This is the beginning of what we hope to be an informative topic on how to run Morrowind with the Vista and Windows 7 operating systems. Most, if not all, will apply to both. Even if Vista is specified in the post, try it with Windows 7 too.

If you have found a solution for a problem not covered here, please let me know so that we can include it.

http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?s=&showtopic=781497&view=findpost&p=11352753

http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?s=&showtopic=781497&view=findpost&p=11345653
http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?s=&showtopic=781497&view=findpost&p=12265883
http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?s=&showtopic=781497&view=findpost&p=13045715

Finding Your Save Files
http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?s=&showtopic=781497&view=findpost&p=12113679
http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?s=&showtopic=781497&view=findpost&p=11352753

http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?s=&showtopic=781497&view=findpost&p=11345726

http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?s=&showtopic=781497&view=findpost&p=11407619

http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?s=&showtopic=781497&view=findpost&p=11389133

http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?s=&showtopic=781497&view=findpost&p=11492606

http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?s=&showtopic=781497&view=findpost&p=12072891

http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?s=&showtopic=781497&view=findpost&p=12198519

http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/781497-vistawindows-7-problems/page__view__findpost__p__15990701

http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/781497-vistawindows-7-problems/page__view__findpost__p__15991192

It's been pointed out by Orian that running the install as admin will avoid the snowflake error in the first place. Simply right click on Setup and choose the "Run as administrator" option.

How to fix the Error "Failed to load snowflake: Meshes\BM_Snow01.nif"

To fix this you need to install the games manually

First to solve the Failed to load snowflake: Meshes\BM_Snow01.nif. Insert the Bloodmoon expansion CD into your CD/DVD drive next navigate to
C:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\Morrowind\Data Files\Meshes and leave that window open. Next (make sure the Bloodmoon CD is in your drive) go to Computer and right click (D:/) Bloodmoon and click explore then go to the Datafiles folder on the CD. You should notice other sub folders called
BookArt
Icons
Meshes
Textures
First go to Meshes on the CD and copy EVERYTHING into the Meshes folder that you already have open (C:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\Morrowind\Data Files\Meshes), by clicking and dragging. This should solve the snowflake error.

If you start the game with this done you should notice that instead of the snowflake error you should get a new one. This shows that it's working and that the game is using the textures that you supplied. So now do the same with every folder in the data files folder on that CD BookArt into the BookArt folder Textures in the Textures folder etc. etc. With that all done try run your game and it should work, finally!

But after a while you should notice more errors. To test this go to the trader in Seyda Neen and an error will appear in the loading of the interior about a missing texture called Netch leather cuirass. This is a texture that was supplied with the Tribunal CD, so more manual copying. Insert the Tribunal CD into your drive, right click explore, go to the data files folder and do the same that you did with the Bloodmoon CD but the only problem is that this time you need to go to the separate sub folders and place them into the separate sub folders on C:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\Morrowind\Data Files meshes textures etc. because Bloodmoon already created them. You need to go this because if you just select everything in the Tribunal meshes folder and click and drag into the data files folder on you C:/ drive it will overwrite the existing Bloodmoon files this should then fix all if not most of Vista's missing texture problems.

How to find your "Saves" Folder

You may find when running Morrowind with Vista that you cannot locate your saves folder in the Morrowind folder. This is because its hidden! To un-hide it go to where-ever you installed and go into the Morrowind folder, Then click the tab in the top right corner called "Compatibility Files" Ta daa! It should be there with some other files. To stop using this method just run Morrowind in XP compatibility mode by right clicking your Morrowind shortcut and click the Compatibility tab > Then click the box "run in compatibility for XP with service pack 2" and click apply then run the game and create a save. You should notice that the saves folder is in the Morrowind directory now. Just copy your save from the "Compatibility Files" area to the new Saves folder and your done
(This solution should also fix the issue where you cannot enable screen shots in the Morrowind.ini file)

How to generally increase Morrowind's performance

If you are having problems with frame rates when running Morrowind try doing this, Right click your Morrowind shortcut> Click the compatibility tab> And tick the boxes that say disable desktop compositon, disable visual themes and disable display scaling on high DPI settings> Click apply and enjoy increased performance!

