Can you restore a game after removing all mods?

[Omnishade]

I was going to quit Skyrim to play BG3 so I decided I was done and deleted my MO2 mods folder.  But then I felt like going back to Skyrim and my last game, so I tried to restore everything to how it was. I came as close as only 2 mods missing from my load order(one being an esl instead of an esp). I still had all my save files, SKSE settings and built patches intact in MO2, but when I try to load a game it lacks save game image and says corrupt on every save. How come? Is there a way to resurrect my previous playthrough?

[anjenthedog]

YMMV and I *could be talking out my ass (I only know my experience), but "your previous playthrough" depended on the mods you had installed at the time. Uninstalling one or two or even a few might not be an issue, but at a guess, uninstalling a large number probably results in too much necessary post-uninstall housekeeping when loading the savefile, not to mention any lost or changed references that are now gone (due to the uninstallations).

 

I had to uninstall a bunch of mods (4 or 5 dozen as I recall)  during the 1.5.80-1.5.97 transition and was only able to load one of my 3 player vectors (ie different player instances, Bob, Harriet, Joe)  and in that "working" vector, I had to backtrack from around level 60 (I think it was  a bit closer to 70, but it's been quite a while) down to level 10  or so, in order to find a save that would open.

 

Uninstalling all mods? You're back to vanilla and I'd think it's time to start a new game.

Edited September 11, 2023 by anjenthedog

[Seijin8]

2 hours ago, RoninDog said:

I was going to quit Skyrim to play BG3 so I decided I was done and deleted my MO2 mods folder.  But then I felt like going back to Skyrim and my last game, so I tried to restore everything to how it was. I came as close as only 2 mods missing from my load order(one being an esl instead of an esp). I still had all my save files, SKSE settings and built patches intact in MO2, but when I try to load a game it lacks save game image and says corrupt on every save. How come? Is there a way to resurrect my previous playthrough?

 

@anjenthedog is right. Even if you could get the game to load, it would be a timebomb.  Eventually the game will go looking for some object or resource that is now removed, and on encountering it, CTDs with no explanation and no indication as to what even caused the crash.

[spoonsinger]

As you say you have most of your original mod list, maybe they arn't in the same order as when the save was created. You can use FallrimTools, (https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/5031/ ) to export the list of plugins, (File->Export Plugin List), used by a save to a text file. Open with Notepad++, not Notepad, then go down the list to make sure eveything is in the same order in your current build. Do that first and try. If it still doesn't load FallrimTools does have options for removing invalid kak from the save. (make a backup of original save before trying that). 

Edited September 11, 2023 by spoonsinger
dribbles

[anjenthedog]

Good idea for recovery @spoonsinger.  Idk for sure, but it sounds workable. I'll keep that in mind next time I get into a sticky situation and thanks for the idea.

[Seijin8]

33 minutes ago, spoonsinger said:

As you say you have most of your original mod list, maybe they arn't in the same order as when the save was created. You can use FallrimTools, (https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/5031/ ) to export the list of plugins, (File->Export Plugin List), used by a save to a text file. Open with Notepad++, not Notepad, then go down the list to make sure eveything is in the same order in your current build. Do that first and try. If it still doesn't load FallrimTools does have options for removing invalid kak from the save. (make a backup of original save before trying that). 

 

My only concern with that would be mod versions not matching, but that may turn out not to be an issue.  Its definitely worth a try.  Worst that could happen is it doesn't work and the OP has their mod list back for a fresh game.

[Miauzi]

The Fallrim tools can work - but there is no guarantee.

I had to learn the hard way - that certain mod lists can't cope with it at all and sooner or later you will be closed with CtD despite all your efforts.

So major changes in the mod list also mean -> start a new game with a new character.

For example, I use the "alternative start" - the prison cell with the Mara statue.

Already in the first memory state, a faulty mod can "register" - although you have not yet actively touched it.

This is because so many things are already running in parallel in the background when the character is generated.

[anjenthedog]

For me, it's the 

 

6 hours ago, anjenthedog said:

lost or changed references that are now gone (due to the uninstallations).

