Wrye Bash and associated tools for SSE

This guide is geared for individuals installing Wrye Bash for use as a Mod Manager with the special edition.

First get the tools

You will need the most current build of Wrye Bash
http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/6837/?

Please uninstall all previous versions before updating, and if you experience any issues at all with the new installation, there are instructions in the trouble shooting section to remove remnant registry entries from previous installations.

Note - Unless you really know what you’re doing, choose the installer or standalone versions. The python version is intended for developers, or serious modders that need to access advanced features, and requires additional configuration steps. I prefer working with the standalone version, but the Installer version works well, and will be required to fix any issues from previous installations.

You will need the current build of LOOT
https://github.com/loot/loot/releases/

Choose the LOOT.Installer.exe, or alternately the .7z file but make sure you choose the correct LOOT_X file not the loot-api file

You may need an Archive manager
https://github.com/ousnius/BSA-Manager/releases/tag/v0.5
(No longer required for Wrye Bash, but will be required to unpack BSA files to create Bain installer packages for converted mods)

You should also have the most current SSEEdit
www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/164/?

Finally, an update to the MSVC redistributables if you already haven't done so.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=48145 Choose the 64 bit version.

Combined Installation

Wrye Bash … Very simple manual installation!

• Download the current standalone version and extract the archive to your desktop or a temp working folder.
  
• Copy the Mopy folder to your SSE game folder (NOT the data folder!)
  
• Open the Mopy folder, right click on Wrye Bash.exe hover over “Send to” then select desktop (create shortcut)
  
• Double-Click on the shortcut and open the program.
  
• Once open, Click the “Installers” tab and Accept/enable the pop up window to initialize the installer.
  
• Close the program for now once it has completed initializing.

Alternately you can download and run the installer version which should correctly detect the locations of installed games it can manage, and allow you to select the games of your choice.

Note - If you accidently clicked "NO" when initializing the Installer; you can right click on the installers tab and select "enable".

LOOT Choose the installer version, and accept the defaults, then create a shortcut. Alternately unpack the .7z file to a temp working folder, copy the entire folder to your game drive, and create a desktop shortcut to LOOT.exe

Note(s) - on using LOOT 10.X

1)You must select the correct game in the drop down window of LOOT now. It's easy to forget which game you are sorting if you don't get in the habit of looking first. If you somehow do manage to mix things up, simply select the correct game, and click sort again. The master list should update to the correct file, if for some reason it doesn't...
Navagate to <User>\Appdata\Local\Loot, and clear the appropriate game folder. When you run LOOT again and select sort, it will download the current Master File.

2)Yes it’s OK to allow the installation in the C:/Program Files (X86) folder, but depending on your security settings, you might need to select properties, compatibility, and flag the executable to run as an administrator. (Not normally required, please check before altering your shorcut)

Finally we need to update the Microsoft visual C++ 2015 redistributables. The provided link will start the installer, just put a check next to 64 bit and click next. If it says it’s already present you’re good, so just cancel.

(Note - Any errors you see launching the game that specify a missing DLL (Ie: API-MS-CRT-Runtime-l1-1-0.dll) means you did not do this step. It is not an error with the game or Wrye Bash.

Additional tools

Now while not tecnically part of the WB installation, you will need SSEEdit to clean your masters, and to help identify / correct Mod campatability issues.

Install SSEEdit

• Download the most current build and extract to your desktop or temp working folder
  
• Rename the folder just SSEEdit (for ease of installing future updates)
  
• Copy the folder to your game drive (Does not need to be in the game folder)

You DO still need to clean your master files as you did in the LE.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=818230170

Arthmoor recommends updating to the current version of SSE if you haven't already done so, as well as downloading the current Creation Kit. Both correct some issues with Time Stamps.

I also highly recommend you create a Cleaned_Backup folder and copy all the masters including Skyrim.esm into it for use later instead of "Verifying your game cache". Much quicker, and will not require re-downloading, re-cleaning, or re-correcting the time stamps of the master files each time.

Start Modding

You should find a new folder .…\Steamapps\common\Skyrim special Edition Mods. You can now copy the mod archives you intend to install to the Bash Installers folder inside. (Skyrim special Edition Mods\Bash Installers) They will then appear in the installers tab in Wrye Bash the next time you open it.

If you are familiar with Mod Organizer, treat the Installers tab as the left pane, and the Mods tab as the right pane. I would very much recommend clicking the help button on the bottom and getting familiar with the color coding in both tabs. In many ways Wrye Bash is more powerful than MO, (especially with conflict detection and resolution) but does lack the "virtual" data directory and profiles. While we all hold our collective breaths to see what Tannin does with the NMM, Wrye Bash is still your best choice for seriously modding the SSE.

Trouble Shooting

If you're upgrading from the installer version of 306, and having trouble with the new version not correctly identifying the SSE; The previous uninstallation did not correctly remove existing regestry entries, and folders. Here is a simple fix to clear the old regestry entries.

There are a few steps but it's very easy.

