Skyrim SE – Help for Your Modded or Vanilla Game

Overview

Skyrim’s been out since 2011, SSE since 2016. Fast forward 2021 – with some of that info outdated, some it for (2011’s) LE version, it’s understandable if a user becomes confused and overwhelmed when their game has problems or even becomes unplayable. In this Guide you’ll find help for both your modded and vanilla game issues. The information is designed to save you the time of digging and sorting through 10 years of info. Find the section related to your issue, evaluate, then implement if you feel confident in doing so. Feel free to ask in the forums if you have any questions. This guide is categorized alphabetically Also see my 2021 Complete Load Order & Basics+ for Skyrim SE

A Word of Caution

DO NOT start removing mods when experiencing issues with your game, especially if you are mid-playthrough (read). Not only is this destructive but let’s first see if anything in this Guide is related to your issue, then if you still need help start a thread in Steam’s SSE Forums & we’ll try and track down the culprit. The same can be said for uninstalling & reinstalling your game unless you are going to perform a proper “clean vanilla reinstall”.

Afterwards, if the problem has not been solved, we’ll help you decide if you need a clean vanilla reinstall or not. Because depending on the culprit, tearing everything down without knowing what you are doing can and will cause more problems immediately or down the road.

At the end of the guide you’ll find some information on what you’ll need to ensure you receive the proper help in the Steam Skyrim SSE Forums should you need to seek help there. We have some of the most informed folks over there who if they do not know how to help you they will tell you and usually find someone who can. Enjoy.

is that you are not over the 255 plug-in limit

Due to the way Skyrim handles FormIDs there is a 255 plugin limit. FormIDs are 8bit strings, the leading two bits are used to indicate the source plugin. Starting at 00 and ending at FF. FF is reserved for items dynamically created in the game. Therefore there is a max of 255 individual plugins. The 255 Plugin limit is because plugins are loaded in a 32bit HEX dictionary of sorts. The amount of records the game can run is 4,294,967,295 , which translates to FF FF FF FF in HEX. So if you’ve used the console to spawn in items and you type in the code for a specific item like 00039BE7 ? That item is in the first Plugin in your list, aka Skyrim.esm . A plugin in the 255 plugin slot would be using FF000000 to start off, and let’s say it had an armor piece with the code FF0004B8 . Hope that cleared things up on the technical side. Skyrim SE comes with 5. Skyrim.esm, Update.esm, Dawnguard.esm, Hearthfires.esm and Dragonborn.ESM, leaving 250 available for use by the player. Exceed 255 plugins and your game crashes. So if this is the case you must reduce the number of plugins and there are a few ways you can do this. One way is to esl flag certain plugins using xEdit. See that section later in this guide which includes a video by Michael of GamerPoets.

2 Mods

A Note Going Forward:

Look at this as preventative maintenance for your game.

But these 2 mods are so Important – even if you don’t want mods
(Btw, you’ll still get achievements with this setup – modded or vanilla)

Because every new game you start from now on should include these 2 mods and their requirements. Having them installed from the start of a new game will give you maximum results.

Simple, if you’re reading this you have never used these 2 mods. Many people don’t take the time to understand why they need these mods so they never install them. The installation of these 2 mods including their requirements takes 10 minutes (maybe 15 your first time). So there is nothing complicated here at all.

So Let’s address these 2 mods before we begin getting in to the good stuff
And of course Feel Free to skip this important info:

Not to mention the engine’s limitations. One mod fixes numerous bugs, the other addresses engine problems and turns achievements back on. So set-up your game for added piece of mind.

So if you are reading this you most likely are having problems with your modded or even unmodded game. You can play the game without them but even if you’re strictly playing for fun (hopefully we all are) these 2 mods if nothing else will make your game experience more enjoyable and you won’t even notice they are there (which means they are doing your job).

When people talk about “must have mods” or the “best mods” many times we can take those words with a grain of salt. Besides, as the saying goes “one man’s ceiling is another man’s floor”, one might ask, “the best for what?”. Combat? Animations? Landscape? Graphics? But what looks or plays well for one individual may not necessarily be for another. That said we all probably all would like to eliminate as many bugs as possible and have as stable a running game as we can (there’s that fun thing again), all the while not losing the ability to earn achievements (very important to some).

The general rule or common knowledge among veteran modders is that you should include the “Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch” (USSEP) in every load order you put together. The vast majority also would not play without “SSE Engine Fixes”. What do these two mods do? A long list is included on each respective mod page so this is best answered by at least scanning both mod pages info because between the two of them they fix and patch numerous “bugs”. What constitutes a bug? Ahh, this happens to be the first question on Arthmoor’s (USSEP) FAQ page[www.afkmods.com] so I’ll copy & paste that answer right here: “This can be anything from a quest that won’t advance a stage when it should, to a typo in a book, and pretty much everything in between.”

The in between covers a ton, everything from time scale and water flow to False Save Corruption bugs, FPS issues, and much more.

Many times a good mod is made and never needs updating. This is not the case with the USSEP but for good reason. As you might imagine Arthmmor (MA), is almost constantly updating this mod. As I type this the USSEP was last updated one week ago today.

Detailed Article on the USSEP by smr1957
[link]

I would include these two mods in all my load orders going forward. Can you install these mods in your existing game? That’s also a FAQ and the answer is yes although depending how far along you are in the game you may miss out on some fixes.

It’s recommend to read the details on the Nexus mod pages of both mods discussed here.

Yes, including requirements.

IMPORTANT: technically there are two (2) mods we are speaking of in this section but one of the two (SSE Engine Fixes) has requirements so the number technically becomes 5. See list below:

1. Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch[www.nexusmods.com]
A comprehensive bugfixing mod for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Special Edition. The goal of the Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch (aka USSEP) is to eventually fix every bug with Skyrim Special Edition not officially resolved by the developers to the limits of the Creation Kit and community-developed tools, in one easy-to-install package.
*Requirements: This mod does not have any known dependencies other than the base game.

