Support Forum Agent
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Edited by Dankorii on 1/3/12 5:41 PM (PST)
Introduction
The first step when facing any error or crash is to close down WoW and remove the WTF, Cache and Interface folders from the World of Warcraft game directory. These folders contain temporary data and frequently altered files that may have become corrupted. This will also remove any custom UI's that may contribute to the problem as well. You can move these folders to the desktop or another directory if you wish to retain the data, however for now please start WoW without those folders present. The information below is a compilation of various crashes and errors that users may experience while playing World of Warcraft. The examples used may not be identical to an error that may be experienced, but if the information looks similar, the steps listed may apply. Keep in mind that even though your error message may match closely to what is listed below, the actual cause and ultimate resolution may be quite different from what is contained here. If you find that the below information does not assist with your specific error, it is recommended that your contact us by opening a support ticket at https://us.battle.net/support/en/ticket/submit or by creating your own thread. While the Technical Support forum offers a good place to obtain new information and discuss common errors with other users, it should not be seen as a means of directly troubleshooting complex issues with a Blizzard Representative. For that kind of assistance, you may call our Accounts & Technical Services number. Our contact information can be found at http://blizzard.com/support/article/cs Common Errors Index: 1. Error 1 at the launcher - http://tinyurl.com/6omrje8 2. Error 132 - http://tinyurl.com/78qzalu 3. Error 134 caused by file corruption - http://tinyurl.com/6wtzj5b 4. Error 134 caused by firewalls/security programs - http://tinyurl.com/886pxva 5. I click "Play" and nothing happens - http://tinyurl.com/8xsuqbh 5. "Not enough storage to complete this command" - http://tinyurl.com/8xa8dhx 6. "Failed to find a suitable display device" - http://tinyurl.com/732x8aq 7. Black screen crashes/freezes - http://tinyurl.com/8585g3b 8. System hardlock/softlock - http://tinyurl.com/6tgkw89 Common Patching Issues Index: 1. "Launcher cannot obtain patching information" - http://tinyurl.com/7k5k69l 2. "Launcher Requires Write Permissions to Registry Key" - http://tinyurl.com/8a4qfl4 3. "Waiting for files to close" - http://tinyurl.com/6pkzcjk 4. "Failed to apply patch" - http://tinyurl.com/784ghv5 5. Could not initialize storage. You may not have permission to write to the destination path. - http://tinyurl.com/78tn4xh 6. "Play button" is grayed out and nothing downloads - http://tinyurl.com/72n7m2p |
#1
12/29/2011
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Support Forum Agent
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Edited by Dankorii on 1/10/12 12:43 PM (PST)
Error 1 at the launcher
This is a generic error message that the World of Warcraft Launcher displays when it fails to start up. Example: This application has encountered a critical error: ERROR #1 (0x13370001) Fatal Exception Program: D:\Program Files\World of Warcraft\Launcher.exe The instruction at "0x004439A4" referenced memory at "0x051EFC94". The memory could not be read. Please follow the steps below: 1. The Launcher is closely tied to Internet Explorer settings. Ensure all Windows Updates have been done, including Service Packs and Internet Explorer updates (specifically, Internet Explorer 8). Windows XP: Be sure you have all the available updates from: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ Windows Vista/7: Click on the Windows/Start button and enter "Windows Update" into the search field. When that window opens, click Install Updates. 2. Check LAN Settings by opening Internet Explorer (other browsers will not work for this step). Go to Tools, then Internet Options. On the Connections tab, click "LAN settings" and make sure all options in that window are unchecked. 3. The Launcher has multiple Flash images that load when it starts up. Older versions of Flash Player can interfere with the Launcher loading properly. Ensure all Adobe Flash updates have been done. If you are unsure which version of Flash Player you have installed, download the latest version at http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer 4. On rare occasions malware or viruses can interfere with the Launcher, because they frequently target web browsers like Internet Explorer. The Launcher relies on Internet Explorers settings, and if those settings become corrupted the Launcher can fail to start up. Make sure you get the latest updates from your malware and anti-virus manufacturers, then scan your system. For additional information and links to some anti-virus software please visit our Computer Security page: http://us.blizzard.com/support/article.xml?locale=en_US&articleId=30794 5. Try uninstalling the game then deleting the entire install folder from the hard drive. Once you have done this, reinstall the game and try it again. Re-establishing the data files this way can resolve general this error in many cases. |
