I am in over my head and I am hoping that someone here will graciously take some time out of their day to fully and patiently explain these things to me.

I have heard that making any INI tweaks is a bad idea. I wanted to change the value of ugridstoload but I'm afraid to. I was going to try this http://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/1340369-skyrim-memory-patch-fixing-ils-ugrids-ctd-freezes-for-real/page-1 in order to try to change the ugridstoload value but I'm not exactly sure how to do it or if I will only end up destroying my game. There's a lot of information to sift through and I'm confused. From what I understand, Sheson's fix is included in SKSE 1.7 so one doesn't have to download any other patch or add any lines to the INI file, except to change the ugridstoload value... Is that correct?

Also, I don't use any ENB but I think I'm supposed to be using ENBoost along with Sheson's patch... Is that right? I tried to use it once.. I successfully installed it, but it caused stuttering and screen tearing that I didn't have without ENBoost. I wasn't sure I knew what I was doing and I didn't want to deal with it, so I gave up and uninstalled ENBoost. Did I miss something? Why did the stuttering and screen tearing happen on an otherwise stable game?

So my questions are:

1. What do I need to make use of Sheson's patch? SKSE 1.7 or something more?

2. Do I need to use ENBoost along with the patch?

3. Is it safe to change the ugridstoload value along with Sheson's patch and/or ENBoost? Or ever?

4. Why the heck is ENBoost messing up my game when it's supposed to help?

5. What do I need to do for everything to work?

6. Should I just quit now while I'm ahead and stop creating new topics on the message board?

Thanks in advance

You need SKSE for Sheson's patch. I'd recommend both Sheson's patch and the memory patch in ENBoost as they do different things. With http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/41592/? it's safe to experiment with ugrids when it comes to being able to load saves, but still not recommended to set it too high as it can break AI stuff etc., but 7 should be safe on all counts.

Nope, you dont. If you are not using SKSE for anything, then you can use http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/50305/? instead of SKSE's implementation of Shesons patch.

I use SSME ( no need to change its settings ), with ENBoost ( and not using any ENB )

I have not used stableugridstoload at all.

SSME is easy to use. Install its .dll and ini. Leave it alone.

However ENBoost is very much down to you and tailoring it for your machine. I found for instance on my machine that a recommended setting is better off in my case, I have ExpandSystemMemoryX64=false

A guide to setting it up is here http://wiki.step-project.com/Guide:ENB#tab=Editing_Enblocal_INI

All you need from the ENB binaries, are files from the wrapper version, D3D9.dll, ENBHost.exe and ENBLocal.ini

And in ENBLocal.ini set UsePatchSpeedhackWithoutGraphics=true

That setting switches off all other ENB graphics ( the settings usually set in enbseries.ini, which you will not be needing unless you want to use an ENB setup )

Edit: Also note, you can use SSME even if you are using SKSE, just dont set up Shesons patch in SKSE, its a case of either / or, both provide the Sheson patch, but dont get them both to implement it at the same time, use one or the other.

Well, I'm still right I think, unless I'm missing something. You need SKSE for Sheson's original patch but not for the SSME implementation of it.

You said "You need SKSE for Sheson's patch." <<-- Full stop. You dont need it, because there is another way, so the statement was wrong.

The way you wrote it would leave anyone thinking no matter what else they have heard about, that they would still "need" SKSE

Is SKSE implementation truer to the original than "SSME implementation of it", you make a distinction here as if one may be different than the other. Also where is "Sheson's original patch" .. Confused. I thought the only Sheson patches we have are either SKSE or SSME, is there another ?

Sheson originally had a separate patch that edited the SKSE source code. You had to compile it yourself using Visual Studios. A barrier most people weren't willing to overcome.

SKSE itself incorporates her code into the core of 1.7alpha. So her original patch is now moot.

SSME uses a different method to implement the same thing and IIRC doesn't require SKSE.

Arthmoor, in your opinion is it safe to use 1.7 alpha and edit the uGridsToLoad value to 7 or 9? Should it not be set any higher than that, or not changed at all?

Wait! Sheson is a girl ?

To OP : If you don't already know it, read the excellent http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/50244/ by FireFreak111.

Like Alt3rn1ty, I use SSME, not SKSE Alpha.

I don't think so. Skyrim is designed around uGrids at 5, not 7. Interesting thread on the subject : http://afkmods.iguanadons.net/index.php?/topic/3909-is-stable-ugridstoload-by-altimor-useful-even-for-grids-left-at-5/?p=149945

Yeah I just caught that... Is Sheson a girl?

So in your opinion the uGrids cannot be safely changed at all? Even for a little while on a single character? Thank you for the link by the way.

Also, I have read the Stability Guide... I tried to follow it, but like I said in my first post, I couldn't figure out ENBoost... It made my game stutter and caused screen tearing. I guess I need to tweak some more things?

The reason I wanted to change the ugrids is because the LOD seems to be of a low quality and sometimes objects pop in and pop out. Would it be a better idea to get some better LOD files and just live with it?

IMO, no, it would not be considered safe to do that regardless of the amount of ram you have to play with. uGridsToLoad affects more than just visual elements. It also has a large impact on Papyrus scripts running in the background due to the increased number of active cells being loaded.

Thanks for your help. Yeah I just read what you said in the link that Siham provided. Shame, I was excited to try it. So is there any way to stop these objects from popping in and out of my game in the distance? It's not a huge deal or anything, I was just hoping to fix it somehow

Nice link, I have just been reading through it, never seen it before. It has good tips on ENBoost too for the OP, and backs up what Arthmoor says reference uGridsToLoad. All round sound guide from a first glance.

Best you can really do is find an LOD enhancing mod and try that. At least that would lessen the effect.