Faster Instillation - Guild Wars Forums

Vampire of Bone · Sep 06, 2011, 04:38 PM // 16:38

So I've recently got a new laptop and reinstalling guild wars is taking a long time.
I'm I've heard something about speeding up the instillation somehow but I can't find anything explaining how to do it.
I think it was something about changing a file extension name or something, if anyone could give me a step by step guide that would be great.

Calista Blackblood · Sep 06, 2011, 04:41 PM // 16:41

Right click Gw.exe - properties - add "-image" to the end of the target line and save.

Leave overnight to download then remove the -image to load the game properly.

Vampire of Bone · Sep 06, 2011, 04:43 PM // 16:43

do I change the name of the file itself?
Also thanks for the fast response.

Calista Blackblood · Sep 06, 2011, 04:44 PM // 16:44

Nope no need

Vampire of Bone · Sep 06, 2011, 04:45 PM // 16:45

what exactly do you mean by the end of the target line?

Calista Blackblood · Sep 06, 2011, 04:48 PM // 16:48

Vampire of Bone · Sep 06, 2011, 04:51 PM // 16:51

ok, im probably being really dense but it wont let me change that, the option is greyed out.
I'm on windows 7.

----------

ok never mind, thank you very much!

----------

ok, really sorry, but i changed it from something when i made it -image.
What is it that i need to change it back to?

Quaker · Sep 06, 2011, 05:15 PM // 17:15

The fastest way to re-install GW would have been to simply copy gw.dat from the old computer. (which is still a good idea if you can.)
I don't know what would have been on the target line before, but just remove the -image and see how well it runs - the previous thing could have been something like "-mce" which is totally useless anyway. (-mce sends you back to Windows Media Center when you exit the game)

Vampire of Bone · Sep 06, 2011, 05:25 PM // 17:25

damn, I didnt even think about that. I probably dont have a memory stick big enough anyway. I think it was -mce, thanks for your help.

Bristlebane · Sep 06, 2011, 07:39 PM // 19:39

For general play don't add anything at all after gw.exe

wilebill · Sep 06, 2011, 10:01 PM // 22:01

http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Command_line_arguments

gremlin · Sep 07, 2011, 02:30 AM // 02:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vampire of Bone

So I've recently got a new laptop and reinstalling guild wars is taking a long time.
I'm I've heard something about speeding up the instillation somehow but I can't find anything explaining how to do it.
I think it was something about changing a file extension name or something, if anyone could give me a step by step guide that would be great.

Its been mentioned before but if you just copy the game files from your old computer assuming you have access to them still.
You can run the exe file and it all self installs very quickly because you have the old gw.dat file.

If you do not have that any more consider keeping the file backed up to a memory stick and update the copy occasionally.

Just noticed this has already been suggested lol, memory stick not big enough burn to a dvd rw if possible.

Bristlebane · Sep 07, 2011, 01:02 PM // 13:02

You could always split the .dat file so it will fit on a memory stick
A simple solution if you have 7-zip installed:
Right click the .dat, "7-zip", "Add to archive..", "Split to volumes", pick an option like "650M" and press OK. After compression just move all the split archives to your new computer and unpack.

Mashiyu · Sep 07, 2011, 08:44 PM // 20:44

Note that even if a USB-Stick/External Harddrive is big enough, you probably need to split Gw.dat into at least two files, because the file system on external storage is usually FAT, which has a 4GB file size limit. (Gw.dat is slightly bigger than that).

If that is the case, Windows won't warn you about that limit but only says that the volume is full.

Draca · Sep 08, 2011, 09:14 AM // 09:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mashiyu

Note that even if a USB-Stick/External Harddrive is big enough, you probably need to split Gw.dat into at least two files, because the file system on external storage is usually FAT, which has a 4GB file size limit. (Gw.dat is slightly bigger than that).

