How To Fix Your Save Number

Overview

Ever had a problem where your save file numbers are fu​ck​ed up, and wished to fix it? If so, then you’ve come to the right guide! I’ll tell you how to fix the save number by editing the save file! Without mods, obviously.

How to change?

Unfortunately, as with many other games, the file is saved in binary. You’ll need a program to read and modify files in binary. For this, I use HxD.

Don’t forget to back up your saves before doing this, in case you screwed up. Go ahead. I’ll wait here. Better safe than sorry.

Let’s see a save file that I made much earlier

Now, let’s open it up with your favorite binary editor in the file explorer. I don’t have to tell you this, but all your F:NV save files are located in C:Users<Name>DocumentsMy GamesFalloutNVSaves.

Find the save number. In this case, it’s located on this part that I selected. The number is 42.

Now change the number into something like… 133742069?

Now save it. You’ll see the change getting reflected in the game.

Ta-Da! Now your save file is un-screwed!

Note that the quicksave and autosave also has the save number, like any other manual saves, albeit hidden.

And… no, editing save file won’t disable your achievement on that save (or even VAC ban you). It’s a well-known fact that the only way to disable your achievement is when you run a command on the in-game console, but it only lasts for that game session and it does not mark the save as cheated. Closing and opening the game again will re-enable the achievements again for all the saves, even the cheated one.

The end! And notes.

Thanks for reading this guide! Hope this helps.

This guide is pretty short and rough, because I made this in a few hours (the longer ones I made took days even weeks to complete). I made this quickly to address the problems of save numbers that plagued me (and probably my OCD lol)

I originally wanted to cover on how the game assigns a new save number, but it’s pretty complicated that I decided to not research into it deeper, and leave it at that. I might look into the save mechanism later.

I might have missed something, or a lot of something, in this guide. If you found any errors or have any suggestion, please write it down in the comments.section.