When setting up Morrowind on a Vista Machine. Let Morrowind go ahead install to the default position. When it is finished installing. Right Click on the Morrowind Icon and follow the procedures of Compatibility. Open your C: drive and create a new folder and name it Bethesda. Then copy the Morrowind folder from the deafualt positon and install it in the new folder you just created.

IE: default folder: C:/Program Files/Bethesda

New folder location: C:/Bethseda

I would also recommend that you download and install DirectX 9c and make sure that it is the newest version for your vista system. Morrowind and DirectX 10 due not play too well together. They will play but they will also cause a lot of CTD's, so try downgrading to 9c. You don't have to uninstall 10 just install 9C and I am sure most of your CTD's will be eliminated.

LiF

I believe I have the fix for the non working "tilde" key in games run on Vista [32 at least], it is a keyboard driver problem. All of the games with tilde access consoles that worked for me in XP and even 98 did not work in Vista, Total War series, Morrowind etc.
Its simple really, and I tried ALL the suggested fixes I could find online [kinda like old wives tales], nothing worked and I had given up but just an install of a 101/102 Enhanced Keyboard driver already available, of course, in Vista did the trick.

I'll do it step by step for anyone new to driver installation tho' if you're HERE, I doubt you need it - some do:


1] Open Control Panel and then Device Manager and select/highlight your present keyboard [HP in my case] in the list under ?"keyboards", of course.

2]Go into "Properties" and click on the "Drivers" tab then click on "Update Driver"??

3]Click on "Browse my computer for driver Software" then click on "Let me pick from a list of drivers on my Computer"??

4]Highlight the "PC/AT Enhanced PS/2 Keyboard (101/102-Key)" driver in the list and click "Next" to install.

5]Restart the computer as directed and Voila! Worked for me.

Credit goes "Elisheva" at Tech Support Forums, he's a Frenchie...hats off and Bon chance!! Please spread this around if it works for you as there are a LOT of people with this problem waiting for help! As I said, I'm rarely here, [that may change if I ever get Oblivion] so anyone feel free to answer for me if I don't follow up closely on the thread...just tryin to help.
thanks - addajio

From damicatz:



You may find it necessary to have a second program running (Wordpad would do nicely) when you start Morrowind in order for the ALT/TAB to work.

Failed to create shader Shaders\FauxEMBM_Displace.vso

This seems to work with Vista as well as XP. Try it first before posting.

Double click the Morrowind icon and while still in the launcher screen, change your resolution to something different than what it's set to now using the screen's Option button. Attempt to start the game and either error out or exit. Change your resolution back to it's original setting and see if the game plays without this error.

This may be related to the Infinite View Distance feature in MGE 3.0 and up, at least with certain hardware setups. Two members in http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=820198&st=0&gopid=12072866&#entry12072866topic experienced "blinding fog" in a couple of indoor locations and both were running Vista and IVD on systems with 8800 video cards. Try turning IVD off and see if it fixes your problem too.

1) Open your C: Drive
2) Double click on Users
3) Double click on the name of the user the save files is on.
4) Make sure you can see hidden files and folders within the specific user directory
5) Double Click AppData
6) Double Click Local
7) Double CLick Virtual Store
8) Double Cllick Program Files
9) Double Click Bethesda Softworks
10) Double Click Morrowind
11) Double Click Saves

This is where the files are saved within the Vista OS.

FPS Optimizer runs on Windows Vista. Just run the program as administrator, (right-click 'mw_fps_opt.exe', select 'Run As Administrator') then it should work.

You can get the FPS Optimizer here: http://tes.lanior.ru/tweaker/download.html.

I have made a program using a batch file that can automatically manual install both the Tribunal and Bloodmoon CD's
It is made mainly for fixing the snowflake error that sometimes occurs on Vista
However I haven't managed to fully test the program myself because I do not get the error on my copy of Vista. So it would be nice for some people who have the error to test and see if the program works

Download Links- http://www.2shared.com/file/3314089/9f93db5f/Morrowind_Vista_Manual_Installer_Version_1.html
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8KQQ4R8C

EDIT: TO MAKE THIS PROGRAM WORK YOU NEED TO RUN AS ADMINISTRATOR.
To do this right click the exe, Go to properties, then compatitbility tab and click the box that says run as administrator and click ok

EDIT 2: I can confirm that this works with Vista and does do all the manually copying (I was a little worried because I tested it with XP)

From http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showuser=56228 regarding weather texture errors:

Hello all,
I noticed that I could not find a guide on using an ORIGINAL Xbox controller in Windows 7 for this game, so I have decided to go ahead and post one. (I spent hours trying to figure it out lol.)

