Hi everyone! I overwrote some mesh files and now I want to replace them with the vanilla versions again.

Can I use the BSA browser from OBMM, extract the files I replaced, and then use those to write over the new ones to fix it?

Thanks!

If you never edited the vanilla BSA, then they will contains all (and only) the vanilla resources. So yes, you can extract the meshes from the BSA.

But if you need the vanilla version of that meshes, you can just delete the one you created and Oblivion will automatically use the ones from the BSA

In other words, you cannot 'overwrite' Vanilla mesh files, as they are used from inside their archive (BSA). If there was a file in the folders you overwrote, it must've come from another mod and already been a replacement itself, or you must've extracted it from the BSA yourself before already.

However, depending on the methods for Archive Invalidation you're using, deletion of the replacement isn't always a surefire way to make the game use the Vanilla version again right away.

Using the outdated approach of the list of files inside "Archive Invalidation.txt", deleting only the file will still make the game use the now-missing external file as instructed by this list of files to be used over the BSA contents.

Using the unrecommended approach of BSA Alteration, you will have modified the contents of your BSA itself already and will have to reinstall the original game (or restore the BSA from a backup) to get the Vanilla file back.

I didn't think I could overwrite them thanks for the clarification! I am not sure what mod had already placed those meshes there.

The only time I invalidated archives was for textures and it was for QTP and a few others, my meshes should be fine right?

Thanks for your responses guys!