Mod Managers and Migration

This is a guide to help you know to migrate your mods from Nexus Mod Manager to Mod Organizer 2 and Vortex.

Introduction

Whether you are new to modding, returning modder, or seasoned veteran, this guide should help you or give an easier way for you to help others in knowing what a mod manager is; how to mod and how to fix common problems. This is also a guide of how to Migrate from NMM a now unsupported mod manager to the current Mod Organizer 2 and Vortex mod managers.

Over the coarse of this guide there will be sections covering specific aspects for topics related to mod managers and basic information relate to them. Please take the time to read through any sections of information you may not know about, if there is still some confusion or you need someone to help you with your load order or crashes there will be a section for people who can easily help you and give you lengthy time spans and guide you into the right direction to fix any problems you may have.

What is a Mod Manager

Mod managers are what you should be using when installing mods for games that support mods and are supported on the Nexus website. Without a mod manager you install over top of the games original files, this will cause crashes and sometimes missing textures as well as other problems. So it is best to stick with using a mod manager of your choosing and learning how to use it to setup your modded games.

An unmodded game is "Vanilla" this means that nothing has been modified "modded" in any way from its original base form. Typically you mod for an experience you want to have while playing the game, some even mod for stability and optimization as the base game may not be bug / glitch free.

You can either use Mod Organizer(MO2) or Vortex. This comes down to personal preference. I myself use MO2 cause I've adjusted to using over the years and find it easier. I will be able to provide help with Vortex still for anyone who has questions about that mod manager.

Mod Managers

Currently Mod Organizer 2 (MO2) and Vortex are the two largely supported and use mod managers for Bethesda games and game on the Nexus website. There is an unsupported mod manager that was last supported back in 2016 on the Nexus called Nexus Mod Manager.

You can download Mod Organizer 2 here:
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/6194

Mod Organizer 2 is on the Skyrim Special Edition Nexus page, but it supports Fallout 4, Morrowind, Oblivion, Skyrim Legendary Edition, Fallout New Vegas, and Fallout 3.

You can download Vortex here:
https://www.nexusmods.com/about/vortex/

Mod Organizer 2:

• It does not overwrite main game files, all of the overwrites are done virtually.
  
• You can use it as portable or instance (appdata).
  
• Sorting is easy and uses built in LOOT.
  
• Shows conflicts between mods and overwrites.
  
• Mod Profiles to easily switch between list of mods or vanilla.
  
• Profile Specific save games and ini files.

Vortex:

• Supports a wide variety of games on the Nexus.
  
• Has a built in sorter, and displays conflicts.
  
• Mod Profiles to easily switch between list of mods or vanilla.
  
• Profiles set for mods and any playthrough.

Why Switch From NMM

Nexus Mod Manager is no longer endorsed or supported by Nexus but community maintained. Since it is community maintained at this point and most of the issues cannot be kept up with and is not stable, there are better practices to do and move to a updated and supported mod manager.

If you wish to still use NMM against this practice of using Mod Organizer 2 and Vortex as the mod manager for your games here is a link to the community postings.

https://www.nexusmods.com/site/mods/4
https://github.com/Nexus-Mods/Nexus-Mod-Manager/releases

How Do I Switch

It is not an automatic process, one click and done. Because of the way Nexus adds mods (was switched to virtual install) the older process of modding added files directly to your data folder. Because of this you will have to validate your game files or uninstall the game and reinstall.

So what about my saves? Your saves will still work if you wish to keep the same list of mods intact. If not then you have to start over as removing mods during an already started game is advised against and will leave scripts orphaned and can save bloat over time or induce CTD.

Do I have to download my mods again? No in order to do this you have to find your NMM mods folder and copy all the .zip, .rar, .7zip files to an easy access folder you will need this later.

Mirgating Mods

Mod Organizer 2:
Navigate and open MO2, setup how you want it either instance or portable using MO2 and its folder to host your mods. Instance would be safer and can manage different games. Once everything is setup and found your Skyrim directory click the 2nd left top icon to being importing mods. This will be a tedius task but MO2 installs mods quickly. If a mod has a FOMod follow the steps and pick what you need to. Some mods require others to be installed first to use patches.

Vortex:
Vortex gives you the ability to import your mod archives from an existing Nexus Mod Manager installation. To do so, switch to the mods view (side panel > Mods), click on "Import From..." and select "Import from NMM". You will want to import from archives so navigate to your NMM mods folder, if it is not already shown at the bottom. Once imported you will have to reinstall them. Vortex will search your folder and get the archives for you and ask you which you would like to import. Vortex will also show you a page on how to remove mods from NMM if any are installed that way.