2. SSE Engine Fixes (skse64 plugin)[www.nexusmods.com] fixes various issues with the SSE engine.
*Requirements:
3. SKSE64 version: Current SE build 2.0.19 (runtime 1.5.97)[skse.silverlock.org]
4. Address Library for SKSE Plugins[www.nexusmods.com]
This last one should already be in your system but if not, besides being a requirement here, without it your game very well may crash.
5? Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2019 [support.microsoft.com] which you very likely already have it or earlier versions. DO NOT uninstall older versions. FAQ page [answers.microsoft.com] Do I really need all those files? A: Yes you do and if you delete even one of them some program associated with it will stop. (The files are each so small it would not free up any noticable space anyway)
FAQ: How do I Determine if I have Microsoft Visual C++ 2019 Installed on my PC?
A: Open “Add and Remove Programs” and look for Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable. The installed versions will be listed there.

Adjust Resolution & Refresh Rate (GPU)

Let’s look at your AMD or Nvidia Graphic Cards & how to change the settings

THIS SECTION NOT READY TO BE PUBLISHED – IGNORE OR MAKE DUE FOR NOW

1. Browse to the NVIDIA Display Properties by right mouse clicking on the Windows desktop and selecting NVIDIA Control Panel.
2. In the Control Panel, LH side under “Display” select “Change Resolution”.
3. Make sure you see your Monitor on the RH side
4. On the Right hand side after first making sure it shows your monitor Select desired Screen Resolution.

Note: if you don’t have a Control Panel for Nvidia there
do a search in your computer for it

Still none, google it and get one (should come with it when you update your drivers)

Here’s a Video on how to aquire Nvida Control Panel if you do not have it AND the video shows you how to select your game (just select SKyrim SE instead of the game they select.
[link]

[link] [link]

AntiVirus & Launch Problems

If you have enough space to save your game, check your antivirus and firewall to see if it is blocking any files from being created for Skyrim (For some antivirus applications, you may need to whitelist both your Save and Skyrim folders).

Your saves are saved to this folder by default:
C: Users[ your user name ]DocumentsMyGamesSkyrim Special Edition

The 2 files you need to esnure are whitelisted (excluded) from your antivirus / firewall are SkyrimSELauncher and SkyrimSE.

These 2 files are located here:
SteamsteamappscommonSkyrim Special Edition. (see below if you need help)

Follow These Steps
Go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection
Under Virus & threat protection settings, select Manage settings, and then under Exclusions, select Add or Remove. Select Add an exclusion, and then select from files, folders, file types, or process. source: microsoft (windows 10) [support.microsoft.com]

Note: this might even be a good time, while you’re in there, to look under “Notifications” and select “Notify me when Windows Defender Firewall blocks an app”. This way anytime a new app gets blocked you can decide. Only do this if you feel you will be careful enough not to just let everything thru.

If you are using BitDefender, follow these steps:

1. Go into the ”Protection” tab, then ”View Features”
2. In the bottom right under ”Safe Files” select ”Application Access”
3. Ensure that Skyrim is checked ”Allowed”

Application load error 65432 on Steam

Application load error 65432 is a Steam error message that pops up for some players when they try to launch Skyrim and other Bethesda games. Consequently, players can’t play Skyrim when that error arises. However, some players have found resolutions for the error at hand.

[link]
Simply follow the generic instructions

Capping FPS (60)

Game physics, quests and more are tied to fps

[link]
I cap mine at 59 to eliminate the possibility of it occasionally popping over 60

The opening cart ride scene gives you a small sample of fps over 60 problems
[link]

Cap your damn fps – this isn’t a competitive shooter game.

ps. Nvidia users can also use Nvidia Profile Inspector[github.com]

Here’s a video with all options and why you may want Nvidia Profile Inspector
[link]

Nvidia Inspector Forums[forums.guru3d.com]

Clean Vanilla Reinstall

Vortex users

1. First go to Extensions and disable “Script Extension check” (remember to re-enable it later after installing SKSE64)
2. Next, if using FNIS go to Settings and untick “Run FNIS on Deployment Event”
3. Staying in the “Settings” section also untick “Deploy Mods when Enabled.
4. Now “Purge” your mods using the “Purge” button at the top of the Mods section.
5. Then In that same “Mods” section click on a mod then “CNTRL+A” and look to the very bottom, you’ll now see a new white section of options. Use the “Remove” option (has a trash can icon next to it) and wait while Vortex does it’s work. When it’s finshed proceed to the final step.
6. Now follow this 2 minute Video by Michael of GamerPoets, pausing the video as needed

7. IF you followed each step your SSE is now Fus Ro Dahed off your system.

Cloud & Save Problems – One Drive

For important info an Auto & Quick saves see the section below this article

Special thanks to Wolfpack for providing the following information:
If you are running into an issue where you are unable to save games, see your previous saves, or are having trouble with your INI files not being updated with your Options or BethINI settings, one of the first things you should do (if you are on a PC) is check (1) whether you have Microsoft’s OneDrive turned on, and if so, (2) whether OneDrive is using your /Documents folder to sync with OneDrive. The way to know for sure is if you see something like the below path when you open your Document folder and click in the top :

C:Users<AccountName>OneDriveDocuments

If this is the case, you need to do a few things if you want to play Skyrim.

Before I get to the fix, understand that OneDrive basically takes over the rights to access folders it syncs, and it’s a PITA to get it to stop syncing on those folders or giving over access rights. Skyrim uses the /Documents/My Games/Skyrim Special Edition/ folder for its ini files and game saves, and of course needs to be able to write to that folder and any folders beneath it. OneDrive will fight with Skyrim over doing exactly that, preventing it from writing, and that’s why you can’t save, see your saves, or write to the ini files.

