mek

I logged in with the Beta Client and was greeted by this patch, which freaked out about "tos.html" and failed to install. If you're like friends of mine, this is a big deal; I have a midnight release to go to, but I'm buying a copy for a pal who lives in the middle of nowhere, and they won't be able to get their hands on a hard copy for weeks and so NEED the beta client to work.

It can still work.

edit: follow Xy's directions.

 

Apparation

so shit heaped

Apparation: PvE Shadow Priest

 

archz0r

Replying with a moronic answer isn't really what these forums are about either, amirite?

Leave the administrative stuff to the administrators.

 

Zabir

The beta test ended, so the beta client probably doesn't work properly anymore.

 

◊ Drauk

If somebody obtained TBC key online, but don't have install files, tweaking beta install to work with live servers is one of the ways to play from day 1, and not wait until disks arrive.

Fun is for casuals

 

mek

Second sentence of the post. Work on your grammar/punctuation skills too, please.

I'm not sure this isn't against the ToS, but since I'm not modifying any files myself I doubt it is. Blizzard said there was nothing wrong with logging in with the beta client, just that they don't support it. I expect this post will help some people get online tomorrow.

 

◊ Praetorian

No backseat modding, thanks.

I changed the retarded title.

 

◊ Oggie

Thank you OP, guild has a few people who simply don't have the option of getting hte account and all this will be helpful.

We're sort of trying to figure a minimum bandwidth expendeture for a few people out of country or the like, so this + upgrade code == much eaiser.

Edit:

Hmm, this didn't work so much as the other thing.

Geting critical errors left and right.

 

dojke

But if you replace all the datafiles, is it a client that is still tbc-enabled?

Don't get me wrong, this is good info, but does it mean you can actually access tbc stuff with it? The client is only a small part, if you're replacing the datafiles, then won't you lose the textures, zonefiles, etc that is necessary?

2.0.5 didn't hit the euroservers yet, so I can't do any testing of my own. Not that I can do anything atm without a cdkey, but I'm not sure that your conclusion that it "works" is valid yet.

 

mek

We are not replacing all of the datafiles, as the TBC data is contained in MPQs which do not exist in the retail version. Since we are not replacing any of the .exe files, the executables should still correctly reference the expansion*.mpq files.

You are right in that this is not guaranteed to work, but it's better than the guaranteed-not-to-work broken beta client.

 

◊ Oggie

I actually got mine to (sort of) work by replacing the exe, but obviously that's not something that makes me overly comfortable (though it superificially resembles what you spoke of, with the black loading screen).

Going to try to tweak it a bit more.

 

spinal

Just to make sure, you did also copy over the other expansion files located in the various data subdirs? speech, locale and such?

I've noticed the mpq system seems a bit.. loose in what gameresource ends up in which mpq. I've worked with a beta client, a live-patched beta client, a retail client, and a live-patched retail tbc client. I've compared the dirs in all of the mentioned states and not a single pair of them had the same balance in filesize looking at all of the mpq files. I don't know the overlay logic behind the mpq files but it seems that it's not strictly defined which ressource has to end up inside patch-2.mpq or in patch.mpq as an example.

What stroke me odd is that the retail common.mpq was always slightly bigger than the one in all of the beta clients.

All in all, copying over only the mpq's with "expansion" in their title is not something I'd recommend. The other mpq files seem to contain some changes aswell. (Maybe just the different login screen?)

 

◊ Oggie

Damn, I think I did copy-and-replace of the .mpq files.

Not sure if I can fix this...

 

mek

I copied over the entire data folder and subfolders. So all the non-expansion mpqs were replaced, but the expansion mpqs just settled in with the retail data.

It's important to note that both retail and beta were the same build (2.0.4) when I performed the swap. Otherwise might work but probably not. It's a frankenbuild at any rate.

 

• Xy

To apply the 2.0.5 to the 2.0.4 beta client do the following*

Get a copy of tos.html file (size 33,399 bytes -- from any normal wow 2.0.4 install under \World of Warcraft\Data\enUS\) and copy it into the TBC \World of Warcraft\Data\enUS directory. Then open up the backup-enUS.MPQ file (Ladik's MPQ editor works fine) and you'll see another copy of tos.html in there (under \Data\enUS). Replace the tos.html using no encryption, pkzip compression. The patch will apply cleanly after this.

I also believe that it might be possible to nuke the backup-enUS.MPQ file to prevent the patcher from choking on it (and prevent the need to edit it directly). But I'm just speculating and don't know for sure -- if someone is brave enough to tinker post the results =)

* Disclaimer: I'm not responsible if you trash your install or get banned/suspended/pregnant when you attempt this.

(looks like deleting the backup mpq will work as well per post below).

 

crimsonsentinel

How did you repair back to 2.0.4 to get the original tos.html file?

 

vorda

The TBC client is already out in .torrent files, so I'd strongly suggest your friend just downloads those torrents to install TBC instead of potentially breaking his WoW. I'm sure you can use google to find the torrents.

edit: apologies, just noticed the topic about the torrents in the shit heap.

 

dojke

Fwiw, euro just pushed the 2.0.5 patch live, and it patched on my beta client with no problem. No modifications needed at all.

 

Copernicus

I copied over the tos.html from live WoW to the beta WoW and renamed the backup-enUS.mpQ on the beta. I was able to patch the beta client and connect.

 

Vines

You don't even need to use the tos.html file from 2.0.4 live wow, the 2.0.5 tos.html file will work fine.

 

• Xy

Good news and a simpler fix then. Thanks for trying that.

 

Tinuva

If this is true, I will be really happy ;)

at least until my actual CDs arrive since I get the key earlier.

Few people can see the genius in someone who has offended them.
For in much wisdom is much grief, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

 

Cesar2000

I'm sure you can get the TBC client online if you look hard enough.

 

Revenj

You dont need to manipulate MPQs or anything.

1) Open your beta folder's realmlist.wtf file
2) Replace "beta.eu.logon.worldofwarcraft.com", with "eu.logon.worldofwarcraft.com" (Needless to say, US servers switch "eu" with "us")
3) Start WoW (download any patch as required. In our case, the patch will most likely be a "downgrade" since you are going from beta client to live client - regardless, dont bother yourself too much with these details. Just get the patch.)

PS: I've been using this method to switch between US and EU servers since inception. Though this trick stopped working when they introduced the stupid Spanish language support for the EU client.

 

dojke

You miss the point. The 2.0.5 patch does not work on the enUS beta client, because the live client has a different eula than the beta client. Thus for the patch to apply, you need to repack the mpqs.

Euro (ie you) are not subject to this, becuase they didn't get an eula update, so the 2.0.5 patch applies fine.