Oblivion CTD when saving game

[PubliusNV]

After installing Oblivion Game of the Year DLC from Steam in the middle of March, and then installing a relatively small number of mods (at least as compared to my Skyrim mod list) I've been playing Oblivion nearly every day since, with no changes to my mod list, and have made it to level 23 and all the way through the main quest and fighter's guild quest lines with relatively few problems (until now).

 

Now, every time I load any recent save, do anything, then try to save, the game CTDs.  It doesn't matter whether it's an F5 quick save, an auto save, or a command line save, it CTDs every time with the Windows message box "Oblivion has stopped working".

 

Is there any logging I can turn on to better identify the problem?  Or a save game cleaner like there are for Skyrim?

 

Here are the mods I've installed, all through TES Mod Manager for Oblivion, and sorted by BOSS:

3/14/2018 5:57:50 PM:Activated Unofficial Oblivion Patch 3.5.5.omod2.7z
3/14/2018 6:00:09 PM:Activated Unofficial Shivering Isles Patch 1.5.9.omod2.7z
3/14/2018 6:00:17 PM:Activated Unofficial Oblivion DLC Patches 24.omod2.7z
3/14/2018 6:00:25 PM:Activated Oblivion Stutter Remover 4.1.37.omod2.7z
3/14/2018 6:10:59 PM:Activated DarkUId DarN 16 OMOD Version-11280.omod
3/14/2018 6:17:26 PM:Activated Oblivion Script Extender - OBSE 0021.omod2.7z
3/14/2018 6:20:47 PM:Activated Blockhead 10.3.omod2.7z
3/14/2018 6:31:57 PM:Activated OBSE -Elys- Universal Silent Voice 0.93.omod2.7z
3/14/2018 6:51:30 PM:Activated Keychain 5.0.omod2.7z
3/15/2018 3:04:05 PM:Activated Female EyeCandy Body Replacer NUDE 1.0.omod2.7z
3/15/2018 3:15:34 PM:Activated HG EyeCandy Body 1.21.omod2.7z
3/15/2018 3:57:23 PM:Activated High Rez Skin Textures for HGEC 1.2.omod2.7z
3/15/2018 4:10:44 PM:Activated Coronerras Maximum Compatibility Skeletons 1.omod2.7z
3/15/2018 5:05:07 PM:Activated Apachii Goddess Store 1.6.omod2.7z
3/15/2018 5:32:06 PM:Activated RobertMaleBodyReplacerV52 V5.2.omod2.7z
3/15/2018 5:32:57 PM:Deactivated RobertMaleBodyReplacerV52 V5.2.omod2.7z
3/15/2018 5:45:27 PM:Activated Robert Male Body Replacer v52 OMOD-40532-1.omod
3/15/2018 6:02:14 PM:Activated Oblivion Character Overhaul version 2 2.03.omod2.7z
3/15/2018 6:10:22 PM:Activated Sensual Walks for Female NPCs 8.4.2.omod2.7z
3/15/2018 6:16:15 PM:Activated Supreme Magicka 0-90b-12466-0-90b.zip
3/15/2018 6:36:26 PM:Activated Bag of Holding  1.5.0.omod2.7z
3/15/2018 6:36:48 PM:Activated Unlimited Amulets and Rings 1.0.omod2.7z
3/15/2018 6:57:16 PM:Activated Pluggy 132.omod2.7z
3/15/2018 7:31:07 PM:Activated Lovers with PK 1.0.omod2.7z
3/15/2018 7:32:14 PM:Activated LAPF Supplemental Plugin Pack 1.0.omod2.7z
3/15/2018 8:57:02 PM:Activated OblivionCombatExtender 1.0.omod2.7z
3/16/2018 12:02:04 PM:Activated SD Skill Diary 2.3.omod2.7z
3/16/2018 1:33:31 PM:Activated Your Imperial City House Mod 4.1.omod2.7z
3/16/2018 7:46:51 PM:Activated SimpleHUDClock 1.1.omod2.7z
4/1/2018 8:04:37 PM:Activated Leviathan Trophy Soulgems 1.0.omod2.7z
4/1/2018 8:12:14 PM:Activated Leviathan Soulgems 1.0.omod2.7z

 

Thanks for any advice.