Sure, you’ll find sites telling you how to prevent OneDrive from syncing a particular folder, how to turn off OneDrive, how to set rights on the folder, blah, blah, blah. It won’t help. The best solution is to stop OneDrive from syncing your Documents folder altogether, and the way to do that is to remove your Documents folder from OneDrive’s clutches. Here’s how you do it:

1. Back up your Windows registry: How to Backup Windows Reistry [support.microsoft.com]
2. Right-click the Windows logo at the lower-left corner of the screen, and then click Run.
3. Type regedit.exe and press Enter. If User Account Control window pops up, click Yes.
4. In Registry Editor, browse to the following path: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerUser Shell Folders
5. Find the registry key for “Personal” (this is where the Documents folder gets set).
Double click Personal and change the “Value data” path to C:Users<AccountName>Documents, replacing “<AccountName>” with the account name you are using on that PC. So if your account is set up as “John,” it would be C:UsersJohnDocuments. Of course, C: could be any drive you choose.
6. Close the Registry Editor.
7. You’ll need to restart File Explorer for the change to take effect — choose one of the following:
– Restart the process in Task Manager.
– Sign out, and then sign in.
– Restart the computer.

Once done, your Documents folder is just a regular folder on your hard drive, ready to be written to without problems. Of course, you can always set up a separate folder to sync with OneDrive, but it must be in a completely different path, and you’d just need to save files there that you want to back up.

Hope this helps solve a few past and future issues out there — and feel free to re-use in any guides, this is for anyone who needs the general help. Wolfpack

I don’t use Quick saves and I disable all instances of Auto saves (on rest, on wait, etc.). I have been burnt before by Auto saves and have also experienced hitting quick save instead of quick load at least once and, because these things never happen at a good time, that can be another problem in itself. Many say they have never had a problem, ok that’s fine and that is each person’s experience but we also see people in the forums who had they followed this practice they would have avoided the issue and saved their game. What I would say to those who use them make sure you are hard saving and doing so often.

I don’t overwrite my saves, ever. Part of my game managment is to periodically delete old saves so that I can stay as close to approx. 20 saves total. When it comes to Auto saves the way they work is to constantly overwrite each other. No thank you, as said I turn them off. Quick saves of course do the same. Autosaves do not have a good reputation in TES games period. They can and do at times simply grab a bunch of information and miss out on other vital bits that can lead to save game corruption or problems in the long run. They can lead to longer load times.

I’ve been using this method of managing my saves since back in my console days deleting saves from the game menu. I do the same on pc along with the above info from Wolfpack and have had no save issues whatsoever.

Here’s a discussion from the forums regarding Saves

Crash diagnosis

---

How to Diagnose and Resolve a “Skyrim” Crash [levelskip.com]

Skyrim won’t launch
Perhaps you missed a step in this Guide
8 Fixes for “Skyrim won’t launch”
Fix 1: Resolve any mod conflicts. (obviously this step is for modded game – good advice for later)
Fix 2: Run Steam & Skyrim as administrator. (if you did not (or could not) follow our advice and install Skyrim SE outside of Program Files(x86)
Fix 3: Verify integrity of game files.
Fix 4: Update device drivers. (this was also covered in this guide)
Fix 5: Shut down unnecessary background applications.
Fix 6: Download the latest versions of DirectX and Visual Studio C++ 2015 Redistributable.
You should have Visual Studio C++ already if you were following my Basics+ Load order guide but here it is again. NOTE: There are sections in this guide for both DirectX and Visual C++
[link]

Q: Should I remove the other Visual C++ files on my PC?
I don’t because Visual C is not an All-in-one file, each version supports different games even different programs that might be on your PC. Not to mention they won’t give you back nearly as much disk space as you expect, and remember they’re not impacting system performance if they’re not being used.

DirectX (SSE uses DX11)

Microsoft C++ Redistributables & Get latest version (2019)

Make sure the above 2 files are installed and up to date (see related section(s) of this guide).

DirectX

DirectX is a set of components in Windows that allows software, primarily and especially games, to work directly with your video and audio hardware. Games that use DirectX can use multimedia accelerator features built-in to your hardware more efficiently which improves your overall multimedia experience.

Get Latest Version of DirectX For SSE HERE [support.microsoft.com]

Applies to: Windows 10 Windows 8.1Windows 8.1 EnterpriseWindows 8.1 ProWindows 8Windows 8 EnterpriseWindows 8 ProWindows RTWindows 7 EnterpriseWindows 7 Home BasicWindows 7 Home PremiumWindows 7 ProfessionalWindows 7 StarterWindows 7 UltimateWindows Server 2008 R2 DatacenterWindows Server 2008 R2 EnterpriseWindows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-Based SystemsWindows Server 2008 R2 StandardWindows Vista BusinessWindows Vista EnterpriseWindows Vista Home BasicWindows Vista Home PremiumWindows Vista StarterWindows Vista UltimateWindows Server 2008 DatacenterWindows Server 2008 EnterpriseWindows Server 2008 for Itanium-Based SystemsWindows Server 2008 StandardMicrosoft Windows XP Service Pack 3Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2

---

Still having issues after installing DX11?

A: There is some excellent information and possible solutions here:
Direct X setup and SkyrimSE.exe – System Error
Microsoft Answers[answers.microsoft.com]
note: the info in the above link talks about both dx9 and dx11. Don’t let that confuse you as Skyrim uses dx9 and Skyrim Special Edition uses dx11. There is some very good info in the link however.

Face Discoloration Fix

AKA Black or Dark Face Bug

Load order, load order, load order:

At the heart of almost all dark face issues, is load order. And the more mods you have that change NPCs and over lap (and they do not even have to be mods that specifically change NPCs, other mods can as well), the more of a likelyhood you will have the issues – especially if you do not have the experience of using xEdit to spot the conflicts.

1 – adjust your load order
2 – OR – if you are familiar with xEdit, carry forward the necessary edits in addition to adjusting your load order
3 – don’t use a lot of difference NPC replacers, and don’t mix and match – those are things that require a lot of additional knowledge and experience.
4 – if all this doesn’t work get rid of some of your NPC replacer mods.

5 – Bethesda’s Creation Kit can fix the problem if you know what you are doing. However the problem is that the Creation Kit cannot regenerate the Racemenu created faces from that mod’s original creator. The Creation Kit would recreate the faces with the vanilla character creation sliders. So the regenerated face will look nothing like the NPC was intended by the mod author. It also regenerates the facetint file so any custom makeup, freckles, warpaints, etc will all be erased. Which is fine for mods you downloaded other than Bijin, Pandorable, Northbourne, ect. A simple follower mod that has vanilla NPC assets would be fine. Not a work of art mod.

So, what to do?

