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Rockin Robbins · 12-09-16, 09:26 AM

Okay, Webster's mod soup fix relies on JSGME to properly uninstall all your mods. You then move your mods folder to another location and run JSGME to create a new MODS folder. Then you redownload and reinstall your mods.

This is a good partial solution that will solve a minority of mod soup problems. However, it is by no means a complete solution. In our 3.6 Gigabyte Fall of the Rising Sun Ultimate Project, we've found that in dealing with thousands (almost 9,000 in FOTRSU) of files JSGME just can't be relied on.

If you have mod soup, after uninstalling all your mods with JSGME you STILL can't play the stock game. You still have mod soup because remnants of long forgotten mods live as hidden zombies in your stock game files and there is no way you will ever find them all. Without draconian measures, mod soup is chronic and sometimes fatal.

A more detailed procedure than Webster's is necessary. I've made a thread with two videos showing how to initially set up the game to allow for future restorations without reinstalling the game (ever! video #1) and then step by step instructions on what to do if disaster strikes (video #2).

I need to make another video on what to do if the mods themselves in your MODS folder are the problem. This is very rare as all JSGME does is read them. It never writes to those files, therefore it is very unlikely that they will be corrupted. Nonetheless, I should make a video of testing the mods in that folder one by one and replacing them if necessary. Again, the possibility that you find the problem there is very remote.

A quick overview of my procedure, which starts with initial game installation. Install the game in a non-system protected directory, \wolves of the pacific by default. Copy that entire directory into a parallel directory \sh4 pristeen. Then write protect all directories and files within that folder, including the folder itself. It's your lockbox of stock game files that cannot be played. Write protecting guarantees that they cannot be played. My videos show how to put JSGME, MultiSH4 and Large Address Aware into the \sh4 pristeen installation.

Suppose you want to play TMO. Make yourself another parallel directory \sh4tmo. Copy all the contents of \sh4 pristeen into \sh4tmo. Write enable all files and directories in \sh4tmo. Run MultiSH4 to make a \TMO directory for savegame files in your \documents folder. Run Large Address Aware to let SH4 access more than 2 GB. Then run JSGME to make your MODS folder, and especially so you can take a game files snapshot. This is your mod soup survival tool. Because you can't trust JSGME to keep all your files straight (this is a Windows problem, not a JSGME problem) but you CAN trust JSGME to compare all your game files with the originals and tell you if any are different.

Install your mods in the MODS folder and install them with JSGME. Play. Now let's say you have weird stuff going on. You need to check to see if mod soup is the issue. Run JSGME and uninstall all mods. Your files should now be stock files--but ARE THEY? Do JSGME's compare to original game files function. If you have files that are changed, you have mod soup all right!

Don't worry about diagnosing what went wrong. We're going to fix it and we'll never know. It's like rebooting your computer. Why analyze for hours when you can be up and running with all problems fixed (whatever they are!) in ten minutes?

First, delete everything from your \sh4tmo directory except for your MODS folder. Then copy everything from your \sh4 pristeen folder into your \sh4tmo directory. You'll then write enable the whole \sh4tmo shebang: directories and files. Run MultiSH4 to tell the game to use your \TMO savegame directory. Run Large Address Aware on the new SH4.exe. Run JSGME to reinstall your mods. Now all your savegames are restored and you can begin playing your present campaign as if nothing had ever happened.

What could go wrong:

If your savegame is corrupt you might have to start a new career or mission.
If your files in the MODS folder are corrupt you'll have to test them one by one and replace the bad ones. This is VERY unlikely.
If you run your game from desktop or menu bar shortcuts, those shortcuts need to point to the appropriate sh4.exe files NOT gu.exe, which bungles large mod installations and causes other game malfunctions.

That's about it. It's much more comprehensive than Webster's mod soup fix. The videos incorporate the use of MultiSH4 to have multiple game installation. They incorporate instructions on how to use Large Address Aware. They incorporate instructions on how to use JSGME to compare your files to detect mod soup.

Actually, if the thread were stickied I'd add Webster's instructions to it in a third video. The entire comprehensive process hasn't been clearly explained so far, and probably can't be outside of instructional videos.