[puddles]

Omod list doesn't help too much. Can you post your .esp list?

[PubliusNV]

Sorry, here it is:

 

Oblivion.esm
lovers with pk.esm
unofficial oblivion patch.esp
uop vampire aging & face fix.esp
oblivion citadel door fix.esp
DLCShiveringIsles.esp
unofficial shivering isles patch.esp
simplehudclock.esp
DLCHorseArmor.esp
dlchorsearmor - unofficial patch.esp
DLCOrrery.esp
dlcorrery - unofficial patch.esp
DLCVileLair.esp
dlcvilelair - unofficial patch.esp
DLCMehrunesRazor.esp
dlcmehrunesrazor - unofficial patch.esp
DLCSpellTomes.esp
dlcspelltomes - unofficial patch.esp
MaleBodyReplacerV5.esp
DLCThievesDen.esp
dlcthievesden - unofficial patch.esp
dlcthievesden - unofficial patch - sssb.esp
imperialcityhouse.esp
apachii_goddess_store.esp
DLCBattlehornCastle.esp
dlcbattlehorncastle - unofficial patch.esp
DLCFrostcrag.esp
dlcfrostcrag - unofficial patch.esp
Knights.esp
knights - unofficial patch.esp
bag of holding.esp
leviathan soulgems.esp
leviathan trophy soulgems.esp
p1dkeychain.esp
loversdeathdenied.esp
loversadultplayplusforssp.esp
loversvoicesspplus.esp
loversbed.esp
loverspaybandit.esp
lovers with pk.esp
loversbackup2.esp
loversescaperapevplayer.esp
loversrapeslave.esp
loversmb2.esp
loverslight.esp
unlimited rings 1.0.esp
unlimited amulets 1.0.esp
suprememagicka.esp
sd skill diary.esp
oblivion_character_overhaul.esp
loversidleanimspriority.esp
loversanimobjectspriority.esp

[gregathit]

I think your problem starts with this:  dlcthievesden - unofficial patch - sssb.esp

See here:  https://bethesda.net/community/topic/38746/relz-unofficial-oblivion-dlc-patches-uodp

Third paragraph.  As to how to fix, Wrye Bash has a save cleaner.

 

Also, please don't use F5, or autosaves.  They are notorious for getting corrupted.  Use only manual saves.  Hit the escape button and do a full manual save.

You can get programs that have autosaves that actually do work, like streamline.

[PubliusNV]

Wrye Bash reports no problems with the load order, and it matches my most current save (made from the command line) that I can load.  I tried the "remove bloat" operation, but it reports no bloat.  I applied the abomb fix even though WB said I was only 66% of the way to hitting it.  Is there some other cleaning option I have missed?

[puddles]

bag of holding.esp

 

That 'might' cause issues if the bag is really, really, really full...

 

You have OCO2. Are all of your OBSE plugins (Blockhead.dll, etc.) set right?

 

Honestly, your load order is pretty small...I have a lvl 25 and my load list is 253~ (not counting everything merged into my Bashed Patch), and I don't have any such issues. I have most of the mods on your list, too.

 

 

simplehudclock.esp

dlcthievesden - unofficial patch - sssb.esp

imperialcityhouse.esp
apachii_goddess_store.esp

unlimited rings 1.0.esp
unlimited amulets 1.0.esp
suprememagicka.esp (I have a custom one of this)

sd skill diary.esp

 

And a few of the Lovers ones are the only ones I don't have.

 

[PubliusNV]

Well, the bag does have a lot of stuff in it.  I've been stuffing potions, scrolls, and especially alchemical ingredients into it.  I tried moving 400 or so potions from it into a chest in one of my houses but still get the save CTD.

 

As this is the first time I've tried modding Oblivion I can't swear I have all of the OBSE plugins "set right" but wouldn't that have caused problems long before now?

 

Thanks very much for the responses.

[DogOnPorch]

Not in Bruma by any chance?

