Reinstalling after many years of playing the same version, which Skyrim is better and tips on managing mods?

[darthnoldor]

Hy Guys, I need your opinions and help 😁

I've always played SSE version 1.5.97.0, but last year I changed my Gaming PC (Oh no, but maybe just in time... 😚) and so now I have to reinstall SKYRIM to do yet another fully modded run ehehhehe. 😍

 

My obvious question is this:

·       Do you recommend installing the latest version of the game on Steam, so the Anniversary version?

 

·       If so, can I install SexLab without any problems?

As for mods, obviously, I'll check which ones are compatible with Lovers Lab and see, but I gather that almost all mods are, or at least those that aren't old and obsolete.

I'll use Vortex as the installation program. I always used MOD on my old PC, but with the new one I started using Vortex, even for Fallout 4, although I didn't update to Anniversary, and I was happy with it. 🥰

 

Anothers questions:

·       At this point, with the latest AE, is there a guide on this site for installing everything?

I've always used the "classic" guide for SSE and was very happy with it, so I hope to find a similar one. 🤩

 

·       As for the "Nexus" site, can you recommend any collections I can install with Vortex? 😇

For Fallout 4, I've found several, including some with LoversLab references. They're well-made. However, for Skyrim, I haven't found anything specifically for LoversLab, and there are tons of "generic" collections, and I don't want to download mods that aren't compatible with SexLab.

 

·       I'll ask you straight away about AE modding. I seem to have read, browsing this forum, that the "new" Skyrim AE has far fewer issues with the number of ESM/ESP/ESL we can install. Is that true? If so, how many ESM/ESP and ESL can I load?

·       Having only ever played SSE, I'm used to fusing various mods to gain "numbers." Hehe, can I finally stop doing that? 🤔 😍

 

·       What do you think about using "Wabbajack" to download/install mods? I've never used it, so I don't really know what it's like...  (I don't think I'll use it, I'd rather do it myself without a program, but I'm asking for your opinion) 🫡

 

Finally, if you have any suggestions, please let me know, and I'd appreciate it. And... to everyone, "Fus Ro Dah" 😝💓

[Miauzi]

Are you posting in the LE section of the forum?

 

 

Edited January 21 by Miauzi

[darthnoldor]

3 hours ago, Miauzi said:

Are you posting in the LE section of the forum?

 

 

 

Sorry for the wrong section, I'll be more careful in the future, ☺️but sometimes it's not very clear which section to put the thread in. I'll be more careful, and thanks for the reply, I'll look at everything carefully. 😁👍

[Just Don't]

Latest unless you have a mod that only works on older versions and you really can't replace it. Then you'll be hunting for old versions of certain mods quite often. And "anniversary Edition" is an unfortunately inaccurate term, you'll have way less problems if you check the executable version and refer to it when looking for mods (i.e. 1.5.97, or the current one, 1.6.1170). There is an Anniversary Edition paid DLC, which is completely optional and not needed for most mods (I can't recall any LL mods requiring the paid ones, some mods do require the 4 free CC, same as the unofficial patch and all of that, because it's part of a regular Steam installation and doesn't incur in any additional payments from you). And also regardless of version look into ways to disable automatic Steam updates (my guide covers some methods to do this).

 

4 hours ago, darthnoldor said:

·       I'll ask you straight away about AE modding. I seem to have read, browsing this forum, that the "new" Skyrim AE has far fewer issues with the number of ESM/ESP/ESL we can install. Is that true? If so, how many ESM/ESP and ESL can I load?

ESM+ESP = 254. All ESL files load in the 255th slot and you can have up to 8 thousands or so of them (this limit was 4k before one of the latest updates that doubled it). I don't see much reason to fusing, if by that you mean merge plugins. If something is ESL it's basically free in terms of your plugin limit.

 

No idea about collections nor WJ, I know these things exists and work. My guide was already linked although that one is quite basic and for starting with MO2, I have no idea about Vortex. You can still check the list of required mods and install them in Vortex, then look elsewhere for more mod recommendations (there's a list of links and resources for this at the end of my guide).

Edited January 21 by Just Don't

[Guest]

Not another one.... does anyone search pre-post to see that their questions have been answered before they post?!

Maybe a sticky for newbies and others who have not used Skyrim for a bit.    

 

 

 

Edited January 22 by Caveman 74

[Guest]

12 hours ago, darthnoldor said:

opinions and help 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdtf0LwWHvk          SKSE for Milkdrinkers.

