Multiple Morrowind Installations

[Emma]

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Title: Multiple Morrowind installations?
Post by: Intrepidacious on Feb 20, 2006, 07:47 am
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Is there a way to do multiple Morrowind installations? I'd like to try an installation with only The Underground and a couple other mods (maybe Better Bodies, Vampire Embrace and possibly Vibrant Morrowind) just to try to play The Underground in a more stable enviornment. Yet without removing my primary Morrowind installation.

Or is there a better way to do this? I guess I could just uncheck a couple dozen mods from Data Files, leaving just the ones I want to use for The Underground, and start a new character. If I want to go back to the other game I'd then have to uncheck/recheck a bunch of mods.

[Emma]

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Title: Re: Multiple Morrowind installations?
Post by: Tim on Feb 20, 2006, 08:29 am
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Yes, you can do this.

First you need to rename the existing Bethesda Softworks folder in C:\Program Files, I named mine Bethesda Softworks Play and the new install I named Bethesda Softworks Test.

Next insert the CD and if it doesn't autoplay and ask if you want to install MW, go to My Computer then right click the CD and tell it to open it. You should then see Setup.exe. Double click that and the installation will start.

Once MW is installed it will ask if you want to install the CS. You shouldn't need two install of that, nut it's your choice. The desktop icons will point to the new install now, so the next step is to create new shortcuts for the original install.

Open C:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks (whatever you named the new folder)\ and right click Morrowind Launcher.exe. Click on Send to\Desktop (create shortcut). Then you simply need to go to your desktop and rename the shortcut so you know which install it is. I named my shortcuts "Morrowind - Play" and "Morrowind - Test".

Hope this helps and feel free to ask any questions you may have.

[Emma]

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Title: Re: Multiple Morrowind installations?
Post by: phoniex on Feb 20, 2006, 08:37 am
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Yes, there is. I presently am running 10 game folders. This is best done from a fresh install.

• You will need to make a folder on your harddrive, example MW_T_1.
  
• Then copy your Morrowind folder into folder you just created.
  
• After copy, you will need to rename these files, ex. Morrowind Launcher.exe to ML_T_1.exe, Morrwind.exe to M_T_1.exe and Tes construction set to TS_CS_T_1.exe.
  
• Then on the renamed files create a short cut to your desktop, then just click on shortcut.

I use these technic when doing all my testing, you also can adjust your .ini inside each folder to that games preference if you like. I have not had any problems in doing this. This way my Main Game is preserved with my usual mods. Just remember you have to have the harddisk space to do this. Also note I have put TESTool on each folder and renamed the exe to represent each folders name.

But as far as Wrythe Mash etc, i do not have this in effect, but I have used Morrowind Enchanted Editor on the other folders.

Hope this information is what you are looking for, as I saaid, it's worked for me very well. I also make a .zip or 7z of each install so I cna quuickly Uninstall that folder and reset it up. Any Questions feel free to ask, send me PM etc.

Have fun. :laughing4: :wave:

Phoniex

P.S. This is with all updates/patches done prior to setting up folders. :wave:

[Emma]

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Title: Re: Multiple Morrowind installations?
Post by: Seeker on Feb 20, 2006, 08:40 am
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Salutations! :wave:

Actually, I have done an additional installation once, to look into that mod, Wizard's islands, without esps that were not necessary, for simple FPS-reasons!

What I did was this: Firstly, I renamed my original MW directory "MW-old" to get it out of the way - and then I chose a different harddisk (MW-old being on c: and the new incarnation being on e:) and then I simply installed MW on the other harddrive. This way, I do not know if the renaming would have been necessary, but that way, it worked...! *)

When I want to return to my old incarnation, I simply rename the new version "MW-old" and change the name back on the original version on the other harddisk - voilá!

Warning: I hope that I succeeded in explaining this right - I am a technical super-loser :dontknow:, so you may want to look at other opinions before trying that. I would be very sad if I forgot something or my mehtod for any other reasons doesn't work for you and hence cause problems - I have very little faith in myself when it comes to technical things - so maybe you should wait for some more technical versed Morrowinders to post here! *)

Edit: I see that Tim and Phoeniex have made suggestions while I was typing - listen to THEM, not to me! They obviously know what they are doing! Sorry for taking up your time with my rubbish!

All the best,

Seeker

[Emma]

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Title: Re: Multiple Morrowind installations?
Post by: Tim on Feb 20, 2006, 10:51 am
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:brickwall:

I totally forgot about installing the official patches!!

