Gw.dat file size after update.... - Guild Wars Guru archive powered by Guild Wars Legacy

freekedoutfish

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jun 2006

E/

15 Sep 2006 at 10:41 - 41

Quote:

Originally Posted by english storm

Hi just wondering what is everyones gw.dat file size now after the update? Mine has gone from 2.5gig (i used the -image command last night so i was up to date) to 6.5gig now

I understand that they are streaming bits of nightfall but 4 gig???

I didnt even realise the GWs.dat file increased?

I assumed most of the information was stored online somewhere, not our home computers.

That doesnt seem such a great thing if its going to increase everytime a new continent is created.

majoho

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

Denmark

15 Sep 2006 at 10:47 - 42

Dude that would NEVER work, how could you possible play the game if you had to download everything in real time.

darrylhaines

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: May 2006

Freedom Of Midnight

E/

15 Sep 2006 at 11:13 - 43

Lol, I'm getting an new pc in 2 weeks.

Looks like it's gonna be plug it in, log onto guildwars.com click on the download client and then come back a week later when it's finished lol.

freekedoutfish

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jun 2006

E/

15 Sep 2006 at 12:15 - 44

Quote:

Originally Posted by majoho

Dude that would NEVER work, how could you possible play the game if you had to download everything in real time.

I said I didnt think everything was stored on the home computer. Obviously Id expect some information to be. But I didnt think it wud be close to 4gb worth. thats about 2gb per island.

xXa1

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Mar 2006

15 Sep 2006 at 12:36 - 45

before the update my .dat's were around 2.4GB, now one pc has it at 3.07GB and the other has it at 2.97GB. both have d/l'd the 450MB through the log-in screen and i have used the -image switch to decompress the 25K files after

i really wouldn't worry about it, they'll shrink in time like Gaile said. of course if i had one at 4GB i'd be worried ...

kimahri

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Sep 2005

Defenders of the Blackblade [DotB]

E/

15 Sep 2006 at 12:45 - 46

Mine is 4,1gb right now but when I'm done with streaming all files 8which I'm doing right now) I should land on about 4,2 gigabyte.

majoho

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

Denmark

15 Sep 2006 at 13:01 - 47

Quote:

Originally Posted by freekedoutfish

I said I didnt think everything was stored on the home computer. Obviously Id expect some information to be. But I didnt think it wud be close to 4gb worth. thats about 2gb per island.

Well it isn't 4 Gb as has been mentioned here several times, if it is a fix was posted as well.

english storm

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Mar 2006

W/Mo

15 Sep 2006 at 13:07 - 48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gaile Gray

I was asked about this earlier, and here's the official response from Mike O'Brien: The full Gw.dat file size is currently about 2.7 GB. Anyone whose Gw.dat file is larger than that is suffering from an old bug where space wasn't being reused efficiently. That bug was fixed in March. People with larger Gw.dat files should see them stay the same or slowly shrink over time.

Now, more info for you: If you want to, you are welcome to delete and pull a completely new .dat file. But keep in mind that if you do this, you will be downloading a lot of files, and that each time you join a mission you'll need to fetch a new map. So doing this is up to you. Reacquiring the GW.dat file will reduce the size of the file right away and by a considerable amount, if that is a goal that you feel is important. It will, however, take a bit of time and trouble on your part, and you may choose to stick with what you have, knowing it will adjust for size over time.

I hope this helps!

wohoo i feel honored my thread was graced with a visit from Gaile Gray

I know you said the bug was fixed in in March but i think it might be back. I deleted the whole guild wars folder then installed the game on the 8th September using the client from your website and the -image command just after a fresh install of XP.

Infidelus

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Apr 2005

15 Sep 2006 at 13:13 - 49

I also very recently did a clean install of GW + Factions from the CDs, and my dat file is currently about 5.8GB (was over 6 yesterday).

So, if there was a fix, I'd agree the bug's back ...

majoho

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

Denmark

15 Sep 2006 at 13:26 - 50

I think we can conclude that the bug is indeed back.

However the fix posted doesn't take too long - but gaile should get the tech people to fix the bug again.

Lex

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Dec 2005

15 Sep 2006 at 13:47 - 51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Infidelus

I also very recently did a clean install of GW + Factions from the CDs, and my dat file is currently about 5.8GB (was over 6 yesterday).

