Boxing issue/need help with multiple dir install

docbeale · #1 01-03-2009, 12:46 AM

I've been reading forums for about 5 hours straight trying to get some answers and I'm just not sure what I'm doing wrong.

First and foremost, I guess i need help installing a second copy of EQ in a different directory. It really seems like this should be a simple task, but once I've installed the program, no matter what I've tried each time I mount the CD image I get the maintenance/remove screen. This is about the only thing I haven't been successful with on trying.

The exact problem I'm having is I can run EQ 1 boxed just fine, when I open a second session I can get to the server select screen, but it craps out when i try and go into a server. I've Tri-boxed on live from this comp, so i know its not a memory/specs issue. Some of the different way's I've tried it I get a bad image error. I've also seen a UI error.

As far as what I have tried, I've reinstalled this thing a dozen times or more, and its possible I'll have to strangle the next person that tells me to try and reinstall it. I've tried making a copy of the EQ dir and dumping in both my primary drive, and I've also tried dumping a copy of the EQ dir on my external drive, I can run either one of them solo, but not both at once. I've tried EQ windows/playnice with out luck.

I've explored the AMD fixes, but it appears to only be an issue with the duel core, and simply running XP/64 bit/3700+AMD/1GB ram. I realize thats not great, but I know it should be more than enough to get 2 boxes up with everything turned down to nothing in options.

Any thoughts?

docbeale · #2 01-03-2009, 01:28 AM

Tried running in compatibility 98 as well, still no luck.

aveneyer · #3 01-03-2009, 02:00 AM

More information needed. Specs / crash logs / where it stalls / wording of errors etc.

kiirdiir · #4 01-03-2009, 02:33 AM

You really do not need a second install. I can not tell you why you are running into problems but I can tell you that, using a single install and multiple login accounts, I have 5-boxed (Titanium & using WinEQ2) on less of a PC than yours.

I would try uninstalling EQ, making sure it is completely gone, then reinstall it and try boxing again.

demonstar55 · #5 01-03-2009, 09:34 AM

You need more than one account. Also I souls get WinEQ2 and set up a different eqclient.ini for each account, that's at least what I do

docbeale · #6 01-03-2009, 10:52 AM

I've tried reinstalling a bunch of times with no luck, and In my post i said i tried Eqwindows/playnice which i guess i should have been more specific, I'm using WinEQ2 that incorporates eq play nice from what I understand.

Well...I'm off to buy more ram on the off chance eqemu needs more memory than live.

Gonna throw some money at the problem....ugg

Can anyone tell me the steps i need to do to bypass the modify/remove screen when I'm trying to install EQ on in a second Dir?

Gonner · #7 01-03-2009, 12:40 PM

OK let me try to help here. For one you do not need to install EQ more than once. If you wish to have more than one location of the game just copy and paste the Sony or Everquest folder to another location. Unless you are putting it onto a second hard drive or using the second location for a server then you won't see any kind of increase from doing so. Now duplicating the directory you will need to make sure you create a second shortcut (or /Dir listing in Wineq2) so that you will use that one for the other account.

Another thing to note is for multiple characters to be logged in at one time you will need to have them on separate accounts.

Computer specs for EQ here are. 4200X2 2 gig ram and 512 vid. The max accounts I have run from it was 7, well until I zoned at which point things got bad.

demonstar55 · #8 01-03-2009, 01:38 PM

Just because you seemed to miss what I said and what gonner said YOU NEED MORE THAN ONE ACCOUNT as in one for each toon. 1 GB should be plenty to do 3 or so, I know my lappy yells that I'm running low of my 2 GB when I do like 6 toons

**Congdar** · #9 01-03-2009, 02:39 PM

That's interesting to know that you don't need more than one installation of Titanium to run multiple instances. I have never run more than one instance at a time, but I did want one folder for Emu and one for Live so this is how it's done.

Uninstall any Titanium you've been messing with and manually delete any left over files in \Program Files\Sony\Everquest\ folder so you can start fresh.

Install Titanium. Go to \Program Files\Sony\ and rename Everquest to something else, maybe EmuQuest so you have \Program Files\Sony\EmuQuest\

Put the Titanium disc in again and this time choose the Maintenance option and choose to Fix(not positive if it's 'Fix', it's been a while) and it will install a fresh \Program Files\Sony\Everquest\ folder.

Don' forget to edit the shortcuts for the Emulator verson.

There ya go!

demonstar55 · #10 01-03-2009, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Congdar

That's interesting to know that you don't need more than one installation of Titanium to run multiple instances. I have never run more than one instance at a time, but I did want one folder for Emu and one for Live so this is how it's done.