You MUST allow the installer to use the default folder names for the new install in order for the patches to work. Once they are installed however, you can rename the new installation folder to the way you want it.

DO make sure you rename the original install folder first though.

Sorry for any confusion.

[Emma]

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Title: Re: Multiple Morrowind installations?
Post by: mewgull on Feb 20, 2006, 12:34 pm
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Phoniex: 10 installations?!? Man, this is quite something! :thumpsup:
My way to do multiple installations was quite simple:

• Install
  
• rename
  
• install again as suggested by the installation sub-program
  
• run them from the explorer instead from desktop shortcuts.

[Emma]

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Title: Re: Multiple Morrowind installations?
Post by: AlAraan on Feb 20, 2006, 01:32 pm
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hm, for multiple preset mod selections, I just dump the mods in one data files folder and create several copies of Morrowind.ini file--since the info on what esm's and esp's to load is in that file.

I currently have only 2 backup Morrowind.ini's I use though: the one with all the stuff for my main char, and the one almost clean for testing mods... I switch between them by deleting Morrowind.ini (or renaming it as a new set, say marky-test-morrowind.ini) and copying one of the other backups as Morrowind.ini--works so far... and takes less space than several installations of MW ^^

[Emma]

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Title: Re: Multiple Morrowind installations?
Post by: Intrepidacious on Feb 20, 2006, 02:02 pm
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That's a great idea, and you could make little two-line batch files to copy the backup ini's on top of morrowind.ini and start the MW launcher so it'd be transparent. Then your shortcuts would point to the batch files.

[Emma]

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Title: Re: Multiple Morrowind installations?
Post by: Intrepidacious on Feb 20, 2006, 05:56 pm
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It's simple -- here's what I did. Note that batch files are simple text files just like the INI files. It's working beautifully for me with my single installation. Just Two steps: create your backup INI files, then create the batch files (and shortcuts on the desktop).

I wanted a "Morrowind Vampire" configuration for The Underground, and a "Morrowind Normal" configuration for normal stuff.

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Create your backups
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Assuming your current Morrowind.ini file is set up for Normal configuration, then just copy your current Morrowind.ini file to MorrowindNormal.ini in the same directory. That's your backup for Normal configuration.

Now set up the INI file for the Vampire configuration by using the Morrowind Launcher to deselect any mods you don't want in your Vampire configuration and select any mods you DO want in that configuration, and exit the launcher.

Now that you have a Vamp configuration, copy the Morrowind.ini file to MorrowindVampire.ini in the same directory. That's your backup for the Vampire configuration.

Now you have both backups ready and just need to make the batch files. Piece o' cake!

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Create your batch files
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Open up Notepad and paste in these two lines:

copy MorrowindNormal.ini morrowind.ini
"C:\games\Morrowind\Morrowind Launcher.exe"

Make sure you include the quotation marks in that second line. Of course, correct the "c/games/morrowind" game directory name as needed if you have Morrowind installed elsewhere.

Then save the file to "MorrowindNormal.bat" in your Morrowind game directory.

Create a shortcut on your Windows desktop for that BAT file. The quick way to create a shortcut is to just use the right mouse button to right-mouse-drag-and-drop that BAT file to the desktop, and Windows will offer you a choice to create a shortcut. I recommend you rename the shortcut itself to something more user-friendly, like MW Normal.

Now for your Vampire setup, use the same two lines as above in Notepad, but change "MorrowindNormal.ini" to "MorrowindVampire.ini", as follows:

copy MorrowindVampire.ini morrowind.ini
"C:\games\Morrowind\Morrowind Launcher.exe"

Again, make sure you include the quotation marks in that second line. Of course, correct the game directory name as needed if you have Morrowind installed elsewhere.

Then save the file to "MorrowindVampire.bat" in your Morrowind game directory. Create a shortcut on your Windows desktop for that BAT file. You might want to rename the shortcut itself to something shorter like MW Vampire

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All done!
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The icon for BAT files (and BAT file shortcuts) is quite boring. If you'd like to make the two shortcuts have the familiar Morrowind Launcher icon, you can right click on one of them and hit "Properties", then browse to your Morrowind Launcher program so that the shortcut will have the same icon.

If you launch either shortcut, the batch file will execute the first command (to overwrite your morrowind.ini file with either the Normal configuration INI file or the Vampire configuration INI file), and then it will execute the second command to start the launcher. You'll see a black window appear behind the launcher but it will disappear as soon as you hit Play on the launcher.

