Problems with FNIS

[kandetri]

Hey there, just recently for some reason my FNIS seems to be very finnicky

By finnicky I mean that one day it could run without any issues but now it is refusing to work

First it still read the mods but then it gave me ERROR(2012): Could not generate: defaultfemale.hkx defaultmale.hkx weapequip.hkx staggerbehavior.hkx sprintbehavior.hkx shout_behavior.hkx magicmountedbehavior.hkx magicbehavior.hkx magic_readied_direction_behavior.hkx 1hm_locomotion.hkx 1hm_behavior.hkx 0_master.hkx

After that it just completely ignores the mods and literally don't read them 

I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling FNIS, manually installing it into Skyrim's data folder and even reinstalling MO2; the only thing that have managed to get FNIS to read the mods again is reinstalling MO2 but it still gives me error 2012. After that it stops reading the mods.

It used to finish without any problem after reinstalling MO2 but only on the first try after that the problem persists

I have confirmed that FNIS data structure is correctly installed

I'm really confused so I'd really appreciate it if you could give me some suggestions on how to fix this.

[Grey Cloud]

Use search engine.

Watch videos.

Uninstall FNIS and install it correctly.

 

[travelmedic]

Check YouTube for videos by Gamer Poets, there's also an older video for FNIS and MO1 by Gopher that's very good, and the process is pretty much identical for installing FNIS.

 

You're launching it wrong.  Once installed properly, you need to set up MO2 executables for FNIS (see the same videos).  Then, in the upper right corner where you see SKSE in the rectangle, you'll also have an option for FNIS.  Use it.

 

PS - If you're using any sort of body replacer and SL animations, you don't have a skeleton installed, or at least not the right one.  Where FNIS is showing 99 bones, the proper skeleton would show approximately 126 (?) bones.

[kandetri]

11 hours ago, travelmedic said:

Check YouTube for videos by Gamer Poets, there's also an older video for FNIS and MO1 by Gopher that's very good, and the process is pretty much identical for installing FNIS.

 

You're launching it wrong.  Once installed properly, you need to set up MO2 executables for FNIS (see the same videos).  Then, in the upper right corner where you see SKSE in the rectangle, you'll also have an option for FNIS.  Use it.

 

PS - If you're using any sort of body replacer and SL animations, you don't have a skeleton installed, or at least not the right one.  Where FNIS is showing 99 bones, the proper skeleton would show approximately 126 (?) bones.

Thanks for the suggestion - though, unfortunately that didn't work either. I didn't mention this in the original post but I have also added FNIS as an executable as you suggested and selecting both "Execute" and "Execute with VFS" but none of them managed to detect mods. Not after the first attempt after reinstalling MO2, anyway. 

I don't think I installed FNIS wrong - this same configuration has worked before. It just simply refuses to work now. I even watched the videos you recommended and followed them to the letter but to no avail. Again, reinstalling MO2 does seem to get FNIS to detect mods but only once as said earlier. For some reason a while ago I got away with doing just that but it seems this isn't the case anymore.

Any further help would be appreciated. If you need them, I could provide the logs or whatever that could potentially be useful.

[Kastagir]

I don't use MO2.  I installed it and configured it once on SE and quickly abandoned it.  Reinstalling MO2 will not solve the problem if you are not configuring it properly to run FNIS.  It has several steps to configure FNIS, which you will find explanation for if you watch the Youtube videos on MO2 and FNIS by Gamerpoets.  I have also seen other users complain about FNIS suddenly stop working (different error but still related to file access).  This was caused by a windows update, as rolling back the update removed the problem.  Make sure your \steam files are not in the \Program Files folder path.  There are guides for moving your steam files to another folder or drive.

10 hours ago, kandetri said:

I have also added FNIS as an executable

You need to be more specific.  Which executable did you add and where did you place it?

[Qviddhartha]

That's what my working FNIS executable config looks like:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-N6kQ-nlE8_44uQ8bGwtoqBpLMWvgqKU/view?usp=sharing

 

"FNIS Output" is an empty mod I created in MO2 to receive the FNIS output files.

 

[kandetri]

6 hours ago, Kastagir said:

I don't use MO2.  I installed it and configured it once on SE and quickly abandoned it.  Reinstalling MO2 will not solve the problem if you are not configuring it properly to run FNIS.  It has several steps to configure FNIS, which you will find explanation for if you watch the Youtube videos on MO2 and FNIS by Gamerpoets.  I have also seen other users complain about FNIS suddenly stop working (different error but still related to file access).  This was caused by a windows update, as rolling back the update removed the problem.  Make sure your \steam files are not in the \Program Files folder path.  There are guides for moving your steam files to another folder or drive.

