One WoW directory or multiple

[Blokus]

Is there a definitive answer to whether its better to run multiple toons out of one WoW directory or run each toon from it's own directory?

[yarr]

multiple if you have the space, IMO.

Allows me to save video settings and customize their interface, as well as not having to retype all the account names.

[kllrwlf]

Different directories for different video settings and interface.

On different hard drives, for faster hard drive reads... (in theory).

[Zseth]

In my latest machine, I stacked 3 125GB 12,000 RPM HD's on each other with the game installed on each. MUCH BETTER PERFORMANCE!!!

[Wilbur]

FFS.

One Copy of WoW.

Increased performance from load times and texture loading.

Reason? Cache, on your CPU, RAM and HARD DRIVE.

This is basic computing knowledge guys.

[Remote]

Yes, I agree 100% with Wilbur. There is no reason to have multiple copies.
If logging in is the issue, then write a script that does it for you. I'm pretty sure that does not violate the EULA.

[Wilbur]

Actually, it does.

[Remote]

Well tough then, I guess. Haha.

[Xzin]

FFS.

One Copy of WoW.

Increased performance from load times and texture loading.

Reason? Cache, on your CPU, RAM and HARD DRIVE.

This is basic computing knowledge guys.

I am going to disagree. In theory, what you are arguing makes sense. But in practice, I disagree as to the extent those caches make a difference for WoW. Only testing will reveal what is truly best and there are a lot of variables to consider. I do reserve the right to be wrong about this as I have not tested software setups very well.

[Remote]

I have only tested this subjectively(as in I don't have numbers), but 5 clients running from separate directories is significantly slower. Especially in Shattrath...oh god.
Though I would like to set video settings individually for each character, the performance I would have to give up in the process is far from worth it. Just my experience and opinion, of course.

[Toned]

I've tested this a bit and I have to agree 1 directory = the wins.

[Eteocles]

If you have to change settings on alts to get better fps, or are using more than 1 class, multiple directories for diff settings and UI.

If you're just running 1 class, as I am, stick with 1 dir to save space and share cache :p

[banksie]

This was of interest to me as i'm just setting up my 5-box on 1 pc. I'm guessing i'll try running from 2 directories, 1 for my main and other 4 from the second 1 as they'll be using same UI and video settings. Should work?

[Wilbur]

It should :-)

Personally I'd advocate using a seperate drive for each WoW directory. Or having them on a sexy Raid array :-)

/me is blagging some 15KRPM Ultra SCSI's from work.

[Los]

But then again, wilbum, you should be gagged and locked in a basement?

Normally you would be so right, since you are running 4 games, games as in reading stuff from hdd's. Hdd's need interupts, hdds have no endless arms on them, so theoritcly it prolly would be faster from one folder (though I prefer saying 1 instance).

Then again, most of the basic wow files are based in big mpq files. How does your game respond to this file being opened and addressed/read by 1/2/3/4 or even 5 processes at the same time? Small margin for error? Too bad I dont know the specifics on this, but as far as I believe we have some hardcore pro's on this board who perhaps, can explain a bit more.

Practicly? Make one for each wow, period. For video settings, everything. Normal hdd drives out in the open right now are fast enough to react timely to your gaming needs and you wont know a thing. Wow speed is 90% based on cpu/mem and not on the size, er i mean speed of your hdd.

(did I mention a basement and a gag for wilbur?)

[Xzin]

IMHO, get 5 SATA solid state drives :)

Better yet, run all 5 from a raided DRAM based array :)

That is what I would do.

It wouldn't be cheap.

But hot damn it would be fast.

[Wilbur]

Then again, most of the basic wow files are based in big mpq files. How does your game respond to this file being opened and addressed/read by 1/2/3/4 or even 5 processes at the same time? Small margin for error? Too bad I dont know the specifics on this, but as far as I believe we have some hardcore pro's on this board who perhaps, can explain a bit more.

Texture's should all be loaded around the same time. If you use a seperate hard disk, which only has 1 instance of WoW on it, you'll benefit from having a buffer full of data to read.


Practicly? Make one for each wow, period. For video settings, everything. Normal hdd drives out in the open right now are fast enough to react timely to your gaming needs and you wont know a thing. Wow speed is 90% based on cpu/mem and not on the size, er i mean speed of your hdd.

Your load times are affected though, texture loading and changing between instances. On some systems this'll be painfully slow. As far as keeping settings custom, yes, this is hugely advantageous if you are anal about all your characters having diffrent settings/layouts/etc.


(did I mention a basement and a gag for wilbur?)

:-( You just want me as your gimp.

[Otlecs]

If you don't need multiple installations, go with one. If you don't know if you need multiple installations, go with one until you find a compelling reason to change.

I usually run 1:1 copies of WoW to machines, but I only have four screens immediately in front of me, so when I five box alone I do run two on one machine.

For that machine, I chose to have separate installations for the flexibility of keybindings and to avoid any possible contention when writing the shared cache files, having heard anecdotal evidence of problems there.

Load time is trivial, and not noticeably slower than my other machines to be honest. Entering an instance sees them all pop in at pretty much the same time.

But see my first paragraph :)

[Wilbur]

You mean like this Xzin?

http://www.violin-memory.com/products/violin1010.html

:-D

[Xzin]

Please. I was thinking more like this:

http://www.superssd.com/products/ramsan-500/

http://www.superssd.com/images/500-small.jpg

The World's Fastest Storage™
Cached Flash RAID for the Enterprise.
1TB to 2TB Flash RAID.
16GB to 64GB DDR Cache.
100,000 random I/Os per second sustained (reads from flash).
2 GB per second sustained bandwidth (to flash).
Full array of hardware redundancy to ensure availability.

Or this:

http://www.superssd.com/products/tera-ramsan/

http://www.superssd.com/images/tera-ramsan_double_density.jpg

Up to 1 Terabyte of non-volatile DDRRAM in 24U.
Unlimited overall capacity
Over 3.2 million random I/O requests per second.
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Up to 512 physical LUNs.
Requires 2,500 watts of power.
Up to 8 independent non-volatile solid state disks (SSD) modules. Each SSD module is a RamSan-400, including 128 GB of DDRRAM and up to eight 4-Gbit Fibre Channel connections or four 4x InfiniBand ports.

More practical though?

http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/11/07/hyperdrive_4_redefines_solid_state_storage/

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x45/Xzin-WoW/hyperdrive-box.jpg