#2
12/29/2011
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Support Forum Agent
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Edited by Dankorii on 12/29/11 7:32 PM (PST)
Error 132
The Error 132 is a vague error message that is reported when something went wrong that was unexpected and not previously documented. This error can exist due to the actual code being faulty or system instability. This was the first type of error that was created when WoW was made. The other types of errors in this thread were once Error 132s before they were isolated and separated as to their individual causes. Please follow the steps listed here to begin troubleshooting the Error 132 : http://us.blizzard.com/support/article.xml?articleId=21027 If you are still encountering this error we will need to see the complete error log. The error will have created a text file in the World of Warcraft\Errors folder. Please locate the most recent error file there and copy and paste the contents in a new thread. It is important to note that Error 132s should not be grouped up with other people's 132 as most are different. A solution for someone may not apply to you. Here's the basic anatomy of an Error 132: Header ============================================================================== Information you can get out of it: 1. Version of the game that crashed. The crash log shows the build. It's important to make sure that you're on the latest build as some of these crashes will happen if you try to log into the game with an old build. 2. Path of the game - just in case you need to know where the game is installed. 3. The Instruction at 0xYYYYYYYY. This is the thing that crashed. You can search for the Y value alone (omit 0x) to see what thread it is in. Ideally you want to crash in wow.exe as that's the game that crashed. - If you see a driver file, it means that either the driver itself did something that the game did not expect or you have a bad game setting. - If you see a system file, it means that either a driver interacting with that system file or the system file itself is bad. Try updating Windows from Windows Update, any drivers that are out of date or use the sfc /scannow utility to check your Windows system files. 4. Referenced memory at 0xYYYYYYYY - This is useful when you're comparing your crash with another person. Generally it's the same crash if #3 points to the same file in the thread, and #4 is identical. If any are different, you have a different crash. Near-top section WoWBuild: 13205 Information you can get out of it: 1. Realm IP address 2. Where your character was at 3. Any addons if the game crashed while doing an addon function 4. Game settings (if posting a log, make sure to remove your account information from it) Mid-section ---------------------------------------- Information you can get out of it: 1. Video mode that the game is running on. Direct3D 9, Direct3D 11 or OpenGL 2. Video card capabilities being used 3. Video card information Mid-section
Information you can get out of it: 1. The game runs on a lot of different tasks. These are split into threads. The memory address from the top part will match to one of these threads. Bottom-section
Information you can get out of it: Things that are running while World of Warcraft crashed. Generally the top 10-15 are relevant while the rest are just extras that can be ignored. Last section
Information you can get out of it: 1. Not too much without developer tools. Your best bet is to skim the right-side of it and look for anything that looks like English or a URL. Sometimes it contains a copy of the error message and that's ok. If it contains a URL or contains your username/password, that's from a keylogger. If it contains addon-like talk, it's probably an addon that crashed you. |
#3
12/29/2011
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Support Forum Agent
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Edited by Dankorii on 12/29/11 7:34 PM (PST)
Error 134 caused by file corruption
There are two main types of error 134. The most common ones are caused by file corruption. Here's an example of a 134 error caused by file corruption: ============================================================================== As you can see from the bold text in the details of the error log, the file that is causing the error is actually stated in the error log itself. To resolve this kind of error 134 you would do the following: 1. Locate the corrupted file in the World of Warcraft folder 2. Delete the corrupted file 3. Run the repair utility located in the World of Warcraft folder 4. Run the launcher and let the deleted file be re-downloaded ***If you are on Windows Vista or 7, remember to run the launcher as admin by right clicking on the WoW icon and selecting "Run as admin"*** Once the launcher says that the World of Warcraft folder is up to date you can go ahead and click on the "Play" button and test out the game. Example of how to resolve the above error: You will also want to keep in mind that there may be more than one file corrupted. If that's the case you will be doing the same steps, except for deleting multiple files rather than just one. Here's an example of an error log that has multiple corrupted files:
