Netruk44/uesp-wiki-content huggingface dataset:
Tes4Mod:Before Running Checklist

In summary: Reduce unnecessary load on your system prior to running the game, and always check your load order after changing your mod list...


Check your load order if you've made changes to your mod list.
Make sure your BSAs will load.
Turn off unneeded processes. 
:Note: There are utilities to help with this task (i.e., Game Booster.)
Turn off unneeded extra software (i.e., anti-virus, Skype, etc.).
If you have just installed a lot of mods (or a few big mods) it may help to defrag your hard drives.
Wrye Bash users, rebuild your Bashed Patch if you are even remotely unsure of whether or not you have done so already.
Rerun TES4LODGen if you have made any changes to your load order (after rebuilding the bashed patch, if you use Bash).
Steam OBSE users, ensure you have enabled setting Enable steam community in-game. (See OBSE's installation instructions for more information.)
Tes4Mod:Better Oblivion Sorting Software

Better Oblivion Sorting Software (BOSS) automatically orders more than 10,000 plugins, and it will save the user a ton of work managing a load order, or even multiple load orders. The result is not always 100% correct, but if the plugins are not all unknown, the result will be close. Most users are recommended to follow the BOSS load order unless they want to make specific tweaks and know what they are doing.

Installation

Download the latest BOSS executable.
Windows 7 and Windows Vista users, should right-click on   and choose  . Windows XP users can just double-click the executable.
If you have custom plugins or will have unknowns that need rearranging, look at the ReadMe in the Oblivion/BOSS folder (new location as of version 1.7) for instructions about how to create (and comment) a Userlist.txt file, which will have BOSS modify its output accordingly.

Running

# (If you use Wrye Bash) Turn off Lock Times: Right-click on the   header and uncheck lock times.  
#* Alternatively, you can run BOSS via Wrye Bash's shortcut and Bash will take care of this first step for you.
# Run BOSS (a shortcut with a green "BOSS" is along the bottom of Bash's window)
# Read the BOSS log: After running BOSS, the BOSS LOG pops up. The BOSS log file contains lots of compatibility information and other info making it worth every minute it takes to read through it, thoroughly. 
# Act on BOSS log's suggestions about mod cleaning and simultaneous loading of mods together.
# Do you have unrecognized files? (at the bottom of the log file) If so, leave the log file open and keep reading, else close the log file and you can skip to "Bash Tags." BOSS recognizes over 10,000 plugins but there are many more plugins available on the net.  
#:Note: If BOSS does not work (i.e., the log file does not open), go post about the problem in the BOSS thread on the BethSoft forum. The BOSS LOG file is located in the Data folder if you need to double-check.
# If you want to have your unrecognized plugins to the BOSS master list, you should post them in BOSS's BethSoft thread to be added to future updates: 
#:''Note: Please, do not just paste a bunch of unrecognized plugins in your post. Add links to each plugin's mod page, or provide a brief description of what each plugin (or mod) does.''

External Links
BOSS Masterlist
Better Oblivion
Tes4Mod:Common Mod Installation Errors

A collection of common errs with the installation of popular mods...

FCOM: Installing the Fran Optional Creatures Add-on ESM
Better Cities: Not removing the original plugins for which BC provides replacer plugins (i.e., Vaults of Cyrodiil, Clocks of Cyrodiil)
Natural Environments: Installing more than ONE of the Natural Weather (NW) plugins.
Enhanced Water HDMI: Installing the Enhanced Water - SI add-on with this mod (only use that option with the original)
Better Cities: Not installing the BC resources
Fran: Not downloading and installing both parts of the mod.
RTT: Not installing 3.0 before installing the 3.1 update.
LAME: Installing the conjuration add-on for Supreme Magicka (SM) option when LAME is already loading AFTER SM (which is the order in which BOSS places the two magic overhauls, by default.)
Ren's: Installing both the full and hairs-only version of the main plugin.
Tamriel Travellers: Installing more than one of the following: TTItemsNPC, TTItemsVendor and TTItemsUnscaled.
(Vista|Win7) OOO: Installing OOO 1.33 via the EXE installer.
Mart's Monster Mod (3.7+): Not renaming the MMM.bsa.
DarNified UI (and variants): Not re-applying the INI font tweaks after regenerating the Oblivion.ini.
All Natural: Activating the filter plugin.
Hrmmn's Oblivion Script Optimization: Using this mod.
Various mods: Installating outdated versions.
(BAIN) INI files in INI folder: Forgetting to right-click on the package, check "has extra directories".

