okay, so after a long and disappointing night of failing to get skyrim to work properly i decided to try and re install the whole thing.
BUT GUESS WHAT! according to my laptop there is no such thing called Skyrim present in the myriad of files that are stored on it.
5 gb of storage space magically disappeared and i can play the game (though be it in a tiiiiiiiny 4:3 window) so it must there, but where?
help please?

also, damn you bethesda DAMN YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!