Well, luck willing and components arriving, I'll be screwing together a new computer come end of this week or starting the next. So, time to pack things up and move them to ext. HDDs, DVDs and similar. Including GW.
So, GW. How to move it with a minimum of hassle and downloading?
So far, it would seem best to just copy gw.dat to a DVD, install GW from the original CDs, stop downloading and overwrite gw.dat with the old one.
Anyone know if this would work? Anyone done it? Any problems encountered?
Moving GW to a new computer
Iuris
cataphract
Just copy your Guild Wars folder and run gw.exe. No installation required.
Iuris
Really? GW doesn't mess around with registry and stuff? Cool, other games could take a hint 
Worth a shot, anyway.
Worth a shot, anyway.
EtherealSkys
I have GW installed to a "storage" hard drive, and so whenever I change my computer/main C drive, I just connect up the second drive, and away it goes. It plays perfectly fine, doesn't even need any downloading; so if you have a second drive attached you use as storage, you can install GW there, and then you don't even have to worry about it.
Remember when transferring to copy the GW file in Documents - I've forgotten to do that before, and seriously regretted it, as I lost all my builds & screenshots. -.-
Remember when transferring to copy the GW file in Documents - I've forgotten to do that before, and seriously regretted it, as I lost all my builds & screenshots. -.-
Xenex Xclame
Well you have to install it first of course.
My suggestion is to go do Guildwars.com and download the client and then put the GW.dat in the correct folder and that's it.The CD install probably installs more then the downloaded client, all of which you don't need if you just copy the dat.
Good luck putting your new machine together.
My suggestion is to go do Guildwars.com and download the client and then put the GW.dat in the correct folder and that's it.The CD install probably installs more then the downloaded client, all of which you don't need if you just copy the dat.
Good luck putting your new machine together.
Olle
A tip, all your build templates will be lost unless you put them over aswell.
cosyfiep
Quote:
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Originally Posted by EtherealSkys
I have GW installed to a "storage" hard drive, and so whenever I change my computer/main C drive, I just connect up the second drive, and away it goes. It plays perfectly fine, doesn't even need any downloading; so if you have a second drive attached you use as storage, you can install GW there, and then you don't even have to worry about it.
Remember when transferring to copy the GW file in Documents - I've forgotten to do that before, and seriously regretted it, as I lost all my builds & screenshots. -.- |
when I built my new computer last year I kept the old hd as it was still (about) the only thing that worked---so I gave it a new letter, and made sure that when I did screenshots I told it to find the new letter as well as the shortcut---no downloading, no nothing--and all of my stuff is still right where it has been for 5 years (well almost)....
Rushin Roulette
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Xenex Xclame
Well you have to install it first of course.
My suggestion is to go do Guildwars.com and download the client and then put the GW.dat in the correct folder and that's it.The CD install probably installs more then the downloaded client, all of which you don't need if you just copy the dat. Good luck putting your new machine together. |
cataphract
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Originally Posted by Iuris
Really? GW doesn't mess around with registry and stuff? Cool, other games could take a hint
Worth a shot, anyway. |
P.S. Take note of what kajusbonus said - your templates and screenshots are not in GW installation folder. They're most likely in your C:\Users\%username%\Documents\Guild Wars folder.
Snograt
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Originally Posted by cataphract
Take note of what kajusbonus said - your templates and screenshots are not in GW installation folder. They're most likely in your C:\Users\%username%\Documents\Guild Wars folder.
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As others have said, GW is truly portable. Move the entire GW directory anywhere and run gw.exe and it will ask you where it is installed. Joyful simplicity
Xenex Xclame
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Originally Posted by Rushin Roulette
Actually you dont need to do that. Guild Wars doesnt install in that sence. You can just copy over stuff from your old HDD into a new folder and click on GW.exe to start immediately. No need to install like other programms do (including registry update).
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Makes me wonder why we have to do extra work to run multiple copies of GW then, would think that just have 2 shortcuts to two different folders would be enough.
Rushin Roulette
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Originally Posted by Xenex Xclame
Ah that's cool.
Makes me wonder why we have to do extra work to run multiple copies of GW then, would think that just have 2 shortcuts to two different folders would be enough. |
gremlin
The fact that its truly portable is something to thank anet for, makes life really easy.
Good idea to keep a backup copy on another drive if you have one and update it periodically, just for emergencies.
Good idea to keep a backup copy on another drive if you have one and update it periodically, just for emergencies.
Chrisworld
Actually, pretty much everything is portable.
Drevin Morgan
I don't really get it how come a game such as GW can be installed (or copied if you will) with so much ease, and it contains one .exe, one data file and one temp file (if you don't have screenshots or templates), and other games are such burdens to install and run. Why can't all games be as simple?
Quaker
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Iuris
Really? GW doesn't mess around with registry and stuff? Cool, other games could take a hint
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Xenex Xclame
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Drevin Morgan
I don't really get it how come a game such as GW can be installed (or copied if you will) with so much ease, and it contains one .exe, one data file and one temp file (if you don't have screenshots or templates), and other games are such burdens to install and run. Why can't all games be as simple?