See Also
Troubleshooting
Tes4Mod:Complete Installation Guide for Oblivion

Before proceeding with this guide, it would be helpful to have read or be familiar with the material covered in System Requirements, Intro to Mods and Hardware Analysis pages. Also note that the example mods this guide covers are not exhaustive. If you are wondering what types of mod configurations users have run successfully, check out the RLO Database.

  Users of Windows 7 and Windows Vista, whenever you have to run executable (EXE) installers for mods and mod management-related utilities right-click and flag installer to  . Likewise, 64-bit users have to be aware of the fact that some 32-bit installer do not execute properly on 64-bit platforms. 

Introduction

This is a complete guide for installing modified Oblivion, from reverting to a clean setup to the finishing touches of organizing a nice load order. There are too many mods for this guide to cover everything; however, the installation of a starter kit of about 20 or so mods will be covered in detail. The purpose of this guide is not only to be a step-by-step walk through for setting up the mods specifically mentioned, but also to have you understand how mods function (together) in general. Therefore, the goal is that over the course of this guide you will be able to comfortably download, configure and install many different types of mods.

Lastly, although the modded configuration proposed in this guide has been tested for compatibility and stability, as you choose and add other mods remember to add them slowly and to test the game as you add them.

This guide has three parts:

: Part 1 walks through making a fresh install of Oblivion and, for those who already have a modified setup, reverting modified Oblivion to the vanilla state. The last step in this part is to download the 20 or so hand-picked mods.
: 
: Part 2 covers installation of the "starter kit" (mods downloaded at the end of Part 1) for your primary mod installation tool. (Manual users should follow the BAIN path, for now.)
: 
: Part 3 moves beyond the initial installation onto the routine management tasks preceding running the game: load ordering, rebuilding a bashed patch, and performing the first test run. After realizing these last few steps, you can feel comfortable trying to mod the game into whatever you wish, be it only a few tweaks in the "right" direction or a total conversion of the game.

Start

 

See Also
Intro to Mods
System Requirements
Tes4Mod:Complete Installation Guide for Oblivion/Part 1

This first part of the guide is applicable for all users, and the goal is to have Oblivion installed in the vanilla state with some basic configurations to improve stability sans mods.

Introduction

This first part of the guide is applicable for all users. The goal of Part 1 is simply to, first, get Oblivion installed in the vanilla state and, two, apply basic configurations to improve stability, sans mods. Users that really wish to start over with their existing setups should uninstall Oblivion before proceeding.

 
If you landed on this page, instead of  , please read the opening recommendations and warnings:
 
 

 

 

 

 
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See Also
Intro to Mods
Preparing for Mods
System Requirements
Tes4Mod:Complete Installation Guide for Oblivion/Part 2/BAIN

The BAIN version of the second half of this guide is for users whom plan to use OBMM as the primary tool for installing mods. After finishing this guide you will have a nice, stable modified setup to begin experiencing the extended wonders of modified Oblivion.

 

 

 

 

 
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See Also
BAIN Installation
BAIN Tutorials
Example BAIN-Friendly Repackages
Load Order
Wrye Bash

External Links
BAIN Mod Installation Projects --BethSoft Mod Forum <-- written by Psymon
Wrye Bash Pictorial Guide by alt3rn1ty --TESNexus
Tes4Mod:Complete Installation Guide for Oblivion/Part 2/BAIN/Create BAIN-Friendly Packages

Create BAIN-Friendly Packages

Download BAIN Conversion Files

BCFs need to be placed in  . By default   is located in the Oblivion install folder, the same folder containing  .

High Res Skin Textures for HGEC (2048x2048)-20022-BCF
DMCStylish-16459-BCF
Slof's Oblivion Robe Trader-24320-BCF
Initial Glow-5138-BCF
Robert's Female Body Replacer v1.2-15624-BCF
Tamriel Travellers-4387-BCF
Seph's Hand-to-Hand Animation Replacer-13051-BCF
Elves of Lineage II-12424-BCF
Elven Map Redux-3002-BCF
Mart's Monster Mod v3.7b3-17784-BCF
Better Cities v4.6.1c-1651-BCF
Harvest Flora-2037-BCF
Oscuro's Oblivion Overhaul v1.33-15256-BCF
Visually Enchanted Customizer Fixed-8490-BCF

Convert the Downloaded Archives
''First steps: Initialialize Bash's Installers tab, then left click on the tab and choose 'Open'...

