Crashing....and Corrupt Save Files

[Leatherneck]

Game has been working fine. About 18 hours in, and when I try to save, the game crashes to the desktop. If I reload the save file, it says the save file is corrupt. If I reload from the Autosave, the game plays fine until I either enter a building/cave or try to save...at that point it crashes to the desktop.

Any ideas on how to save/fix this without having to start a new game from scratch?

(No MODS...only DLCs installed with the game).

[󰀉tempeh󰀉]

Yep, that sounds like Oblivion.

Only solution I know of is to make a new save every time and load back until you find one that isn't corrupted or doomed (i.e. corrupt, but the game doesn't recognize it's corrupt, and it loads, but every time you save after that it crashes and produces a corrupt save). I had to revert from Save #270-ish to #230 learning that lesson, lost about 30 hours because of that. I also can't complete the final Dark Brotherhood quest because it dooms my save every time, but that's fine by me.

Sounds like that was your only save though. All I can offer in that case is the knowledge that you're not alone, and others have been in the same predicament.

[ralphtobybob]

I've found that quitting to the main menu then exiting the game reduces the number of crashed saves. A lot of people have had problems with autosaves, but I never have.
It's a good idea to make slot saves, especially before a quest so you can replay it if you want.

[Leatherneck]

I have found that the issue is related to the DLC files. If I remove all DLCs except Orrey, everything works fine. Add any DLC and Oblivion crashes when trying to save, causing a Save File corruption (mainly because the save never completes before the crash.

[Leatherneck]

Originally posted by Ranger:

Bethesda games can have issues with autosaves. I'd recommend to switch to using manual saves only. I know that means having to remember to save every 15 min or so (longer if you like living dangerously), but it does seem safer than using the autosave.

I know that doesn't help you with your current corrupted save, but might save some trouble in the future.

Funny thing is that the only save file that loads is an Autosave. But the issue is with the DLC files and how they interact with the core files. You can load the Autosave and play....just can't save or enter any building. If you remove all DLC except Orrey, then load, everything works just fine. Add any DLC back and everything crashes when trying to save.

[ralphtobybob]

Originally posted by Leatherneck:

Originally posted by Ranger:

Bethesda games can have issues with autosaves. I'd recommend to switch to using manual saves only. I know that means having to remember to save every 15 min or so (longer if you like living dangerously), but it does seem safer than using the autosave.

I know that doesn't help you with your current corrupted save, but might save some trouble in the future.

Funny thing is that the only save file that loads is an Autosave. But the issue is with the DLC files and how they interact with the core files. You can load the Autosave and play....just can't save or enter any building. If you remove all DLC except Orrey, then load, everything works just fine. Add any DLC back and everything crashes when trying to save.

There are some conflicts with the DLC beyond Knights and Isles. My DVD version had only those two. I replaced it with a digital version that has all the DLC. There are conflicts related to load order and something else I don't remember.

The corrupted save problem predates that. I played vanilla for years before I heard about an autosave problem. I've never run into it. I don't load any DLC until after the main quest because the landscape changes with Knights and one or more NPCs are killed off.

Just in case, here's a link to the unofficial Oblivion patch that also has a link to the DLC patches.

https://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/5296/