First try moving the problematic mod in your load order below anything that alters NPC’s appearance.
Load up your game and check if this worked. If that doesn’t work exit your game without saving.

THEN START HERE:

If you do not want to deal with the CK or xEdit
FAIR WARNING: Correcting your load order is the proper way to fix a face bug without running the risk of reverting the FaceGen data created by that Mod Author (MA) on any custom characters in your load order. The following mod will most likely fix your problem. I suggest to only use it if you are out of options and have already tried moving affected NPCs down in the load order.

“Face Discoloration Fix” came out late last year and I heard from many users that it worked great but had never tried it as I rarely if ever have this problem. So I waited for the right time to test it out.

Recently, while building a mod load order at about the 500th mod I had a dark face bug problem and several mods that altered NPCs. After narrowing it down the problematic mod(s) was/were “RS Children / RRS Children”. I was aware of this because I had been testing my load order as I added mods and I also read up on this combination of mods (RS and RSS) so I knew knew these mods could potentially cause me a problem.

So I decided this was a good time to try “Face Discoloration Fix”, although usually with mods of this type due to facegen issues you end up with the “potato head” syndrome. So I installed it and it fixed the issue without causing the potato head you many times can end up with.

*Face Discoloration Fix[www.nexusmods.com] Eliminates the dreaded “dark face” issue that occurs when the game encounters FaceGen errors. ~Read the mod page

---

THE FOLLOWING SECTION IS FOR THOSE THAT HAVE THE WANT & THE TIME TO LEARN

---

Then more research becomes your friend. Load order is the real answer, if not drop the mod.
~Good luck.

Flagging plugins as .esl’s

I’m simply going to include a video by one of the best creators of instructional videos for all things Skyrim. Michael of GamerPoets does and outstanding job of explaining what an .esl is, how they work, and when and how to convert them. Please pay close attention and for those uncomfortable with this process he offers another step at the end of this video. Do not attempt this if you do not completely understand when to proceed with this process and of course how to.

FNIS

If you followed my Basic+ Load order Guide you should have the correct version of FNIS and have installed it properly. Either way let’s go over it for some common mistakes.

Correct Version [www.nexusmods.com]

NOTE: It is GENERALLY and STRONGLY recommended, that you DO NOT INSTALL any of Steam, Skyrim, FNIS in folders that are protected by Windows UAC (User Account Control). These are “C:/Program Files (x86)” or “C:/Program Files” (or their localized correspondents, e.g. “C:/Programme (x86)”). Use root folders like “D:Games”. This way you can avoid serious protection issues, especially when using Mod Managers.

My original set-up worked fine in Program Files and many have reported no issues doing so but for a number of reasons this is not the case for everyone. The best bet is to have it installed outside of Program Files as the note above (taken from the FNIS Nexus mod) page states

After installation and when you are making Shortcuts to Launch your Game:

1. 📂This is the file path when making any shortcuts
SteamLibrarysteamappscommonSkyrim Special EditionDatatoolsGenerateFNIS_for_Users

2. This what you are looking for

Like the Mod Author says on the FNIS page, “FNIS is a tool, and not a mod, and therefore different from most everything that you find on Nexus. If you are new to modding and using FNIS, it is strongly recommended that you watch one of many videos that explain the use of FNIS”. So here you go as they don’t get much better than Michael of GamerPoets:

[link]

(GPU) Graphics Card – Not Recognizing

THE FOLLOWING IS DIRECTLY FROM BETHESDA SUPPORT

FORCE THE SYSTEM TO RECOGNIZE PRIMARY GPU

You can force your system to recognize your video card by following the instructions below:

1. Right-click on your desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel.
2. In the Control Panel, select Manage 3D settings, then click on the Program Settings tab.
3. Next to the “Select a program to customize” option, click the Add button.
4. From the pop-up window, navigate to the folder where the game is installed.
5. Select the executable file for Skyrim Special Edition.
6. In the “Select the preferred graphics processor for this program” option, open the drop-down menu and select High-performance NVIDIA processor and confirm.
7. To improve performance, go to the “Specify the settings for this program:” section, click Power management mode, and select Prefer maximum performance and confirm.
—————————————————————————————————————————–
MORE SETTINGS
—————————————————————————————————————————–
8. To further improve performance, you can go to the Manage 3D Settings section, click on the Global Settings tab, and change the settings below:
1. Vertical sync to off
2. Threaded optimization to off
3. Triple buffering to off
Note: The above instructions may change depending on version and unique graphics card. If you require further assistance, you should contact NVIDIA Support here [www.nvidia.com]

1. Open AMD Radeon Settings.
2. Select Preference on the bottom tab.
3. Select Radeon Additional Settings.
4. In the Radeon Additional Settings window, select Switchable Graphics Application Settings under the Power.
5. Select All Applications, locate Skyrim Special Edition, click the “Graphic Settings” box to the right of the game .exe, and select High performance.
6. Click the Apply button at the bottom right.

Note: there is also an option to use both cards together to improve performance. To do this:

1. In the Radeon Additional Settings window select AMD Radeon Dual Graphics under Gaming.
2. Click the radial button for Enable AMD Radeon Dual Graphics.
3. Click the Apply button at the bottom right.

Note: The above instructions may change depending on version and unique graphics card. If you require further assistance, you should contact AMD Support here. [support.amd.com]

Microsoft C++

Or if a variety of reasons C++ v 2015, 2017 and 2019 (all-in-one package) was removed.
Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2015, 2017 and 2019. [support.microsoft.com]
If you recently installed Skyrim SE sometimes a simple reboot will install/fix the problem otherwise I would install the (x64) version first then the (x86) of the 2015, 2017 and 2019 (comes all-in-one) file package on the page that is linked here (all you need for Skyrim SE is the 64 bit). I installed both because I have Skyrim which is 32bit and Skyrim SE of course is 64bit. Plus many programs and games that run on your computer use Microsoft Visual C++ and there’s no easy way for you to tell which programs on your machine require which versions of the redistributables .

