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Short guide how to pack or unpack mod with Archive2. It will improve game performance and loading time, also it saves some disc space.

  • Please keep in mind that sounds files and precombined meshes should be packed with compression set as "none" (not 'default'), while the format should be set to 'general', otherwise game might crash to desktop or freeze on load just after packed mesh or sound is loaded. 

Packing BA2s

For textures:

  • Open Archive 2
  • Go to Archive -> Settings and set Format to DDS
  • Drop textures folder on Archive2
  • Go to File -> Save as and name the folder adding "- Textures" to the name
  • Set the location to save
  • Press OK and wait until program will finish packing
  • Done, you have textures packed in BA2


For materials/meshes:

  • Open Archive 2 
  • Go to Archive -> Settings and set Format to General
  • Drop files folder on Archive2
  • Go to File -> Save as and name the folder adding "- Main" to the name
  • Set the location to save
  • Press OK and wait until program will finish packing
  • Done, you have files packed in BA2

Spoiler:  
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Unpacking BA2s

It's a good idea to unpack few texture mods and pack them together into one single BA2. Less mods and plugins to load in your mod manager, also loading time is reduced. 

  • Open Archive2
  • Drop BA2 on the window
  • Go to Archive -> Extract All To...
  • Set the location to unpack the files
  • Wait few second until process ends

Spoiler:  
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msx77412

78 comments

  1. inebriatedclown
    inebriatedclown
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    Arcive2: When I hit extract all or extract selected, after selecting BA2 files that I moved to the tool, it just puts the BA2 files in the location select. I am trying to extract all the loose files within the BA2's, but don't see any other option to do so. I am trying this tool because Bethesda Archive Extractor wouldn't extract _msn.dds, _s.dds, and _d.dds files from FaceCustomization folders with certain companions in Fallout 4 and I need to do that to merge the plugins and can only seem to use Merge Plugins with loose files. I play FO4VR through Steam, but only have FO4 in a folder (not through Steam) and the other merge tool (zMerge or something) doesn't seem to recognize it. Any help would be appreciated as I am just a gamer not a modder.
    1. msx77412
      msx77412
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      Strange. Just move BA2 onto the program window, it will show you all file inside, then just unpack all to the newly created folder and this should bo all. 
    2. inebriatedclown
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      moving the BA2's on to the program window doesn't show me the files inside, it shows the BA2's. First time ever using this software so could be doing something wrong. screenshot https://imgur.com/a/D3NplvL
  2. jinjan
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    Good day and thank you for the guide.

    imgur album for reference

    There's some BA2 unscuffing I need guidance on if anyone is wiling and able:

    I've downloaded some overlay mods that work with Looksmenu but was made for a different body mod to the one in the collection I'm currently running. I extracted the BA2 and converted the textures from DDS so I could edit their position in order for them to play nice with the setup I'm using. Thereafter I converted them back to DDS and archived them to a BA2 format using Archive2. Now I get nothing but a solid black texture as an overlay from the neck seam down for the edited overlays.

    1. I only changed the textures so all file names and material settings are untouched from the original
    2. I kept the same directory structures and double-checked the packed archive (see fig.1)
    3. Loose files work fine so it looks like I didn't f*#@ up on the editing or converting to/from DirectDraw Surface format (see fig.2 and fig.3)

    How do I get a BA2 to play nicely?
    1. msx77412
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      Umm I have no idea. Perhaps you could try to pack everything via Cathedral Assets Optimizer or try different tool for textures conversion?
    2. jinjan
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      Thanks. I'll try that.
  3. Ulisespacapum
    Ulisespacapum
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    I'm having a problem that I didn't realize. and I've had it for a long time from what I see.
    When packaging textures for example: ( Unfair Skin at Fallout 4 Nexus - Mods and community (nexusmods.com))

    Textures for the face are not used.

    Some presets like these (Asian girl presets Piper Curie and Cait replacer updated at Fallout 4 Nexus - Mods and community (nexusmods.com) )
    they need the textures to not be packed and I don't understand why...

    Any solution?
    Configure Archive2 correctly so that DDS and compression (default)

    I also wrote "(Name) - Textures" correctly
    1. VilLynne
      VilLynne
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      Thank you so much for this vital information.  So this is something I really shouldn't be doing, unless the configuration could be posted for us?
  4. inkblack85
    inkblack85
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    It should really be mentioned how to make the .esp for a BA2 :D I searched google a few times, it's not so easy to find. I figured I'd just ask here cuz it should be mentioned along side this info. (i know I can DL a dummy esp from nexus, but I tried that and it didn't work. might have been some mistake on my part, dunno)

    1- So, how do I use the CK or better yet xEdit to create an .esp specifically to load a BA2, or group of BA2s (- Main.ba2, - Textures.ba2, etc.)?
    2- How do I make sure it's flagged as .esl?
    3- Is there anything about the .esp which ties it to the BA2 I've chosen, or can I use the same .esp over and over and just keep renaming it for different mods?