Downloading Mods

To download mods make sure you have an account created over at the Nexus website and logged in. Download your mod manager of choice an login using your information. Mod Organizer 2 will prompt you to sign in on the site, and will prompt you to allow downloads, and cache cookies from the site when you first download a mod.

Head over to the Nexus website pick the game you want (Skyrim) and search for a mod you want. If you already have recommended mods then check those out first. I recommend asking some of the helpful people listed at the end of this guide or over at the discussion forums for installing mods you don't know are compatible.

You will need to use 'download with mod manager" or "download with vortex" both do the same thing and will prompt you to allow the download and then associate the links with the mod managers. The mod will start downloading and will indicate if its complete like a regular download.

Enabling Mods

Mod Organizer 2:
Once you have setup your profile and installed all your mods either from your NMM archive or downloaded from Nexus. They will appear in your left pane (mod priority list). To enable them click the checkbox and they will be added to your load order.

To sort click the button "Sort" at the top left of your right pane above your load order. This will automatically sort your mods for you. Conflicts will happen and this is a normal thing. If a mod is conflicting it will display a red triangle in the load order and also at the top right of MO2. Click it to view the information.

Vortex:
When finished importing your mods from NMM or downloaded from Nexus you will want to click at the top right where it has the notification icon "Deploy". This will make sure to enable all the mods and load them.

To sort click the "Sort Now" button listed above your mod list at the left. If you wish there is also the option to enable Autosort. This will sort your load order each time a mod is added or removed.

Helpful People

This is a list of helpful people in the modding community who will gladly help in anyway they can if needed.

Apart from myself.

• alexander_dougherty
  
• Alucard
  
• Avrie
  
• Black Album
  
• cfs111
  
• Chef
  
• Crosstown Traffic
  
• Docsprock
  
• Eternie
  
• Falro the Great
  
• FauxPas
  
• Grimus
  
• Iceira
  
• Ilja
  
• JDaremo Fireheart
  
• JohnnySparta
  
• Kelvy
  
• Mephitic
  
• mpd1958
  
• Mr. Sheffield
  
• Rez Elwin
  
• Rider
  
• SHADOW2KK
  
• Silent Protagonist
  
• smr1957
  
• tramper
  
• Trehek
  
• Uncle64
  
• Vlad 254

Additional Notes

You will have to reinstall your ENBs and SKSE if they were removed from your Skyrim directory or you reinstalled Skyrim.

SKSE:
Copy files in SKSE[skse.silverlock.org] zip package that are not in any folders directly in the game directory. Zip the Data folder into a Zip file and you can use it like a normal mod.

ENB:
Follow the normal steps for the ENB preset you are wanting to install.

INI:
All of your inis from vanilla will still work. If you choose to have profile specific inis in MO2 then MO2 will make its own profile and have your ini there for skyrimprefs and skyrim.ini. It will make a copy of your vanilla ones. If you choose profile specific save games you will be given a choice to tranfer saves.

LOOT And Sorting:
Both mod managers will have a way to sort your load order but using LOOT will also give you information to clean your master files from dirty edits. It is advised to not clean ITMs from mods as these most likely make the mod work as intended, i.e Guard Dialouge Overhaul will not function properly if cleaned. Look at the mod's description and author notes for if it is safe to clean the mod, not any post from someone saying it was okay on the mod page.

[smr1957]

In the interests of full disclosure, Wuerfelhusten is one of the people connected with that mod he linked - that is not meant to be a knock or an endorsement - just a statement of fact in the interest of full transparency.

[Wuerfelhusten]

Do everybody looking at this in 2023+: There is a very easy migration tool as of today: Mod Manager Migrator (MMM) https://www.nexusmods.com/site/mods/545

[megalomania]

Very good and useful information. Thanks. I didn't know it was part of the Special Edition. I might have to Mod and start playing it now. XD

[Chaosian]

Good review, I wish I had this when I was testing both out.
That said, after all the effort, I went back to NMM, even though it's no longer supported. As a warning, at a certain point you become quite committed to the mod manager that you use. Profiles and specific mod configurations can be extremely difficult to emulate when switching managers. Whatmore, Vortex's auto sorting is quite poor when it comes to specifying exact mod orders you may need, and all the Mod Organizer version hot-loads .esps and files, which makes it very difficult to open anything up in the CK. Both are great for mod consumers, both are rather poor choices if you plan to also edit / tweak / create your own mods.
Cheers for the guide though.

[smr1957]

Good job! Nice information to have available for those intent upon switching. Added to Helpful Links.