If that is the case, Windows won't warn you about that limit but only says that the volume is full.

format the stick into NTFS and that problem solved

Sep 06, 2011, 04:38 PM // 16:38	#1
Vampire of Bone Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: Apr 2011 Guild: Desolation Lords [DL] Profession: N/	Faster Instillation So I've recently got a new laptop and reinstalling guild wars is taking a long time. I'm I've heard something about speeding up the instillation somehow but I can't find anything explaining how to do it. I think it was something about changing a file extension name or something, if anyone could give me a step by step guide that would be great.

Sep 06, 2011, 04:41 PM // 16:41	#2
Calista Blackblood Permanently Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Northern Ireland Guild: Nowhere To Run Nowhere To [Hide] Profession: N/	Right click Gw.exe - properties - add "-image" to the end of the target line and save. Leave overnight to download then remove the -image to load the game properly. __________________ *The best goodbyes are like a knife in the dark: short, simple and to the point*

Sep 06, 2011, 04:44 PM // 16:44	#4
Calista Blackblood Permanently Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Northern Ireland Guild: Nowhere To Run Nowhere To [Hide] Profession: N/	Nope no need __________________ *The best goodbyes are like a knife in the dark: short, simple and to the point*

Sep 06, 2011, 04:48 PM // 16:48	#6
Calista Blackblood Permanently Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Northern Ireland Guild: Nowhere To Run Nowhere To [Hide] Profession: N/	__________________ *The best goodbyes are like a knife in the dark: short, simple and to the point*

Sep 06, 2011, 04:43 PM // 16:43	#3
Vampire of Bone Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: Apr 2011 Guild: Desolation Lords [DL] Profession: N/	do I change the name of the file itself? Also thanks for the fast response.

Sep 06, 2011, 04:45 PM // 16:45	#5
Vampire of Bone Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: Apr 2011 Guild: Desolation Lords [DL] Profession: N/	what exactly do you mean by the end of the target line?

Sep 06, 2011, 04:51 PM // 16:51	#7
Vampire of Bone Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: Apr 2011 Guild: Desolation Lords [DL] Profession: N/	ok, im probably being really dense but it wont let me change that, the option is greyed out. I'm on windows 7. ---------- ok never mind, thank you very much! ---------- ok, really sorry, but i changed it from something when i made it -image. What is it that i need to change it back to?

Sep 06, 2011, 05:15 PM // 17:15	#8
Quaker Hell's Protector Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Canada Guild: Brothers Disgruntled	The fastest way to re-install GW would have been to simply copy gw.dat from the old computer. (which is still a good idea if you can.) I don't know what would have been on the target line before, but just remove the -image and see how well it runs - the previous thing could have been something like "-mce" which is totally useless anyway. (-mce sends you back to Windows Media Center when you exit the game)

Sep 06, 2011, 05:25 PM // 17:25	#9
Vampire of Bone Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: Apr 2011 Guild: Desolation Lords [DL] Profession: N/	damn, I didnt even think about that. I probably dont have a memory stick big enough anyway. I think it was -mce, thanks for your help.

Sep 06, 2011, 07:39 PM // 19:39	#10
Bristlebane Desert Nomad Join Date: Jan 2008 Profession: Mo/	For general play don't add anything at all after gw.exe

Sep 06, 2011, 10:01 PM // 22:01	#11
wilebill Desert Nomad Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Mt Vernon, Ohio Guild: Band of the Hawk Profession: W/Mo	http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Command_line_arguments

Sep 07, 2011, 01:02 PM // 13:02	#13
Bristlebane Desert Nomad Join Date: Jan 2008 Profession: Mo/	You could always split the .dat file so it will fit on a memory stick A simple solution if you have 7-zip installed: Right click the .dat, "7-zip", "Add to archive..", "Split to volumes", pick an option like "650M" and press OK. After compression just move all the split archives to your new computer and unpack.

Sep 07, 2011, 08:44 PM // 20:44	#14
Mashiyu Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: Mar 2010 Profession: E/	Note that even if a USB-Stick/External Harddrive is big enough, you probably need to split Gw.dat into at least two files, because the file system on external storage is usually FAT, which has a 4GB file size limit. (Gw.dat is slightly bigger than that). If that is the case, Windows won't warn you about that limit but only says that the volume is full.