    Also, I read below that sounds aren't often packed into BA2s.
    4- But they can be, right? as long as the settings are correct. What about for a sounds overhauls, wouldn't it be better if they were packed? I dunno.
    5- how about the .swf files for interface? do they benefit from being packed or no? Can they just be packed into - Main.BA2? or better pack them with sounds?

    Thanks all for the help!
    1. fgambler
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      If you already have in your load order esps for the loose files you want to convert to ba2, you can just use a empty dummy plugin, name both the plugin and the ba2 properly, and the game will recognize the ba2 file.
    2. G7PINHEIRO
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      yo i did the empty dummy plugin trick with a properly name aside my ba2 archives (example of mine: ba2's: "MyLOD - Main.ba2", "MyLOD - Textures.ba2", and "MyLOD.esp" and obviously has nothing on the plugin. But afterall of this, my game simply closes after lauching and i dont know what it could be (im not an expert of doing this stuff, actualy im beggining to work with ba2 archives) 
  5. ItsZi
    ItsZi
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    Thank you for this article.

    May I ask a question? is it necessary to delete the original "textures" folder after I generate the .ba2 file?
    1. msx77412
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      Yeah only ba2 file should remain in the folder.
    2. Lorddkkr
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      do the ba2 go in the Data folder or in Data-Texture folder
    3. msx77412
      msx77412
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      To the Data folder. There should be no "data-textures" folder at all.
    4. fgambler
      fgambler
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      You should pack the ba2 textures using the original file paths. For example, if you want to pack the 'character' texture folder, which is highly recommended because its loose files may cause a lot of stutter in-game, the path must be Data\textures\actors\character. Then for safety crop & paste that folder anywhere else or rename it as backup so the game won't load the loose files over the ba2 you created.
  6. Ulisespacapum
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    Is it a good idea to do this with the suits?
    For example there are big mods that replace all vanilla outfits like: Female outfit replacer, 2pac skimpy, CCO.

    If this is done, would it be possible to configure them using bodyslide and outfit studio?
    1. msx77412
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      Yeah sure, as for armors or weapons, I pack everything except sounds, scripts, interface etc, packing only materials, meshes and textures. It works like a harm.
    2. Ulisespacapum
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      :D
  7. nukagobbler
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    Since  sound files don't work properly under compression settings when packing into a BA2, how do we pack sound files into the main bA2 (with mesh, materials, and script folders that are compressed)?'
    1. msx77412
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      I'd leave sounds outside b2. It won't cause any troubles.
  8. Toxtithe
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    I'm a bit confused, should the BA2 file name be just '- Textures' or should it just be 'textures'?
    as far as I can tell, there wasn't any preset name when I was attempting to save it, so I'm kind of lost
    1. Toxtithe
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      and whatever i did seems to have broken my game :/
    2. msx77412
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      It should be XXX - Textures.ba2., where XXX is proper name of the file.
    3. goddessxthemis
      goddessxthemis
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      <esp name> - Textures

      For instance, if the .esp (or .esm or .esl) is named "MyMod.esp", the Textures .ba2 should be named "MyMod - Textures" (without the quotes).
    4. Lorddkkr
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      great. should i also remove the old texture folder? and only leave the new ba2 file?
  9. clamped
    clamped
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    Been trying to do this for the AKM - Assault Rifle by ngabber but seems to refuse to work, assuming I’m just doing it wrong but it keeps saying ‘Failed to save archive””: One or more errors occurred.’
  10. deleted165417513
    deleted165417513
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    I removed the old textures folder with the Textures.ba2 that i made packing the files from textures folder but it doesn't work.
    1. msx77412
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      Try to follow instructions once more. It appears You did smth incorrectly.
    2. deleted165417513
      deleted165417513
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      I tried it again and Vortex says the mod contains no files.

      I tried naming it both Textures and Textures.ba2 and none is working.
    3. msx77412
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      Oh I never used Vortex. I use MO2 only. 
    4. goddessxthemis
      goddessxthemis
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      You have to  name the file: <esp name> - Textures

      For instance, if the esp is "MyMod.esp" you would name the Textures folder "MyMod - Textures" (without quotes).

      Hope this helps.
    5. deleted165417513
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      Thanks, i know how it works now :)