You can see the versions you have on your PC by going to settings on your computer and then “Apps & Features”. You may see several. Do Not remove/delete any older versions of these redistributables. Leave them there as these files are not superseded when you download the next version. When you install software that needs code from the Microsoft visual C+ Runtime, it will install the version it relies on, if it is not already installed. Different software on your system requires different version(s) of this runtime If you uninstall any of these, some software on your system will stop working.
Long story short, these are nothing to worry about, they will not slow your system down and take up little space – best to leave well enough alone for the stability of your system!

FAQ:

NO. I don’t because Visual C is not an All-in-one file, each version supports different games even different programs that might be on your PC. Not to mention they won’t give you back nearly as much disk space as you expect, and remember they’re not impacting system performance if they’re not being used.

A: YES [answers.microsoft.com]

         Still having problems with Microsoft Visual C++? Check out this Steam Discussion:
          [link]

Moving Game/Steam Location

By default Steam installs games to the “Program Files” folders this is fine if you are NOT modding, so if you are in fact modding your game make sure Steam and your game are on the same internal drive (as must be your mod manager) and if you do not have another internal drive then make sure your games are installed outside of either of the “Program Files” folders. Read on as to why:

Both Windows UAC and Windows defender pretty much own and are very protective of any of your “Program Files” Folders. This causes the windows protection system to not play nice with your modding folders. For more info on this look up Windows UAC (User Account Control).

* “UAC’s biggest flaw is that it is too granular. The specificity that UAC applies to computer management is more of a hassle than a help. You can unblock one application but a process started by that application may be flagged. This leads to a lot of frustration and unnecessary action on the user’s part when dealing with UAC.” This can throw attempts at modding your game’s files a huge curveball and not allow access. With Bethesda and other game studios allowing us access to their games for modding this can be a problem in some instances.

Bethesda first added mod support for “The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind” by releasing their modding tools and a large community has continually grown ever since with “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” becoming the most popular Bethesda game for modding, maybe the most popular in all of gaming since “TES: Skyrim Special Edition” was released in 2016. Today many single player games allow modding. The largest site for downloading mods is Nexusmods.com with over 18 million users & over 3 Billion downloads to date. Also, Steam has provided instructions on moving our games. So what to do?

I moved everything meaning Steam and all my Steam games along with it.

Move your Game (I would move Steam as well) to another drive or if that’s not possible C Drive is fine just as long as it’s neither Program Files (x86) or Program Files.

Here’s the Link directly from Steam on “Moving a Steam Installation and Games”
[link]

More from Steam
I’d like to have Steam install my games on a different location on my hard drive or to a different drive altogether. How can I do this?
support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=7710-TDLC-0426

How to Safely Move Steam Games & Libraries (GamerPoets)
|The first half of this Video covers moving to a 2nd Drive | Those with multiple drives
|The 2nd half of this video covers those who only have one drive | Those with One drive

[link]

The important thing is that Skyrim is not in Program Files and to make sure it’s done properly

* UAC Reference[www.computerfitness.com]

You also can do as many have done. Copy and paste Steam/games Folder (Everything inside) to the drive you want to move everything to. Run the game to see if it is working and then delete Steam folder from original location (drive).

Opening Cart Scene

FPS not capped @60

Too many mods enabled (scene is script heavy – temp disable some mods until after opening scene)

Also: You can skip the opening cart scene entirely with the outstanding mod “Alternate Start – Live Another Life” by arthmoor (found at nexusmods.com)

Plug in Limit (causing crashes)

---

RATHER THAN POSTING A LONG TEXT

Watch this Video as Michael explains everything you need to know

Saves

Important information from Bethesda’s website which ties directly to the firewall info

The error “Save / Load Operation Failed” can occur due to either running out of space to save your files or your antivirus/firewall is blocking the game from saving.

The most common reason is due to not having enough space remaining on your hard drive for the save file to be created / updated. Check the hard drive that the game is installed to and ensure you have enough remaining space and remove any old saves you do not need.

Simply Knock

Simply Knock SKSE64 DLL [www.nexusmods.com] Fixes crash on start-up

“This is just the dll. You need to install ‘Simply Knock SE’ before this mod so the simplyknock.dll that comes with ‘Simply Knock SE’ is overwritten. You also need to overwrite or delete PapyrusUtil.dll from ‘Simply Knock SE’ and use the one from ‘PapyrusUtil SE’.

Check DocumentsMy GamesSkyrim Special EditionSKSEskse64.log for:

plugin …SteamsteamappscommonSkyrim Special EditionDataSKSEPlugins\PapyrusUtil.dll (00000001 papyrusutil plugin 00000002) loaded correctly

plugin …SteamsteamappscommonSkyrim Special EditionDataSKSEPlugins\SimplyKnock.dll (00000001 SimplyKnock (by Chesko) built with 2.0.16 00000001) loaded correctly

If you find both lines you should be good to go :).”

BELOW IS THE ORIGINAL SIMPLY KNOCK MOD – WHICH STILL NEEDS THE ABOVE .DLL
Simply Knock SE [www.nexusmods.com]

SKYUI

SKYUI is one of the most popular mods in Skyrim with over 30 million downloads between Skyrim LE and SE and is also one of the simplest to install as long as you make sure you are using the SE version for SE and you have downloaded and installed it’s requirement SKSE64 and that version must be for SE and not for LE. SKSE is for LE we need SKSE64 which is the SE Version.

So first make sure that you have downloaded and installed the proper version of each mod.
for more info on SKSE64 see the next section of this guide

First of all Load order does NOT matter with SKYUI

• Make sure you are using the SE version of Script Extender: SE build 2.0.19 (runtime 1.5.97)[skse.silverlock.org] If the scripts aren’t installed correctly then SkyUI can’t detect and use SKSE’s functions. (need help installing SKSE64? See the SKSE64 section of this guide).
• Make sure you have the SE version of SKYUI SkyUI_5_2_SE[www.nexusmods.com]
• Watch this SKYUI installation video

  GamerPoets
  

MO2 Users: I would download SKYUI using the “Manual” button on Nexus Mods as MO2 has been known to have issues with the FOMOD installer so I would NOT use the “Mod Manager Download” button.

IF and only IF that’s all correct/you’ve done all that, then you DO NOT have SKSE64 installed properly. Period. No further discussion needed.

