Reminder: Keep your patch files
by Adam Holisky 
Nov 4th 2008 at 3:25AM
Eyonix told us all when 3.0.2 was released that we'll need to keep the patch files we get. If you delete the patch files you'll need to redownload everything you got with patch 3.0.2 three weeks ago, and patch 3.0.3 which you'll get today.That's a lot of downloading, and potentially on clogged servers around the internet as millions of people rush to play Wrath of the Lich King as soon as it's released. Further, do not count on mirrors to be working when Wrath hits. Chances are they will be overloaded as well.
The best thing you can do is to take all your 3.x patch files later tonight and copy them to a folder tucked safely away. Preferably someplace where your kid(s)/girlfriend(s)/boyfriend(s)/parent(s) can't get at them.
Filed under: Patches, News items, Wrath of the Lich King
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
kolo Nov 4th 2008 3:34AM
Do you know if these files get automatically deleted, or are they safe if i leave them untouched?
Fletch Nov 4th 2008 3:53AM
I'm pretty sure they don't get automatically deleted. I've just looked in my WoW folder and I've got patch files there from when I started playing. It's no wonder my hard drive is creaking.
Rion Nov 4th 2008 3:54AM
It'd be a safe bet that once the patch is applied they'll be deleted. So if you want to save the files to distribute them to someone who deleted early you'll want to back them up.
Adam Holisky Nov 4th 2008 3:57AM
The only sure way is to back them up. =)
jbodar Nov 4th 2008 5:08AM
@Rion
Nope, they are not deleted. Check your WoW folder and you'll find your patch files and the downloader (torrent) files.
Yaimano Nov 4th 2008 5:22AM
If you can't find them in the actual WoW folder and use Vista, all the background downloader patch files are likely placed here:
C:\Users\Public\Documents\Blizzard Entertainment\World of Warcraft
At least, I found mine there.
Seth Nov 4th 2008 2:52PM
If you are a vista user, mine didn't get deleted but they were in my public folder on my hard drive and not in the actual WoW folder.
Kolo Nov 4th 2008 5:09AM
thanks for the replys guys
I better put them on an external HD, because I'm getting a new laptop in a week, the pain of getting these again will kill me ...
Axolotl Nov 4th 2008 7:40AM
Backing up the entire wow-folder on an external drive is never a bad idea, when reinstalling (or installing on a second computer) it save you hours of agonising wait.
You still have to sit through the downloaders performing the checks :-D
Throe Nov 22nd 2008 7:48PM
Quote: "You still have to sit through the downloaders performing the checks :-D" - Axolotl
If you simply run the patch .exe file(in/Updates for me[WinXP]) instead of running WoW or the patch downloader, the patch will install without being checked. This is only useful if you're absolutely sure you have a legitimate patch file. Don't do it if you there is any chance your patch file could have a virus written in to it by some malicious third party.
Saves a few minutes :).
Abbadon Nov 4th 2008 9:20AM
While the 2.4.3-to-3.0.2 and the 3.0.1-to-3.0.2 downloader.exe files are in the World of Warcraft directory, the actual updater.exe files are in a 1.2gb subfolder called Updates.
However, both the downloader and exe files for today's 21mb patch, 3.0.2-to-3.0.3 are in the World of Warcraft directory.
Jamus Nov 4th 2008 9:30AM
Any mirror listings for those of us who have already deleted them?
Small laptop drives bite...
Alittan Nov 4th 2008 1:20PM
Eh, sorry, not too good with computers, which files exactly do i need to save, and what do i do with them when wotlk hits? I don't really get it. I have Vista and all my stuff is in Users/Public/Documents/Blizzard/World of Warcraft, but I don't really know which files to keep and what to do with them. Any help?
Merah Nov 4th 2008 3:19PM
I've made a full install of the enUS client recently from WoW and I can show you the files I've used, lemme the time to compute that list
Hagu Nov 5th 2008 12:20PM
Thanks for the info. Although I use Time Machine on my Mac so backups happen automatically (insert obligatory but well deserved Vista joke here.)
But how do I apply the patches after I get WotLK? After I install WotLK, and have the updates in another directory, if I start up WotLK I assume it will try to download then apply the patches the way it usually does? I have never manually patched; how do I manually patch?
TIA
Merah Nov 4th 2008 3:44PM
here is the list of patch from scratch I've used to update to the actual wotlk beta, you're welcome at wowinsider to reuse the infos for any informative thread
1) WoW full installer...........................(3,2 GB)
2) WoW-2.4.0-enUS-patch.exe.....................(923 MB)
3) TBC full installer...........................(1,2 GB)
4) WotLK full installer.........................(1,9 GB)
5) WoW-3.0.1-enUS-patch.exe.....................(1,2 GB)
6) WoW-3.0.1.8820-to-3.0.2.8885-enUS-patch.exe..(458 MB)
7) WoW-3.0.2.8885-to-3.0.2.8905-enUS-patch.exe..(108 MB)
8) WoW-3.0.2.8905-to-3.0.2.8926-enUS-patch.exe..(141 MB)
9) WoW-3.0.2.8926-to-3.0.2.8962-enUS-patch.exe..(104 MB)
10) WoW-3.0.2.8962-to-3.0.2.8970-enUS-patch.exe..(77 MB)
11) WoW-3.0.2.8970-to-3.0.2.8982-enUS-patch.exe..(176 MB)
12) WoW-3.0.2.8982-to-3.0.2.9014-enUS-patch.exe..(23 MB)
13) WoW-3.0.2.9014-to-3.0.2.9038-enUS-patch.exe..(12 MB)
14) WoW-3.0.2.9038-to-3.0.2.9061-enUS-patch.exe..(5 MB)
15) WoW-3.0.2.9061-to-3.0.3.9095-enUS-patch.exe..(10 MB)
16) WoW-3.0.3.9095-to-3.0.3.9138-enUS-patch.exe..(10 MB)
17) WoW-3.0.3.9138-to-3.0.3.9155-enUS-patch.exe..(5 MB)
Rodney Nov 6th 2008 4:15PM
So, after I install wotlk, will I just double click the patch files I have saved, or will I have to direct the wrath installer to where I have them saved?
Merah Nov 7th 2008 10:35AM
none knowns yet but since wotlk beta is over I'm updating the WoW which was over at step 3) then it downloaded 2 other small patches to update it from TBC 2.4.0 to TBC 2.4.3 and now its downloading a big update 1.2 GB named
"World of Warcraft 2.4.3 to 3.0.2 TBC enUS Win Final"
So I guess after that there is again new and/or old updates to set it up to 3.0.3, at least patch 5) and 6) won't be used so the majority of the other patch shouldnt be bigger than the Win Final one.
Merah Nov 7th 2008 12:03PM
after that big patch it downloaded an update
WoW-3.0.2.9056-to-3.0.3.9183-enUS-patch.exe (20 MB)
which is the actual live version so I think none of the patch from 5) to 17) is to keep, they were just designed for the beta but those to keep is the big TBC big update from 2.4.3 to 3.0.2.9056 and the WoW-3.0.2.9056-to-3.0.3.9183-enUS-patch.exe, this make it easier to avoid all small files.