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psibim · Jun 30, 2005, 02:36 PM // 14:36

Here's a guide for running 2 accounts on 1 PC.

This might not exactly seem handy but it does allow you to do it and once you get used to it, it's quite simple and fast. I use this for rushing myself if I need too and I did

I'm not aware of any other ways to do this. After I made some extensive searching on the area I came up with this solution.

**I will not be held responsible if anything goes wrong, so use this guide at your own risk!**

1: Prerequisites:
#1: You will need copies of the game (2 accounts) for this to work.
#2: You will be Editing your Regedit.
#3: You will need 2 user accounts under your Windows - Windows XP was used for this.

2: Editing Regedit - Windows User Account 1:
#1: Go to your Regedit by - 'Start > Run > Type regedit'.
like this

#2: You have your Guild Wars installed at a certain location (e.g c:\Games\Guild Wars)
#3: These regs are located in 2 places in your reg database you only need 1.
#4: Export this to your desktop - call it whatever you want (e.g gwregs)
like this

#5: Open the file you exported with Notepad.
#6: Go to your Guild Wars Directory.
#7: Copy what you have in your Guild Wars Directory (you dont need the screenshots folder).
#8: Create a new folder and paste it into a new Folder e.g Guild Wars 2.

Right, you now have 2 Folders with the same game but you still can't run 2 instances - hang in there

#9: You need to create a Second Windows User Account now - This is done under Start > Control Panel > User Accounts.
#10: Switch to that new Windows User Account now by doing 'Start > Log Off > Switch User'. Give it some time to Load the first time.
#11: Go back to the original Windows User Account.

Alright this is the tricky part. We have 1 reg file now called gwregs (#4).
like this
Notice how this file points to the first folder with GW.

We need another Reg file that directs the database to the second "installation" - The folder we created and copy/pasted GW into (#6-#8). Make it like the picture below with notepad.
like this
Notice how this file points to the second folder with GW.

I save both my regs files in the second folder with GW.

3: Finishing up and preparing for PLAY!:
By switching user and playing with the regdatabase we can succesfully run 2 instances of Guild Wars at the same time.

#1: Go ahead and delete this in your reg database (regedit) [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE] > Software > ArenaNet **Make sure you have both regfiles saved properly as .reg before doing this**.
#2: Double-Click on your gwregs (first one we made) and confirm to add it to your database.
#3: Run Gw.exe in your original Guild Wars folder.
#4: Switch Windows User Accounts (the one we created in #2:#9).
#5: Run regedit and delete this in your reg database [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE] > Software > ArenaNet.
#6: Double-Click the second .reg file we created (gwregs2.reg) and confirm to add it to your database.
#7: Run Gw.exe from your second GW folder. It will now give you a notification about choosing your Install directory. Press OK.

The second instance should now connect to ArenaNet and then load up and Voila

You are now running 2 instances of the game and you switch between them by simply switching Windows User Accounts. I found it NON laggy on my system but performance might be noticibly decreased on other systems.

I'm well aware this, for most will not seem very user friendly at all and I do hope someone comes up with another way, like I intentionally intended with running 2 instances from the same Windows Account and GW directory, but it'll do for now.

** Remember you have to delete and add the reg files whenever you quit the game (e.g Windows User Account #1 for gwregs and Windows User Account #2 for gwregs2)**

Hope you enjoy this guide.

Haggard · Mar 28, 2006, 10:26 PM // 22:26

Well, if youve got a long time to kill with no friends to help you, i guess this could be pretty useful, but thats very rarely for me, and my computer is messed up enough already without me hacking into its system.

Teklord · Mar 28, 2006, 10:44 PM // 22:44

I thought there was already a guide for running two copies of the game at once...

Not that it matters for me. For if I even had two accounts, which I guess come to think of it I did over the FPE weekend, I would simply log into each account on a different computer. If only I had a dollar for ever instance I've encountered where it was nice having a second computer.

Addition: Just thought of this, but I wonder if one could accomplish this task using Virtual PC software...