[Emma]

I do this too; here's how I arrange things if anyone's interested.

The trick is that there's a bunch of windows Registry crap that gets installed when you install the game, that remembers where you selected as the destination directory.

Install Morrowind to D:\Morrowind
Install 1.2 patch, should realise that it needs to go to D:\Morrowind

Move (rename) D:\Morrowind to D:\MorrowindVANILLA
(I also keep a D:\MorrowindTOOLS for many of the extra editing tools)


Then, for the normal everyday all-expansions version
Install Morrowind to D:\Morrowind
Install Tribunal to D:\Morrowind
Install Bloodmoon to D:\Morrowind
Install 1.6 patch, should realise that it needs to go to D:\Morrowind

When I want to play normally, I run from Wyre or the desktop shortcut, which runs D:\Morrowind\Morrowind Launcher.exe, all good

But I can still try out normal no-expansions Morrowind for compatibility by going to D:\MorrowindVANILLA and running Morrowind from there.


I think there was a tool someone made to try and make this switching easy, but I forget the name. I'm happy with the way I do it anyway.

-Neko :cat:

[Emma]

Since nobody seems to have posted this yet, here's the method I used for the last couple of years that I was playing and modding Morrowind:

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[Originally posted 06/01/04 02:52 PM] - by Dinkum Thinkum

Basic set up of multiple copies of Morrowind on one computer:

1. Use Windows Explorer to copy and paste (or drag and drop) your existing Morrowind installation (the 'Morrowind' directory and all its subdirectories and files) into a new directory.

2. Create a shortcut to the copy of 'Morrowind Launcher.exe' in the new directory. Also create a shorcut to the new copy of 'TES Construction Set.exe'. (I just copied the original shortcuts for Morrowind and the editor, then renamed them and edited them to point to the new directory.)

Repeat for as many more copies of Morrowind as you want.

And you're set!

Notes:

1. Each copy of Morrowind (and the Construction Set) will use the Morrowind.ini file and plugins that are in its own directories, so each copy can have separate .ini file settings and installed mods.

2. Most (all?) of the settings from Morrowind's in-game Options menu are stored in the Windows Registry, so all the installations will share the same settings. That wasn't any problem at all for me, since I normally set those options once and leave them alone.

3. Also, most of the Construction Set window positions and sizes are saved in the Windows registry, so these will be saved by all the copies of the Construction Set. This also didn't cause me any problems.

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Some suggestions:

1. Make sure you label shorcuts and directories clearly so it's easy to keep track of which Morrowind installation is for playing the game and which is for testing mods.

How I set it up:

My main Morrowind and Construction Set (for the game I actually play) had their shortcuts right on my desktop (and in the Start menu, which I rarely use). The two test installations had their shortcuts in a folder on the desktop named 'Morrowind Testing'. That made it easy for me to keep them all straight.

2. I did a complete uninstall and clean reinstall of Morrowind, to get rid of all the leftover bits and pieces of old mods I was no longer using.

After I had installed the expansions and the latest patch, I added my custom settings to the Morrowind.ini file (enabled screen shots, tweaked buffer settings, etc.)

Then I dragged and dropped a copy of the clean, customized installation into a second directory to use as my test installation of Morrowind, and set up shortcuts for starting the copy of the game and the copy of the editor.

3. I also made a .zip archive of the clean install, including the customized .ini file, as a backup. That came in handy several times, when my testing installation got too cluttered up with odds and ends of mods, different versions of the same mod, etc. I just deleted the whole testing copy of Morrowind, then unzipped a fresh copy from the .zip archive.

4. To run multiple copies of the editor at the same time, add the following line to the General section of the Morrowind.ini file:

AllowMultipleEditors=1

I found that very handy, since it makes it very easy to compare two different versions of the same mod or to compare a mod to the original game, without having to constantly load and reload the mods in the editor.


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[Posted Oct 21, 05 - 6:23 AM]

When working with the Construction Set in several different Morrowind installs, something that can be mildly confusing if you don't know about it:

When you click the 'add art file' button for an object in the editor, the file selection window starts in the last used directory tree. This may not be part of the same Morrowind installation you're currently working in.