12-09-16, 09:26 AM	#19
Rockin Robbins Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: DeLand, FL Posts: 8,899 Downloads: 135 Uploads: 52	Okay, Webster's mod soup fix relies on JSGME to properly uninstall all your mods. You then move your mods folder to another location and run JSGME to create a new MODS folder. Then you redownload and reinstall your mods. This is a good partial solution that will solve a minority of mod soup problems. However, it is by no means a complete solution. In our 3.6 Gigabyte Fall of the Rising Sun Ultimate Project, we've found that in dealing with thousands (almost 9,000 in FOTRSU) of files JSGME just can't be relied on. If you have mod soup, after uninstalling all your mods with JSGME you STILL can't play the stock game. You still have mod soup because remnants of long forgotten mods live as hidden zombies in your stock game files and there is no way you will ever find them all. Without draconian measures, mod soup is chronic and sometimes fatal. A more detailed procedure than Webster's is necessary. I've made a thread with two videos showing how to initially set up the game to allow for future restorations without reinstalling the game (ever! video #1) and then step by step instructions on what to do if disaster strikes (video #2). I need to make another video on what to do if the mods themselves in your MODS folder are the problem. This is very rare as all JSGME does is read them. It never writes to those files, therefore it is very unlikely that they will be corrupted. Nonetheless, I should make a video of testing the mods in that folder one by one and replacing them if necessary. Again, the possibility that you find the problem there is very remote. A quick overview of my procedure, which starts with initial game installation. Install the game in a non-system protected directory, \wolves of the pacific by default. Copy that entire directory into a parallel directory \sh4 pristeen. Then write protect all directories and files within that folder, including the folder itself. It's your lockbox of stock game files that cannot be played. Write protecting guarantees that they cannot be played. My videos show how to put JSGME, MultiSH4 and Large Address Aware into the \sh4 pristeen installation. Suppose you want to play TMO. Make yourself another parallel directory \sh4tmo. Copy all the contents of \sh4 pristeen into \sh4tmo. Write enable all files and directories in \sh4tmo. Run MultiSH4 to make a \TMO directory for savegame files in your \documents folder. Run Large Address Aware to let SH4 access more than 2 GB. Then run JSGME to make your MODS folder, and especially so you can take a game files snapshot. This is your mod soup survival tool. Because you can't trust JSGME to keep all your files straight (this is a Windows problem, not a JSGME problem) but you CAN trust JSGME to compare all your game files with the originals and tell you if any are different. Install your mods in the MODS folder and install them with JSGME. Play. Now let's say you have weird stuff going on. You need to check to see if mod soup is the issue. Run JSGME and uninstall all mods. Your files should now be stock files--but ARE THEY? Do JSGME's compare to original game files function. If you have files that are changed, you have mod soup all right! Don't worry about diagnosing what went wrong. We're going to fix it and we'll never know. It's like rebooting your computer. Why analyze for hours when you can be up and running with all problems fixed (whatever they are!) in ten minutes? First, delete everything from your \sh4tmo directory except for your MODS folder. Then copy everything from your \sh4 pristeen folder into your \sh4tmo directory. You'll then write enable the whole \sh4tmo shebang: directories and files. Run MultiSH4 to tell the game to use your \TMO savegame directory. Run Large Address Aware on the new SH4.exe. Run JSGME to reinstall your mods. Now all your savegames are restored and you can begin playing your present campaign as if nothing had ever happened. What could go wrong: If your savegame is corrupt you might have to start a new career or mission. If your files in the MODS folder are corrupt you'll have to test them one by one and replace the bad ones. This is VERY unlikely. If you run your game from desktop or menu bar shortcuts, those shortcuts need to point to the appropriate sh4.exe files NOT gu.exe, which bungles large mod installations and causes other game malfunctions. That's about it. It's much more comprehensive than Webster's mod soup fix. The videos incorporate the use of MultiSH4 to have multiple game installation. They incorporate instructions on how to use Large Address Aware. They incorporate instructions on how to use JSGME to compare your files to detect mod soup. Actually, if the thread were stickied I'd add Webster's instructions to it in a third video. The entire comprehensive process hasn't been clearly explained so far, and probably can't be outside of instructional videos. __________________ Sub Skipper's Bag of Tricks, Slightly Subnuclear Mk 14 & Cutie, Slightly Subnuclear Deck Gun, EZPlot 2.0, TMOPlot, TMOKeys, SH4CMS Last edited by Rockin Robbins; 12-09-16 at 10:32 AM.