If you are like me and download a **** ton of mods/replacer/etc. then you likly have crashed, blocked, frozen, or killed you Oblivion game at least once. I'm also guessing you have had to reinstall Oblivion a few times.

The point of this is to supply you with helpful tips/files to fix your mod addiction. I only use the basic functions of OBMM so I can't tell you much about it.

First off you will need the most current Oblivion update patch. You can get it here or at the Official Oblivion site. You may also need the SI patch if you have SI.
* SI = Shivering Isles.. a DLC required by alot of mods.
http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=11364

Second you will need the Unofficial Update Patch.
http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=5296

And the SI Unofficial Update Patch
http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=10739

Next their is the DLC *Downloadable Content
You have to pay for this content. I don't use the DLC that much so I can't tell you much about it.

After you have these files/plugins/mods installed you can start with modding your game.

AT THIS POINT MAKE A BACKUP OF YOUR OBLIVION FILES AND YOUR "MY DOCUMENTS/MY GAMES/OBLIVION" FOLDERS SEPARATE FROM YOUR ORIGINAL FILES. I'M STRESSING THIS POINT FOR A GOOD REASON.

Next I would recommend that you install... Optional but recommended.

Oblivion Construction Set
http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=11367

OBMM -Think you need a good computer to use this
http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=2097

BOSS
http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=20516

Pluggy Plug-in
http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=23979

NifScript Plug-in
http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=21292

You can make another copy of these folders but I don't think you will have to.

MODS/PLUGIN-IN/PATCHES/REPLACERS

Okay here is the good stuff. Later I will make a list of my recommended mods and such.

Mods-Adds content to the game

Plug-ins-Adds fucntions to OBMM or the Oblivion game inner workings

Patches- Fix problems mods can create or have.
Updates usually do the same.

Replacers-Replace files with Larger, better, Hi-Rez, or Smaller lo-rez versions of the Oblivion Vanilla files.(Default oblivion files). These are usually the files that kill your game.

Those are the common types of files you will encounter on the TESNEXUS.COM.

Now when you install a mod you need to test it BEFORE you install any other mods. (Testing= Making a separate save file of your game befor you install the mod)
If your game crashes or has major problems after that you know that the mod was not installed correctly or is buggy/corrupt.
This can be fixed by.
1.Deselecting the .esp/.esm in the data files of the Oblivion launcher or OBMM.
2.If that doesn't work you could copy->paste your original files that where replaced by the mod. Usually its the Mesh and/or Texture folders in the DATA folder.
3. If a files is an OMOD, OBMM will usually correctly install the files. OBMM will also unistall it for you by deactivating it. Doesn't always fix the problem.

After uninstalling the mod you need to save you file without the mod installed. Again separate save file just in case.

OBMM Stands for Oblivion Mod Mannager. It is used to simplify the install process of mods and can in some cases allow for optional/alternate files to be installed. This is a must have for anyone who uses alot of mods. More details about OBMM later in the file.

BOSS stands for Better Oblivion Sorting Software. It is used to sort mod files to help reduce the chances of crashes or mess ups. It arranges the load order of mods. It can't sort all mods, but has a large list of popular mods it can sort.

Load Order.
Some modes need to be loaded after others inorder to work right. For example the Unofficial Oblivion update needs to be loaded BEFORE the Unofficial SI update or else the DLC_Shivering_Isle.esm will not work right and wont be updated correctly causing crashes/bugs. the same goes for all updates for a mod/patch.
In OBMM i think the load order is from top to bottom because .esm fies MUST be loaded before .esp.
.esm = Elder Scrolls Master files
.esp = Elder Scrolls Plug-in files

Next remember when i told you to copy->paste your "My Document/My games/oblivion folder?
Some files use these to run Oblivion correctly. Also, a file called "Warning.txt" is VERY useful in fixing your problems. Sometimes after a crash it will tell you why/what/and where the files is that crashed/killed your game.
For example... this morning my Oblivion died and it took me almost 4 hours of installing/uninstalling of files to notice that the warning txt file told me that the file called skeleton.kn in "mesh/character/_male" folder was messed up. So I copy->pasted my backup of that file and guess what it worked just fine.

Sometimes just deleting the "my documents/my games/oblivion" folder works. (NOT recommended - will lose your save files)

REPLACERS
Thes files are notorious for messing up your game due to the fact that they REPLACE files and sometimes are messed up.
Body replacers can increase bust size (HGEC mod), increase bounce (BBB), or upgrade the rezolution of race/monster/npc skins. You will know they are messed up when you see a boob/butt stretch across the screen or have a "WTF missing Mesh/Texture" sign in-game. To fix these you can copy->paste the Mesh or Texture folders from your backup files.

Animation replacers.
Thes replace animations like the Idle (when standing still), the one handed power attack (when holding the attack button), and others like flying, etc....

Script/quest replacers.
These can kill your game but are rare and most moders don't mess with the vanilla scripts for that reason. They change how the game works/plays and are usualy the hardest/most fun to use.

Texture replacers are usually safe to use but can cause some strange things to happen. They replace textures for stuff like walls, armor/wpns or items. They just change how they look. (My god the amount of nude skin/skimpy armor replacers is just down right amazing = sex sells)

OBSE is the Oblivion Script Extender
It is almost required for all mods, but some don't need it.
All it does is allow Oblivion to do or use functions that it wasn't able to before like flying or using some high GFX/CPU intensive mods. In order to play Oblivion with the new features you need to use this instead of the oblivionlauncher.exe file on your desktop. It was made to work well with OBMM and other utilities.

OMODs
These are mods that use a new script to install them automaticly in OBMM or sometimes they come in a .exe format. They can allow you to choose for example red wings/fingnails instead of the black ones some races come with.

FOMODs
I have no idea what these are. all i know is that winzip gives me this option when i right click on a omod zip file that has omod converions data in it.

This is just a very simple help file that will be updated if an experianced modder gives me advice on how to improve this file. I will also post links to files that are useful or hard to find/get.

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This space is reserved for my recommended mods that work for me and what you need to use them.
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This space is reserved for Modders/authors/unloaders that I think deserve special attention for their great/hard work.

Bethesda Softworks - I would be stupid not to list them at the top though their work does need tweaks.

Saaya - http://tesnexus.com/modules/members/index.php?id=708478 works hard to convert armors/cloths to the BBB.
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