For example:

I'm currently editing and merging some head & hair packs I downloaded, using a separate 'Head & Hair testing' installation of Morrowind. In the editor, I clicked on the 'add art file' button to change a body part to use a different mesh, and discovered I was looking at the meshes directory for my 'Clothing mod testing' Morrowind installation: no head meshes in sight.

When this happens, the solution is simple: just click the 'up one level' button (at the top of the file selection window) a few times, to get out of the current directory tree. Then browse down to the directories for the Morrowind installation you're currently working in.

Since the Construction Set remembers the last used file path, usually you'll only need to rebrowse to the correct directories when you switch to working in a different Morrowind installation.

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[added Dec 31 2005 7:30AM]

Multiple installs, third-party add-on programs, and MWSwitcher:

Morrowind and the Construction Set don't seem to care what directory they're run in: I've run copies all over my hard drive and on two different hard drives without any problems.

However, I have seen posts reporting that some of the third party add-on programs (script extenders, FPS Optimizer, etc.) will only work correctly with the original Morrowind installation: they'll crash or just not run if you try to use them with a copy of Morrowind in another directory.

I haven't tried it, but MentalElf's MWSwitcher utility looks like it could solve this type of problem. From the description, MWSwitcher renames directories so whichever installation you want to run will look like the original Morrowind installation, so that FPS Optimizer and similar add-on programs will work correctly.

If you're not using add-ons with Morrowind, there's probably no real need for MWSwitcher: I've been using multiple installs for a couple of years without it and haven't had any problems. But if you are using add-ons that are picky about only working with Morrowind in the original installation directory, I'd recommend giving MWSwitcher a try.

...Just passing through...

[Emma]

Originally posted by Ghost:

Great hints you all have. I have a similar way of doing it but it's a little different but I like it. I've bought and paid for Morrowind at least 3 times, twice for the pc and once for the xbox so I hope no one yells at me for what I have done. I like to use the (gasp!) nocd so I don't wear out my Morrowind cd, and once the main install is modified I can copy it as many times as I want without having to reinstall it with the cds. Then I can try the various mods without much fear of having to reinstall, and if an install get corrupted and I can't fix it, I just delete it. I'm not suggesting anyone use the nocd who has moral objections to it and I certainly believe that anyone who plays such a great game should buy it, I just like not having to mess with the cd's all the time. It doesn't bother me because I paid for the game and I consider the nocd just another mod. I mean, if you're here then you probably already own Morrowind and if you've had a computer for a few years then you probably have about a bazillion cd's and dvd's around your house. Haven't you ever missplaced a cd/dvd like Morrowind or Windows Xp or your sound driver cd and then had to spend hours hunting for them? And it's nice to have your cd/dvd drive empty and available for music cd's etc. Just a thought If this post violates any rules then I will happily delete it.

[Emma]

Exactly, personally I have no moral objections since I paid for the software and want to preserve the quality of the disc.

Hell, I have a dedicated O: drive with my Oblivion install tree plus a 4GB DVD image I use a nifty little program with a silly name, "daemon tools", to emulate the DVD drive and keep my collectors edition Oblivion in perfect condition.

-Neko

[Emma]

Originally posted by Dinkum Thinkum:

Running two or more different language versions of Morrowind on one computer: this is based on a discussion in Bethesda's Morrowind Hardware and Software Issues forum. Credits go to monkeyfreak, Rukschk, and nightmare2013; all I did was write it up.

Adding a second language version of Morrowind to an existing Morrowind installation:

1. Make sure you have all the files/disks needed so both language versions will have the same expansion packs and the latest patches.

2. Use copy and paste to make a copy of your existing Bethesda directory and all its contents. To avoid confusion, give the new directory copy a name that clearly indicates which language version it is.

3. Uninstall Morrowind, then delete any remnants of the original installation: any files and directories left behind in the original Bethesda directory tree.

4. Install the new language version of Morrowind and expansions, then patch it (if needed).

5. Create/update shortcuts for Morrowind and the Construction Set; label them so you can easily keep track of which version is which.

Once you have this setup and working, just install mods in the correct directories for whichever language version of the game they're meant for.

If you want multiple copies of one or both language versions of the game, just copy and paste the appropriate install to a new location, using the same procedure as for single-language multiple installs. Just be careful to label directories and shortcuts clearly so you can keep track of which language version is which.

I only have the English language version of Morrowind here, so I have not been able to personally test this. However, other people are successfully running multiple language versions using this method. I do recommend making sure both language versions have the same expansions and the latest/same patch(es) installed to avoid possible conflicts.