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#4
12/29/2011
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Support Forum Agent
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Edited by Dankorii on 12/29/11 7:34 PM (PST)
Error 134 caused by firewalls/security programs
Here's an example of a 134 error caused by a firewall: ============================================================================== In this type of 134 error you can see from the bold text that a file failed to open, which then led to the crash. One way to resolve this is to temporarily disable your security software and firewall. If that doesn't work you may need to reconfigure some settings. Many firewall and security applications will recognize the game as a new program after it has been patched and therefore must be reconfigured. The easiest method of doing this would be by entering your security software/firewall settings and removing any previous settings you had for the game. After you have removed these settings start up WoW. When you re-launch the game, your security program should prompt you to allow the game access to the internet or not, select yes in this case. If you need assistance with configuring your specific security program/firewall, please contact the software manufacturer directly. |
#5
12/29/2011
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Support Forum Agent
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Edited by Dankorii on 1/3/12 5:30 PM (PST)
I click on "Play" and nothing happens
This issue tends to occur most commonly after a patch, and the causes of the issue tend to vary. If the troubleshooting presented here does not resolve your issue, please feel free to start your own forum thread for further assistance. Here are the more common solutions for this issue: 1. Make sure that you are running the World of Warcraft launcher as admin 1. Right click the program icon and choose the properties option 2. Select the compatibility tab from the window that appears 3. Push the "Change settings for all users" button at the bottom of the new options 4. Under privilege level, check the box to run this program as administrator 5. Once finished setting your options, click Apply to accept the changes 2. Make sure that your version of Windows is fully up to date By using the "Windows Update" option in the Start menu, make sure you are on the latest service pack for your version of Windows, and that you have all critical updates installed. 1. Go to the start menu 2. Click on "All Programs" 3. Click on "Windows Updates" 3. Be sure to check any security software that you have installed. Unfortunately, many security programs (Norton, McAfee, etc) can misinterpret what your launcher is doing after a patch, and will choose to shut it down when you press "Play" instead of allowing it to continue. There are two different ways we can resolve this issue. Please read through the choices below and select the the one that works best for you: 1. Typically, an interfering security program can be reconfigured to not block the launcher. Due to the myriad number of security programs on the market, we are unable to assist with the reconfiguration process. However, if you need assistance modifying your security program then the manufacturer of the program should be able to assist you in doing so. 2. Alternatively, you can temporarily uninstall your security programs until the game is fully patched and playable. Be advised that some security programs on the market (Norton and McAfee in particular) require the running of special "removal tools" in addition to a regular uninstallation. These "removal tools" can be found on that particular company's website. Failure to use a removal tool will result in fragments of the program remaining on your system, which in turn will likely cause the issue to continue. Whether you choose to reinstall the same security program or try a different one that may be more gaming friendly, we do not advise leaving your system unprotected for long. 4. Killer Network Interface Card by Bigfoot Networks We have determined another cause of this issue with the launcher to be a compatibility problem with the Killer Network Manager software and a recent version of the WoW Launcher.Bigfoot Networks has released an updated version of the Killer Network Manager that resolves this issue. Please visit http://www.bigfootnetworks.com/support/index.php?_m=downloads&_a=view and choose the appropriate software for your device. |
#6
12/29/2011
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Support Forum Agent
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Edited by Dankorii on 12/29/11 7:13 PM (PST)
"Not enough storage to complete this command"
These errors are caused by various circumstances where the game runs out of RAM or storage on a particular file. Please keep in mind that World of Warcraft is a 32-bit program so it is limited to 2 GB of RAM as the maximum. If you're running many addons, please try removing those. If you're using very high settings or used script commands to go beyond the video/audio slider values, please revert those back to the default values.