1. Go http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-devices/19646-xbox-controller.html and find BenjaminCarmine's post and follow all of the instructions. (Please note one of the downloads, namely the DSEO, does mess with some windows files. As of yet I have had no problems with it, and this notice is also posted on their website.)

2. Go http://www.electracode.com/4/joy2key/JoyToKey%20English%20Version.htm and download JoyToKey.

3. Next you can either figure out how to use JoyToKey(which is actually pretty cool) or you can lazily copy my .cfg


[General]
FileVersion=37
NumberOfJoysticks=2
Use8Axes=1
UseDiagonalInput=0
UsePOV=0
Threshold=0
KeySendMode=0
[Joystick 1]
Axis1n=1, 41:00:00, 0
Axis1p=1, 44:00:00, 0
Axis2n=1, 57:00:00, 0
Axis2p=1, 53:00:00, 0
Axis3n=1, 4A:00:00, 0
Axis3p=1, 4C:00:00, 0
Axis4n=0
Axis4p=0
Axis5n=0
Axis5p=0
Axis6n=1, 49:00:00, 0
Axis6p=1, 4B:00:00, 0
Axis7n=0
Axis7p=0
Axis8n=0
Axis8p=0
POV1-1=0
POV1-2=0
POV1-3=0
POV1-4=0
POV2-1=0
POV2-2=0
POV2-3=0
POV2-4=0
Up-Right=0
Up- Left=0
Dn- Left=0
Dn-Right=0
Button01=1, 31:00:00, 0
Button02=1, 32:00:00, 0
Button03=1, 33:00:00, 0
Button04=1, 34:00:00, 0
Button05=1, 35:00:00, 0
Button06=1, 36:00:00, 0
Button07=1, 56:00:00, 0
Button08=1, 20:00:00, 0
Button09=1, 39:00:00, 0
Button10=1, 51:00:00, 0
Button11=0
Button12=0
Button13=1, 59:00:00, 0
Button14=1, 45:00:00, 0
Button15=1, 52:00:00, 0
Button16=1, 54:00:00, 0
Button17=0
Button18=0
Button19=1, 50:00:00, 0
Button20=1, 41:00:00, 0
Button21=1, 53:00:00, 0
Button22=1, 44:00:00, 0
Button23=1, 46:00:00, 0
Button24=1, 47:00:00, 0
Button25=0
Button26=0
Button27=0
Button28=0
Button29=0
Button30=0
Button31=0
Button32=0
[Joystick 2]
Axis1n=0
Axis1p=0
Axis2n=0
Axis2p=0
Axis3n=0
Axis3p=0
Axis4n=0
Axis4p=0
Axis5n=0
Axis5p=0
Axis6n=0
Axis6p=0
Axis7n=0
Axis7p=0
Axis8n=0
Axis8p=0
POV1-1=0
POV1-2=0
POV1-3=0
POV1-4=0
POV2-1=0
POV2-2=0
POV2-3=0
POV2-4=0
Up-Right=0
Up- Left=0
Dn- Left=0
Dn-Right=0
Button01=0
Button02=0
Button03=0
Button04=0
Button05=0
Button06=0
Button07=0
Button08=0
Button09=0
Button10=0
Button11=0
Button12=0
Button13=0
Button14=0
Button15=0
Button16=0
Button17=0
Button18=0
Button19=0
Button20=0
Button21=0
Button22=0
Button23=0
Button24=0
Button25=0
Button26=0
Button27=0
Button28=0
Button29=0
Button30=0
Button31=0
Button32=0



After you have this copied, open JoyToKey and click create. Name it something you'll remember, you'll need to have it open every time you use Morrowind.

4.Switch the controller type to anolog. (Open run (found in start/accessories) and type in joy.cpl. Select the correct joystick and click "Properties". Controller mode is near the bottom.)

5.On the same screen, click on "Button re-mapping" and under "pressure button" make sure that the buttons are enabled. (Make the click able box say "Disable buttons" meaning the buttons are enabled UNTIL you click the button again.)

6.Go into game options and controls, make sure you have the joypad option turned "OFF" (I also recommend you turn strafing on.) and remap all of the controls to how you want them to be.

