[Tool] WoW Repacker (free up 4-5Gb free HDD space)

[VX2]

for 3+ (WotLK) and 2+ (TBC) versions only. |
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this tool replace old unused files from basic archives with latest files from their patch files, what allow you free up 4-5Gb HDD space.
I think it must allow to play on official servers, because it's have absolutely no changes for any gameplay parts, but I'm not shure in Blizzard server's checks, and can't approve it.

my english is not so good as it would be desirable, just look as scheme:

on scheme, you can see 13 blocks of data, what not used by a client, but have a some size on your hard drive. repacker just combine all patches in one, and replase this blocks with same used from latest patch files.

WARNING: after repack, you couldn't patch with official patches or repair your client. for patch repacked files, you may copy only latest patch file from other computer. of course you can repack it again (repacked + new patch file).

this may be not so useful for stand alone computers, but greatly useful in game clubs or similar.

WoW Repacker 2.0.zip (VirusTotal report)

p.s. of course it's packed with fsg 2.0 i.e. may not like some AV.

[homer91]

Interesting. What is the reason you made this program?

[mrgneissguy]

This would be great for my wow-on-a-stick goal with a 16bg flash drive :P

[Ssateneth]

Interesting. What is the reason you made this program?

Probably just to save space. It's a pro that it gets rid of redundant data and hence saves space, but a con that it prevents future patches. It's not efficient at all if you only have 1 or 2 computers that you use WoW on, but if you have a lot of computers with wow and you have an easy way to deploy the repacked client + data after each patch to each computer, then it's probably worth it.

---------- Post added at 08:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:27 PM ----------

This would be great for my wow-on-a-stick goal with a 16bg flash drive :P

This exactly, but it would need to get rid of redundant data thats actually redundant :P. When 4.0.1 went live, it appeared to repack all the existing MPQs into some other MPQs, so there arent any giant patch mpqs like there was before.

[TrioxX]

02:04:06 C:\Program Files\World of Warcraft\Data\ can not be assigned as basic folder

[VX2]

Interesting. What is the reason you made this program?

at the request of a friend))

2 TrioxX
not of all files in your folder. you must have minimum files
for basic lk:

common.MPQ
common-2.MPQ
expansion.MPQ
lichking.MPQ
patch.MPQ

for basic bc:

common.MPQ
expansion.MPQ
patch.MPQ

for locale lk:

locale-xxXX.MPQ
speech-xxXX.MPQ
expansion-locale-xxXX.MPQ
expansion-speech-xxXX.MPQ
lichking-locale-xxXX.MPQ
lichking-speech-xxXX.MPQ
patch-xxXX.MPQ

for locale bc:

locale-xxXX.MPQ
speech-xxXX.MPQ
expansion-locale-xxXX.MPQ
expansion-speech-xxXX.MPQ
patch-xxXX.MPQ

it's a minimum files existence check for repack. of course you can append your folder with empty MPQ archives, but you must keep in mind sequence of replacement of a files:
for basic folder:

common.MPQ
common-2.MPQ
expansion.MPQ
lichking.MPQ
patch.MPQ
patch-2.MPQ
patch-3.MPQ

for locale folder:

locale-xxXX.MPQ
speech-xxXX.MPQ
expansion-locale-xxXX.MPQ
expansion-speech-xxXX.MPQ
lichking-locale-xxXX.MPQ
lichking-speech-xxXX.MPQ
patch-xxXX.MPQ
patch-xxXX-2.MPQ
patch-xxXX-3.MPQ

files with identical names from any archives will be replaced by the following from archives list.

[darkboz]

Great tool and great idea, i was always annoyed by the blizzard ways of doing patching, especially since i use an SSD for some of my games, it will be really helpful to save room !

[mrgneissguy]

Great tool and great idea, i was always annoyed by the blizzard ways of doing patching, especially since i use an SSD for some of my games, it will be really helpful to save room !

With an ssd you may be better off extracting all of the files to the hard disk. I believe the reasoning behind the mpq files is to cut down on random disk access, but with an SSD that's theoretically a non-issue. Extracting the files would save cycles on decoding the mpq.

[darkboz]

I dunno how the mpq access is done, do you think it decode the mpq each time you need to access something ? It wouldn't be very efficient, i'll go look @ some doc. Additionnally i dunno if you could extract all the data like that, do the game would still work ? Theoretically, i think yes, this is a great idea, i will do some tests, thanks !

[VX2]

minor fix:
- crash when minimized
- some repack problems with less 3 patch files
- pack count on repack repacked files

[Malloot]

Man you are a hero, my 45gig ssd was crying under the weight of win7+wow and shaving 5gigs off is just what i needed.
Blizzard should buy your program and make us download a drag and drop folder of the game... no more patching the file's you just downloaded after a fresh install!
seems like less work for there servers and less work for our bandwith

[Ssateneth]

You mentioned filenames of the mpqs, but those are the old-style pre-4.0 mpqs. Is this not for wow 4.0? Maybe thats why I'm getting 10:18:38 PM F:\WoW\Data\ can not be assigned as basic folder ?

[VX2]

I have no 4.0 yet and dont know it's files structure. repacker mainly designed for 3+ and must be compatible with 2+. (not preTBC)
but if 4.0 have no big "patch" files, then repack could not be perceptible useful.

I'm try to download 4.0. patch at this time, but my speed and limits is to very small. I think downloading will completely finished at next month (fun, but true. 5Gb downloading is simple heavy for me). then I can see what I can do with it.

at this moment, if you completely sure in the necessity of a repack, you can rename your MPQ files as "old style" (but how I'm already wrote - keep in mind sequence of replacement of a files), then you may use repacker, and then rename your files back.

[Ssateneth]

I have no 4.0 yet and dont know it's files structure. repacker mainly designed for 3+ and must be compatible with 2+. (not preTBC)
but if 4.0 have no big "patch" files, then repack could not be perceptible useful.

I'm try to download 4.0. patch at this time, but my speed and limits is to very small. I think downloading will completely finished at next month (fun, but true. 5Gb downloading is simple heavy for me). then I can see what I can do with it.

at this moment, if you completely sure in the necessity of a repack, you can rename your MPQ files as "old style" (but how I'm already wrote - keep in mind sequence of replacement of a files), then you may use repacker, and then rename your files back.

Here is the current structure of a WotLK client's data folder and subfolders with 4.0+ patch, not counting any folders within that doesn't have any MPQ's.

[VX2]

looks regretfully.
- patch files have only 500Mb size, vs 13.6Gb of base files (in Data folder). on this I think, you can save only ~200-300Mb.
- "lock" files looks like signatures. I can try to disable this checks, but it means that most probably, patched client may be useable only on private servers
- I can see "oldWorld" files. i.e. may be basic archives have overlapping files, that may allow save seriously free space.

from all above - need tests. sorry, but until I haven't this version, I can't tell anymore.