Tes4Mod:Complete Installation Guide for Oblivion/Part 2/OBMM/Configure and Install Mods

Configure and Install Mods
Up until now, the Data folder is still in what we usually refer to as the Vanilla state, excepting OBSE and some plugins for it, perhaps. It contains the original BSAs and folders, the Oblivion.esm, DLCShiveringIsles.esp and the four BSA it loads (if using SI), as well as a couple new folders owned by a few utilities. There should be no official or unofficial plug-ins (and their associated data files) installed, outside of some OBSE Plugins.

The best advice any experienced user will offer is to not install a bunch of mods at a time. Planning is one thing, but installing fifty or even twenty mods at once can cause all sorts of problems and is a nightmare to troubleshoot. Install a few mods and test; then, install a few more mods and test and repeat. This is even more important when you are unfamiliar with your mod list. Keep the same mentality about updates. Do not do a mass update of all of your currently installed mods. That method frequently ends in failure, and, again, it is very difficult to troubleshoot the new problems efficiently. Wrye Bash's 'Diff Masters' method (accessible via a save files context menu in the Saves tab) is often quite helpful, but, just as often, after doing many installs or upgrades, it is not enough.

With OBMM, you configure as you go. That is the purpose that OMOD scripts serve. However, the information offered during the scripted installation (if the mod even has or requires one) is usually not very detailed. To make up for this, unless you know the mod very well, before activating its OMOD, right-click on it and choose 'View readme'. Check it for things such as add-ons' descriptions and compatibility information, in case you need to change your install order plan.

An Installation Summary
...and notes.

Read through the install order first. Feel free to choose other options. Following this order, you can alway choose "yes" when prompted to overwrite. To overwrite all, hold   while you press "yes".

# Streamline - opted not to use the debug version, using the regular version
# nGCD - 
# Progress - the installation is much the same as with nGCD
# TT - SI Travellers (but not the SI option), 4MMM, ItemsNPC, ItemsCOBL
# Actors in Emotions - no script
# Bank of Cyrodiil - no script
# Slof's Oblivion Robe Trader - no script
# QTP3 - no script
# DLCs - no script
# UOMP - script with automatic detection
# USIP - script does not matter since a body replacer is installed later
# UOP - script does not matter since a body replacer is installed later
# UOP Supplemental - no script
# GTA 1 - no script
# LS - no script
# MMM - free to choose any options, but made sure MMM.bsa was renamed Mart's Monster Mod.bsa (by checking for it in the Data folder) 
#:Note: See BSAs and Archive Invalidation for more information about loading BSAs.
# COBL - not installing the cosmetic portion, already going to use RBP (from which COBL Races add-on was derived)
# Elven Map Redux - no script
# Super Hotkeys
# Enhanced Economy - chose the prices option (since Pluggy has been installed)
# All Natural - free to choose any options
# Let There Be Darkness - SI+Tamriel
# Real Night Sky - no script
# Harvest Flora - keeping mushroom stalks
# Seph's H-to-H Replacer - not installing the resource files for two-handed weapons
# VE Customizer Fixed - Fire (recolored) 3, Frost (recolored) 2, Shock (recolored) 1
# RBP - using SI, so did not choose the no SI version, no optional files
# IFT - no script

Do Post-Installation Configurations

Most of these mods work fine without making any further changes; however, everyone needs to configure Streamline.

Configure Streamline
Configure nGCD's INI according to your preferences. Instructions are in the INI file.
A simple change of interest to many users might be the uncapping option, well documented in the INI. It otherwise works fine immediately after installation.
Configure Progress' INI according to your preferences. Instructions are in the INI file.
Along with the default INI, Progress installs a few other preset INI files along with it that can simply be renamed to put in use.
The simplest change to make to the Progress.ini is to change the global skill rate at the top.
You can change Super Hotkeys' hotkey modifiers via its INI file. (See Mod Settings Configuration for an example.)
Configure All Natural's INI according to your preferences. Instructions can be found in the mod's ReadMe file.
Darker Nights for Tamriel and Shivering Isles can be enabled at the top of the INI file.