Will uninstalling ESO delete my screenshots? (Resolved)

ArchangelIsraphel

I'm having extreme difficulty patching the game after yesterday's update. Each time I try, the patch stalls at 24% and freezes. Recommended fixes for the issue are not working, and attempts to use the repair function are stalling at 78%. I have tried everything from turning off my firewall to deleting files recommended by zos, nothing is working. It looks like I need to uninstall and do a fresh reinstall...hoping it works as I already lost out on yesterday's endeavors and calendar rewards.

But I'm wondering if uninstalling will delete my screenshots? I don't want to loose them as there is some pretty important stuff in there. Backing them up to another location is currently a hassle for me. I'm hoping I won't have to move them to avoid deletion.

Thanks if you can help.

SpacemanSpiff1

i dont know if it deletes the current folder, but you can copy them to another folder

TaSheen

Since they're held in the Screenshots folder inside the Documents/Elder Scrolls Online/live folder, I believe they would be deleted. Maybe just drag the Screenshots folder to Desktop?

Tandor

I think it's unlikely, but either copy or rename the folder before uninstalling and you'll be fine. Alternatively, you could just refrain from uninstalling it so you won't have the bother of re-installing it when you return !

Alienoutlaw

simple answer is no if you do not delete the eso folder in /documents as screenshots, player settings and addons are stored client side not server side

Tandor

Alienoutlaw wrote: »

simple answer is no if you do not delete the eso folder in /documents as screenshots, player settings and addons are stored client side not server side

The game is uninstalled client-side! However, the screenshots are in a different folder to the game installation so all should be good.

ArchangelIsraphel

Tandor wrote: »

I think it's unlikely, but either copy or rename the folder before uninstalling and you'll be fine. Alternatively, you could just refrain from uninstalling it so you won't have the bother of re-installing it when you return !

I'm not leaving the game...like I said in my original post I have to uninstall in order to patch the game due to the fact that I can't patch or repair so reinstallation is my only option.

TaSheen

Have you whitelisted ESO etc in your antivirus and Windows Defender? Have you tried disabling Windows Defender to see if it's blocking the patch? I've had to do that in the past.

ArchangelIsraphel

TaSheen wrote: »

Have you whitelisted ESO etc in your antivirus and Windows Defender? Have you tried disabling Windows Defender to see if it's blocking the patch? I've had to do that in the past.

I have tried this to no avail unfortunately. I've been trying dozens of solutions on the forums, reddit, and those listed by zos themselves and nothing has helped.

TaSheen

ArchangelIsraphel wrote: »

TaSheen wrote: »

Have you whitelisted ESO etc in your antivirus and Windows Defender? Have you tried disabling Windows Defender to see if it's blocking the patch? I've had to do that in the past.

I have tried this to no avail unfortunately. I've been trying dozens of solutions on the forums, reddit, and those listed by zos themselves and nothing has helped.

That's sad. I hope you manage to get it sorted out!

Necrotech_Master

you could try to install it on an alternate drive (if you have multiple), another reason it could be stalling or failing to install is actual drive issues (install is failing due to it faulting on drive writes or something like that)

danno8

You could just select all the photos and make them read-only for the duration of your reinstall.

Edit: Actually, if you are logged as admin you can still delete them. But if you go to file properties->security tab you can switch off access to modify any of the file contents, even for an admin account. It will stay that way until you change it back manually.

Tandor

ArchangelIsraphel wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

I think it's unlikely, but either copy or rename the folder before uninstalling and you'll be fine. Alternatively, you could just refrain from uninstalling it so you won't have the bother of re-installing it when you return !

I'm not leaving the game...like I said in my original post I have to uninstall in order to patch the game due to the fact that I can't patch or repair so reinstallation is my only option.

Sorry, I had read that but was brain-washed by all the Update 35 QQs...

Danikat

It won't delete your screenshots. I've had to uninstall and reinstall ESO a few times recently due to problems with the hard drive it was on, and none of the stuff in the Documents folder (screenshots, addons, saved variables etc) was affected.

barney2525

we are assuming you are doing all this as Administrator, correct ?

heaven13

Your Documents folder, where screenshots, settings, AddOns, etc are saved will be intact regardless of how long you have the game uninstalled. Your installation directory (in Program Files, or wherever) are the things that get deleted. The important thing to backup here, if you run it, would be any ReShade presets you use. Those will be deleted with the installation. Your screenshots should be safe though!

francesinhalover

Do you have enough disk space?

Tyralbin

Anything in your documents folders in regard to ESO will not be deleted unless you manually delete them.

So you're safe

SpacemanSpiff1

can confirm eso files in your 'documents' folder are not deleted. i reinstalled last night.

ArchangelIsraphel

barney2525 wrote: »

we are assuming you are doing all this as Administrator, correct ?

Yes. Running as administrator was not the issue. Everything I did was performed as administrator, and still didn't work. Unfortunately I'm not the only one this has happened to and others with my issue could only resolve it through a complete reinstall, which is what I ultimately did.

francesinhalover wrote: »

Do you have enough disk space?

Yes. This was the first thing I made certain of. More than enough was there. Reinstallation fixed the problem. I strongly suspect both the patcher and repair function were getting stuck on corrupted files I couldn't identify.

heaven13 wrote: »

Your Documents folder, where screenshots, settings, AddOns, etc are saved will be intact regardless of how long you have the game uninstalled. Your installation directory (in Program Files, or wherever) are the things that get deleted. The important thing to backup here, if you run it, would be any ReShade presets you use. Those will be deleted with the installation. Your screenshots should be safe though!

Thank you for the information. My screenshots and addons were safe, and my other issues have been resolved by reinstalling.

ZOS_Bill

As the OP issue has been resolved, we will go ahead and close this discussion going forward.