Using mods from the in-game mod’s section can be problematic
Goto:
C:Users[your name]AppDataLocalSkyrim Special Editionplugins.txt
and open plugins.txt (notepad will do).
Ensure your SkyUI is enabled by placing a * to its left as shown below.
*SkyUI_SE.esp
you’ll notice all your mods have an *

Error Code 1: The Skyrim Script Extender (SKSE) is not running:
Either try running SKSE64 as Admin
OR (if that does not work)
Re-install SKYUI as it was probably installed incorrectly

Error Code 2: SKSE is outdated…

Error Code 3: SKSE scripts are outdated…

Different error causes, but the solution is the same: Install or re-install SKSE, from [link]

One, or more, of your Papyrus INI variables are set to invalid values. There are several tweaking guides and INI generators out there that propagate setting these to out-of-range values. As a result, SkyUI or other event-based mods can start behaving erratically.

To fix this, open My Documents/My Games/Skyrim/Skyrim.ini with a text editor and reset the following values to their respective defaults
[Papyrus]
iMinMemoryPageSize=128
iMaxMemoryPageSize=512
iMaxAllocatedMemoryBytes=76800
You may also have to reset these values in SkyrimCustom.ini, if it exists, which is in the same directory.
For details on the meaning of these settings, see [link]

Also, in case you think you know better: See these recommendations from a developer who implemented Papyrus.[forums.bethsoft.com]

There’s another mod that overrides a particular menu file SkyUI is using as well. You’ll have to pick one of the two mods. If you want another mod to be able to override certain menu files of SkyUI while keeping the rest, you can disable these warning messages individually in the SkyUI configuration menu (Advanced Section of MCM).
Here’s a video (on Error Code 5) of which section to go to for this error. Although this video shows unchecking them all, usually it’s the map (first one). You can troubleshoot one by one:

The versions of SkyUI scripts and interface files are not matching. This could happen if you manually extracted the SkyUI.bsa archive. Remove any loose SkyUI files from your data folder.

Either your SKSE scripts have actually been overwritten, then just re-install SKSE (see Error Code 1). Or, if that doesn’t fix it, there’s an INI setting that stops SKSE and mods in general from functioning. For some reason it may have been set. Verify the following INI setting is set to 1, not 0:
[Archive]
bInvalidateOlderFiles=1

SkyUI – Troubleshooting

For this and more information on SKYUI please see the Mod Page [www.nexusmods.com]

SKSE64

📌FYI: for a more in-depth look at SKSE64 see my guide SKSE64 HELP FOR SKYRIM SE

📌ATT: Vortex users. You can now install the entire SKSE 64 PKG thru Vortex
[link]

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: IF you did not launch/run your game at least once thru Steam in order for the game to establish it’s registries YOU WILL have problems. ALSO – After installing SKSE64 properly you will ALWAYS launch this game thru SKSE64 – HOWEVER Steam must be running even though you won’t be launching thru Steam.

If you recently updated SKSE64 and want to know which mods depend on SKSE64 to launch properly check here:
if you don’t know where this folder is Go to;
~Your Steam Library where you launch most of your games
~Right click The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition (listed on LH side)
~Properties > Local Files > Browse Local Files
Now find the Plugins folder which is located here:
SteamLibrarysteamappscommonSkyrim Special EditionDataSKSEPlugins
Look for any .dll file and those will be the mods that you also must update or remove until that mod author updates them. OTHERWISE your game will not launch properly.
Note: Only update each mod if you are using the latest version of SKSE64

From Pinned Topics; SKSE64 Installation by Avrie TEXT Version

SKSE64 Manual install (Vortex) VIDEO

*Vortex will now handle the complete install of SKSE64
[link]

I’m a big believer in the Pinned Topics and Ilja has been modding Skyrim since Moses lost his shoes

Troubleshooting SKSE64 and MO2

See my EXPANDED Guide on SKSE64
[link]

Sound

This section is new and will be completed soon but I wanted to start chipping away at it now. Stay tuned as I am updating my guides on a constant basis.

I’ll be placing some sound Fixes here:

Sometimes the issue might be because of the unintentional change in the audio format. You can change the audio format back to what it originally was, very easily. But, sometimes there might be multiple audio formats available for you. In that case, you should try every audio format until your sound starts working again.

These are the steps for changing your audio formats

1. Right click the sound icon on your task bar (right bottom)
Select Sound / Playback devices

2. Now select your audio device (which should be default). It should have a green tick beside it
Select Properties / Advanced tab

3. Now, select a format from the drop down list in section Default Format. Select any one you want. Recommend is 16 bit, 44100Hz CD Quality (I use 24 bit 48,000HZ Studio Quality)

4. Click Apply then select Ok
As said go through several settings checking each time whether the audio is working or not.

Disabling the enhancements for your audio device also solves the issue that you are having. It is a Microsoft’s recommended solution as well.

1. Repeat Steps 1 – 4 (same as above)

5. Select Enhancements tab

6. Check the option that says Disable all enhancements

Due to the nature of the issue, there can be several causes creating a sound issue in Skyrim. Some of the issues are but not limited to:

*DirectX not installed properly: DirectX seems to be a requirement of almost every game nowadays. This popular API by Microsoft is a necessity when playing Skyrim and if it isn’t present, you will experience numerous issues. {See The DIRECTX Section of this Guide}
*Computer in Error State: There is another situation where because of your computer being in an error state, the game will not function properly. Here, power cycling your computer helps a lot.
*Corrupt Saved File: Skyrim allows users to save their current progress in the game using a ‘saved file’. If you are loading from the saved file and it is corrupt, you will experience numerous issues.
*Third-party application controls: Another case where you will not hear the sound in your game is where a third-party application has access to your computer hardware and it is turned off the sound.
*Outdated Drivers: This may be one of the most common reasons why you experience sound issues. If the very drivers are outdated/corrupt, the game will not be able to send sound information to the hardware.
*Mods: Mods are famous in Skyrim for making the game even more playable. However, since they are third-party, they might inflict issues on your computer and cause bizarre behaviors.
*Skyrim in Linux: This is not a cause; instead, it is a scenario. Mostly users in Linux are unable to hear Skyrim properly because of some conflicting modules in the OS. Fixing these through the command line usually works.
*Sound issues: Another thing which we should not forget is that if the sound settings themselves are not proper on your computer, you will not hear any sound.
Credit:
source: Same principal for SSE[appuals.com]

WHY DID MY AUDIO CUT OUT AFTER THE INTRO BETHESDA LOGO? [help.bethesda.net]

WHAT DO I DO IF I CAN’T HEAR ENEMIES BEING DAMAGED OR WEAPON SOUNDS, BUT CAN HEAR DIALOGUE? [help.bethesda.net]

See the section of this Guide on “Base Game & integrity your files” and Verify your game files.
This often fixes corrupted game files including sound.

