Uninstall the game to apply a patch?

#0 - Oct. 13, 2010, 5:05 a.m.
Blizzard Post
Yes, I've been to the tech support board, which is why I'm here, extremely angry, in the customer service forum.

Why? I'm fighting to free up the 20GB+ of hard drive space to apply patch 4.0, waiting for files to move so I can safely uninstall World of Warcraft like the forum poster said to.

According to the blues in Tech Support, I have to COMPLETELY uninstall World of Warcraft, then REINSTALL everything, JUST to apply this patch.

So anyone with hard drives that are more full, or not as large, won't get to experience any game play, any time soon, is that what you're telling us?

Will those of us with those issues be compensated by that? Probably not. Why? There is nothing saying that the 4.67GB patch requires a COMPLETELY NEW INSTALL of the game. There is nothing until lost people call or check the forums to find they have to completely uninstall a game that will take many hours to reinstall, patch, install, patch, install and patch again, JUST for a new patch. So... I can't play for .. going on 20 hours because I now have to, now that I know, uninstall the entire game, then reinstall the entire game.

It would be nice, if my computer - which could run Naxx 25 with 50FPS with all effects at Max or near to it when Wrath first came out, but now can barely get 8FPS in Icecrown Citadel 10 with all graphic effects turned DOWN or off (other than projected textures so .. y'know.. I can MOVE when there's a circle of DEATH under my feet, like Defile?) - were one of the nice, shiny, brand new computers many folks can afford to buy. There is a chunk of us who still play, who can't afford a brand new computer, or any other computer parts to build a new one. But you know what? I can't afford that, so I get to waste... I'm going to say another 4-5 hours on dealing with this? FOR A PATCH?

I know I'm not alone in this. I know others are frustrated. I fully understand you're trying to make the game look more awesome, I understand that you're trying to put in lots of new things, but you know what? You're closing out a lot of players, the more you upgrade. Can you give those of us with not-so-brand-new-really-expensive-computers a chance to play and see things nicely for a change...? One year should not be the life of a decently high-end computer during a game's upgrade. Seriously.

I, like many others, do not have a TB hard drive, or a quad-4GH-core processor with a graphics card that shows me images I could reach into my screen and touch.

Could you please tone stuff down a bit? Remember that we also pay our $15 a month, but soon won't bother because our computers can't handle 20GB+ patches that don't say they're that huge, and graphics that leave a mid 2009-build computer in the dust?

Love your game. Love what you do.
Not loving that you don't communicate up front, and don't take into consideration older computers that were top-of-the-line a year or two ago.
#2 - Oct. 13, 2010, 5:17 a.m.
Blizzard Post
I definitely understand your frustration, Briyanna, and I know you are not the only one to have encountered this issue today. However, the Customer Service forum really aren't the place to voice this concern.

If you are having trouble with the patch itself, the Technical Support forum is the best place to receive assistance with the issues you are encountering.

If you wanted to voice your concerns over the recent changes, or the size of the patch, and advise changes on the distribution of future patches, the Suggestions forum would be the best outlet for your constructive criticism.

I appreciate your patience and understanding, but I do want to direct you to the places where your voice will be heard by those most able to assist. Unfortunately, those of us here in the Customer Service forum cannot provide the service you are requesting.
#5 - Oct. 13, 2010, 5:44 a.m.
Blizzard Post
If you come across others encountering this problem, you are most welcome to direct them to this thread. Cross-posting in the sense of distributing information is usually okay - it's cross-posting to garner advertisement or attention on a particular thread that is generally frowned upon.

For example, popping into a thread where someone is having this issue, and providing a link to say "Hey, Nevalistis said this" is okay, but jumping from forum to forum to create a new thread to link to this one would probably be a bad idea.

Hope that makes some sense. >^.^<