 

that concern me most, since many of those references are afaik unique to their original installation (not load order) or initial in-game instantiation. If you encounter an instance of "Boo" (imaginary thing for illustrative purposes) , and it expects a unique id, but the latest reinstallation effort reassigned that id, or can't because something else happened to grab it prior to reinstallation of the associated mod (mouthful that), you're very probably humped without recourse.

 

yes with enough forensic information on the old instance, someone could probably map out every reference id and then patch all the unique instantiated ids back to their "correct values", if they also had all the forensics pre-stored from the old game, necessary to catalogue every single instantiated item and NPC ... (both named and random calls) and so forth. If you go to that much trouble... sheesh what game are you really playing anyway? (figuratively...  no offense intended) 

 

I hope you're able to get the old save running and it'll be cool if you do, but I'm still pretty sure you're just spinning your wheels. You cleared the deck and hosed it down for good measure.

.

One thing I've learned playing this game, (or relearned), is that sometimes you have to accept your losses and move on, or you become mired in dust and cobwebs. corny as that might sound. I got that "level 10 or so" character back up into the md 60s before something else stupid I did took it down, and I had a lot of fun getting there. A lot more than debugging.

Edited September 12, 2023 by anjenthedog

[Omnishade]

5 hours ago, spoonsinger said:

As you say you have most of your original mod list, maybe they arn't in the same order as when the save was created. You can use FallrimTools, (https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/5031/ ) to export the list of plugins, (File->Export Plugin List), used by a save to a text file. Open with Notepad++, not Notepad, then go down the list to make sure eveything is in the same order in your current build. Do that first and try. If it still doesn't load FallrimTools does have options for removing invalid kak from the save. (make a backup of original save before trying that). 

 

I have a backup of my loadorder in MO2 that will create the EXACT same load order I had on my latest save, so in theory it's workable(You can also see your load order in Wrye Bash if you didn't know). The issue with corrupted saves was because I didn't have SSE Engine Fixes.

 

Now the game is stuck in an infinite loading loop at the main menu however, I think due to some files that FNIS reported missing from ZAZ. When I removed ZAZ and all mods depending on it, the main menu loads. I still have some work to do. ?

Edited September 12, 2023 by RoninDog

[belegost]

3 hours ago, anjenthedog said:

If you go to that much trouble... sheesh what game are you really playing anyway?

The Elder Mods: Skyrim, of course.

 

Wait, you mean to tell me this is not how it's supposed to be played?

[Omnishade]

6 hours ago, anjenthedog said:

For me, it's the 

 

 

that concern me most, since many of those references are afaik unique to their original installation (not load order) or initial in-game instantiation. If you encounter an instance of "Boo" (imaginary thing for illustrative purposes) , and it expects a unique id, but the latest reinstallation effort reassigned that id, or can't because something else happened to grab it prior to reinstallation of the associated mod (mouthful that), you're very probably humped without recourse.

 

yes with enough forensic information on the old instance, someone could probably map out every reference id and then patch all the unique instantiated ids back to their "correct values", if they also had all the forensics pre-stored from the old game, necessary to catalogue every single instantiated item and NPC ... (both named and random calls) and so forth. If you go to that much trouble... sheesh what game are you really playing anyway? (figuratively...  no offense intended) 

 

I hope you're able to get the old save running and it'll be cool if you do, but I'm still pretty sure you're just spinning your wheels. You cleared the deck and hosed it down for good measure.

.

One thing I've learned playing this game, (or relearned), is that sometimes you have to accept your losses and move on, or you become mired in dust and cobwebs. corny as that might sound. I got that "level 10 or so" character back up into the md 60s before something else stupid I did took it down, and I had a lot of fun getting there. A lot more than debugging.

 

Haha, you're making a strong case. I've decided to follow common sense and start a new game. I managed to load my old save with no error messages but I don't have a good feeling about continuing on it, since I could run into problems later and then I will regret it. I was only level 6 anyway, even if the hours spent on the save equals a lifetime for some species.

Edited September 12, 2023 by RoninDog