[PubliusNV]

My PC is in the Imperial City, and is trying to get to Chorrol.  I've tried saving in the Imperial City, after fast traveling to the Chorrol gate, and after running halfway there, and CTD in all 3 places.  I also tried fast traveling to Bravil and saving there, same story.  So I haven't yet tried going to Bruma and saving there.  Although at lower levels, before this problem started happening, I was able to save in Bruma and all the other cities.

[DogOnPorch]

5 minutes ago, PubliusNV said:

My PC is in the Imperial City, and is trying to get to Chorrol.  I've tried saving in the Imperial City, after fast traveling to the Chorrol gate, and after running halfway there, and CTD in all 3 places.  I also tried fast traveling to Bravil and saving there, same story.  So I haven't yet tried going to Bruma and saving there.  Although at lower levels, before this problem started happening, I was able to save in Bruma and all the other cities.

 

Yeah...not the problem, then. There's a common bug (with numerous fixes) that causes crashes in Bruma after you get your statue for saving the place.

[DogOnPorch]

A possible thing to try:

 

Go to an empty interior cell. Open the console and type PCB and hit <enter> then try to save.

 

Old Purge Cell Buffer...perhaps that will shed the error.

 

Or not...

[DogOnPorch]

Another possibility is some spawn that is now introduced (prob at level 20) is not liking being saved. A monster or unique race or sumthin'....

 

I did have a nagging problem related to that a few years back...but it wasn't with saving but rather encountering the bad spawn in the wilderness...CTD.

[DogOnPorch]

One other source of clues: Go to your Documents My Games Oblivion folder and see what the physical size of the saves are in kb....was there a sudden big jump in size?

[DogOnPorch]

...and the ultimate question. Does this happen with a brand new character? 

 

My PCs have been corrupted in the past for countless reasons. If it happens with a brand new PC, the issue is almost certainly universal rather that save related.

 

I'm also assuming you have all your ducks in a row for the basics like the latest OBSE and Pluggy, etc.

[PubliusNV]

I loaded up the last save that works, which is inside the "Your Imperial City House" mod house.  I did a PCB command, and was able to save.  I then fast traveled to Chorrol, entered my house there, did another PCB command, and a command line save then CTD'd.

 

The last good save file is 3,550 KB.  One made about 20 minutes before that is 3,548 KB.  A much older one, just before I did the last Fighter's Guild quest, is 3,378 KB.

[fejeena]

First find out if it is a bug in game or in the save.

 

Start a new character. Can you fast travel and save?

if yes your game is fine but your save is "shit".

 

--------------------

Save problems i have when I delete or deactivate a Mod and something is still in the save.

But usually problems only occur in certain places. I once could not travel near Anvil ( In Anvil it was OK ), there was something in my save that was no longer in my game, the game tried to load it and CTD.

Only weather Mods, ENBs or NPC overhaults  (like oblivion_character_overhaul.esp  ) affects the whole game and it can crash everywhere when you deactivate them and use a old save.

 

So after Load order changes or deleted/deactivated mods better start a new game. At least create a clean save ( Go in a vanilla house without any Mod changes and save. Quit the game and delete/deactivate a Mod or change Load order.  Load the save and use the wait function, 3 days! So all respawning things are deleted from your save. Create a new save, quit the game to clear the memory/RAM.  Start game and load the save.)

 

----------------

Do you use a Distant view Mod/tool?

After each load order change you must run the tool again or your game will crash immediately or after a few minutes. ( Add or deactivate a Mod is a load order change )
 

[DogOnPorch]

3 minutes ago, PubliusNV said:

I loaded up the last save that works, which is inside the "Your Imperial City House" mod house.  I did a PCB command, and was able to save.  I then fast traveled to Chorrol, entered my house there, did another PCB command, and a command line save then CTD'd.

 

The last good save file is 3,550 KB.  One made about 20 minutes before that is 3,548 KB.  A much older one, just before I did the last Fighter's Guild quest, is 3,378 KB.

 

Okay...interesting. Those are normal sized saves...I'm talking about going from 3mb to 20mb or MORE.

