Unknown Mod Issue

[J.Sanderson]

I only play with 33 mods. I haven't had any comparability issues with the 45 hours I've logged so far, no crashing or errors. However, I have finally encountered one. I am doing the Dawnguard questline. Everytime I attempt to walk into the portal to go the Soul Cairin the game will show the loading screen and make the noise that it makes when you discover a new place, but then it CTD. It also crashes when I try to save it after entering the ruins. (I can save W/O crashing outside in the garden) I've spent about 2 hours on trying to figure out which mod is breaking this and troubleshooting but I cant seem to find anything.
Does anyone have some possible solutions or have had this happen? I use Vortex to launch/mod management.
MOD LIST:
Immersive Citizens AI Overhaul
Caliente's Beautiful Bodies Enhancer CBBE
Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch
VioLens - A Killmove
Barenziah Quest Markers
Diverse Dragons Collections
Immersive Patrols
Apocalypse
Ordinator
Bijin Warmaidens/Wives/NPCs
Enhanced Blood Textures
Enhanced Lights and FX
Unlimited Woodwork and Mining
Heljarchen Farm
Winstad Mine
Cloaks of Skyrim
Amazing Follower Tweaks
Sky UI
Skyrim Immersive Creatures
Soul Cairn FIX SE
JContainers
Complete Alchemy and Cooking Overhaul
Skyrim Script Extender (SKE64)
ELFX 4K Cleaned and Upscale Textures

[smr1957]

It is better to post your load order, as the order in which mods load is more important than just what mods you have. To post your load order, in the top left hand corner of LOOT under Game, choose Copy Load order and paste in the reply box here.

For Vortex users, Vortex keeps a .txt version of your mod load order here:
C:\Users\[your name]\AppData\Local\Skyrim Special Edition\loadorder.txt
Find it and then copy and paste it here.

For MO2 users, your Mod Organizer 2 installation folder has a folder named profiles.
Under profile name (Default, or separately named) has both load order and mod list as TXT-files. You can copy and paste the load order directly from loadorder.txt file here.
It might be worth posting the content of modlist.txt as other reply, because there might be resource conflicts that we can spot.

[smr1957]

Of course, unless someone can spot the problem, you may still be forced to troubleshoot on your own - but wait until you get some more replies, just in case someone can spot what is potentially causing the issue. As to troubleshooting your build, if needed, follow this general outline:

Troubleshooting Your Load Order
https://steamcommunity.com/app/489830/discussions/0/3109142236155416522/
(from PINNED TOPIC Helpful Links and References, Section 5 - General Troubleshooting)

[J.Sanderson]

0 0 Skyrim.esm
1 1 Update.esm
2 2 Dawnguard.esm
3 3 HearthFires.esm
4 4 Dragonborn.esm
5 5 ccBGSSSE001-Fish.esm
254 FE 0 ccbgssse011-hrsarmrelvn.esl
254 FE 1 ccbgssse012-hrsarmrstl.esl
254 FE 2 ccQDRSSE001-SurvivalMode.esl
254 FE 3 ccfsvsse001-backpacks.esl
254 FE 4 ccBGSSSE037-Curios.esl
254 FE 5 ccbgssse062-ba_dwarvenmail.esl
254 FE 6 ccvsvsse004-beafarmer.esl
6 6 ccBGSSSE025-AdvDSGS.esm
7 7 Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch.esp
8 8 SkyUI_SE.esp
9 9 EnhancedLightsandFX.esp
10 a ELFX - Exteriors.esp
11 b Skyrim Immersive Creatures Special Edition.esp
12 c ELFX - Weathers.esp
13 d Hothtrooper44_ArmorCompilation.esp
14 e Hothtrooper44_Armor_Ecksstra.esp
254 FE 7 SIC Soul Cairn Fix SE.esp
15 f Cloaks.esp
16 10 HeljarchenFarm.esp
17 11 WindstadMine.esp
18 12 Immersive Patrols II.esp
19 13 Apocalypse - Magic of Skyrim.esp
20 14 dD - Enhanced Blood Main.esp
21 15 EBT - IC PATCH.esp
22 16 dD-Larger Drips.esp
23 17 DiverseDragonsCollectionSE.esp
254 FE 8 CBBE.esp
24 18 AmazingFollowerTweaks.esp
25 19 Immersive Weapons.esp
26 1a Bijin NPCs.esp
27 1b Bijin Wives.esp
28 1c Bijin Warmaidens.esp
29 1d Cloaks - Dawnguard.esp
30 1e Cloaks - USSEP Patch.esp
31 1f BarenziahQuestMarkers.esp
32 20 VioLens SE.esp
33 21 Complete Alchemy & Cooking Overhaul.esp
254 FE 9 CACO_Survival Mode_Patch.esp
254 FE a CC-Fishing_CACO_Patch.esp
254 FE b CACO Rare Curios Patch.esp
254 FE c CACO_SkyrimImmersiveCreaturesSE_Patch.esp
254 FE d CACO_Saints&Seducers.esp
34 22 Ordinator - Perks of Skyrim.esp
35 23 Apocalypse - Ordinator Compatibility Patch.esp
254 FE e CACO_Ordinator_Patch.esp
36 24 Immersive Citizens - AI Overhaul.esp
37 25 ELFX - Hardcore.esp
38 26 Immersive Citizens - ELFXHardcore patch.esp

