WoW latest Patch - multiple PC question

[Zathan666]

I stopped playing WoW in the Molten Core 40-man era.

Anyways, I just bought burning crusade + WOTLK. I had to download a ~5GB patch after installing the game. After installing it, I have to download another ~6GB patch. I'm on limited bandwidth and I just can't afford it. Each additional GBs cost way too much on my current plan.

How could I update my WoW 4.0.0.12911 to the latest patch without downloading it? Can I copy some file/folders from my friend's PC "updated" WoW installation. If yes, which files or folders?

[Duugu]

Just copy the full WoW folder and delete the WTF folder.

[Taryble]

All you really need is the main folder (approx 47 MB), and the "Data" folder (approx 22 GB).

If your friend has a DVD-R drive, it will take approximately 5 DVD-R (4.7GB) discs to copy the whole thing. If his DVD-R is Dual-Layer, it'll only be 3 DVD-R-DL (9.4 GB) discs.

If you have to do it with CD-R's, I expect it will take approximately 35 CD's (0.7 GB).

I would use an archiving program like WinZip, 7-Zip, or WinRar to split it into archives of the proper size for the media you're using.

Other folders you may copy, but aren't necessary:
Cache (where the game stores information about in-game things it has seen before)
Errors (where the game logs errors that happen in-game)
Interface (addons - even the Blizzard_* addons are created by the game if they don't exist, so not needed to copy)
Logs (logfiles of communication, errors, lua/xml problems, etc)
Updates (copies of downloaded update patches)
WTF (stored information for user preferences and addon configuration).

[Vlad]

Originally Posted by Zathan666 I stopped playing WoW in the Molten Core 40-man era. Anyways, I just bought burning crusade + WOTLK. I had to download a ~5GB patch after installing the game. After installing it, I have to download another ~6GB patch. I'm on limited bandwidth and I just can't afford it. Each additional GBs cost way too much on my current plan. How could I update my WoW 4.0.0.12911 to the latest patch without downloading it? Can I copy some file/folders from my friend's PC "updated" WoW installation. If yes, which files or folders?

Hello Zathan666, welcome! I recommend you get a USB device of some sort (or if your pal has a laptop make him carry it over to your place and transfer the files over LAN). You need ~25GB tops to make the transaction, you simply need the "Data" folder and the files in the root directory of the game.
Note: go in the "Data" and delete "Cache" -this folder is recreated and you don't need it for the game to work. It is around 10gb so you save a lot of time and space, don't worry because the game will create it by itself on your PC.
Note 2: the root files are around 46MB and the "Data" folder (without the Cache folder) is at 11.2GB (max 20GB with WotLK on top, I admit I only got TBC on this one ).

[Zathan666]

Originally Posted by Vladinator Hello Zathan666, welcome! I recommend you get a USB device of some sort (or if your pal has a laptop make him carry it over to your place and transfer the files over LAN). You need ~25GB tops to make the transaction, you simply need the "Data" folder and the files in the root directory of the game. Note: go in the "Data" and delete "Cache" -this folder is recreated and you don't need it for the game to work. It is around 10gb so you save a lot of time and space, don't worry because the game will create it by itself on your PC. Note 2: the root files are around 46MB and the "Data" folder (without the Cache folder) is at 11.2GB (max 20GB with WotLK on top, I admit I only got TBC on this one ).

Fantastic, thanks a lot. I'm gonna use a portable USB 2.0 hard drive to do the file transfer today.