Question about clean saves

[gizmo1206]

so some mods need a clean save to update now if i were to load a clean save to update the mod and after updating load my not clean save,would that work?

[Prometeus5879]

They don't require a clean save to update, you need a clean save to continue playing with that previously saved game without having problems. So no, your suggestion wouldn't work.

[Veladarius]

Generally the reason a mod will require a clean save is that it has changed something that gets included in your save game, script properties is one of many things that is saved but will not change when you update. Updating and not doing a clean save (I suggest using a save cleaner on the clean save before using it to get rid of lingering scripts) will result in the script properties (and other things) unchanged from what they were in the previous version.

[gizmo1206]

3 hours ago, Veladarius said:

Generally the reason a mod will require a clean save is that it has changed something that gets included in your save game, script properties is one of many things that is saved but will not change when you update. Updating and not doing a clean save (I suggest using a save cleaner on the clean save before using it to get rid of lingering scripts) will result in the script properties (and other things) unchanged from what they were in the previous version.

ok but what about if its not a clean save because my only clean save is from after helgan and id rather use my main save

[Veladarius]

To make a clean save:

Make a save (I will refer to it as save 1 here), generally best to go someplace that the mod you are looking to update does nothing with and has no npc's so small interior spaces are usually best.

- Exit the game and disable the mod in question, don't update it yet.

- Load save 1 which you just made, wait a moment or two and just stand there and then save it again (save 2).

- At this point save 2 has had most of the resources of the mod removed but there are still lingering scripts and properties so run save 2 through a save cleaner and remove any unattached or orphaned scripts and save it (save 3)

- Install the new version of the mod, load save 3 which now has no trace of the old version of the mod and let the new version initialize or do anything else it needs to do when first started then make another save (save 4).

- Save 4 will be your new starting point for that game, don't use any saves prior to that point without going through the above with that save as well.

 

If you use alternate start and have a lot of mods with MCM menu's you can do what I do and keep a save made after setting up all of the menu's and use that as a start point for games if you start over. If you do this you will have to go through the above again with that save but it should give you a good clean starting point that is ready to go. You can make adjustments to the character using  showracemenu  in the console.