Multiple Morrowind installations

Posted: 27 Feb 2006 04:59 am Post subject: Multiple Morrowind installations

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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.

Posted: 27 Feb 2006 05:00 am Post subject: RE: Multiple Morrowind installations

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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.
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Posted: 27 Feb 2006 05:00 am Post subject: RE: Multiple Morrowind installations

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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:

Phoniex

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

Posted: 27 Feb 2006 05:00 am Post subject: RE: Multiple Morrowind installations

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

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! Wink

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 Smile

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! : Smile

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! Very Happy

Sorry for taking up your time with my rubbish!

All the best, Smile

Seeker
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Posted: 27 Feb 2006 05:01 am Post subject: RE: Multiple Morrowind installations

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Title: Re: Multiple Morrowind installations?
Post by: Tim on Feb 20, 2006, 08:43 am
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Wow, this must be a new record! Very Happy

Three people posting in the same topic at the same time! :laughing4:
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Posted: 27 Feb 2006 05:01 am Post subject: RE: Multiple Morrowind installations

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Title: Re: Multiple Morrowind installations?
Post by: Emma on Feb 20, 2006, 08:57 am
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This was useful... I have been thinking of asking the same question, but never got around to doing so Smile

I'm actually going to pin this one, I think there are other people who are also unsure how to do this.
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Posted: 27 Feb 2006 05:01 am Post subject: RE: Multiple Morrowind installations

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Title: Re: Multiple Morrowind installations?
Post by: Magicflame on Feb 20, 2006, 09:27 am
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I should have met those clever people earlier.... because when I wanted to install the German and English version of Morrowind at the same computer, I could not find out how to do that... and so I just bought a new computer for the second installation. lmao
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Posted: 27 Feb 2006 05:01 am Post subject: RE: Multiple Morrowind installations

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Title: Re: Multiple Morrowind installations?
Post by: Emma on Feb 20, 2006, 09:58 am
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That's what I'd call dedication, Magicflame! lmao
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Posted: 27 Feb 2006 05:02 am Post subject: RE: Multiple Morrowind installations

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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.
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Posted: 27 Feb 2006 05:02 am Post subject: RE: Multiple Morrowind installations

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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.

Posted: 27 Feb 2006 05:02 am Post subject: RE: Multiple Morrowind installations

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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 ^^
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Posted: 27 Feb 2006 05:03 am Post subject: RE: Multiple Morrowind installations

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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.
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Posted: 27 Feb 2006 05:03 am Post subject: RE: Multiple Morrowind installations

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Title: Re: Multiple Morrowind installations?
Post by: Tim on Feb 20, 2006, 02:07 pm
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Quote from: Intrepidacious on Feb 20, 2006, 02:02 pm
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.

OK, Intrepidacious, make sure you post instructions here on how to create those batch files, and to set it up. That way others here can enjoy the setup with the smallest footprint. I know there are people here that don't have enough HD space for multiple full installs who would love to use that method.

Thanks Very Happy

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Posted: 27 Feb 2006 05:03 am Post subject: RE: Multiple Morrowind installations

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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.
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Posted: 28 Aug 2006 03:08 pm Post subject:

Is this an Emma Only forum, or can anyone get in on this?