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cataphract
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Originally Posted by Snograt
Yes, if your system was Vista or 7. If it was XP or earlier it will be in your Guild Wars folder.
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Iuris
Hmm, a point. I'll be moving from XP to Windows 7, too. Well, I'll give it a shot with a simple copy, and then we'll see if it works.
Man, so much stuff to prepare for such a simple move. Digital signatures, mail exporting,...
Man, so much stuff to prepare for such a simple move. Digital signatures, mail exporting,...
shillo
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Iuris
Man, so much stuff to prepare for such a simple move. Digital signatures, mail exporting,...
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edit: Oops, edited the wrong thread.
Snograt
Quote:
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Originally Posted by cataphract
Microsoft has suspended its support for Windows XP Service Pack 3 more than a year ago.
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Windows 7 64 bit
38.32%
Windows XP 32 bit
20.39%
Windows Vista 32 bit
12.95%
Windows Vista 64 bit
11.44%
Windows 7
9.84%
MacOS 10.6.7 64 bit
4.65%
Windows XP 64 bit
0.94%
MacOS 10.5.8 64 bit
0.44%
Windows 2003 64 bit
0.31%
MacOS 10.6.6 64 bit
0.29%
MacOS 10.6.3 64 bit
0.26%
Other
0.18%
That's a fifth of all users still using 32 bit XP.
GET WITH THE PROGRAM, PEOPLE!
cataphract
I wouldn't call end of support irrelevant, but to each his own.
Snograt
My point is that despite the withdrawal of support, there is still a very large proportion of the user base still using Windows XP.
Sure, they need to move on, but they exist and they still need the same degree of support from us that users of modern operating systems get.
Sure, they need to move on, but they exist and they still need the same degree of support from us that users of modern operating systems get.
Iuris
OK, while the components for my new computer are STILL on the way (hopefully, no confirmation regarding the RAM 
), I couldn't stand it and moved GW to my father's laptop running Win 7.
SO, how it worked: I just plain copied the files, ran GW.exe and that was it. GW started, asked once for a location and didn't need to download anything. Good.
Bad thing, however, is that it automatically assumes screenies and builds go into new folders, over in My documents, I think. So, I'll have to copy all the builds folders there.
Any way to prevent GW from using the separate folder?
), I couldn't stand it and moved GW to my father's laptop running Win 7.SO, how it worked: I just plain copied the files, ran GW.exe and that was it. GW started, asked once for a location and didn't need to download anything. Good.
Bad thing, however, is that it automatically assumes screenies and builds go into new folders, over in My documents, I think. So, I'll have to copy all the builds folders there.
Any way to prevent GW from using the separate folder?
Silmar Alech
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Originally Posted by Iuris
Any way to prevent GW from using the separate folder?
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Iuris
No, it's not better. I want my games all in one place. As a matter of fact, the mess that all the games made of my WinXP my Documents folders has made the whole folder useless. So what if the game designers who made them "didn't follow the guidelines" - the end result is as it is.
I want my stuff organized as I want it. And I can't. Bugger.
I want my stuff organized as I want it. And I can't. Bugger.
Quaker
A second the opinion that it's not better. I have my Guild Wars (and lot's of other stuff) installed on my D: drive. If I need/want to wipe my C: drive, I used to be able to do so without needing to worry about backing up any GW stuff, but now I have to remember to back-up the Documents folder, whether I like it or not.
Not a biggie - but annoying all the same.
Not a biggie - but annoying all the same.
cataphract
You can always move the My Documents folder to a location that suits you best.
And why would you need to wipe your C: drive that often so that save game folders become an issue?
And why would you need to wipe your C: drive that often so that save game folders become an issue?
Quaker
The issue is not whether or not I "need" to wipe my C: drive, or how often. It's a matter of the way "I" want to arrange my system, whether any one else thinks it good or not.
I can vaguely understand MS's reasoning on this - I just can't quite understand why it's not an option that can be disabled or worked around.
It's sort of like when ANet added auto-targeting to GW. There was a big uproar about it until they added an option to enable or disable auto-targeting for your own personal preference. Or, how about if they had forced everyone to have high-rex textures in town with no option? Sure, it wouldn't be a big deal, but it is nice to have the choice.
I can vaguely understand MS's reasoning on this - I just can't quite understand why it's not an option that can be disabled or worked around.
It's sort of like when ANet added auto-targeting to GW. There was a big uproar about it until they added an option to enable or disable auto-targeting for your own personal preference. Or, how about if they had forced everyone to have high-rex textures in town with no option? Sure, it wouldn't be a big deal, but it is nice to have the choice.
cataphract
If wiping your C: drive isn't an issue, why mention it in the first place? Besides, backing-up your My Documents folder should be a priority since that's the central location of your documents and pr0n. It's not like you have to back up that folder because of GW.
Quaker
It is, if the GW stuff is all I want to back up. You need to stop assuming that everyone does things the same way you do.