Symbols – $, Triangles, or @ Keyboard

I notice many folks have problems with the @ sign etc. on their keyboard.

Here’s a video for Windows 10 (simply google your version of Windows)

You may, from what I’ve heard, need to change your Aspect Ratio to 16:9 Widescreen in the
SkyrimSE Launcher Options. I am not 100% sure on this as I’ve never had this KB issue.

Look in Documents, My Games, Skyrim Special Edition and look in SkyrimPrefs if there is a line that says bgamepadenable=1 change the 1 to a 0 and save it.

---

Verify the integrity of your game files in Steam.
Don’t know how to do that? See section in this guide.

---

missing meshes.

Common Causes:

1) uninstalled some mods
reinstalling the mod(s) or verifying integrity of game cache with Steam.

2) haven’t properly sorted your mods (use LOOT)
Let a mod manager choose which files to install if you are unsure

You must always ensure no other mods files overwrites the mod in question’s files. If unsure which mod(s) is affecting your load order see “Tip” below.

Look in particular if there is a patch to a mod or a dependent mod (or mod requirement).

Tip: you can narrow down what mod the missing mesh is from by closely and carefully approaching the missing mesh while in game, activate console (you have to use MFG Console for this), click on the missing mesh (be precise) and check the ID. This will give you the master containing the mesh and you can troubleshoot from there.

Purple textures indicate missing or failed to load texture files. This also can be caused by corrupted texture files although the former is usually the case.

This also CAN be caused by lack of VRAM. So IF you see random purple objects make sure you have enough VRAM to support your game (see below).

So let’s address discuss the most common possibilities for why this is happening.
The first possibility is that the texture is missing. If that’s the case try reinstalling your texture mods and/or validating the game files with Steam.

The second possibility, which is not uncommon, is that you’re running out of VRAM and not all of the textures can be loaded. Download a optimized texture mod to replace the default textures with lower-res ones that use less VRAM.

If you are experiencing an issue with your mouse not being able to select menu options such as Yes, No, or Accept, you will want to try the following:
Bethesda[help.bethesda.net]

Troubleshooting Load-order

📌ALSO READ: Troubleshooting Your Load Order by smr1957

1. Start with a save that is either vanilla or one that you are 101% sure is safe and had zero problems (ie, USSEP, SSE Engine Fixes, Alt Start ect.) in other words SKSE64 is 100% safe but are you sure it was installed properly? Make note of that save, more importantly all the saves you made after that save because not only will you never use them again, you will be removing them.
2. Acvtiate 1 – 3 mods at a time and test run SSE
3. Hard Save EVERY time you successfully complete testing a group of mods
4. Once you find the suspecting mod make sure you PROPERLY remove it with your mod manager
5. launch game again and test then Hard Save your game Before Exiting.
6. Remove bad save(s) you cannot continue using any save that was part of the group that was storing baked data. Why? due to how Skyrim bakes data into saves so any save after the faulty save contain corrupt data & this data CANNOT be removed – regardless of what others might say.

   🚩Now remove the bad save(s) because you cannot continue using any corrupt save that was part of the group that was storing baked-in data. Why? Due to how Skyrim bakes data into saves and so any save after the faulty save has this data and this data CANNOT be removed – regarless of what others might say.

   ⚠️Bethesda’s own developers have confirmed the only way to properly remove a mod is to load a save made BEFORE that mod was introduced into the game ~Arthmoor

   🏮Your only other option is to perform a clean vanilla reinstall and start a new game.
   For more details see link below:
   [link]

Verifying Integrity of Game Files

---

Important Note: it is normal after performing the following step to get the message 1 file was fixed. Anything over 1 indicates an issue was fixed so now go check if your particular issue was in fact fixed.

Why are you showing me this information? Because short of reinstalling your game this method will fix many problems with Skyrim. Missing vanilla meshes is a big one.

How to Verify the integrity of your game files on Steam [steam support]

Windows 10 Event Viewer

Don’t over think this You’re sure to see some errors and warnings in Event Viewer, even if your computer is working fine. We are only checking for things we recognize like SKSE, Steam etc.

To view Windows 10 crash logs, you can make use of the built-in tool Event Viewer, which keeps a log of application and system messages, errors, warnings, etc. You can follow the steps below to check Windows crash logs Windows 10 with Event Viewer.

So if you’re pulling your hair out trying to track down a CTD with your game this may help.

To open Event Viewer:

Step 1. Type Event Viewer in the Windows 10 Cortana search box. Then right click the best match Event Viewer and choose Run as Administrator. (Expand/maximize View)

Step 2. Here is the main interface of Event Viewer. On the left side of the window, you can view all the Logs according to the category. NOTE: To access the Application Logs once in Event Viewer, go to Windows Logs > Application, for shutdown errors refer to Application and System logs.

*Application: The Application log records events related to Windows system components, such as drivers and built-in interface elements.
*System: The System log records events related to programs installed on the system.
*Security: When security logging is enabled (it’s off by default in Windows), this log records events related to security, such as logon attempts and resource access.

You’re sure to see some errors and warnings in Event Viewer, even if your computer is working fine.

To access the Event Viewer in Windows 7:
Click Start > Control Panel > System and Security > Administrative Tools
Double-click Event Viewer
Select the type of logs that you wish to review (ex: Windows Logs)

NOTE: The Event Log service starts automatically when you start Windows. Application and System logs can be viewed by all users, but Security logs are accessible only to administrators. To access admin simply right click on the Event Viewer icon and choose run as administrator.