 

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3185468658       Downgrade To 1.5.97        

 

[darthnoldor]

Il 22/01/2026 alle 00:12, Just Don't ha detto:

Ultima, a meno che tu non abbia una mod che funziona solo su versioni precedenti e non puoi davvero sostituirla. In quel caso, ti ritroverai a cercare vecchie versioni di alcune mod abbastanza spesso. E "Anniversary Edition" è un termine purtroppo impreciso, avrai molti meno problemi se controlla la versione eseguibile e la fai riferimento quando cerchi mod (ad esempio 1.5.97, o quella attuale, 1.6.1170). Esiste un DLC a pagamento per l'Anniversary Edition, che è completamente facoltativo e non necessario per la maggior parte delle mod (non ricordo mod LL che richiedessero quelle a pagamento, alcune mod richiedono i 4 CC gratuiti, come la patch non ufficiale e tutto il resto, perché fa parte di una normale installazione di Steam e non comporta alcun pagamento aggiuntivo da parte tua). E inoltre, indipendentemente dalla versione, cerca dei modi per disattivare gli aggiornamenti automatici di Steam (la mia guida illustra alcuni metodi per farlo).

 

ESM+ESP = 254. Tutti i file ESL vengono caricati nel 255° slot e puoi averne fino a circa 8.000 (questo limite era di 4k prima di uno degli ultimi aggiornamenti che lo ha raddoppiato). Non vedo molte ragioni per fondere, se con questo intendi unire i plugin. Se qualcosa è ESL, è praticamente gratuito in termini di limite del plugin.

 

Nessuna idea sulle collezioni né su WJ, quindi che queste cose esistono e funzionano. La mia guida era già collegata, anche se è piuttosto elementare e per iniziare con MO2, non ho idea di Vortex. Puoi comunque controllare l'elenco delle richieste mod e installarle in Vortex, quindi cercare altrove per altri consigli sulle mod (c'è un elenco di link e risorse per questo alla fine della mia guida).

Grazie mille, so che questi post sono noiosi e quindi ti ringrazio davvero, con SE ho "unito" vari ESP perché non potevo farli diventare tutti ESL e quindi ho superato il limite di 244 😁🤣 

Visti i commenti nel post e vari messaggi sul forum, penso che continuerò a fare con AE come ho fatto con SE e userò MO2, che ormai so usare abbastanza bene e controllerò le guide di AE e vari post 😁👍

Thanks for the tip to disable Skyrim's automatic updates. I noticed it myself a good few years ago, losing everything in a very modded and advanced game, but maybe it was Fallout. Anyway, I had turned them off from that day on, hehehe, and thanks for always remembering it because when it happens, it's truly a traumatic event, and saving a mod buddy is always a nice thing. 😆

Edited January 23 by darthnoldor

[darthnoldor]

On 22/01/2026 at 08:09, Caveman 74 said:

Non un altro... c'è qualcuno che effettua una ricerca pre-post per vedere se le proprie domande hanno già ricevuto risposta prima di postare?!

Forse un post interessante per i principianti e per chi non usa Skyrim da un po'.    

 

 

 

I searched a bit but didn't find the answers I wanted. I asked in existing threads but got no answers, so I opened my own thread. It's probably annoying because it's a copy of a copy. I apologize for this, but sometimes, especially time, gets in the way of searching the forum properly... ☺️
In the end, I realized that maybe the answers weren't there at all, or rather, that the "old way" is still the one I use today, but this post confirmed it.😚
It wouldn't be a bad idea to have a "pinned" post with topics for newcomers and those returning after years with new versions, so that everything is covered. 👍

[darthnoldor]

On 22/01/2026 at 08:12, Caveman 74 said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdtf0LwWHvk           SKSE per chi beve latte.

 

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3185468658        Downgrade a 1.5.97        

 

eh but I didn't want to downgrade to 1.5.97 I can do that, I wanted to understand if it's worth using AE and if so how to do it.

taking advantage of the fact that I changed PC so I would have had to reinstall everything anyway, or at least a lot etc etc because in the past when I reinstalled Skyrim on the same PC, for various reasons, I still always had the folder and the MO2 settings from which I started, true I could also import that on the new PC, but, precisely, I wanted to try to change with AE.... that's all 😎

[Guest]

11 minutes ago, darthnoldor said:

In the end, I realized that maybe the answers weren't there at all, or rather, that the "old way" is still the one I use today, but this post confirmed it.😚
It wouldn't be a bad idea to have a "pinned" post with topics for newcomers and those returning after years with new versions, so that everything is covered. 👍

No apology necessary, there have been a lot of similar posts recently.

I wish there were a pinned topic for new and returning players to help them with this.

 

8 minutes ago, darthnoldor said:

eh but I didn't want to downgrade to 1.5.97 I can do that, I wanted to understand if it's worth using AE and if so how to do it.

taking advantage of the fact that I changed PC so I would have had to reinstall everything anyway, or at least a lot etc etc because in the past when I reinstalled Skyrim on the same PC, for various reasons, I still always had the folder and the MO2 settings from which I started, true I could also import that on the new PC, but, precisely, I wanted to try to change with AE.... that's all 😎

@Miauzi linked the best guide for AE, I use SE 1.5.97, lot's of users like AE and that is fine, lots of mods won't work on AE & that is why I use SE and the link is for others who are searching and run across this topic, and for you if you decide that is what is best for your game.

I wish you well in your endeavor!   

 

 

Edited January 23 by Caveman 74