**PLEASE NOTE**
I'm not going to bother posting what button matches up to which keyboard button. When you're remapping the controls you can find out.

Also, I've found if my computer goes into hibernate I do have to remove my controller connection and then reconnect it for windows to rerecognize it.

If you've found any problems in my post (besides spelling/grammer, I'm not going to bother with that.) please let me know so I can correct it.


THANK YOU TO:
http://forumplanet.gamespy.com/morrowind_technical_problems/b49680/7291464/r9297081/, http://www.gamesas.com/?showtopic=238948&st=0, and http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-devices/19646-xbox-controller.html without whom none of this is possible.

Originally posted by fallen (linked in above post):

Note: I've only tested this on an Xbox 360 wired controller. It may work with other controllers but the config files are specifically for the 360 controller. They won't work with other gamepads.

-Step 1

Download http://www.electracode.com/4/joy2key/JoyToKey%20English%20Version.htm.


-Step 2

I have 2 config files for Jotokey. One has the default L trigger is jump, right trigger is use/cast/attack. The other one is the one I use for the Blocking Enhanced, in which the left trigger is used for manual blocking instead. (you have to set the blocking button on the Morrowind Enhanced launcher to right mouse button for it to work) They are very easy to use. All you have to do is copy the text in the one of the code boxes below, save it in notepad as a .cfg, and put that file in the same folder as joytokey.

So here's the Default Configuration.

 [General]FileVersion=37NumberOfJoysticks=2Use8Axes=1UseDiagonalInput=0UsePOV=0Threshold=150KeySendMode=0[Joystick 1]Axis1n=0Axis1p=0Axis2n=0Axis2p=0Axis3n=2, ? 0, ? 0, ? 0, 1, 0, 0, ?0Axis3p=1, 45:00:00, ?0Axis4n=2, -50, ? 0, ? 0, 0, 0, 0, ?0Axis4p=2, ?50, ? 0, ? 0, 0, 0, 0, ?0Axis5n=2, ? 0, -50, ? 0, 0, 0, 0, ?0Axis5p=2, ? 0, ?50, ? 0, 0, 0, 0, ?0Axis6n=0Axis6p=0Axis7n=0Axis7p=0Axis8n=0Axis8p=0POV1-1=0POV1-2=0POV1-3=0POV1-4=0POV2-1=0POV2-2=0POV2-3=0POV2-4=0Up-Right=0Up- Left=0Dn- Left=0Dn-Right=0Button01=0Button02=0Button03=0Button04=0Button05=0Button06=0Button07=0Button08=1, 1B:00:00, ?0Button09=0Button10=0Button11=0Button12=0Button13=0Button14=0Button15=0Button16=0Button17=0Button18=0Button19=0Button20=0Button21=0Button22=0Button23=0Button24=0Button25=0Button26=0Button27=0Button28=0Button29=0Button30=0Button31=0Button32=0[Joystick 2]Axis1n=0Axis1p=0Axis2n=0Axis2p=0Axis3n=0Axis3p=0Axis4n=0Axis4p=0Axis5n=0Axis5p=0Axis6n=0Axis6p=0Axis7n=0Axis7p=0Axis8n=0Axis8p=0POV1-1=0POV1-2=0POV1-3=0POV1-4=0POV2-1=0POV2-2=0POV2-3=0POV2-4=0Up-Right=0Up- Left=0Dn- Left=0Dn-Right=0Button01=0Button02=0Button03=0Button04=0Button05=0Button06=0Button07=0Button08=0Button09=0Button10=0Button11=0Button12=0Button13=0Button14=0Button15=0Button16=0Button17=0Button18=0Button19=0Button20=0Button21=0Button22=0Button23=0Button24=0Button25=0Button26=0Button27=0Button28=0Button29=0Button30=0Button31=0Button32=0

Here is the Blocking Enhanced Configuration.

