Launching the same client, multiple times...

[Gehere 8]

I used to be able to load the client several times.    Then I reinstalled my WoW client..   and now it won't do it.

 

When trying to open a second "instance of the client" it just hangs in a black window.

 

 

Did I miss something?

[Pottu 290]

it should still work. Is it possible that your Windows or Anti Virus or something else is blocking it?

[Ellipsea 36]

It might make a difference if you work from the wow.exe and not the launcher.exe. Worth a try.

Saw this explanation on battlenet:

I am able to run 2 instances of wow off the same install, on my quick launch bar i start wow for the first account, then i right click the icon and select wow and it opens a 2nd instance of the game, change the login name put in my password and boom 2 accounts up and running.

I suppose ultimately having two separate application folders would help too.

[Pottu 290]

Yes, you do need to start it from the WoW.exe and not the launcher.

Or you can use a custom multi-client launcher or the DPSMate launcher.

[Gehere 8]

Yes, you do need to start it from the WoW.exe and not the launcher.

Or you can use a custom multi-client launcher or the DPSMate launcher.

 

There is no "defensive" software preventing access.

 

I have tried enabling allowing multiple clients from the battlenet suggestion - no change.

 

I have tried running the wow.exe and the first client opens up just fine.   When launching the second client window, the program initiates just fine - but it never gets to the login screen.  It just goes black.

 

This used to work before I reinstalled my client.

 

Does it matter that I uninstalled World of Warcraft "genuine" installation?  I had it installed through battlenet, but I've never used it, so I uninstalled it.

 

I simply don't get it.

[Ellipsea 36]

Hm, I don't get it either then. If the current client you have works...it works. I'm wondering if there is something going on on your computer allocating memory to the application. Is there some type of bottleneck being created on your computer?

[Xyf 1]

Do you hear sound for the second instance? Try setting the graphics to windowed mode, maybe something happens and the second instance can't acquire full screen for some reason.

Edit , also might want to check the logs, for some hint if something goes wrong.

Edited November 22, 2016 by Xyf

[Ellipsea 36]

Yes xyf, I did read somewhere people had to mess around with the window modes. That may be the bottleneck. I hope you are correct.

Edited November 22, 2016 by Ellipsea

[Gehere 8]

Okay - so now it gets interesting.

 

I choose to try windowed mode.   First entry start up without any flaw what-so-ever.

 

Now - enabling windowed mode and launching a second entry I get this message:
World of Warcraft was unable to start up 3D accelleration.  Please make sure DirectX 9.0c is installed and your video drivers are up-to-date.

 

Remember this has worked.

 

I have updated my GFX drivers recently - to the newst version.   I appear to be unable to install DirectX 9.0c - as I am running Windows 10.

 

 

Now what?

[Ellipsea 36]

Now we're going to a completely different place ha. there's a ton of ways to mess with settings. start with the simplest one.

Right click on wow.exe. Select> troubleshoot compatibility. Select> try recommended settings. Select> start the Program.

Also, theres all kinds of stuff out there about win10 and directX.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/games_windows_10/windows-10-and-dirextx-90c/b116744d-73da-41e6-97ba-031212bf2606

[Ellipsea 36]

It looks like you can safely install directx 9 on top of whatever else you have too. Link on ths page.

https://www.itechtics.com/directx-full-setup-download/

I dunno. If you do that, throw away the WTF folder and see if it finds directx 9, but the config.file isn't going to repopulate without actually signing on to WoW somewhere.

[Xyf 1]

As Ellipsea said, try compatibility mode (win 7 first then win xp sp3 if it does not work) ( on the wow.exe , not on the laucher). Also I don't think you need to mess with directx files, as long as one instance can start, you know you have all it needs to work.

Have you checked <WoW folder>/logs/gx.log ? Does it say anything meaningful ?

[Ellipsea 36]

Yay, im reading all forms of Directx are in latest version even though it's not apparent they are there. Which is odd.

[Gehere 8]

Right so here is my problem.

 

I seem to have a "corrupt" config fil.

 

If I remove the file and let WoW launch without it - there is no issue what-so-ever.

 

Now - what in my config file, could prevent my game from launch several clients?

[Pottu 290]

Some graphics setting most likely. It must cause the first instance of the client to "hog" your display driver in a manner that the second instance of the client cannot initialize graphics.

 

Use the settings listed here: http://forum.nostalrius.org/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=1100

I use them with Win10 and have no problem having multiple clients open simultaneously.

[Ellipsea 36]

right on. You know what though, save your old setting just in case too. It could be one GX line, if Pottu's fix doesnt work.

Edited November 22, 2016 by Ellipsea

[Gehere 8]

It must be a GX Line, because Pottu's suggestion doesn't work either. Sorry, Pottu.

This is so annoying.

All I've done, is reinstalling my client.

How do we proceed from here?

[Ellipsea 36]

you know what? I'd recommend waiting for the stress test and throwing out your wtf folder and see how it repops for now. There's no super duper hurry as who knows how long it will take before we can actually play. I guarentee Pottu will still be here and I will too. Promise.