Streamline  > note: Without that check, the folder containing the Enhanced Economy price files would not be installed.

Harvest Flora   Apply > HF-BFC archive from the context menu.

nGCD   Apply > TT-BFC archive from the context menu.

Actors in Emotions  > note: Most EXEs are not self-extracting 7-zip installers, but this one is (hence, why the changing of the extension did not make the file unrecognizable.)
# Add the ReadMe to the archive (i.e., with 7-zip's 'Add to archive...' function.)
# Delete the EXE and the loose ReadMe.

'''Slof's Oblivion Robe Trader   Apply > SRT-BFC archive from the context menu.

Qarl's Texture Pack III Redimized (QTP3R)  .
# Add the plugin and BSA to an archive.
# Put the archive in the Installers folder.
# Uninstall/remove the files placed by the installer.

'''Martigen's Monster Mod (MMM)   Apply > MMM-BFC archive from the context menu.

All Natural (AN)   Apply > Seph H2H-BFC archive from the context menu.

Visually Enchanted Customizer Fixed   Apply > VE-BFC archive from the context menu.

Improved Facial Textures (IFT)   Apply > Robert Fem-BFC archive from the context menu.
Tes4Mod:Complete Installation Guide for Oblivion/Part 2/OBMM

The OBMM version of the second half of this guide is for users whom plan to use OBMM as the primary tool for installing mods. After finishing this guide you will have a nice, stable modified setup to begin experiencing the extended wonders of modified Oblivion.

 

 

 

 

 
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See Also
Oblivion Mod Manager
OMOD Installation
Wrye Bash

External Links
Acronyms - TESCSWiki
Glossary - TESCSWiki <-- a nice list of terms with brief explanations and links
Tes4Mod:Acronyms - UESPWiki <-- a helpful list for newer users
Tes4Mod:Complete Installation Guide for Oblivion/Part 3

The third and final part of this guide goes through the post-installation steps preceding After completing this guide, you will have a stable, working modified Oblivion.

 

 

 

 

Conclusion
Closing comments...

What is Left

If you look at your mods' ReadMe files, a number of in-game configurations you can try. For example, you could turn on Denock Arrows in the COBL menu (in miscellaneous inventory) or turn off RBP's retroactive health via the console command  . Also, if you are not going to start from a fresh save you can also modify your character whenever you wish with the console command  .

Opening the Console

Normally users can open the console with the tilde (~) key, but for various hardware and system-related reasons, some users cannot. Those of you who find yourselves in this position can get around this issue by installing Change Console Key, an OBSE plugin that adds a setting in the Oblivion.ini which you can switch to whichever key you want. (See DirectX KeyMap for key codes.) Alternatively, you can install Ring of Console, an OBSE-dependent mod, if you would rather have an object in your menu by which to open the console, but it does cost an additional plugin.

Where to Go from Here

Now that you have successfully built a stable modified setup, feel free to try it out in-game or modify and enhance it more to suit your tastes. Just remember to make changes slowly, test as you go and read documentation. Save yourself trouble by at least avoiding the reported conflicts.

Places to go after finishing this guide:
Optimize the vanilla meshes and mod-added meshes with PyFFI.
Further tweak Oblivion for your system with the Oblivion Tweak Guide.
Search TESNexus for more mods and more types of mods to add.
If you are going to remove any active plugins from your load order, see Updating Saves.
Active plugins are associated with a save file when you save the game. The list of plugins associated with a save is visible in Bash's 'Saves' tab.
Sometime mod updates require cleans saves to update the save file properly as well.

 

See Also
Running Oblivion
Basic Plugin Cleaning
Better Oblivion Sorting Software
BOSS Masterlist Manager
Load Order

External Links
BOSS Masterlist
Tes4Mod:Complete Installation Guide for Oblivion/Part 3/Check Your Load Order

Check Your Load Order
''...in the Bash 'Mods' tab.''

If you are wondering what the various discolorations mean that you may be seeing in the   tab now, keep Wrye Bash's Plugin Status Indicators open while you correct your load order.