 [General]FileVersion=37NumberOfJoysticks=2Use8Axes=1UseDiagonalInput=0UsePOV=0Threshold=150KeySendMode=0[Joystick 1]Axis1n=0Axis1p=0Axis2n=0Axis2p=0Axis3n=2, ? 0, ? 0, ? 0, 1, 0, 0, ?0Axis3p=2, ? 0, ? 0, ? 0, 0, 0, 1, ?0Axis4n=2, -50, ? 0, ? 0, 0, 0, 0, ?0Axis4p=2, ?50, ? 0, ? 0, 0, 0, 0, ?0Axis5n=2, ? 0, -50, ? 0, 0, 0, 0, ?0Axis5p=2, ? 0, ?50, ? 0, 0, 0, 0, ?0Axis6n=0Axis6p=0Axis7n=0Axis7p=0Axis8n=0Axis8p=0POV1-1=0POV1-2=0POV1-3=0POV1-4=0POV2-1=0POV2-2=0POV2-3=0POV2-4=0Up-Right=0Up- Left=0Dn- Left=0Dn-Right=0Button01=0Button02=0Button03=0Button04=0Button05=0Button06=0Button07=0Button08=1, 1B:00:00, ?0Button09=0Button10=0Button11=0Button12=0Button13=0Button14=0Button15=0Button16=0Button17=0Button18=0Button19=0Button20=0Button21=0Button22=0Button23=0Button24=0Button25=0Button26=0Button27=0Button28=0Button29=0Button30=0Button31=0Button32=0[Joystick 2]Axis1n=0Axis1p=0Axis2n=0Axis2p=0Axis3n=0Axis3p=0Axis4n=0Axis4p=0Axis5n=0Axis5p=0Axis6n=0Axis6p=0Axis7n=0Axis7p=0Axis8n=0Axis8p=0POV1-1=0POV1-2=0POV1-3=0POV1-4=0POV2-1=0POV2-2=0POV2-3=0POV2-4=0Up-Right=0Up- Left=0Dn- Left=0Dn-Right=0Button01=0Button02=0Button03=0Button04=0Button05=0Button06=0Button07=0Button08=0Button09=0Button10=0Button11=0Button12=0Button13=0Button14=0Button15=0Button16=0Button17=0Button18=0Button19=0Button20=0Button21=0Button22=0Button23=0Button24=0Button25=0Button26=0Button27=0Button28=0Button29=0Button30=0Button31=0Button32=0

-Step 3

Open up your Bethesda Softworks/Morrowind folder and open the Morrowind ini. file. Find these lines....

Joystick Look Up/Down=6
Joystick Look Left/Right=3

Change it to this....

Joystick Look Up/Down=0
Joystick Look Left/Right=0

Save it and close.

-Step 4

Now boot up Morrowind. (From now on you need to have Joytokey running when you start Morrowind. You need to have your prefered config selected for the trigger buttons and right stick to work) Go to options and then controls. If you have changed the default keyboard controls reset it to default. Now click Enable Joystick and make sure X axis movement is set to Strafe.

Now you can customize your controls. Before you map your controller we need to set up your trigger buttons. For default config., click on "use" and click your left mouse button. (don't worry about the space being blank) Then scroll down to "jump" click it and press "E" on your keyboard. If you are using the Blocking Enhanced config., you only need to map "use".

Now your ready to map the rest of your controller to your liking.

Personally I map my controller like so:

Left Bumper: Journal (I set it to jump since I use Blocking Enhanced)

Right Bumper: Rest (Journal for Blocking Enhance)

A: Activate

B: Menu Mode

X: Ready Weapon

Y: Ready Magic

Right Stick Click: Switch POV (toggle between first and third person, hold to view character)

Left Stick Click: Sneak

Back: Maybe Auto-Run for default? (Rest for Blocking Enhanced)

Start: Already has it set the Pause Menu by default don't assign anything to this button

Up on D-Pad: Quick Item 1 (I always set this quick key to a healing potion, very helpful to have a healing potion at your fingertips in battle)
Left on D-Pad: Quick Item 2
Right on D-Pad: Quick Item 3
Down on D-Pad: Quick Item 4

The Xbox Guide button doesn't work on the PC.

Your set!

A couple little quirks about it specific to the 360 controller, when holding the left trigger the right trigger doesn't work and vice versa. (no way to get around this, it just the way the drivers for it work) The D-pad is sensitive tap it lightly for a quick item that has reserves in your inventory. (ex. healing potion, if you hold it you will drink all of your healing potions very quickly)

Hopes this helps you guys! Also if you have some other gamepad I could probably help you get it to work. All you have to do is ask.

Oh and some credit to MMInfinity for doing it first; I just explained it to everybody.