SyncCrate
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion guide · Updated
Your modded Cyrodiil on another PC.
Move a modded Oblivion to a new PC, or give a friend the same setup. SyncCrate copies the mods in your Data folder, and after the first time only the files that changed. Shivering Isles and the official plugins stay where they are.
FreeOpen sourceNo cloudWin · macOS · Linux
// 01 Why
Why moving a modded Oblivion is fiddly
A modded Oblivion is usually a long chain: OBSE, its plugins, bug fixes, texture and body replacers, and patches that only work in the right order. Rebuilding it on another PC means finding every download again, some of them from sites that don't exist any more.
Copying Data by hand gets you most of the way, but it also drags along the game's own files and DLC, and it's out of date as soon as you add a mod.
SyncCrate copies only the mods in the host's Data folder, compares every file by content, and after the first sync sends only new and changed files. You see the list before anything changes.
// 02 What syncs
What SyncCrate syncs for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
| Folder | Path in the game folder | Files |
|---|---|---|
| Mods & Plugins | Data/Plugins (.esp, .esm), archives (.bsa), OBSE plugins, meshes, textures and sounds. Oblivion's own files, Shivering Isles, Knights of the Nine and the official plugins are skipped. | .esm .esp .bsa .dll .ini .txt .xml .nif .dds .kf .wav .mp3 .lip |
// Where it looks
- Steam
steamapps/common/Oblivionin every Steam library, on every drive- Windows
C:\GOG Games\Oblivion- Anywhere else
- Point SyncCrate at the folder yourself, once
Built in for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
- Script warnings.
.dllfiles run code on your PC, so they're flagged for you to review before they sync. - Turn mods on and off. Disabled mods move to a
_Disabledfolder the game doesn't load. - Game-running warning. SyncCrate warns you before syncing while The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is still open.
- Undo and history. Undo the last sync in one click, and put back any single file a sync replaced or deleted.
// 03 How it works
Sync The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion in three steps
Install and add the game
Install SyncCrate on every PC and add The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion in the Game Browser. Its folder is found automatically.
One PC hosts
The PC with the setup everyone should have clicks Start Hosting. The others pick it under Scan for Hosts on the same network, or paste its join code from anywhere.
Compare and sync
Check the list of new, changed and conflicting files, then Sync Now. Only the files that differ are copied, PC to PC.
TipEach PC needs its own copy of Oblivion and its DLC, and OBSE installed once. SyncCrate copies the mods in Data, not the game or OBSE's loader.
// 04 Common problems
When The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion mods don't match
Load order gets scrambled
Oblivion orders plugins by their file dates, and which ones are active is saved in
Plugins.txtin your AppData folder. Copied files get new dates, so the order on the other PC can come out wrong.After a sync that brings new plugins, sort them once on the other PC with Wrye Bash, LOOT or your mod manager, and enable them there.
OBSE plugins without OBSE
Many mods need the Oblivion Script Extender, and its plugins (
.dll) do nothing without it. OBSE's loader sits next to the game's exe, outside Data.The plugins sync with the rest of the mods and are flagged before they do. Install OBSE itself on each PC once.
DLC and official plugins in Data
Shivering Isles, Knights of the Nine and the small official plugins (Frostcrag Spire, Horse Armor and the rest) are files in Data too. Copying them to someone who doesn't own them isn't OK.
Oblivion's own files and all official DLC are never synced. Only mods are.
Hundreds of texture files
Texture overhauls add thousands of loose files, and copying the whole folder again for one new mod takes ages.
Files are compared by hash and only the differences are copied, at local network speed when both PCs are at home.
// 05 The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Good to know
- This is the original Oblivion, including Game of the Year and Deluxe editions. Oblivion Remastered is a different game with a different mod setup, and isn't covered here.
- Only mods sync.
Oblivion.esm, the official archives and all DLC files are skipped. Every PC needs its own copy of the DLC mods require. - Mod Organizer 2 keeps mods outside Data, so an MO2 setup has nothing there to copy. Wrye Bash, Vortex and manual installs work.
- Your settings stay yours.
Oblivion.iniand saves live in Documents and aren't synced. - Plugins run code.
.dllfiles are flagged before they sync. Only sync with people you trust.
// FAQ
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion questions
Can I copy my Oblivion mods to another PC?
Yes. Install SyncCrate on both PCs, host on the one with your mods, join from the other and Compare & Sync. Then enable and sort the plugins on the other PC with your mod manager.
Does it sync my load order?
No. Active plugins are listed in Plugins.txt in AppData, and the order comes from file dates, which don't survive a copy. Sort once with Wrye Bash or LOOT after syncing.
Does it copy Shivering Isles?
No. The base game, Shivering Isles, Knights of the Nine and the official plugins are skipped. Each PC needs its own copy.
Does it work for Oblivion Remastered?
No, this page and SyncCrate's Oblivion entry are for the original game. Remastered stores its mods differently.
// Related game guides
All games · SyncCrate supports 100 games.
// Free · Open source · Windows, macOS, Linux
Same The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion setup on every PC.
Install SyncCrate on each PC, one of you hosts, everyone else joins. No accounts, no cloud, nothing uploaded anywhere.