Uninstall any Titanium you've been messing with and manually delete any left over files in \Program Files\Sony\Everquest\ folder so you can start fresh.

Install Titanium. Go to \Program Files\Sony\ and rename Everquest to something else, maybe EmuQuest so you have \Program Files\Sony\EmuQuest\

Put the Titanium disc in again and this time choose the Maintenance option and choose to Fix(not positive if it's 'Fix', it's been a while) and it will install a fresh \Program Files\Sony\Everquest\ folder.

Don' forget to edit the shortcuts for the Emulator verson.

There ya go!

Yeah you'd need more than one if you are doing live and emu, but for boxing you just need one installtion, the only benifite you'd gain from more than one you can get from wineq2, which I stated in the first post I made in this thread and you save a lot of harddrive space

docbeale · #11 01-03-2009, 05:56 PM

Oh well, nm, I just said screw it and went and dropped a grand on a new box, if that doesn't correct my problems I'll probably just quit lol

demonstar55 · #12 01-03-2009, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by docbeale

Oh well, nm, I just said screw it and went and dropped a grand on a new box, if that doesn't correct my problems I'll probably just quit lol

... At least try what me and gonner said, it should correct your problem...

docbeale · #13 01-04-2009, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by demonstar55

... At least try what me and gonner said, it should correct your problem...

I had already tried that I'm afraid, when i go to the maintenance option, it doesn't let you actually install another copy. I've done it several times and it just replaces the main components of EQ. I also use winEQ2 that didn't help much either.

The good news though, my new comp has 4Gb ram and I'm boxing like a champ with all the settings maxed out! I'm going to turn them down only b/c they annoy me at full opacity, but I'm not convinced the comp needs it

Loccochris · #14 01-05-2009, 04:20 AM

What they said, I quad box with 1 install perfectly fine. I load new zones faster then most people do on 1 toon. Usually takes me about 2 seconds to zone. Granted I have a very high end system but again you only need 1 install.

As for you installing multiple copies here is your issue: Installing a game does 3 things. First it creates the directory and installs all the files. Second it installs any system files it needs such as physx or directx or even some dll files. Thirdly it then creates registry entries for this in your registry. Essentially a registry is like a directory telling the computer where things are located for the game and other things. Beyond this it is also the registry that makes the game show up in add/remove programs.

What you were doing is just moving or renaming the game directory however when you put the disc in it looks at the registry first to see if it is installed and that is why it was giving you some issues.

Now there are "good" games and "bad" games when it comes to registry checking. By this I mean some games are portable. Simply copy the entire game folder to your external usb stick and you can literally play it portably off any computer without needing to actually install it. This is because THESE GOOD games will use as default the install directory to the folder the .exe came from and you get no error as long as whatever directx or physics engine it may require are installed (most people already have the most common direct x installed.) So simply copying the directory is equivalent to a 2nd install. So this covers the basics for you when it comes to installs.

Now you need multiple accounts otherwise you will get booted many times at the login screens. With enough effort it is "possible" to run 2 chars from same account (don't remember if this was on SoD or here) but it is a bannable offense and shouldn't allow it either way. I remember when I first started playing that is what I did (might have been on SoD) because I didn't know any better and it actually worked so I was like "yay no need to register another" until I found out it wasn't allowed.

PS: Please tell me you bought a custom pc from a custom site such as ibuypower or cyberpc and not a Dell or HP....

My system:

Pentium Q9450 quad core at 4.0 ghz OC'd
ULTRA liquid cooled heat sink + fan on cpu
Asus Striker II Extreme MB with 1600 FSB Liquid cooled
SupremeFXII sound card (came with MB but not on board)
6 gigs of DDR3 2000mhz RAM
Nvidia 280 card with 1 gig DDR3 vid RAM
850 watt corsair PSU in Apevia Mid tower
500 gig HD

+ Lots of little extras (extra fans, neon cathode tube, round pro wiring, the works)

Total cost: $1200 + $500 for the vid card. Also bought a $500 24" widescreen HD monitor.

Point being I went with high end stuff and paid for it. You could have gotten a custom system that would be 10% slower then mine for less then 1k. Damn my 6 gigs of ram ran me $300 bucks. You could get DDR2 which is 5% slower 6 gigs = 50 bucks or less.

I will never understand why people buy pc's from stores or dell/hp/apple. Custom build, get 2x the power for less price. Get preformated HD stick a windows disc and your pc will run so much smoother with only what you install instead of the default adware and services you won't even use.

rant off: heh get carried away sometimes, I am very passionate about wanting people to get the most bang for their buck and opening their eyes. Don't get me started on labtops lol.

TetsuoK · #15 01-05-2009, 04:33 PM

Just Copy the directory via windows explorer.

1 step = easy.