# Can I use previous freesurfer stuff to make a good head surface?

**URL:** <https://mne.discourse.group/t/can-i-use-previous-freesurfer-stuff-to-make-a-good-head-surface/4649>\
**Category:** Support & Discussions\
**Created:** [March 30, 2022, 6:14pm UTC](https://mne.discourse.group/t/can-i-use-previous-freesurfer-stuff-to-make-a-good-head-surface/4649 "2022-03-30T18:14:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mschendel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@mschendel](https://mne.discourse.group/u/mschendel)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2022, 6:14pm UTC](https://mne.discourse.group/t/can-i-use-previous-freesurfer-stuff-to-make-a-good-head-surface/4649/1 "2022-03-30T18:14:43Z")

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MNE version: 1.0 and 0.15 for legacy script  
operating system: Ubuntu 18.04.5 LTS and CentOS release 6.7 (Final) for legacy script

Hi there, I’m working with a legacy script that uses python to call freesurfer and then some old mne commad line and python modules.  
I seem to be missing what I need to do the automated coregistration well (per the `[tutorial](https://mne.tools/stable/auto_tutorials/forward/25_automated_coreg.html)`).

So my question is, given that I’ve done recon-all, and already completed old version of:  
command line mne\_setup\_mri  
python bem.make\_watershed  
… can I use something I already have to just make a higher resolution head model for Coregistration?

Some further details of what I’m working with…  
Coregistration command (in mne1.0 environment) reported "Using low resolution head model in _bem/outer\_skin.surf"  
I had to change the plot\_kwargs surfaces tag to ‘head’ because plotting couldn’t find a bem/_-head-dense.fif or surf/lh.seghead

My bem folder contains the following :  
brain.surf M87103937-5120-bem-sol.fif M87103937-inner\_skull-5120.surf outer\_skull.surf  
inner\_skull.surf M87103937-head.fif M87103937-src.fif watershed  
M87103937-5120-bem.fif M87103937-inner\_skull-5120.pnt outer\_skin.surf

my surf folder has a bunch of stuff, but no seghead files.

From the documentation, I couldn’t figure out what module (that I’m either missing or don’t have useful parameters) should be making the -head-dense.fif or seghead

Thanks for your help,  
Megan

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mschendel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@mschendel](https://mne.discourse.group/u/mschendel)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2022, 6:21pm UTC](https://mne.discourse.group/t/can-i-use-previous-freesurfer-stuff-to-make-a-good-head-surface/4649/2 "2022-03-30T18:21:17Z")

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Hi all,  
I received some local input that I’m missing mkheadsurf from my recon-all call, and then can use mne\_surf2bem to create the dense-head.fif

So looks like I know what I need to do.

Thanks,  
Megan