[smr1957]

Checking your mod list I saw these:
11 b Skyrim Immersive Creatures Special Edition.esp

254 FE 7 SIC Soul Cairn Fix SE.esp
I first looked at The Soul Cairn Fix, since that was where you are having your issue, and on his description page he stated he was having issues with a CTD in the Soul Cairn and he tracked it to Skyrim Immersive Creatures - and the fix worked for him - though he also posted this:
"NOTE- I expect this will only work if you add this plugin while OUTSIDE OF THE SOUL CAIRN, or preferably before ever entering that cell in the first place, which was the way I successfully tested on my own game."
So it might not work if you had already been to the Soul Cairn before adding that fix - in which case you would have top roll back to a save made before you ever entered the Soul Cairn.

That being said, I looked at the bug reports for SKyrim Immersive Creatures, and there are a lot of CTD reports there. I don't use that mod so I can't state one way or another how vaild those reports may be, but it might be worthwhile checking on a save made before you added SIC and see if you still get CTDs without it. It would at least confirm one way or another if indeed SIC is causing your issue.

Another thing, I see this:
21 15 EBT - IC PATCH.esp
Going by the name, it would seem that patches Enhanced Blood textures and Immersive Citizens, but I was unable to find that patch on Nexus. If indeed it is a patch for Enhanced Blood Textures and Immersive Citizen, I don't see the reason for it - I have both EBT and Immersive Citizens in my game and they do not need a patch for each other. And, also if it does apply to Immersive Citizen (though I don't see how) it would need to be below IC in the load order. But, as I said, if it is a patch for those two mods, it is not needed. Whether or not that is causing your issue, I cannot say.

Anyway, those are the things that I spotted - perhaps someone else will also pop in and give some additional feedback.

Keep us posted - and good luck!

[T3CH0]

This is why I don't like using mods

[J.Sanderson]

Originally posted by smr1957:

Checking your mod list I saw these:
11 b Skyrim Immersive Creatures Special Edition.esp

254 FE 7 SIC Soul Cairn Fix SE.esp
I first looked at The Soul Cairn Fix, since that was where you are having your issue, and on his description page he stated he was having issues with a CTD in the Soul Cairn and he tracked it to Skyrim Immersive Creatures - and the fix worked for him - though he also posted this:
"NOTE- I expect this will only work if you add this plugin while OUTSIDE OF THE SOUL CAIRN, or preferably before ever entering that cell in the first place, which was the way I successfully tested on my own game."
So it might not work if you had already been to the Soul Cairn before adding that fix - in which case you would have top roll back to a save made before you ever entered the Soul Cairn.

That being said, I looked at the bug reports for SKyrim Immersive Creatures, and there are a lot of CTD reports there. I don't use that mod so I can't state one way or another how vaild those reports may be, but it might be worthwhile checking on a save made before you added SIC and see if you still get CTDs without it. It would at least confirm one way or another if indeed SIC is causing your issue.

Another thing, I see this:
21 15 EBT - IC PATCH.esp
Going by the name, it would seem that patches Enhanced Blood textures and Immersive Citizens, but I was unable to find that patch on Nexus. If indeed it is a patch for Enhanced Blood Textures and Immersive Citizen, I don't see the reason for it - I have both EBT and Immersive Citizens in my game and they do not need a patch for each other. And, also if it does apply to Immersive Citizen (though I don't see how) it would need to be below IC in the load order. But, as I said, if it is a patch for those two mods, it is not needed. Whether or not that is causing your issue, I cannot say.

Anyway, those are the things that I spotted - perhaps someone else will also pop in and give some additional feedback.

Keep us posted - and good luck!

Unfortunately I’ve had SIC since the start. (Level 25 now, not too deep.) I tried numerous things and had a save outside the Soul Cairn, and a save no within the cell of the area. Neither worked when trying to enter. Try removing and adjusting things as well. But saw that Skyrim does a “good job” at burning data into saves whether it’s been removed or not. I tried to do the other part of the quest related to the Dawnguard DLC. But it would still give me a CTD. So perhaps it’s the mod issue with the DLC or just the mod in general.
I’ll try a new play thru without the SIC mod+patch, as well as try to get rid of the EBT+IC patch plugin and try again. Might try to do the DG DLC quest early to see if it’s still broken or if the solution was to remove that mod.
Thank you, I’ll provide an update in due time.

[Ozymandias]

EBT - IC comes with EBT, it's also for Skyrim Immersive Creatures. I've never had issues with SIC, though I disable one of the options for additional spawns: the one that can turn a pair of wolves/bears/etc into a pack of 20.