[cryofsorrow 5]

Have you tried using Sandboxie? I used that program long ago to open two instances of a game that couldn't do so by on it's own or didn't have a loader tool. Just remember that .wtf file configs, key bindings, macros, etc. configured in the second window is saved in Sandboxie's folder and you might want to transfer them over to your real folder after that. IIRC it can run only one additional instance.

[Ellipsea 36]

Cryofsorrow's plan looks good. Otherwise...

If you saved your original config file, copy and paste it.

I read somewhere else could be this one missing: Look for the file d3dx9_37.dll in the following folder C:\Windows\System32

If that ones gone, you need to either find that file or do a new download of DirectX. I know theres a place out there on the web somewheres that scans and just downloads the missing files, but I don't know where it is. : (

[Pottu 290]

If replacing your graphics settings with the stuff I linked didn't help, it means that the culprit is in your video card drivers. Do you have some sort of games profiling software that tweaks driver settings for each game? That could be it. Or perhaps a Steam/Discord overlay? The problem, based on your description, is clearly that the second client cannot initialise graphics. Meaning that somethings happens with the first client. Since it's not WoW's own graphics settings, it must be elsewhere.

 

Double check Windows display settings, nVidia/Radeon control panel, any "boosting" software, any overlay software.

[Xyf 1]

I don't understand what the problem is, if you figured out is a gx setting, just clear all gx* from config and reset then in game.

Do you have perhaps a monitor with >60Hz refresh? From what I know, mismatch of refresh rate and color depth from what is set on desktop will cause the DirectX init to fail (for windowed mode). Try to clear only gxRefresh gxDepthBits gxColorBits gxMultisampleQuality.

Edited November 24, 2016 by Xyf

[Gehere 8]

As asked, I looked for the file, and it is there.  So that's not it.

 

 

Here is my config file, in raw.

 

 

SET AmbienceVolume "0.69999998807907"
SET anisotropic "16"
SET cameraDistanceMaxFactor "2"
SET cameraYawMoveSpeed "180"
SET cameraYawSmoothSpeed "180"
SET detailDoodadAlpha "100"
SET DistCull "888"
SET farclip "777"
SET frillDensity "48"
SET fullAlpha "1"
SET gameTip "74"
SET Gamma "1.000000"
SET gxColorBits "24"
SET gxDepthBits "24"
SET gxFixLag "0"
SET gxMultisample "8"
SET gxMultisampleQuality "1.000000"
SET gxRefresh "60"
SET gxResolution "1920x1080"
SET gxTripleBuffer "1"
SET hwDetect "0"
SET lod "0"
SET lodDist "250"
SET M2UsePixelShaders "1"
SET mapObjLightLOD "2"
SET MasterVolume "0.5"
SET maxLOD "3"
SET minimapInsideZoom "0"
SET mouseSpeed "1"
SET movie "0"
SET movieSubtitle "1"
SET MusicVolume "0"
SET nearClip "0.33"
SET particleDensity "1"
SET pixelShaders "1"
SET profanityFilter "0"
SET readEULA "1"
SET readTOS "1"
SET realmList "<editted>"
SET realmName "<editted>"
SET scriptMemory "262144"
SET shadowLevel "0"
SET showLowDetail "0"
SET showShadow "1"
SET showSimpleDoodads "0"
SET SkyCloudLOD "1"
SET SkySunGlare "1"
SET SmallCull "0.010000"
SET SoundVolume "0.69999998807907"
SET specular "1"
SET statusBarText "1"
SET texLodBias "-1"
SET textureLodDist "777"
SET trilinear "1"
SET uiScale "0.83999997377396"
SET unitDrawDist "300"
SET UnitNameNPC "1"
SET waterParticulates "1"
SET waterRipples "1"
SET waterSpecular "1"
SET waterWaves "1"
SET weatherDensity "3"
SET minimapZoom "0"
SET lastCharacterIndex "5"
SET footstepBias "1.0"
SET timingModeOverride "2"
SET useUiScale "1"
SET spamFilter "0"
SET ChatBubblesParty "1"
SET UnitNameOwn "1"
SET guildMemberNotify "1"
SET CombatDamage "0"
SET EnableMusic "0"
SET cameraView "0"
SET accountName "<editted>"
SET gxMaximize "1"
SET DesktopGamma "1"
 

 

Let me know if you see anything suspicious.

[Xyf 1]

Like I said , remove lines:

SET gxRefresh "60" ( if you have your desktop refresh at >60Hz (e.g. a 120Hz monitor)

SET gxMultisample "8"
SET gxMultisampleQuality "1.000000"

[Gehere 8]

Like I said , remove lines:

SET gxRefresh "60" ( if you have your desktop refresh at >60Hz (e.g. a 120Hz monitor)

SET gxMultisample "8"

SET gxMultisampleQuality "1.000000"

 

 

What about this line, Xyf?

 

SET gxMaximize "1"