's quite clear to me that something has gone really wrong with your file authorizations.

Okay... I try it tomorrow and then I'll reply. Hope it works!