Seeing that an update is coming soon, and I am waiting on some resource files, I figured I'd take this time to provide some basic advice on how to properly install and update mods for Skyrim. This is going to seem elementary to many Skyrim mod users, but I constantly see 'halp me!' requests in the Skyrim technical support and troubleshooting forums from users who do not know these things. So if you are not sure, then read on!
Managing Mods
If you have more than 5 mods in your load order, then you should use a mod manager to handle mod installation. By 'mod manager', I mean either the 'Nexus Mod Manager', the 'Mod Organizer', or 'WryeBash/BAINS.'The 'Steam Workshop Subscriptions' is not a 'mod manager.' It is an insult to mod users because it treats mod users as morons. It will automatically update mods you subscribe, without your consent, and 'unsubscribing' a mod will not automatically remove it from your game installation (thus leaving those 'orphan' files in your game data folder). You are actually better off manually installing mods than using the 'Steam Workshop Subscriptions.' You might be new to modding, and not know enough about basic modding practices, but that does not mean you are a moron. Therefore, I -strongly- advise switching to one of the aforementioned mod managers to exclusively handle your mod installation. Then perhaps one day, Steam will get the message, and stop treating their users like morons.
Updating Mods
Some mods require elaborate updating procedures because they are 'script-heavy.' 'Inconsequential NPCs' is not one of those mods, so you would update 'Inconsequential NPCs' the same way you update most mods (meaning that these steps will apply to most mods, unless the mod author specifies otherwise).
1) Whenever you update a mod that adds NPC followers/hirelings, you should release those followers/hirelings if you have recruited any, before you update the mod. Whenever you update a mod that adds NPCs to the game, you should go into an interior cell with no NPCs, and make a new save game, before you update.
2) Download the new version of the mod.
3) Using your mod manager, uninstall the old version of the mod you are updating. This will ensure the resource files are properly removed. Some mods do not compress their resource files into BSA format. Instead, they are kept in 'loose file' format. If those resources are not properly removed, they can cause problems for your game (especially loose script files). While this is not an issue with 'Inconsequential NPCs' (which just has an esp and a BSA), it's still good 'mod usage practice' to uninstall mods 'properly', so you will get into the habit of doing it all the time. You should do this even if you are using a mod manager like the 'Mod Organizer' (which does not install mod contents into the game data folder). It's just good user practice for ensuring a clean and well maintained modded Skyrim installation.
4) Using your mod manager, install the new version of the mod you downloaded. If you are installing a mod with loose files using the NMM, you might be asked to 'overwrite' files, in which case, you should select 'yes to mod.' You won't be asked to 'overwrite' anything when you install the new version of 'Inconsequential NPCs' (because all the resource files have been packed into the BSA). If you are asked to 'overwrite' files when you try to install 'Inconsequential NPCs', then you probably did something wrong or missed a step somewhere.
5) You are not done yet. Now that you have installed the new version of the mod, you should run BOSS. Even though the esp name for the old version of the mod is the same as the new version of the mod, it's still a new esp as far as your load order is concerned, and probably has a different date stamp, meaning it's probably not loading where it should be loading. Running BOSS will rearrange your load order and ensure the esp's loading position is returned to its appropriate load order position.
Don't know what BOSS and BUM are? Search for them on the Nexus and read up on them.
6) Still not done yet. The last step is to rebuild your dynamically generated compatibility patches (ReProccer, Bashed Patch, etc.). It's not always necessary to do this, and it's actually not necessary to do this for 'Inconsequential NPCs', since it does not touch any leveled lists. But once again, it's just 'good mod usage practice', something you should do every time you add, subtract, or update a mod, just in case the mod author does not tell you enough about what their mod actually edits.