The brand new patch for the Soul Cairn, I wonder how come you have it, unless you've just installed it hoping to solve your current problem. To be plain, it hardly qualifies as a fix in my opinion: the author had crashes in the Soul Cairn, maybe related to SIC, so he removed stuff from the mod.

I haven't looked into it, but from the description it's more like dealing with the symptoms than fixing whatever was wrong. It's even possible that's the reason you have issues.

[smr1957]

Originally posted by Ozymandias:

EBT - IC comes with EBT, it's also for Skyrim Immersive Creatures. - snip -

Ah, so that's what it's for! Thanks for the info, Ozymandias! I didn't know that, not having Immersive Creatures

[J.Sanderson]

Originally posted by Ozymandias:

EBT - IC comes with EBT, it's also for Skyrim Immersive Creatures. I've never had issues with SIC, though I disable one of the options for additional spawns: the one that can turn a pair of wolves/bears/etc into a pack of 20.

The brand new patch for the Soul Cairn, I wonder how come you have it, unless you've just installed it hoping to solve your current problem. To be plain, it hardly qualifies as a fix in my opinion: the author had crashes in the Soul Cairn, maybe related to SIC, so he removed stuff from the mod.

I haven't looked into it, but from the description it's more like dealing with the symptoms than fixing whatever was wrong. It's even possible that's the reason you have issues.

I did install the fix after the first couple of solutions I tried after crashing attempting to enter the Soul Cairn. Hoping whatever his issue was, was also mine. But it wasn’t.
Are either of you aware if there is a way to bring up the crash log/log after CTD so that I could maybe see the errors that lead up to the crash?

[smr1957]

Unfortunately, even real crash logs are not that much use.. And even if a person can figure them out (and even those who say they know how to read them often can't), if it does turn out to be a mod, you still would have to go back to before it was installed - and still test to see if that actually was the problematic mod. Hence why what I linked is really the best and quickest way to trouble shoot a build - that's what I've use on my multi thousand mod builds.

[smr1957]

This is why modding Skyrim is so much fun, and why aspirin companies love people who mod Skyrim!

[J.Sanderson]

Originally posted by smr1957:

This is why modding Skyrim is so much fun, and why aspirin companies love people who mod Skyrim!

An update: I finally got enough XP on a new character to trigger the DawnGuard quests.
I had a few question that you may have knowledge of before I try adding mods one at a time.
I have Amazing Follower Tweaks mod, this lets me have up to 5 followers that follow me anywhere.
In vanilla Skyrim, your follower is replaced by Serana when you enter the Soul Cairn (must be vampire or partial soul trapped to enter, otherwise you lose health and die)
My followers are invincible and since a mod is changing it’s behavior (I think) it’s possible my followers are coming into SoulCairn with us. Which they are not suppose to be able to normally. Could that trigger the crash? Would it be worth going to my old character and and dismissing the followers or having them commanded to wait or even disabling the mod. Until I get back that way it would just be serana and I entering like in vanilla Skyrim?

[smr1957]

Yes, dismiss your followers or have them wait before going into the Soul Cairn with Serana. I can't say for certain that not dismissing your followers prior to entering, or not having them wait, would cause a crash, but it is possible.

And, do NOT disable the mod - that will just likely cause problems with your save, as mod data is baked into the save and cannot be removed, and when you re-enable the mod later, the game sees two instances of the mod - the original install, and then the second reinstall, setting the stage for more potential issues when the game tries to run both. For complete info on the topic of why mods should not be removed/disabled misplaythrough, see this:

You CANNOT Remove Mods Mid-Playthrough
https://steamcommunity.com/app/489830/discussions/0/1520386297681801135/

Link is from the following section of the PINNED TOPIC Helpful Links and References:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2882871440

Anyway, try first with having your followers wait, and then, if that does not work, dismissing them.

[J.Sanderson]

Originally posted by smr1957:

Yes, dismiss your followers or have them wait before going into the Soul Cairn with Serana. I can't say for certain that not dismissing your followers prior to entering, or not having them wait, would cause a crash, but it is possible.

And, do NOT disable the mod - that will just likely cause problems with your save, as mod data is baked into the save and cannot be removed, and when you re-enable the mod later, the game sees two instances of the mod - the original install, and then the second reinstall, setting the stage for more potential issues when the game tries to run both. For complete info on the topic of why mods should not be removed/disabled misplaythrough, see this:

You CANNOT Remove Mods Mid-Playthrough
https://steamcommunity.com/app/489830/discussions/0/1520386297681801135/

Link is from the following section of the PINNED TOPIC Helpful Links and References:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2882871440

Anyway, try first with having your followers wait, and then, if that does not work, dismissing them.

Praise Talos! I had both my followers wait, then entered the Soul Cairn with Serena, it transitioned the loading screen and came on. I’m inside SC now! I’ll make a final update post if all goes well and I come back out without crashing.

[smr1957]

That's great! Fantastic!

Glad you got the issue resolved - enjoy!