 

As both fejeena and I have mentioned (lol)...start a new PC to see if this is game or save related before we start doing any 'brain surgery'.

 

 

[PubliusNV]

I can start a new character and save in the starting cell. 

 

I'm running with the versions of OBSE, Pluggy, etc that were current March 15th 2018.

[PubliusNV]

I have made no load order changes for over a month.  And I'm not using a distant view mod/tool.

 

I'll try taking my new character through the tutorial and far enough so that I can try fast traveling.  That will take a while, so I'll report back.

[DogOnPorch]

47 minutes ago, PubliusNV said:

I have made no load order changes for over a month.  And I'm not using a distant view mod/tool.

 

I'll try taking my new character through the tutorial and far enough so that I can try fast traveling.  That will take a while, so I'll report back.

 

NP...so many things are marked 'persistent' in the Construction Set. They get hard-wired into your game save upon your first time encountering them. Any one could be an issue that is hard to rid yourself of other than going into necro-saves that worked properly...also a drag.

 

The 'no load order changes for a month' comment also makes me suspicious of something waiting until you turned a certain level...level 20 and 22 are common in the leveled lists. Then you encountered one...it was persistent...and saved.

 

You might also want to add the Engine Bug Fixes dll that is still being maintained over at Nexus. It has worked wonders on my bloated build's stability.

[fejeena]

3 hours ago, PubliusNV said:

I'm running with the versions of OBSE, Pluggy, etc that were current March 15th 2018.

But do they work?

If you have your game in C:/programfiles (x86) many tools doesn't work. ( Pluggy, OBSE, the archive invalidate via Bsa Redirection with Wrye Bash or OBMM,... )

 

Or Lovers Mods installed with Nexus modmanager .... and Lovers will not work.

 

See my yellow Link below.

[puddles]

Also, it's worth noting that sometimes there's nothing wrong with any one particular mod. For example, once I was playing vanilla Morroblivion. There was a random Dunmer tribeswoman who -- for no reason -- crashed the game when I approached her. Nothing in her inventory was bugged, she had no unique dialogue, no unique...anything. No one else could get it to happen. It just so happened her reference got corrupted during that volatile moment when she and many other NPCs were having their values were loaded for the first time. Only solution was to disable her for the playthrough. Luckily she wasn't important. But...if there's a bugged NPC or Creature who's referenced by a GameMode script for a quest, etc. and they get "corrupted"? The game might very well crash regardless of their location (near you, nowhere near you, etc.) for no plausible reason.

[PubliusNV]

2 hours ago, fejeena said:

But do they work?

If you have your game in C:/programfiles (x86) many tools doesn't work. ( Pluggy, OBSE, the archive invalidate via Bsa Redirection with Wrye Bash or OBMM,... )

 

Or Lovers Mods installed with Nexus modmanager .... and Lovers will not work.

 

See my yellow Link below.

Exactly because of that, I install all my Steam games to my D: drive.  And I don't use Nexus ModManager.  I don't think I would have gotten to Level 23 with a couple hundred hours of play if OBSE, etc weren't working.

[PubliusNV]

I installed the Engines Bug Fixes mod that was so kindly recommended by DogOnPorch, started a new game, finished the tutorial, wandered around the Imperial city a bit, fast traveled from one part of the city to another, and I'm able to save with no problem.  So my old level 23 save might just be beyond redemption for some reason like what Puddles and DogOnPorch suggested.

 

Fejeena: Thank you for pointing out the link in your sig, I will read it carefully.

[DogOnPorch]

1 minute ago, PubliusNV said:

I installed the Engines Bug Fixes mod that was so kindly recommended by DogOnPorch, started a new game, finished the tutorial, wandered around the Imperial city a bit, fast traveled from one part of the city to another, and I'm able to save with no problem.  So my old level 23 save might just be beyond redemption for some reason like what Puddles and DogOnPorch suggested.

 

Fejeena: Thank you for pointing out the link in your sig, I will read it carefully.

 

If it starts happening again around level 20...remember what I mentioned.

 

I didn't see any creature mods in your load order, though. But other things besides critters are on leveled lists as I'm sure you're aware.