How To Extract BSA Files Using BSA Commander

Overview

This tutorial will explain how to use BSA Commander to help you get started modding the models, textures and audio for Oblivion.

BSA Commander

1. Download BSA Commander here: http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=3311
2. Install it somewhere such as under your Oblivion folder. Example: C:\Oblivion\bsacmd\
3. Start BSA Commander and click the Open button.
4. Navigate to your data folder and select a BSA file (this might take a while to open). Example: C:\Oblivion\Data\Oblivion - Meshes.bsa
5. Click the Check All button to make sure everything is selected.
6. Click the Unpack button to display the Unpack dialog box.
7. It will default the location to where you installed the program but under an "out" subfolder. Click the Unpack button to let it extract to this location if you have room. Example: C:\Oblivion\bsacmd\out\
8. Do the same for the other BSA files and you will eventually have a fully decompressed "out" folder that contains all the models, textures and sound clips for direct access.

NifSkope

As an additional step, you might want to add this "out" folder as an additional configured folder in NifSkope so it can find the vanilla textures.

1. Start NifSkope
2. On the menu, click on Render, Settings
3. Click the "Add Folder" button and then the "Folder" button below (which says "Choose a folder"
4. Browse to and select the "out" folder (Example: C:\Oblivion\bsacmd\out)
5. While you are there, click "Add Folder" and then "Folder" and select Oblivion's Data folder (Example: C:\Oblivion\Data)
6. If you typically examine downloaded meshes from mod archives, you might want an additional folder that points to a common place where you examine such archives (Example: C:\Downloads\OblivionMod)
7. Close the Settings dialog box and NifSkope. Now, if you open one of those meshes in the "out" folder, you should see the model with the texture on it rather than just a white blob.

BSA File Listing

Here are the BSA files that are installed in Oblivion's Data folder and the amount of space required if you extract the files:

Oblivion - Meshes.bsa (1,310 MB in 20,182 files)
Oblivion - Misc.bsa (7 MB in 115 files)
Oblivion - Sounds.bsa (315 MB in 1,533 files)
Oblivion - Textures - Compressed.bsa (1,972 MB in 18,040 files)
Oblivion - Voices1.bsa (749 MB in 33,198 files)
Oblivion - Voices2.bsa (956 MB in 44,582 files)

Here are the BSA files related to the add-on packages:

DLCBatthehornCastle.bsa (13 MB in 388 files)
DLCFrostcrag.bsa (25 MB in 49 files)
DLCHorseArmor.bsa (6 MB in 46 files)
DLCOrrery.bsa (26 MB in 90 files)
DLCShiveringIsles - Meshes.bsa (235 MB in 3017 files)
DLCShiveringIsles - Sounds.bsa (88 MB in 499 files)
DLCShiveringIsles - Textures.bsa(418 MB in 1869 files)
DLCShiveringIsles - Voices.bsa (431 MB in 19089 files)
DLCThievesDen.bsa (4 MB in 65 files)
DLCVileLair.bsa (7 MB in 57 files)
Knights.bsa (178 MB in 4810 files)

Reference

TESNexus Tutorial

See Also

• BSA Unpacker Tutorial
• BSA Files
• Creating your Own BSA files