1. Download the current "installer" version
   
2. Run the installer
   
3. de-select all locations (We are actually only installing the updated installer)
   
4. After installation, Run the new uninstaller at %COMMONPROGRAMFILES(X86)%\Wrye Bash\uninstall.exe. (or from the Windows control panel "Programs and features")
   
5. The updated uninstaller should properly complete removing all remnants of the previous version
   
6. Now just install the current Standalone version as per the instructions in this guide.

(If you have multiple games managed by Wrye Bash, and prefer the installer version, the new one works well. You can safely just re-install that version after completeing the steps above. I just find the standalone to be quicker and easier, but then I make a lot of changes quite often.)

If you use MO2 as a manager and you're getting "This file is already in use" errors when running Wryebash, there is a conflict in WIN10 version 1803 with the virtual file system in MO2, Updating Win10 to version 1809, or the May update will fix the issue. It is a now considered a well known bug between that specific version of Win10 and MO2. It is not an issue with Wryebash.

Change log

11.1.2016 added changelog
11.1.2016 removed warning for loot snapbuild, current version seems to work OK.
11.4.2016 added note about strings path causing missing strings localization file error
11.6.2016 Updated Loot release link to version 10.0
11.7.2016 Removed instructions to download Loot snap build
11.7.2016 Revised update often blurb
11.7.2016 Added note about possible merged patch issues
11.14.2016 Added note about WB being temporarily hidden on the Nexus
11.15.2016 updated link for LOOT to 10.1
11.15.2016 removed WB hidden note (WB is back)
11.28.2016 added note, WB is again removed from the Nexus
12.5.2016 updated loot link to 10.2
12.7.2016 Updated warning about the WB-SSE no longer appearing on the nexus
12.13.2016 Added troubleshooting section (for the upcoming 307 release)
12.13.2016 Removed instruction for running binary as an administrator (not required)
12.22.2016 Re-write to update links, requirements, and warnings pending the 307 release.
12.22.2016 Updated MSVC download link and instructions (Thanks Fuzzles the dragon)
12.24.2016 Edited archive manager note (as no longer being required)
12.30.2016 Minor text edits, added reference to installer version, removed time stamp guide
1.1.2017 Updated link to the 307 Beta on nexus
6.4.2019 added Win10 version warning (Thanks Trehek)

[Trehek]

Suggested addition to the troubleshooting section: If encountering problems when running Wrye Bash from within Mod Organizer 2, it may be necessary to update your Windows. Certain versions of Win 10 cause Wrye Bash within MO2 to fail loading. Win 10 updates 1809 and above have resolved this issue.

My win 10 was stuck on update 1803 and I ran into this problem. Troubleshooting wasn't easy since Wrye Bash people refuse to acknowledge or help with the problem. Found the above solution in the MO2 Github. I had to update my Win 10 manually. People might look for this solution in this guide, so might be worth adding.

[Ilja]

Leveled lists manage the content that is distributed through the world. They determine what sort of enemies you face, what they wear, what you find from containers etc.

Game does not merge leveled lists on it's own. This is where we use Wrye Bash. Usually game just overwrites conflicts in list, based on last loaded records. You are likely to entirely miss stuff from the game, which you had installed as mod, because game never knows to load it in to leveled lists.

Wrye Bash has function to merge these lists. You will get what you installed in to your game, see NPCs using the stuff and find added items from containers - as you expected, when you installed mods in to your game.

[Copet Gabut]

sorry i dont understand what is Leveled List, can you explain in short?

[Avrie]

sorry about the fat fingers... need more coffee :)

[Avrie]

You don't need to use it as a manager, but it is very important for merging Leveled lists. I have personally stopped recomending it's use for anything other than merging the leveled lists though. It seems to be haveing issues with the newest patchers and .esl support. It is unfortunate that the team can't get their collective heads out of oblivion and think towards future games. fingers crossed they wake up and smell the future someday.

[Copet Gabut]

if i dont use Wyre Bash for modding, is ok? is it very important ?

[mpd1958]

Thanks guys, I'll just go with the ignore idea. So far the mods are working without any problems.

[smr1957]

Just saw this. If a mod has the DLC in the wrong order, just leave it - it will not effect the game. Changing the order in the mod that has it wrong, however, may break things, as the Form IDs get changed and you will end up with a slew of Unresolved Errors as records can no longer be found.

[Avrie]

The DLC order is fixed by Bethesda to be dawnguard, Hearthfires, and dragonborn. I'm not sure what mods you're looking at, but I would open the mod in Xedit and simply correct the order there, or ignore it completely. Not "ALL" red is an error, sometimes it's simply informational, like when you choose to install a patchj after a mod. The mod will turn red, but it's supposed to.

If you can't get the game to properly load with the standard order. start a thread, post your load order and modlist and well dive in deeper. It shouldn't be needed though.

Good luck

[mpd1958]

I have a question regarding mods that want the DLCs/Add-ons to be in differant orders and they are marked in red? I have several that want Dawnguard, Dragonborn, Hearthfire or veriation of that. But if I try to comply then all the mods that require the correct order go red. Is there a solution?