Curse

ozsparrow · Feb 25, 2007, 10:43 PM // 22:43

Could someone please reply to this thread and perhaps even make the answer a sticky for future reference.

This weekend, I have purchased and installed a brand new massively upgraded computer and would like to know exactly what I have to do to migrate my GW game across from my old computer to the new one.

Do I have to reinstall/download the entire game on to my new computer?
Or, do I merely copy across the entire GW folder on my old C drive?
Or, do I merely copy across the GW.dat file?
If so, what folder do I put the folder/files into on my new computer?
Does the GW folder/files have to be on the C drive of my new computer?
If not, how does the A-Net server know where to find the GW files on my new computer?

Thanks for the help.

Westofeden · Feb 25, 2007, 10:58 PM // 22:58

You install the game, patch it, and play it.
Am I missing something here?

ozsparrow · Feb 25, 2007, 11:04 PM // 23:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westofeden

You install the game, patch it, and play it.
Am I missing something here?

Thanks for the response

My question was aimed at trying to not have to download the entire GW.dat file again as this will take a while and will possibly cause me to breach my download limit with my ISP plan.

Simply, I want to know whether I can merely copy across my GW.dat file to my new computer (via USB link) and, if so, where do I put it on my new computer?

wetsparks · Feb 25, 2007, 11:14 PM // 23:14

The only files you "need" would be the files that saved your builds. Download the client from Guildwars.com and whenever you need something new it will download it. Or you could get your install discs and reinstall everything, but you dont need to put in your account code again.

Tarun · Feb 25, 2007, 11:36 PM // 23:36

Yes you can copy the GW.dat file over. It will take time no matter how your transfer it however.

Just put it in %ProgramFiles%\Guild Wars\

Across my wireless it takes under 10 minutes.

tijo · Feb 26, 2007, 03:12 PM // 15:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarun

Yes you can copy the GW.dat file over. It will take time no matter how your transfer it however.

This is your best option, since it's going to be faster than patching the game. Also having a copy of your Gw.dat file makes repairing installation useless since you already have a backup of the file that works and again it saves a lot of time. Also transfer your skill template because you'll miss those believe me.

Also takes about 15-20 mins burning a DVD with the Gw.dat and transferring it.

ozsparrow · Feb 26, 2007, 11:31 PM // 23:31

Thanks guys appreciate the responses.

So, the only important file to have for GW to run is the GW.dat file, is that right?

I don't save build templates so this will not be a problem.

There is no problem running the game from another disc (eg. my G drive), is that also right? Will the A-Net server know to look on a drive other than my C drive?

Dex · Feb 26, 2007, 11:51 PM // 23:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by ozsparrow

Thanks guys appreciate the responses.

So, the only important file to have for GW to run is the GW.dat file, is that right?

I don't save build templates so this will not be a problem.

There is no problem running the game from another disc (eg. my G drive), is that also right? Will the A-Net server know to look on a drive other than my C drive?

The server doesn't enter into it. It's the GW.exe application that contacts the ANet server, not the other way around. You still need to install the game on the new computer. The application consists of more than the GW.dat file.

Reinstall the game on your computer using your installation CD.
Copy your GW.dat from your old machine onto your new one. Overwrite the one that the installation CD put in the folder.
Run the game.

That's it!

ozsparrow · Feb 27, 2007, 12:25 AM // 00:25

Thanks Dex.

Thought that may have been the correct method.

Appreciate the help.

One final question: I presume I just add the ID keys for my 3 chapters at the time of installation of the client/game on my new computer or, because I already have done this previously on my old computer, will I still have all of my characters and rights to play the 3 campaigns after I load the client/game on to my new computer?

Thanks

Dex · Feb 27, 2007, 12:44 AM // 00:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by ozsparrow

Thanks Dex.

Thought that may have been the correct method.

Appreciate the help.

One final question: I presume I just add the ID keys for my 3 chapters at the time of installation of the client/game on my new computer or, because I already have done this previously on my old computer, will I still have all of my characters and rights to play the 3 campaigns after I load the client/game on to my new computer?

Thanks

Those keys are now permanently bound to your account on the ANet servers. You just need to log in with your e-mail and password and you're set.

tijo · Feb 27, 2007, 01:10 AM // 01:10

Basically you can access your account from any computer that has the game client installed on it.

Feuer · Feb 27, 2007, 02:03 AM // 02:03

If you haven't done so already, just:
1.download the game client from the official gw website
2.install it
(3.you don't need to wait for it to patch up, just cancel that)
4.go into the guilwars folder delete gw.dat.
5.put your original gw.dat file into the folder and you're done.

and transferring files between comps or 2 hds, the time depends on how big your dat file is.

Dex · Feb 27, 2007, 02:20 AM // 02:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Feuer

1.download the game client from the official gw website

Quote:

My question was aimed at trying to not have to download the entire GW.dat file again as this will take a while and will possibly cause me to breach my download limit with my ISP plan.

He's trying to minimize the amount of data he's transferring over the internet because his ISP has assigned him a transfer quota, so downloading the client would be silly if he has an installation CD handy.

ozsparrow · Feb 27, 2007, 04:34 AM // 04:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dex

He's trying to minimize the amount of data he's transferring over the internet because his ISP has assigned him a transfer quota, so downloading the client would be silly if he has an installation CD handy.

Exactly. This was my issue precisely.

Thanks for all the responses guys, much appreciated.

Hengis · Feb 27, 2007, 10:35 AM // 10:35

My own experience is slightly different, and slightly easier than the above.

When I purchased a new PC late last year, all I did was to copy the gw.dat and the gw.exe file onto a USB hard disk.

I created a Guild Wars folder on the new PC and copied those two files into it.

On running the gw.exe file, the machine not only successfully connected to Anet, but also recreated the desktop icon! I was slightly amazed.

The only other files you might want to copy to the new machine are any build files you have in the builds folder.

Lonesamurai · Feb 27, 2007, 11:11 AM // 11:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dex

He's trying to minimize the amount of data he's transferring over the internet because his ISP has assigned him a transfer quota, so downloading the client would be silly if he has an installation CD handy.

and the client is only a couple of mb... compared to the nearly 4gb of data that he then states to copy the .dat file over... which was his step 3

Dex · Feb 27, 2007, 05:48 PM // 17:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lonesamurai

and the client is only a couple of mb... compared to the nearly 4gb of data that he then states to copy the .dat file over... which was his step 3

Right, but I'm assuming he's not copying the .dat file over the internet, eh?

Lonesamurai · Feb 27, 2007, 07:11 PM // 19:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dex

Right, but I'm assuming he's not copying the .dat file over the internet, eh?

obviously... but his steps are in teh post you quoted from before

Dex · Feb 27, 2007, 07:40 PM // 19:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lonesamurai

obviously... but his steps are in teh post you quoted from before

Oh, I see what you're saying. Fair enough...the client itself isn't terribly large so I suppose it only makes a few MB of difference either way. For some reason I was thinking the client was more like 10MB...I've never needed to download it.

Lonesamurai · Feb 27, 2007, 07:47 PM // 19:47

hell, you don't even need to DL the client if you have the CD/DVD's