I honestly have no clue regarding several questions: however, the only advice I can give you is to try getting all your cvars into the autoexec rather than repconfig, as it's easier to delete both rep and qz when you're experiencing problems.

I've also tried putting those two as empty read-only files (especially when trying other players' cfgs), although the console error kinda bothers me.

you could check it yourself if you would put a little effort (1 minute max) instead you asking on forum - congratulations

I recommend using your own config + an autoexec

qz and rep are automatically generated by QL and I never bothered getting to understand them better because deleting them eliminates all the questions you just posted.

edit: it's important to delete both of them before applying your new config so they don't clash

/cvar_restart
/writeconfig all_current_cvars
edit it, don't add any additional cvars
save as autoexec
put cvar_restart in beginning

now your config has only cvars that are actually working in QL and you're safe to try other configs and your own cfg will never be affected.

pff.. cvar_restart isn't enough in most cases where stuff has to be fixed, the button on the ql page under settings is more thorough

to op: don't joke around with the ql configs, stop being adhd autistic

about /writeconfig: don't use it unless you know what you're doing (I know you know what you're doing h8m3, but not everyone does), those people suddenly have stuff like mouseacceloffset 5 and don't know why their "sens is fucked"

I've been using offset 5 lately (stole cypher's sens and fov settings) and it's awesome.

ye it can help with stability, but it can also be a hindrance, depends on ur setup etc.

well the button on the website never rly worked for me, I kept downloading old config with 50% trash cvars

repconfig is backed up on the QL website.

qzconfig isn't as far as I know.

I don't recommend messing with them at all really, either use your own config or an autoexec.

What I do basically is:

-make my own *.cfg
-my autoexec contains only exec "own.cfg", nothing more
-I delete everything from qzconfig and repconfig and make the files write-protected

---> This way, no clashes in the future, no matter what you do with your *.cfg.

Since we're talking about configs and such.

How do I make it so my Quake Live settings choose a specific in-game character such as bitterman? It keeps reverting to mynx. :-/

delete qzconfig/repconfig, type model bitterman in console

OR control+f model in qzconfig or repconfig