Anyone tried mTES4 Manager yet?

[Hana]

I've been watching with interest this thread on Beth about mTES4, a new app to create and manage multiple Oblivion installs by cloning everything, including the .ini file.While the thread is being mired by talk about Nehrim, it still sounds very impressive and easy to use.Has anyone been brave enough to try it yet? Any reviews? First impressions?

[Conner]

I haven't, but it sounds like a good idea. Too bad it's only for Oblivion, I can easily think of a few other games that could've benefited from such a tool, especially among the games I beta tested for. :headbang:

[Arthmoor]

Haven't looked at it beyond the initial thread. It doesn't have any real use beyond Nehrim style multiple installs though, so it's only natural that Nehrim talk is involved. I can't really see much point in having multiple game installs for any other reason since Bash has profiles which can be used for testing purposes in a normal install.

[Conner]

I agree that it's most useful for Nehrim style multiple installs so it only makes sense that the discussion would focus on Nehrim, but man, back when I was beta testing games having a multiple install manager would've been awfully useful for several of those games, particularly when they made major changes that basically required a fresh reinstall to access the new stuff but which lost some of the old features...

[Hana]

I've read about Bash profiles, but I have to admit, it confuses me. Isn't that just separating all your characters? Plus they still use the same appdata, save games folders and .ini.I could see this manager useful where you want/need different ini configs or don't want to run OBSE, or want the same chars you already have in each different environment, or things like that.

[Arthmoor]

I've never really messed with profiles, but they let you manage multiple load order configs and probably multiple ini configs as well, but they don't do the same thing this mTES4 thing does since all of what Bash normally does takes place in the default Oblivion install.If you don't want to run OBSE, you just need to make a second shortcut on the desktop that doesn't access the OBSE loader.Nehrim is the only thing that's required more than that, and it's only really necessary to micromanage it if you're trying to keep a working Oblivion install along side it.

[Hana]

All those waiting with bated breath for a review; I just tried it, and right now give it a thumbs down.It's pretty un-user friendly, (leaves a pop-up window that you can't move or won't go behind other programs when it's copying) and I think just hosed my install. So, the premise is, you can make "copies" of your entire current install, then treat them all individually and customize as you like. Then you use this mTES4 app to switch between your copies. It'll launch the game for you, via OBSE or not, it'll open Wrye Bash for that particular copy, plus all the normal tools.I made two copies, one to 'play', one for 'testing'. The app won't let me switch, it throws up an error message about other folders being open or running (very vague). It looks like I'm not the only one with the problem. Second one to report it in the BGS thread. And the creator seems to be MIA. Hope I can undo this.Very disappointing.

[Arthmoor]

Bleh, thanks for reminding me I haven't done a game backup in ages. :PThat doesn't sound like fun, but there really doesn't seem to be any better way to manage game installs.

[Conner]

Hmm, a game backup is probably a really good idea. Given that review, Hana, I'm really glad that I wasn't thinking that I needed mTES4 Manager anyway. I had actually given consideration to the idea of trying it out just to see how it handled things, but now I really can't imagine why I'd want to. Thanks for being the guinea pig for us, sorry that it didn't turn out well.Samson, of course there's a better way to manage game installs, install each copy to a separate computer.

[Arthmoor]

Well yes, you could do that. Provided you have more than one PC to do that with. It's only really been the last year or so that people have stuffed their modded Oblivion games so full of mods that these tricks need to be used. Even more so once Nehrim came out and made a second install location mandatory to avoid messing up the main one.

[Conner]

Ok, I admit most folks can't get away with using multiple PCs that way, but it is the beset solution if you can pull it off. ;)Ultimately I think Nehrim seems to be the only mod that really requires multiple installs anyway though, no?

[Tommy]

Hmmm Hana.... that is really too bad. I sounds like a really good idea. Just yesterday, me too I thought to give the tool a tryout. But your report is not encouraging.... When I get my new HD in about a week (2 TB, heheheee) I will clone/backup my present Oblivion setup and give the tool a try nevertheless, but shall proceed very cautiously...

[Conner]

The downside to a huge drive is made abundantly clear the first time you have to sit around waiting on chkdsk to run on it or while Windows defrags it... ;)In any event, good luck, Tommy, perhaps your results will be different than Hana's were.

[Arthmoor]

I sense topic drift....I'd be careful about those high capacity drives. Make sure you're getting a decent brand, and by decent I mean just about anything other than Western Digital.

[Conner]

Really? I thought I was still basically on topic so far.

[Hana]

Yeah, good luck Tommy. Maybe it'll be nicer to you. But I sense it's a Win7 64bit issue with .... something. No clue what.And you obviously haven't seen my rant on chkdsk'ing a 1TB drive, let alone 2.

[Conner]

Oh, did Tommy say he was using Win7 64bit? Either I missed that somewhere or you're assuming. If it is a Win7 issue, then he may indeed do better with it if he happens to not be running Win7.

[Hana]

No he didn't, I was just cautioning.However, I've got it working! (wild applause) and it's not a Win7 issue, it's more a Wrye Bash issue if you're copying from an install that already has Bash in it.For anyone wanting to try it, this is how I did it:* Tagged existing install as Current when mTES4 first launches* Copy clone (current) to (new name) Test1 (you can name it whatever you like)* Say yes to copy profile and yes to copy appdata when asked after clone is finished copying* Say no to using private Bain folder (this is the problem area - the ReadMe actually says to say yes and it will create a new Oblivion Mods folder for you, but it's messed up)* Copy your existing Oblivion Mods to (new folder) Oblivion Mods_Test1* Update bash.ini in MopyTest1 to point to Oblivion Mods_Test1 ---- this is the important part in order to use the right BAIN folder* Repeat for any new clones you want to makeThe ReadMe mentions nothing about updating the bash.ini, I found the solution buried in the BGS thread. I've tested everything, deleted some mods in certain clones, added some mods, and everything works as it should. I now give this a thumbs up even after the convoluted install method. Btw, it's not recommended to copy your full existing install, it suggests you make a 'clean copy' of no mods to make clones from. But that just sounds like too much work to install mods in each clone, especially when you still want most of them in all clones. I haven't tried a Nehrim install copy yet.

[Conner]

Oh, that's not good to hear that it's a bash issue, but gratz on figuring out a resolution to it.

[Hana]

In case anyone missed my questioning this on BGS;It's a good thing I re-installed Norton today or I never would have noticed this, I've had my Windows firewall off.It's attempting that every time the app is launched. It's blocked now, but wtf?

[Arthmoor]

That app has no legitimate reason to be contacting anything on the internet does it? Looks suspicious to me.

[Conner]

Ok, now I'd start worrying about using mTES4. Why on earth should it be phoning home each time you fire it up??