You need to be more specific.  Which executable did you add and where did you place it?

I know that reinstalling MO2 will not solve the problem, but that was the only thing I tried that actually managed to get FNIS to work until now. That Windows update thing is new to me though, so I'll probably take a shot at that.

Also, regarding my executable: after installing FNIS, I navigated to the "Data" tab on the right side of the screen, went into tools/GenerateFNISforUsers/, and then finally adding it via right click -> add as executable. Additionally, I have also tried adding it via the "Options/Plugins/FNIS integration tool" path, adding the path to FNIS and pointing the output to an empty folder and all. Unfortunately, neither managed to pick up mods. 

[kandetri]

41 minutes ago, pfB6cs said:

That's what my working FNIS executable config looks like:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-N6kQ-nlE8_44uQ8bGwtoqBpLMWvgqKU/view?usp=sharing

 

"FNIS Output" is an empty mod I created in MO2 to receive the FNIS output files.

 

Unfortunately this does not seem to work for me either. If I may ask, how did you add FNIS as an executable? Just seeing if it was something I did wrong on my part.

[Qviddhartha]

Didn't do anything special.  I followed instructions:

• Installed Fores New Idles in Skyrim XXL
• Created a new empty mod named "FNIS Output"
• Changed the "Skyrim >Run" to "<Edit`>", which popped up up the window in my screen shot
• Hit the "+" icon to add a new executable and set it up as shown (do use file paths that work on your machine; they likely differ from mine)

After that, it's just a matter to running FNIS through that new entry and then launching the game.  You do need to make sure the FNIS Output mod is enabled before launching FNIS, and check again after it's finished running.

 

If you tried this before, you may have created a bunch of files in your overwrite directory that perhaps you should clean up before attempting again (though I don't really think that's important).

[kandetri]

On 4/11/2025 at 6:58 AM, pfB6cs said:

Didn't do anything special.  I followed instructions:

• Installed Fores New Idles in Skyrim XXL
• Created a new empty mod named "FNIS Output"
• Changed the "Skyrim >Run" to "<Edit`>", which popped up up the window in my screen shot
• Hit the "+" icon to add a new executable and set it up as shown (do use file paths that work on your machine; they likely differ from mine)

After that, it's just a matter to running FNIS through that new entry and then launching the game.  You do need to make sure the FNIS Output mod is enabled before launching FNIS, and check again after it's finished running.

 

If you tried this before, you may have created a bunch of files in your overwrite directory that perhaps you should clean up before attempting again (though I don't really think that's important).

That's odd. I don't think I have done anything different yet FNIS still fails me. Well, that's that I guess.

[Grey Cloud]

On 4/10/2025 at 11:45 PM, kandetri said:

If I may ask, how did you add FNIS as an executable? Just seeing if it was something I did wrong on my part.

Learn how to use your mod manager.

 

You've been given the good advice to watch videos such as those by GamerPoets. Why not take the advice? You are now three or four days in and still have the problem.

An eighteen minute video found after one minute of looking:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYEAnTdZb-s

 

 

[kandetri]

5 hours ago, Grey Cloud said:

Learn how to use your mod manager.

 

You've been given the good advice to watch videos such as those by GamerPoets. Why not take the advice? You are now three or four days in and still have the problem.

An eighteen minute video found after one minute of looking:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYEAnTdZb-s

 

 

I appreciate you taking the time to read the thread and offering "advice", but this isn’t what I was looking for.

While I recognize your experience, evident from your profile and post count, I don’t appreciate these type of comments that could be taken the wrong way. I may not have a quarter of your Skyrim modding expertise, but I’ve successfully installed and used FNIS before without issues; this error only appeared recently. As I mentioned earlier, I tried the conventional method of adding FNIS as an executable (which worked in the past) and only resorted to manual installation and asking for validation from others because MO2 wouldn’t detect the mods.

If my FNIS/MO2 setup is the problem, could you specify what I did wrong? Admittedly, my error description might be vague, and I’m happy to provide more details if it helps diagnose the issue. However, your advice is, if I may be frank, not very helpful at the moment of writing.

