Gaming off an external hdd

Troncoso

Troncoso

VIP Member
How simple is it to install a game onto an external hdd, make sure all its files are set to save on the same hdd, and be able to hook it up to a different computer and it be ready to play? I know with older games like Warcraft 3, that was simple. But I'm think...world of Warcraft caliber. would love to play at work on days that I have nothing to do. Or heck is there a way I can just copy the program off my computer to the external and get it working that way?
 
WoW is so simple to do because it doesn't create registry entries. Just copy your world of warcraft folder directly onto your external HDD, click wow.exe (or launcher.exe) from your external hard drive, and it will start playing off it.

The only bad thing about it is loading times are much slower, but that can be expected. Once loaded though, everything is smooth as you like, just as if you were playing off your internal hard drive
 
Aastii said:
WoW is so simple to do because it doesn't create registry entries. Just copy your world of warcraft folder directly onto your external HDD, click wow.exe (or launcher.exe) from your external hard drive, and it will start playing off it.

The only bad thing about it is loading times are much slower, but that can be expected. Once loaded though, everything is smooth as you like, just as if you were playing off your internal hard drive
Click to expand...

I knew you'd be the one to answer. I just had to make sure. Like I said, older games are just the same. Everything is in one folder. But newer games are more extensive. Thanks for the answer!
 
Aastii said:
WoW is so simple to do because it doesn't create registry entries. Just copy your world of warcraft folder directly onto your external HDD, click wow.exe (or launcher.exe) from your external hard drive, and it will start playing off it.

The only bad thing about it is loading times are much slower, but that can be expected. Once loaded though, everything is smooth as you like, just as if you were playing off your internal hard drive
Click to expand...

Speed depends on the interface. USB or FireWire might be slower, eSata is faster, but ultimately it depends on how fast the external actually is.
 
linkin said:
Speed depends on the interface. USB or FireWire might be slower, eSata is faster, but ultimately it depends on how fast the external actually is.
Click to expand...

regardless, internal SATA is much faster than USB, FireWire or eSATA. I agree, it depends on the external speed, but pretty much no matter what, unless his internal is an ancient IDE drive or a low RPM green drive, load times will be slower. I've run it off an external before though, and honestly, it wasn't overly slow load times, you are talking at the absolute worst, 30 secs to load a zone. So far as actual performance, everything was great, even walking around the heavily populated cities
 
russb said:
Can CoD Black Ops be done the same Aastii.:)
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Unfortunately, no mate.

The WoW software is essentially freeware, you can distribute it all you like because unless you have a WoW subscription, you can't play it without breaking the TOS, so it doesn't create any registry entries as it has no need to, it is essentially a completely stand-alone program. BLOPs however is not freeware, you buy the game, you can play it. If someone was to share it, the person that got it would have the game illegally, basically pirating it.

Each BLOPs game has a unique serial key, which is stored in the registry, along with other information. Because when you install the game it creates these registry entries, if you were to install BLOPs onto an external drive then move it, the registry entries would be broke, and there wouldn't be any on the computer you move it to, so it would be broke on your computer and on the other computer. This is true for most games
 
Any tips on getting past the firewall at work? That's my only guess as to why it won't let me connect. Can't access It from anyway that I know how though
 
Google says you need SOCKS. I'm not very good with networking outside of settings up/managing home networks, so I really can't help you.

I'm also going to point out straight away, if you value your job, find a hobby that doesn't require so much work and altering of the system. I'm sure bypassing company security could be grounds for them laying you off. My advice - leave your WoW addiction for home and get a book or a gameboy...or motivation :P

And due to that, it is a sketchy topic about helping you get around your works firewall, so I won't I'm afraid
 
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It's not really that sketchy. The question is simply how can I get WoW to work on my computer. And I wouldn't be bypassing it, but simply adding an exception to it. But I suppose that's beside the point.

It's nothing I would get in trouble for. Even if I did, I don't value my job. If they fired me, I might just be a little excited. And motivation isn't an option. When there is no work to do, there just isn't any work to do.
 
What Aastii means is that it's against the forum rules for us to help you.
On top of that you're paid to work, not to game.
 
Aastii said:
regardless, internal SATA is much faster than USB, FireWire or eSATA.
Click to expand...
Are you sure? I mean if presented as ATI not SCSI? I am asking as I am not familiar with this issue. If I had a desktop I would be harder pressed for why I would even use eSATA. But as being a notebook user and eSATA being clearly more used I have not come across as you say by other users.

Like I said I am asking but I have great concern you have wiped with a broad brush. Talking of possibly an implementation of some manufacturers that with an older OS/Vista created performance issues that are in no way inherent with eSATA in and of itself.

I read it is the same it is not slower than internal if same gen SATA. Of course short of the "bad" implementation I refer to prior.:confused:
 
vroom_skies said:
What Aastii means is that it's against the forum rules for us to help you.
On top of that you're paid to work, not to game.
Click to expand...


That's debatable. But, with my respect for the mods, I'll leave it at that.

But really, on the weekends I am simply on-call. As in, I'm there in the event that I'm needed. And I rarely am.
 
vroom_skies said:
What Aastii means is that it's against the forum rules for us to help you.
On top of that you're paid to work, not to game.
Click to expand...

exactly, if it were not against the rules, I would say it is your risk, here are links, go work it out, but as that is not the case, by all means look it up, but you won't be able to receive further help from the forums regarding bypassing your works firewall

powerpack said:
Are you sure? I mean if presented as ATI not SCSI? I am asking as I am not familiar with this issue. If I had a desktop I would be harder pressed for why I would even use eSATA. But as being a notebook user and eSATA being clearly more used I have not come across as you say by other users.

Like I said I am asking but I have great concern you have wiped with a broad brush. Talking of possibly an implementation of some manufacturers that with an older OS/Vista created performance issues that are in no way inherent with eSATA in and of itself.

I read it is the same it is not slower than internal if same gen SATA. Of course short of the "bad" implementation I refer to prior.:confused:
Click to expand...

both eSATA and SATA have the same bandwidth of 3.0Gb/s (SATA 6 does, obviously, have greater) however, unless you are using an internal hard drive in an external caddy via eSATA, external hard drives generally do not have the performance that internal ones do
 
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