Run BOSS via the shortcut along the bottom of Bash's window. When it finishes, the BOSS log will pop up showing the resultant load order and notes pertaining to each plugin.  BOSS is more current than many popular mods and, thus, also more current than many mods' documentation. Therefore, to be safe, read the notes in the log whenever you add a new plugin. The log contains information ranging from known conflicts, to installation errors to Bash tag information.

:Note: If you run BOSS from outside of Bash (i.e., through the BAT file in the Data folder) you would have to temporarily turn off lock times first.

A Corrected Load Order

This is the load order for all of the mods downloaded earlier in this guide ignoring the Bashed Patch's functionality. Adding the Bashed Patch also means changing the activation status of many of these plugins, but the order of the plugins will not change.
Tes4Mod:Complete Installation Guide for Oblivion/Part 3/Introduction

Introduction to Post-Installation Management

The actual installation of mods (when using utilities) is fairly trivial when compared with sorting an install order and even moreso when compared to dealing with load ordering, which is why you should probably read Load Order if you are new or uncomfortable with the topic or the related functionality in Wrye Bash. Neither install order or load ordering are something users pick up overnight. Until you have experience dealing with a wide variety of mods, certain types of installation and mod structures will seem entirely new. BOSS is not perfect, but it offers a good starting place. It is nice when it knows where to place a mod you do not.

Right now you have about 30 plugins and couple new BSA files sitting in your Data folder. The game might load. It is time work it into a run-able order. OBMM users, close OBMM and open Wrye Bash; BAIN users, switch to the Mods tab; manual users need to launch Wrye Bash as well.

A Quick Introduction to Your Load-Ordering Tools

The two most useful load order management tools are Wrye Bash and BOSS. The former's interface allows users to quickly and easily see the state of the plugins in your data folder, and it pseudo-extends the definition of an Oblivion load order via its bashed patches. The latter backed by an ordered, community-collected list of mods numbering over 10,000, is sufficient to properly order the many user's load orders in its entirety. However, when it does not recognize some plugins (i.e., plugins you create yourself) and leaves them at the bottom of the load order, you can use Bash to hand position them in a more appropriate location.

''Right-click on 'File' in Bash''

  - Check this to have Bash protect other utilities from modifying your load order. That way, as you install other mods or use other utilities you are not using to manage your load order, your load order will be preserved. When you wish to hand place mods, turn this off temporarily. If you run BOSS from outside Bash (instead of from the shortcut along the bottom of the Bash window) you will have to first disable this option if you want BOSS to reorder your plugins. However, if you leave this feature on when you launch BOSS you can still see what the load order would look like as well as the notes for your plugins in the log that appears at the end.
  - This function copies your load order, including version numbers, active state and much other information useful to those who would help you troubleshoot problems with your modded setup. The information provided by this feature is far superior to that available via other methods.
Tes4Mod:Configuration and Management

This section on mod Configuration and Management is originally from TESCOSI, and covers a wide range of topics related to using mods, including Configuration, Optimization, Stabilization and Installation, catering to all experience levels.  The primary purpose is to help users get comfortable with building and managing optimized and stable modified setups.

Intro to Oblivion and Mods
Introducing modified Oblivion...

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Guides
 
  (''Strongly recommended for users of Window 7 and Windows Vista)
 
 

Programs and Utilities
Programs and utilities to use with Modified Oblivion''

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Guides

 
 
 
 
 

Mod Downloads
Where and how to download mods

 
 
 
 
 

Guides
 
 

Mod Installation
The ins and outs of adding mods to an Oblivion setup

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Guides
 
 
 
 
 
 

Post-Installation Management

 
 

Guides
 
 
 

Running Oblivion
Tips for running Oblivion (with mods installed)

 
 
 

Guides
 
 
 

Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting facts, tips and resources
 
 
 
 

Stabilization and Optimization
How to stabilize and optimize Oblivion (with and without mods)''

 
 
 
 

Guides
 
 
 
 
 

File Manipulation

 
 

Input and Input Devices

 

Utilities
Tes4Mod:Creating an Override Patch for an Existing NPC Face

Intro

These steps walk through the process of creating a patch with a vanilla face intended to override some other mod.


