[How to] Force WoW Launcher to load wow 32 bit instead of 64

[wishkeeper]

If you need to attach any bot or program downloaded on this forum section to wow, seems that Blizzard do not allow to launch wow 32bit anymore if your computer is able to use a 64x version. If you just rename the wow-64.exe, things are just fine but you can not use the WoW Launcher. Instead you can follow this little guide:

Download: Link Shell Extension

1. Select WoW.exe
2. Right click on WoW.exe and click on Pick Link Source
3. Right click inside the window folder and hover over "Drop As" You'll get either Hardlink or Symbolic Link.
4. Select Hardlink
5. Rename WoW-64.exe into WoW-64-Backup.exe
6. Rename the Hardlinked WoW.exe into WoW-64.exe (You'll see the weird symbol behind it)

You are now forcing the new battle.net launcher to always launch the 32bit client because you are saying to the Windows that WoW-64.exe is WoW.exe instead.

Credits to alxaw from HB forums

Enjoy

[bu_ba_911]

If you need to attach any bot or program downloaded on this forum section to wow, seems that Blizzard do not allow to launch wow 32bit anymore if your computer is able to use a 64x version. If you just rename the wow-64.exe, things are just fine but you can not use the WoW Launcher. Instead you can follow this little guide:

Download: Link Shell Extension

1. Select WoW.exe
2. Right click on WoW.exe and click on Pick Link Source
3. Right click inside the window folder and hover over "Drop As" You'll get either Hardlink or Symbolic Link.
4. Select Hardlink
5. Rename WoW-64.exe into WoW-64-Backup.exe
6. Rename the Hardlinked WoW.exe into WoW-64.exe (You'll see the weird symbol behind it)

You are now forcing the new battle.net launcher to always launch the 32bit client because you are saying to the Windows that WoW-64.exe is WoW.exe instead.

Credits to alxaw from HB forums

Enjoy

oh me gusta

i just made a shortcut onto my desktop and startmenu... i like this MUCH better rep+ for sharing here

[Banzure]

Or just delete WoW-64.exe - that did the trick for me, at least.

[Crackjack]

Or just delete WoW-64.exe - that did the trick for me, at least.

That's what i did too, simply deleted that file :P

[kw3r]

Or just delete WoW-64.exe - that did the trick for me, at least.

With that solution you will have problems with the next update.

Best oulution (blue post):

Hello,

Can you go to your World of Warcraft / WTF folder, and in there open the config.wtf file, and find this line:
SET launchthirtytwobitclient

Change the variable here to "1", so it reads as follows:
SET launchthirtytwobitclient "1"

Save and exit the file, then try the game again.

//edit:
Seems not to work ;o)
http://eu.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/8113132593

[bu_ba_911]

Or just delete WoW-64.exe - that did the trick for me, at least.

I did that to... worked just fine

but the beta launcher didn't want to run because it was trying to launch the 64 bit one

now i get the sexy interface, and no need to login with this method

[michaelwatson]

This is what i do: might be a little easier for people: even if you have the beta loader

Open Wow Directory
Move wow-64.exe and scan-64.dll to your screenshots folder ( or any other folder not in the root)
Double Click wow.exe to run ( it will run the launcher if you have battle.net beta)

This works with the battle.net beta launcher as well.

[Aerlen]

This is what i do: might be a little easier for people: even if you have the beta loader

Open Wow Directory
Move wow-64.exe and scan-64.dll to your screenshots folder ( or any other folder not in the root)
Double Click wow.exe to run ( it will run the launcher if you have battle.net beta)

This works with the battle.net beta launcher as well.

It works fine for me. Many thanks

[wishkeeper]

moving wow-64 or renaming are just temporary fixes that are valid just to the next update

[Neyia]

Hi,

Very very good ! automatic connexion on wow.exe it's magic thanks

[jh16]

There is another way to do this.

If you already have a shortcut for Wow.exe on your desktop then this is already partly finished.

Right-click your Wow.exe and under the menu hover over "Send to" and click "Desktop (create shortcut)". Now right-click your desktop shortcut and go to "Properties" in the last part of the "Target" press the spacebar once and add "-noautolaunch64bit" no quotes.
This way for as long Blizzard doesn't change the name of the argument this will work even if there are new clients.
For those that would rather not download something.

[wishkeeper]

Hi,

Very very good ! automatic connexion on wow.exe it's magic thanks

your welcome

[TheLordJesusHimself]

Wow-64.exei have let PQR rename my WoW-64 etc.... but i still get this error... any help why?

i have also tried deleting my wow 64 and also tried adding -noautolaunch64bit to a shortcut, and i also have SET launchThirtyTwoBitClient "1"



See the end of this message for details on invoking
just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.

************** Exception Text **************
System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception (0x80004005): A 32 bit processes cannot access modules of a 64 bit process.
at System.Diagnostics.NtProcessManager.GetModuleInfos(Int32 processId, Boolean firstModuleOnly)
at System.Diagnostics.ProcessManager.GetModuleInfos(Int32 processId)
at System.Diagnostics.Process.get_Modules()
at Magic.BlackMagic.Open(Int32 )
at Magic.BlackMagic.OpenProcessAndThread(Int32 )
at ...ctor(Int32 )
at ..()
at ..()
at ..(Object , EventArgs )
at System.Windows.Forms.Timer.OnTick(EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Timer.TimerNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)


************** Loaded Assemblies **************
mscorlib
Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.1 (RTMRel.030319-0100)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework/v4.0.30319/mscorlib.dll
----------------------------------------
PQR
Assembly Version: 2.2.4.0
Win32 Version: 2.2.4
CodeBase: file:///C:/Users/StinkyJoint/Documents/WoW/PQR/PQR.exe
----------------------------------------
System.Windows.Forms
Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.1 built by: RTMRel
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Windows.Forms/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Windows.Forms.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Drawing
Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.1 built by: RTMRel
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Drawing/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Drawing.dll
----------------------------------------
System
Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.1 built by: RTMRel
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.dll
----------------------------------------
fasmdll_managed
Assembly Version: 1.0.3262.20709
Win32 Version:
CodeBase: file:///C:/Users/StinkyJoint/AppData/Local/Temp/%7B0b048d18-ba64-4aec-9fca-b928081c6380%7D/fasmdll_managed.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Xml
Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.1 built by: RTMRel
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Xml/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Xml.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Web
Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.1 built by: RTMRel
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_32/System.Web/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Web.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Core
Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.1 built by: RTMRel
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Core/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Core.dll
----------------------------------------
{5888db79-dc4a-4e46-8056-ac47edd37b15}
Assembly Version: 0.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.2.4
CodeBase: file:///C:/Users/StinkyJoint/Documents/WoW/PQR/PQR.exe
----------------------------------------
System.Configuration
Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.1 (RTMRel.030319-0100)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Configuration/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Configuration.dll
----------------------------------------
msvcm90
Assembly Version: 9.0.30729.4940
Win32 Version: 9.00.30729.4940
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/WinSxS/x86_microsoft.vc90.crt_1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b_9.0.30729.4940_none_50916076bcb9a742/msvcm90.dll
----------------------------------------

************** JIT Debugging **************
To enable just-in-time (JIT) debugging, the .config file for this
application or computer (machine.config) must have the
jitDebugging value set in the system.windows.forms section.
The application must also be compiled with debugging
enabled.

For example:

<configuration>
<system.windows.forms jitDebugging="true" />
</configuration>

When JIT debugging is enabled, any unhandled exception
will be sent to the JIT debugger registered on the computer
rather than be handled by this dialog box.