Unsubscribing from Worskhop files indeed does not remove them from Data folder. That must be done manually.

There shouldn't be any correlation between files in your Data folder and game recognizing new ones. Sounds like some entry is off. Deleting existing files may solve that.

However, I suspect that you might have to validate game files after deleting those files. This isn't a common problem, so either game or Steam is not detecting some path.

Originally posted by Ilja:

Unsubscribing from Worskhop files indeed does not remove them from Data folder. That must be done manually.

There shouldn't be any correlation between files in your Data folder and game recognizing new ones. Sounds like some entry is off. Deleting existing files may solve that.

However, I suspect that you might have to validate game files after deleting those files. This isn't a common problem, so either game or Steam is not detecting some path.

i deleted all of them and when i went into the skyrim launcher and looked at my mods they were all still there but not marked as subscribed, i went ahead and subscribed to the mods i had wanted launched the game and went into the mod manger and saw everything was checked, and my game has been fine ever since (as well as verifying integrity of game files) thanks for your help.

That will work as long as none of the mods added scripts. deleting a scripted mod (without a mod manager) usually ends in making a new character and if it is bad enough deleting and reinstalling the game. I haven't done either in a long time as I use a mod manager. They separate the files from the game files in a separate folder normally and can delete files without messing things up.

Originally posted by Forthe's Fifth:

That will work as long as none of the mods added scripts. deleting a scripted mod (without a mod manager) usually ends in making a new character and if it is bad enough deleting and reinstalling the game. I haven't done either in a long time as I use a mod manager. They separate the files from the game files in a separate folder normally and can delete files without messing things up.

Removing scripted mod from ongoing game borks the game with or without mod manager.

Mod managers indeed make it easier to install and uninstall files, but that does not help you to protect save integrity from script data removal.

Reason for this is that it is not the game itself that stores the script data, but save files. When data is baked in to save file, then removing the script source for it will cause errors in Papyrus VM and eventually break the character.

I want to underline that it does not matter how scripts were introduced - as loose files or archived forms. Outcome is the same, if they are removed from ongoing game.