Windows Updates

PC Gamer
A recent Windows 10 update is trashing framerates and causing games to stutter
[link]

PC World
How to manage Windows 10 updates to prevent them from ruining your life
[link]

Windows Latest
Windows 10 KB5001330 issues: FPS drop, system crashes
[link]

Older Articles

Microsoft
All games are crashing after last Windows Update
[link]

Next: UAC causes issues: is your game/steam client installed in Program Files?

Wrye Bash

---

Q: Why make a section on Wrye Bash in the Help Guide instead of the Load Order guide like you did with Vortex and MO2?

A: There are a few reasons. Regardless if it’s actually the case or not, over the years I have personally seen more folks have problems installing Wrye Bash than any other Mod Manager so of course I wanted to add some helpful info on WB. The reason I am adding it here is two fold, 1. Recently there as been some additional info surface (see Steam discussion link below) regarding leveled lists and the fact WB may no longer be your best option due to it leaving out some records. Since I have not used WB in ages, and even then is was for a minimal amount of time, I thought it best to be placed here.

Please read Steam advisory discussion on using Wrye Bash for a Bashed Patch:
* Advisory Regarding Using Wrye Bash

Videos
Installing Wrye Bash

Installing Mods with Wrye Bash

Wrye Bash & Leveled lists

xEdit – Cleaning: Masters & Mods

Tome of xEdit – GitHub [tes5edit.github.io] This document is intended as a manual for the xEdit tool created by ElminsterAU. This manual contains a tour of xEdit, a lengthy FAQ/Navigator and several Chapters of detailed instructions on how you can utilize the varied functions of xEdit successfully to improve your gaming experience.

[link]

Here is a Reddit discussion on cleaning (Arthmoor also weighs in).

Is cleaning master files useless? Should we remove it from Beginner’s guide? from skyrimmods

IF you see an error that looks something like the following:
“[00:00] Error saving Update.esm.save.2012_11_10_13_05_33: Cannot create file “C:Program Files (x86)The Elder Scrolls V SkyrimDataUpdate.esm.save.2012_11_10_13_05_33″. Access is denied [00:00] Errors have occured. At least one file was not saved.”

This is probably because you have your game and/or xEdit installed in Program Files.

THIS is what you can do:
You can right click on the (xEdit) desktop icon, choose advanced properties, and run as an administrator;

Xbox – Disable Game Bar etc.

DISABLE Microsoft’s Gaming “feature” IN WINDOWS 10
or what ever it’s called in your settings (Xbox Game Bar, Game Mode, etc.)
If playing The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition on Widows 10, their Xbox Settings might have an impact on game performance. To disable the Xbox DVR, follow these instructions:

1. Right click the Start button
2. Click Settings
3. Select Gaming
4. YOUR OPTIONS HERE MAY VARY (you may not see a “Game DVR” option)
5. So what you are looking for is to turn “OFF” as many of the options as possible (Xbox Game Bar, Captures, Game Mode).

NOTE: this will not effect your controller

Your options may vary once you get to this window:

Xbox one, Series X, & Elite Controllers

Controller not working? Remember to unplug and replug your controller device however
it may be connected This includes before you try and fixes and after if a fix does not work.

Xbox Device driver for SSE
Microsoft Xbox One Controller Driver for Windows 64-bit[www.techspot.com]

The following has also worked for many Xbox Controller users :
In task manager, under the services tab, find XboxGipService; Xbox accessory Management service is stopped. If so start it and check if your issue is fixed.

Also see:

Note:
IF you are using a wired controller :
Make sure the cable is one that can send data between devices, NOT just a CHARGING USB cable.

How to Use an Xbox Series X or Elite Controller With Steam[lifehacker.com]

Xbox One accessories and peripherals are compatible with Xbox Series X. Apparently battery packs not so much. The newer controllers will use USB-C for its charging port instead of the Play & Charging Kit’s Micro-USB plug.

Have I bought an Xbox X Series controller instead of an Xbox One?[xbox-forums.com]

Your fix may not be listed on this page as there are so many fixes depending on what combination users have for their Steam PC gaming setup (key word being pc).

Creation Kit

One thing you have probably seen as you research answers to your game for things ranging from the gray or black face bug to creating your own mod, and everything inbetween, is folks making reference to Bethesda’s Creation Kit. So here we will show you the most recent video from Michael of GamerPoets on how to correctly install the Creation Kit as Michael has recently updated his very popular video.

FIRST THINGS FIRST
Make sure you first have a grasp of how to mod your game and basic load order before jumping in to the Creation Kit. I put this near the end of the Guide for good reason. Don’t overwhelm yourself.

1. Go to [link]
2. Create a bethesda account or login if you already have one
3. Download and install the Bethesda.net Launcher
4. Run the Bethesda.net Launcher – then login again
5. Find Skyrim SE Creation Kit, download & install to same folder where your SkyrimSE.exe is located
6. Add the Creation Kit to your mod manager’s Tool section as you will run it from here from now on.

Pinned Topics

Much of the information in this guide can also be found in the “Pinned Topics” located in the SSE Forums. As a matter of fact there is more information than is in this, or should be put into any guide as it simply would be too large in the way Steam Guides are formatted.

So, if you don’t find the info you need here please head over to the “Pinned Topics” located in the Sky Special Edition discussion forums here on Steam.

📌Steam SSE Pinned Topics

SSE Discussion Forums

Finally, if after consulting this guide and reading the Pinned Topics you still have questions please post in the Steam Skyrim Special Edition Discussion Forums which are in the same location as Pinned Topics.

Be prepared to include the following in your post:

• Mods or no mods now or ever before
• Loot sorted Load Order – If yes to mods currently
• PC Specs

Once you have all this info head over to the Steam SSE Forums

More Guides by Vlad 254

[link]
[link]
[link]
[link]
NEW
[link]

Before you go

Did this guide help you in your Skyrim SE journey?

So that it remains high in the list of guides so that others may find it as well
this also really helps keep me motivated to work on and keep these guides updated.