"from the CDs" - I think thats your mistake. You should have to download all data from net as there is newest version.

Infidelus

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Apr 2005

15 Sep 2006 at 14:42 - 52

I'd say it does a lot of that automatically. The first thing GW does when you install it is make a connection with the servers to check for updates .... as my firewall tells me.

[edit to add}

When I say very recently, I mean within about the last ~30 days. If the game is supposed to remove stuff over time, I'd say a month was plenty of time.

Skyi

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jan 2006

15 Sep 2006 at 14:49 - 53

near 6GB -_- with -image option.........

dear anet, what do u think to do an optimizer utility?

now it's like a suicide to redownload if i have to do a format or if the file will be corrupt.

thanks

kimahri

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Sep 2005

Defenders of the Blackblade [DotB]

E/

15 Sep 2006 at 17:05 - 54

Ok my file just increased to 6,5gb after preloading everything... yikes!

Omega X

Ninja Unveiler

Join Date: Jun 2005

Louisiana, USA

Boston Guild[BG]

W/Me

15 Sep 2006 at 18:55 - 55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skyi

near 6GB -_- with -image option.........

dear anet, what do u think to do an optimizer utility?

now it's like a suicide to redownload if i have to do a format or if the file will be corrupt.

thanks

Do the fix on the previous page.

The dat will become 4gigs lighter.

Everyone who has a bloated dat has an archive file from BEFORE the bug was fixed.

Use the instructions on the previous page to lighten the load.

EternalTempest

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jun 2005

United States

Dark Side Ofthe Moon [DSM]

E/

15 Sep 2006 at 18:59 - 56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skyi

near 6GB -_- with -image option.........

dear anet, what do u think to do an optimizer utility?

now it's like a suicide to redownload if i have to do a format or if the file will be corrupt.

thanks

They do but the image switch does decompression of all compressed files in the gw.dat + uncompressed file download of what you were missing.

If you installed from cd then just let it download on demand the gw.dat would be smaller. I had to re-install gw due to corruption in the gw.dat. I let it run over night. Came to about 4.7gb total when I checked this morning.

majoho

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

Denmark

15 Sep 2006 at 19:09 - 57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omega X

Everyone who has a bloated dat has an archive file from BEFORE the bug was fixed.

Not true in my case, as several people have said already the bug seems to back.

EternalTempest

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jun 2005

United States

Dark Side Ofthe Moon [DSM]

E/

15 Sep 2006 at 19:13 - 58

Will have to double check file size to verfy. But it was from a clean install last night.

Install GW on clean XP restore. Killed the download. Deleted the very incomplete gw.dat. And run with the -image switch and let it download from no gw.dat to complete over night. I did not use any of the cd's.

I do wish anet would release a utility that runs a repair on gw.dat fixing duplicate files or courrputed files and re-downloads any affected within the gw.dat file. It would also save bandwith at anet.

Rampager

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: May 2006

Australia

Mo/

16 Sep 2006 at 03:22 - 59

well they are right it is decreasing in time like i showed b4 almost 8 gig now its down to 6 just give it time or use the method shown b4

Omega X

Ninja Unveiler

Join Date: Jun 2005

Louisiana, USA

Boston Guild[BG]

W/Me

16 Sep 2006 at 04:15 - 60

Quote:

Originally Posted by majoho

Not true in my case, as several people have said already the bug seems to back.

IF it is, I haven't seen it yet.

AlienFromBeyond

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Dec 2005

Heros of Titans Realm [HotR]

W/

16 Sep 2006 at 06:39 - 61

Well, I can definitely say that the fix posted on page 2 works with Prophecies.

Skyi

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jan 2006

16 Sep 2006 at 07:30 - 62

true,

that method works well

now gw.dat is smaller

jackie

/retired

Join Date: Dec 2005

On the Beach

16 Sep 2006 at 08:56 - 63

After doing -image

Ghozer

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Apr 2005

Sheffield, England, UK

Super Cute And Fluffy [scF]

E/

28 Sep 2006 at 22:00 - 64

mines Just 4Gb after -image

Rawling

Academy Page

Join Date: Sep 2006

Me/E

28 Sep 2006 at 22:44 - 65

For those saying the bug isn't back / has been fixed:

I have only owned this game a couple of months. I've only owned this computer for about a month. I never installed from the CD (which could admittedly be quite) because the first time around I already had the client downloaded and just used the CD key.

