# How to backup, extract & repack

## How to backup & extract VPK's properly?

When you extract [VPK ](https://noskill.gitbook.io/titanfall2/documentation/file-format/vpk-valve-pak-file)archives, you need a directory where the files will be extracted to. This folder **should not** be inside your game directory. Before we start modding, you should create a folder to keep track of your modding files. It is recommended for you to create a folder with an easy name like `Titanfall 2 modding` on your desktop or another place you can access it easily. In this example we will use the path `C:\Users\<username>\Documents`.

```
C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Titanfall 2 modding
```

{% hint style="info" %}
It is recommended to follow the modding environment setup as well
{% endhint %}

{% content-ref url="modding-enviroment" %}
[modding-enviroment](https://noskill.gitbook.io/titanfall2/intro/duction/modding-enviroment)
{% endcontent-ref %}

Once you have created this folder I recommend creating a sub-folder called `"Backup"` dedicated for, you guessed it: backups. (Yay!)

```
C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Titanfall 2 Modding\backup
```

At the beginning of each guide, it will tell you what files you should backup. As an example, we will use the [crosshair modding](https://noskill.gitbook.io/titanfall2/modding/weapon-config-info/crosshair-modding) guide. At the beginning, it tells us to backup `englishclient_mp_common.bsp.pak000_dir.vpk` and `client_mp_common.bsp.pak000_000.vpk`. Copy these VPKs and paste them into your backup folder.

{% hint style="info" %}
The next step uses the Titanfall VPK Tool. If you haven't done so already, download the VPK Tool from the [Modding tools](https://noskill.gitbook.io/titanfall2/intro/duction/tools) page. Make sure you have version 3.3 or 3.4. You may have unwanted behavior by using an older version.
{% endhint %}

The VPK Tool looks like this:

![](https://3680263823-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LPXG6BIVWwbrvVSOiBw-887967055%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-83c2ce74d7420b42194be4862630112fbea9b87b%2Fimage.png?alt=media)

Click on the 1st icon or press `CTRL + O`.

![](https://3680263823-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LPXG6BIVWwbrvVSOiBw-887967055%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-007562e3f38ac9bf24ad46a42e8965f945cfb525%2FvpkTool_open.png?alt=media)

Navigate to your game folder and open the VPK that is mentioned in the guide you are referring to.

{% hint style="info" %}
Note you can ONLY extract `_dir` version of vpks with VPK Tool.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Only extract VPK archive from the game directory. If you don't, make sure to have in the same folder all the subsequent VPK archive as shown in the next screenshot.**
{% endhint %}

![](https://3680263823-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LPXG6BIVWwbrvVSOiBw-887967055%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-a725894542a1a35da754112c6fdb7937a2e0ed5a%2FvpkArchive_subsequent.png?alt=media)

Once the VPK archive is loaded in the VPK tool, extract all the files using the icon shown in the next screenshot.

![](https://3680263823-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LPXG6BIVWwbrvVSOiBw-887967055%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-0754d237d36f5b5ae3ec5cf6bc0276e9d93d2f12%2FvpkTool_extractAll.png?alt=media)

It is recommended to put each extracted [VPK](https://noskill.gitbook.io/titanfall2/documentation/file-format/vpk-valve-pak-file) in a folder with the same the [VPK](https://noskill.gitbook.io/titanfall2/documentation/file-format/vpk-valve-pak-file). This makes it easier to manage when you extract files from different VPK's. We will use a folder named `englishclient_mp_common`.

After you have extracted the VPK, open the folder where you extracted your files to and delete the *`extracted_logs`* folder. You can now follow the guide to start modding.

## **How to repack VPK files properly?**

Open the repacking tool inside the Titanfall VPK Tool. You have 2 ways to do that, click on the 6th icon, or go to *`Tools > Repacker`*. The repacking window looks like this:

![](https://3680263823-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LPXG6BIVWwbrvVSOiBw-887967055%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-35e462136aee3a4834c3dc6f30485a1c5e5cec59%2Fvpk%20repack.png?alt=media)

Once we are done with modding our crosshairs, select `Browse` next to the first box. Navigate to and select the extracted folder. Next, select `Browse` next to the second box and select your modding folder.

> C:\Users\\\Documents\Titanfall 2 modding\Repack\\

Then, deselect `Debug log` from the options menu, and click `Build VPK`. Once the VPK file has been built, navigate to the location you selected as the second directory. You will find two files named *`pak000_000.vpk`* *`pack000_dir.vpk`*. Before moving those 2 files into your game directory, they have to be renamed. At the end of each guide, it it will tell you how to how to rename each file:

Rename `pak000_000.vpk` *to* `client_mp_common.bsp.pak000_000.vpk`

Rename `pak000_dir.vpk` *to* `englishclient_mp_common.bsp.pak000_dir.vpk`

After that is done, you can delete the debug log .txt file and move the VPKs back to your game directory. If you get a message saying the files already exist, you can replace them,

## **VPK rename / move batch script**

{% hint style="success" %}
Bored of renaming / moving VPK files back to your game directory?
{% endhint %}

Here is a little batch script you can use!

```bash
ren "pak000_000.vpk" "client_mp_common.bsp.pak000_000.vpk"
ren "pak000_dir.vpk" "englishclient_mp_common.bsp.pak000_dir.vpk"
move "client_mp_common.bsp.pak000_000.vpk" "<ORIGINGAMES>\Titanfall2\vpk\client_mp_common.bsp.pak000_000.vpk"
move "englishclient_mp_common.bsp.pak000_dir.vpk" "<ORIGINGAMES>\Titanfall2\vpk\englishclient_mp_common.bsp.pak000_dir.vpk"
```

That's the script for renaming for *`englishclient_mp_common.bsp.pak000_dir.vpk`*, it can be adapted to any other VPKs you edit quite often. Just paste that in a blank notepad file and save it with a `.bat` extension.

**Don't forget to add the correct game directory by replacing** *`<ORIGINGAMES>`* **with the location of you game install.** You can also replace *`<ORIGINGAMES>`* with your steam directory or wherever your Steam game library is (`Steam\steamapps\common`).

{% hint style="danger" %}
Make sure to close the VPK tool before executing this script, as it will cause an error.
{% endhint %}

{% content-ref url="tools" %}
[tools](https://noskill.gitbook.io/titanfall2/intro/duction/tools)
{% endcontent-ref %}