Requirements: TES4Edit, Wrye Bash

Steps
# Launch TES4Edit.
# At the first window:  You only need the plugin that contains the face active, so right-click in the dialog box, choose unselect all, and put a check next to the source plugin.>> notes:  if you want to add the face as an override to an existing plugin, check that plugin as well
# Click OK until the main window is at the fore and wait for TES4Edit to finish loading Oblivion's resources.
# Expand the source plugin's NPC records by clicking on the  : first, expanding the plugin's records and then the NPC branch.
# Locate the record of the NPC whose face you want to preserve, and select the record.>> notes:  click on a column header (Form ID, Editor ID, Name) to sort the records by a different identification criterion
# Right-click on the record and choose "copy as override..."
# Choose to add the face to either a new plugin or another existing plugin.  If you are creating a new plugin, give it a name without adding ".esp" when prompted.
# Close TES4Edit, and make sure only the plugins you intended to modify are checked if prompted with a save changes dialog.
# Launch Wrye Bash.
# Move the plugin to load after TNR, and rebuild your bashed patch, checking the new plugin in the Import Faces section.
# In the plugin's description window add the following:   
#*   Bash tag definitions are case sensitive.''
#*   is the Bash tag to make the plugin appear in the Import Faces section of the bashed patch.
#*   stops it from appearing in the merge section because importing takes care of the necessary changes (and makes the plugin's text purple)
#*   invokes the italicizing distinction rule (just to help remind you that the plugin should not be active.)

See Also
TES4Edit
Wrye Bash
Wrye Bash's Plugin Status Indicators
Tes4Mod:DirectX KeyMap

These are the codes necessary to do tasks such as specify a key in an INI file.




See Also
Oblivion.ini Tweaks

External Links
50 steps to a CTD (almost) Free FCOM+++ Game - BethSoft thread by Blade of Mercy<-- recommended for comfortable mod users
Direct X 9.0c
Notepad++ <-- a powerful, flexible source code editor
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Tweak Guide - TweakGuides.com
The Oblivion Performance Project - a.k.a. "TOPP"
Tes4Mod:Downloading and Extracting Files

Intro
The following tips and instructions are for those of you who have not had to really know where your downloads went or do not really know what an archive is. Picking this up takes little to no time. If you find you already know how to do some part, skip down to the next section.

Downloading
Your internet browser (probably IE, Firefox, Chrome or Safari) downloads files to your Downloads folder. This folder can be found in your My Documents or Documents folder, depending on your OS. Often when you download or try to save a file from the net, you are prompted with two options "save..." and "open..." Most mods are packed in archives, compressed files. The formats supported by most Oblivion utilities are .7z, .rar or .zip. (See the Intro to Mods for more information about mod packing.) In order to be able to open 7-zip (.7z) archives and other compressed files, you should download the fast and free utility 7-zip.

Unless you are using the manual installation method, there is often no reason to unpack the archives yourself. If you use BAIN, simply move (or download) the archives into your Bash Installers folder. OBMM users need to convert the mods into OMODs, and that conversion can be done directly from an archive. Aside from restructuring a package or manually installing a mod, there is rarely a reason to unpack a mod archive.

To change the default download location or make your browser give you the option to choose the location each time...
Chrome: Wrench icon > Options > Under the Hood > in the "Downloads" section select "Ask where to save each file before downloading" 
Firefox: Tools > Options > select "Always ask me where to save files" 
IE:
Safari:

Extracting/Unarchiving
Once you have installed 7-Zip (or your preferred compression utility) you will be able to extract files via some sort of console (file manager) or, most commonly, through the context menu that pops up when you right-click on a file.
Tes4Mod:File Extensions

DDS - texture file >>notes: can be modified with GIMP(w/plugin), Paint.NET, Adobe Photoshop, etc.
_N.DDS - texture mapping (to meshes) file >>notes: texture files without associated normal maps will render as black textures in game
NIF - mesh file >>notes: bad meshes can result in a bug similar to that of the NVIDIA black screen issue
BIK - video file >>notes: this is the only type of video format that Oblivion supports, other types will cause instant crashes
MP3 - sound (music) file >>notes: this is the only type of audio file Oblivion supports for playing music tracks
ESP - plugin file >>notes: only 255 ESPs and ESMs may be active in the Data folder at one time
ESM - master plugin file >>notes: 1) ESMs must load before ESPs 2) only 255 ESPs and ESMs may be active in the Data folder at one time
ZIP - compressed archive
7z - compressed archive >>notes: WinZIP does not support this format, get 7-zip, jZip or WinRAR (full)
RAR - compressed archive >>notes: WinZIP does not support this format, get 7-zip, jZip or WinRAR (full)
EXE - executable