That said, I understand engaging with the likes of me might seem like a fruitless endeavor for someone of your caliber. But I humbly ask that if you’ve chosen to grace me with your grand assistance, I’d appreciate it if you could just temper the condescension slightly.

Thank you for your continued patronage nonetheless.

Edited April 12, 2025 by kandetri

[Grey Cloud]

6 minutes ago, kandetri said:

but I’ve successfully installed and used FNIS before without issues; this error only appeared recently

It can only appear recently if you were trying to install FNIS recently.

 

7 minutes ago, kandetri said:

I tried the conventional method of adding FNIS as an executable (which worked in the past)

And still works today.

 

8 minutes ago, kandetri said:

MO2 wouldn’t detect the mods.

What do you mean by this? According to your screenshot you have 186 mods installed.

 

For LE
https://www.loverslab.com/blogs/entry/7521-conglomerate-01-installing-skyrim-stability-fixes-tools/

https://stepmodifications.org/wiki/SkyrimLE:3.0.0

[kandetri]

5 minutes ago, Grey Cloud said:

It can only appear recently if you were trying to install FNIS recently.

I believe that the problem did not start with me trying to install FNIS, but simply running it again. It gave me the 2012 error, and then proceed to not detect the mods in subsequent attempts to run it. If I remember correctly, this started with me downgrading from Windows 11 to Windows 10.

7 minutes ago, Grey Cloud said:

And still works today.

I would like to believe it still does.

7 minutes ago, Grey Cloud said:

What do you mean by this? According to your screenshot you have 186 mods installed.

This was a mistake on my part. I meant FNIS, not MO2.

 

If this could help, I'll a video of me installing FNIS and then running it.

[Just Don't]

Have you done anything in regards to Windows Defender or other Windows permissions? It's an external factor that does affect the way certain programs work and it could be the cause of the error 2012 if everything else is correct.

 Try disabling real time protection from Windows Defender or pausing any other third party security software before launching FNIS and see if it runs without throwing that error. I see your game is installed in D:/name of game folder (weird name btw) so I get it's not under Program Files or some other default system folder, that's good. Keep MO2 and any other modding program and files outside of those folders too.

[kandetri]

This is a video of me installing FNIS and then using it.

 

4 minutes ago, Just Don&#x27;t said:

Have you done anything in regards to Windows Defender or other Windows permissions? It's an external factor that does affect the way certain programs work and it could be the cause of the error 2012 if everything else is correct.

 Try disabling real time protection from Windows Defender or pausing any other third party security software before launching FNIS and see if it runs without throwing that error. I see your game is installed in D:/name of game folder (weird name btw) so I get it's not under Program Files or some other default system folder, that's good. Keep MO2 and any other modding program and files outside of those folders too.

I have already turned off Windows Defender and Windows Security, so I don't think that's what causing the problem. Especially the real time protection part, I disabled it with regedit or something ages ago so that's probably a non-factor. Here's screenshots:

[Kastagir]

This is an out-of-left-field idea, as I previously mentioned I don't use Mod Organizer 1/2 for its unnecessary obfuscation of modding tools and virtualization of game folders I don't want virtualized, but I nevertheless recently encountered an FNIS 2012 error similar to yours ("could not generate defaultfemale.hkx" yada yada).  The cause was two conflicting mods that both replaced sslAnimationDefaults.psc.  Instead of uninstalling the first and installing the second, I just overwrote the first with the second.  Since I ran FNIS immediately after installing the animation mod, I knew the cause.  Once I uninstalled them both and then installed only the one I wanted to use, FNIS was again able to generate files without error.

 

You need to do what we all do - examine our own load orders to see what changed and when.  Look at your installed mods by date and try to identify when the issue started.  Likely you'll find a mod that was installed around that same time.  Check \data\scripts\sslAnimationDefaults.pex and look at its modified date, then see if you find a corresponding date in your mod manager.  This is part of "learn how to use your mod manager" advice.  It's a tool, nothing more.

 

Also, providing your full load order (in a spoiler, please) would be another useful bit of information.  We don't use magic eight balls and ouija boards here.