I can't possibly have any data from before this bug was fixed in March.

Yet my -imaged DAT file is 5+ gig.

Something still isn't right.

LiQuId StEeL

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jul 2005

/u/liquidsteel30

Ego Trip From Rank [ZERO]

W/Mo

28 Sep 2006 at 23:07 - 66

2.79gb (2,997,335,040 bytes)

Fresh image, fresh install, fresh format.

Sentao Nugra

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jul 2005

Crystal Lake, Illinois

Grenths Rejects [GR]

28 Sep 2006 at 23:38 - 67

Size on Disk: 3.26 GB (3,510,964,224 bytes)

-image last night on the new PC

jimmy_logic

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Sep 2005

R/

29 Sep 2006 at 10:56 - 68

Kept my .dat from when I first played GW (may '05) by backing it up onto another drive so far 3gb is the size of the file with -image done on it.

I think the bug is not there cause my file size is constant I have never seen it bloat up to the 6gb mentioned on here.

Quonith

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Dec 2005

Random Gamers Association [RGA]

E/Mo

29 Sep 2006 at 12:08 - 69

3.16Gb - my gw.dat is from 26th Feb according to the created bit in properties.

no where near as big as my UT2k4 folder - 10.63Gb...

Nickelocene

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Nov 2005

29 Sep 2006 at 12:38 - 70

3.06Gb before. Deleted the old .dat file and used -image, now it's only 2.55Gb.

jackie

/retired

Join Date: Dec 2005

On the Beach

29 Sep 2006 at 13:08 - 71

I just formatted hard drive & installed GW again, still same 7,18GB after -image

Guess I have preloaded Chapter 6 as well

scrinner

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jan 2006

29 Sep 2006 at 14:27 - 72

after an image, Mines was 2.7-3 gigs.

pazu

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Feb 2007

Brazil

Battle Comrades [CCCP]

W/Mo

05 Mar 2007 at 03:30 - 73

This really should be a sticky. BTW, is there a way to fix the gw.dat size without owning the factions CD? All my keys were bought online, so I don't have any physical media.

jimmy_logic

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Sep 2005

R/

05 Mar 2007 at 06:59 - 74

I think you can actually make the CD... get someone to copy all the other files required other than the actual .dat and then burn it onto a DVD.

Yanman.be

Banned

Join Date: Dec 2005

Belgium

[ROSE]

A/

05 Mar 2007 at 07:33 - 75

You only need like a 200kb size .exe, and the .dat

pazu

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Feb 2007

Brazil

Battle Comrades [CCCP]

W/Mo

05 Mar 2007 at 14:17 - 76

Yeah, but then… I don't own the CD, and don't know anyone who does :-(

Drizzitdude

Academy Page

Join Date: Jul 2008

why would i tell you?

The Final Kingdom

D/W

05 Dec 2008 at 02:16 - 77

to check u go to add or remove programs right? because if so mine is at 2,000 MB isnt MB way smaller then GB? and could this be because i dont have eye of the north or factions????help?

DarkFlame

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Feb 2005

Ascalon

E/

05 Dec 2008 at 02:48 - 78

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drizzitdude

because if so mine is at 2,000 MB isnt MB way smaller then GB?

2,000 MBs would be 2 GBs. Yes, it is smaller but other then some map loading/updating issues, it should run just as fine. You can fully update your .dat if you wanted by just running the -image command switch.

And just to update the figures from this old thread, my current updated .dat is 3.778 GBs is size.

moriz

??ber t??k-n??sh'??n

Join Date: Jan 2006

Canada

R/

05 Dec 2008 at 02:52 - 79

thread resurrection

Raku Clayman

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Oct 2005

Marquette MI

Elite Lan Gamer

E/Me

05 Dec 2008 at 15:37 - 80

Mine is 3.59 gigs. In September I got a new mobo, cpu, and HD, so I reinstalled everything. I did, however, back up my dat file from the old system and use it. I have all the areas and have been playing since 2005.

Funny, I didn't see that the thread had been resurrected from March 2007 till now. I guess these current posts are irrelevant.