Ghozer · Mar 29, 2006, 12:24 AM // 00:24

Yup. my guide is in the stickies, and it doesnt require Switching Users either

Link:

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=70999

P.S. this has been mentioned 100's of times, and this method more than once... my method however has not been mentioned on any other forum or anything as far as im aware...

skaterman · Aug 29, 2006, 07:01 PM // 19:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghozer

Yup. my guide is in the stickies, and it doesnt require Switching Users either

Link:

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=70999

P.S. this has been mentioned 100's of times, and this method more than once... my method however has not been mentioned on any other forum or anything as far as im aware...

yea u got a great tutorial but your easy versions link needs rehosting, ive posted this in that thread but im yet to have the program downloaded. If john or whoever it is that made the program has it somewere else plz post a link. or just re host that file in ur tutorial
plz and ty!

Argentino · May 15, 2008, 04:41 PM // 16:41

It could be interesting ... but if u take into account how many people posted in this thread ... not many are willing to try.

Has any1 tried this or is any1 capable of running 2 games simultaniously? (withouth having to much lagg)??

Brianna · May 15, 2008, 05:05 PM // 17:05

Please check post dates before posting, this is old.

Yes I run this on Windows XP and have for nearly 2 years, however someone mentioned that it doesn't work anymore (and I've been on Vista, so I haven't been able to confirm), so we'll see.

Ghozer's Guide is what I've always followed, and it is safe as long as you follow the directions there, following directions is not hard.

Snograt · May 15, 2008, 06:51 PM // 18:51

"Invalid thread specified"

Ah well. I'm a bit loathe to recommend gwx2 at the moment because of all the paranoia about trojans. Still ok, but it is worrying when the AV turns up a false positive because of it.

Tell you what - google gwx2, download it - and scan the crap out of it

nebuchanezzar · May 15, 2008, 07:58 PM // 19:58

I am able to run 2 accounts on my PC today. I just logged off moments ago. I came across another thread that claims the recent update somehow stopped it from working.
Definitively BS. I have done nothing different in how I patch in the 2+ years that I have been doing this.
Some tips...
1. Use -image on both accounts folders when updates come. Get it all in at once to avoid any issue.
2. Make sure you save your (2nd)GW.exe after you modify it. There are some hex editors that will close WITHOUT SAVING CHANGES TO OTHER PROGRAMS!! Mine always prompts to save if I close the hex editor first before saving my GW2.exe
3. You must always change your registry entry to the client you are ABOUT TO START! Once it is running it doesn't matter which of your 2(or more I suppose) registry entries is actually loaded. As long as it is loaded before you hit the "helmet" it's good.

There was nothing done by Anet that has changed the way your registry addresses it's processes. Using the old tried and true method works.

This old thread being resurrected is actually kinda funny. I usually use my laptop and my gaming pc when I need to access both accounts. I only need them both on my game pc when my son is using my laptop and my youngest is watching movies on my living room pc.
However, I just tested, and can verify with a screenshot tonight, it works just fine.....

**edit**
Where the hell did Ghozer's post go. That was the best guide on this forum to accomplish this task. I do it on cruise control now with each update on 2 clients one after another.....odd.
I'm just on lunch break and have to dash, if this is seriously an issue for some people I will try to address in a few hours when I come back home.

Here is a JPG for everyone with no HUD of my 2 accounts, the mouse hover over the clock shows the time and date if you can see it. I don't use any third party system or program. I have been doing it for years, same way every update.

Brianna · May 15, 2008, 08:06 PM // 20:06

Here you go guys, this is the official guide from Ghozer: http://www.guildwarsguru.com/content...ars-id1837.php

Thank you for confirming Nebu, I figured that it would still work.

Mystica · May 15, 2008, 08:26 PM // 20:26

Yep still works on Win XP for me and pretty easy aswell.

I used to use a loader to play with 2 accounts but for some reason it stopped working. GWx2 works for others too but I'd prefer not to use any 3rd party tools for something I can do manually in less than a minute.