[kandetri]

10 hours ago, Kastagir said:

This is an out-of-left-field idea, as I previously mentioned I don't use Mod Organizer 1/2 for its unnecessary obfuscation of modding tools and virtualization of game folders I don't want virtualized, but I nevertheless recently encountered an FNIS 2012 error similar to yours ("could not generate defaultfemale.hkx" yada yada).  The cause was two conflicting mods that both replaced sslAnimationDefaults.psc.  Instead of uninstalling the first and installing the second, I just overwrote the first with the second.  Since I ran FNIS immediately after installing the animation mod, I knew the cause.  Once I uninstalled them both and then installed only the one I wanted to use, FNIS was again able to generate files without error.

 

You need to do what we all do - examine our own load orders to see what changed and when.  Look at your installed mods by date and try to identify when the issue started.  Likely you'll find a mod that was installed around that same time.  Check \data\scripts\sslAnimationDefaults.pex and look at its modified date, then see if you find a corresponding date in your mod manager.  This is part of "learn how to use your mod manager" advice.  It's a tool, nothing more.

 

Also, providing your full load order (in a spoiler, please) would be another useful bit of information.  We don't use magic eight balls and ouija boards here.

I believe the 2012 error started appearing after I installed FNIS PCEA2 and DAR-PCEA, but it's more likely that was the first time it was brought to my attention in the first place because prior to that I hadn't run FNIS again after downgrading to Windows 10. After my first attempt, FNIS stops reading mods, I uninstalled the two aforementioned mods, reinstalled MO2, and FNIS worked again for a while, but only on the first run. I don't recall installing anything requiring FNIS again until I tried 360 Movement Behavior, and FNIS has refused to work ever since. 

I'll take a closer look at my load order and see if there's anything that could be the problem.

In the meantime, here's my load order. Though, note that I've used LOOT to reorganize stuff so that's that.

Spoiler

# This file was automatically generated by Mod Organizer.
Skyrim.esm
Update.esm
Dawnguard.esm
HearthFires.esm
Dragonborn.esm
Unofficial Skyrim Legendary Edition Patch.esp
Skyrim Project Optimization - No Homes - Full Version.esm
Skyrim Supplemental Patch.esp
High Poly Head.esm
RaceCompatibility.esm
Schlongs of Skyrim - Core.esm
SexLab.esm
Lightened Skyrim LE.esm
YurianaWench.esp
BSAssets.esm
Immersive Wenches.esp
BSHeartland.esm
ZaZAnimationPack.esm
SexLabAroused.esm
Devious Devices - Assets.esm
Devious Devices - Integration.esm
Devious Devices - Expansion.esm
Devious Devices - Contraptions.esm
SGHairPackBase.esm
ApachiiHair.esm
BS_DLC_patch.esp
SkyrimChainBeasts.esm
SexLab - Sexual Fame [SLSF].esm
ApachiiHairFemales.esm
Heels Sound.esm
SPIKE.esm
Skyrim - Utility Mod.esm
Cutting Room Floor.esp
Skyrim Project Optimization - No Homes - Full Version.esp
Guard Dialogue Overhaul.esp
Modern Brawl Bug Fix.esp
FloraRespawnFix.esp
SD Cages.esp
Relationship Dialogue Overhaul.esp
xazPrisonOverhaulPatched.esp
OBIS.esp
Cidhna Mine Expanded.esp
troublesofheroine.esp
SkyrimChainBeastsIntegration.esp
hydra_slavegirls.esp
sanguinesDebauchery.esp
Deviously Cursed Loot.esp
SLSFFameComments.esp
zdd.esp
sextoys-calyps-2.esp
slaverun.esp
Devious Lore.esp
Slaverun_Reloaded.esp
DeviousRegulations.esp
Populated Lands Roads Paths.esp
DeviouslyAccessible.esp
troublesofheroineDG.esp
SkyUI.esp
UIExtensions.esp
AddItemMenuLE.esp
Deviously Vanilla.esp
Devious Cidhna.esp
troublesofheroineDB.esp
TheAmazingWorldOfBikiniArmor.esp
SimpleSlavery.esp
Yuriana'sBigBootyAdventure.esp
DeviousCarriages.esp
Imaginator BETA.esp
Skyrim Particle Patch for ENB - Flame Atronach Fix.esp
Natural Lighting and Atmospherics.esp
RaceMenu.esp
RaceMenuPlugin.esp
Expressive Facegen Morphs.esp
EnhancedCharacterEdit.esp
RaceMenuMorphsBHUNP.esp
RaceMenuMorphsUUNP.esp
KS Hairdos - HDT.esp
XPMSE.esp
Schlongs of Skyrim.esp
SOS - Smurf Average Addon.esp
SOS - VectorPlexus Muscular Addon.esp
SOSRaceMenu.esp
SexLabDefeat.esp
Naked Defeat.esp
troublesofheroineHF.esp
Naked Dungeons.esp
Devious Devices - Equip.esp
DeviousInterests.esp
KS Hairdo's.esp
Jinxxed Spells - Buff Others.esp
Mind Twist - Illusion Spell Pack.esp
TheEyesOfBeauty.esp
[namida1126]Yvonne Assets.esp
[namida1126]Yvonne Assets Eye Pack Addon.esp
FNISSexyMove.esp
BM_Brows_HPH_LE.esp
BHUNP Skyrim Vanilla Outfits.esp
AmazingFollowerTweaks.esp
Jinxxed Followers - Minamoto no Raikou.esp
Eyes of Aber.esp
CombineHairST.esp
SGHairMIX2.esp
SGHairPack01.esp
SGHairPack02.esp
SGHairPack03.esp
SGHairPack04.esp
SGHairPack05.esp
SGHairPack06.esp
SGHairPackAIO.esp
[KijikoHair_MalePack].esp
True Eyes.esp
COCO3BBB.esp
RaceMenuMorphsCOCO.esp
[Melodic] Olga Discordia.esp
numenume femalebrows MARO.esp
Improved Eyes Skyrim.esp
UnforgivingDevices.esp
UnforgivingDevices - DD Patch.esp
DeviousMimicClothes.esp
MikanEyes All in one.esp
[Dint999] KSH's HDT.esp
Toggle Options.esp
[Daymarr] Late Night Pack.esp
[Daymarr] Shadow Knight.esp
[Melodic] Chloe.esp
3PCO.esp
BodySearch.esp
SexistGuards.esp
BodySearchND.esp
SLAnimLoader.esp
[COCO]Raikou.esp
OBISDB.esp
High Level Enemies.esp
High Level Enemies - Dawnguard.esp
High Level Enemies - Dragonborn.esp
slaverunVanillaNPCEnslaved.esp
SlaverunEnforcer.esp
SkyrimChainBeastsDB.esp
DeviouslyHelpless.esp
Slaverun_Reloaded_Comments.esp
[COCO] Pandora Box.esp
[COCO]LaceBody.esp
PetCollar.esp
Devious Arachnophobia.esp
Bathing in Skyrim - Main.esp
Follower Slavery Mod.esp
respectyourjarl.esp
DBVO.esp
Elisif - FemaleYoungEager - Base.esp
goblinhours_db_voice_barks.esp
BSHeartland - Meshes.esp
BSHeartland - Textures.esp
NudeSpells.esp
Immersive Wenches -Enslaved Wenches patch-.esp
[Daymarr] Lone Wanderer.esp
Conditional Expressions.esp
Sexy Adventures.esp
GoodbyeDialogue.esp
RDO - AFT v1.66 Patch.esp
RDO - USLEEP Patch.esp
FNIS.esp
FNISspells.esp
Alternate Start - Live Another Life.esp
Alternate Start -- New Beginnings.esp
Deviously Cursed Loot LAL AddOn.esp
ASIS-Dependency.esp
 

 

[kandetri]

Update: I got finally FNIS to work again. It turns out, the problem wasn't with FNIS but rather with MO2. Following this comment on reddit, I gave admin privileges to both usvfs_proxy_x64.exe and usvfs_proxy_x86.exe and it works fine now. Just to make sure, I also gave the same rights to FNIS and started MO2 in administrator. I had actually suspected the error had something to do with MO2 as the first place, but that comment mentioned turning off antivirus/firewalls which I didn't have so I ignored them. Well, all's well that ends well.

I mean, I haven't really tested to see if a second FNIS run would read the mods again, but I'm not going to touch it now.  

EDIT: FNIS still refuses to read mods from any subsequent attempts. This is getting very odd. 

 

Edited April 13, 2025 by kandetri

[Dorabella]

3 hours ago, kandetri said:

I gave admin privileges to both usvfs_proxy_x64.exe and usvfs_proxy_x86.exe and it works fine now.

Never heard of it. Perhaps you would have done better to look at the nexus thread.

 

1) Uninstall all

2) Instead of looking around for pseudo-guides 🤬, take a look here , inside you will find the very detailed Conglomerate guide  My Skyrim modding 1