This particular error will happen if your cache files are corrupted. Most often this error can be resolved by just removing the Cache folder that is inside the World of Warcraft folder. Delete that folder and try to run WoW again. If deleting the Cache folder does not resolve the issue, try Deleting the WTF, Cache, and Interface folders. |
#7
12/29/2011
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Support Forum Agent
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"Failed to find a suitable display device"
This error usually indicates one of two things, there is no video driver installed or the driver that is installed is corrupted. To resolve this issue you will first want to make sure that the video card is compatible with WoW. Here's a link to our video card compatibility table: http://us.battle.net/support/en/article/supported-video-cards-for-world-of-warcraft If your computer does not meet the requirements, we unfortunately cannot support the game on this system. If you do meet the system requirements, you will most likely just need to install the newest drivers available. If you know what video card came with the system you can find the newest drivers at the video card manufacture's website. Here's a couple of links to the Nvidia, AMD, and Intel driver sites: Nvidia: http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us AMD: http://www.amd.com/us/Pages/AMDHomePage.aspx Intel: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/default.aspx ***If you are on a laptop, you may need to download the drivers from the system manufacture's site to avoid any compatibility issues*** |
#8
12/29/2011
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Support Forum Agent
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Black screen crashes/freezes
There are generally two different types of black screen crashes. The first will occur when launching the game and may be caused by unsupported hardware or outdated drivers. If your system meets the requirements, and your drivers are current, please make sure the version of DirectX you have installed is 9.0c or higher. The lastest DirectX version for Windows XP is 9.0c. The latest DirectX version for Windows Vista and 7 is 11. To test and obtain the DXDIAG information, please follow the instructions below: Important Note: Please reboot your system prior to creating the dxdiag and files. 1. Click on Start. 2. Click on Run. 3. Type in DXDIAG and press Enter or click OK, this will open the DirectX diagnostic tool. If you're on Windows XP, run the DirectDraw, Direct3D and DirectSound tests found under the Display and Sound tabs before creating the dxdiag.txt file. If you're on Windows Vista or 7, just create the dxdiag.txt file. 4. Click on the Save All Information Button (save this file to your windows desktop and name it dxdiag). The second type of black screen crash occurs during Gameplay. There are a number of possible causes that include, inadequate cooling, using an insufficient power supply, malfunctions within the video card, or improper powering of newer video cards. Disabling AGP Fastwrites or changing the AGP aperture settings in the BIOS (we do not recommend BIOS changes unless a technician is present) has corrected the issue in some cases. Some UIs may also cause the crash and deleting the Cache, WTF, and Interface folders located in the game directory on your hard drive may correct the issue. |
#9
12/29/2011
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Support Forum Agent
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Edited by Dankorii on 12/29/11 7:50 PM (PST)
System hardlock/softlock
A Hard Lock, which refers to all input being ignored and having to shut the computer down manually, can be the result of many issues. Please check this page for basic troubleshooting: http://us.blizzard.com/support/article.xml?locale=en_US&articleId=21020 Another possibility is that the system RAM may be faulty, is incompatible with other RAM in the system, or was not configured properly through the BIOS after installation. Please run a test, such as the one linked below, to check the RAM for errors. http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp It is also recommended that if you have installed new or additional RAM that you contact your motherboard and RAM manufacturers to obtain the correct settings to operate the RAM you have installed properly. Soft locks will not require a reboot. The mouse cursor should still function and the use of ALT+TAB should allow you to exit the program. You can also try Alt+F4 to exit the game. |
#10
12/29/2011
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Support Forum Agent
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Edited by Dankorii on 1/5/12 2:03 PM (PST)
"Launcher cannot obtain patching information"
There are a few different causes to this error. Below you will find the known solutions for this launcher error. I. University or Public Network If you are connecting to the game using a public connection such as the ones found on school campuses or hotels, there is a good chance that they have a network firewall that is blocking the ports that WoW uses in order to connect. Unfortunately, the only way to get those ports opened would be to get in touch with the Network Admin or IT Department in charge of that firewall. If they are willing to open up those ports, you will want to forward them the following link so that they will have the port information available to them: http://us.battle.net/support/en/article/unable-to-connect-using-a-firewall-router-or-proxy II. Check that your Internet options are configured properly 1. Go to the Control Panel and open up Internet Options. 2. Click on the "Connections" tab. 3. Click on the button labeled "LAN Settings". 4. Uncheck all of the options on that screen and click on "OK". Once the steps above have been done, try the launcher again. III. Permissions Issues This issue can occur if the launcher detects that the Windows user does not have enough permissions. To resolve this on a Windows XP system you will want to make sure that you are currently logged into admin account. If you are on Windows 7 or Vista, you should try running the launcher as admin by right clicking on the launcher icon and selecting "Run as admin". IV. Running the launcher in safe mode with networking options Some background applications can interfere with the launcher, specially when there is new patch data that needs to be downloaded. An easy way to bypass these background applications is by running the launcher in safe mode with networking options. Safe mode is a form of your Windows operating system, which uses the least amount of programs needed in order for Windows to run. This significantly minimizes the risk of a background application interfering with the launcher. Here's how to get into safe mode: http://us.blizzard.com/support/article/21148 V. Security software When a new patch releases, security software and software firewalls tend to be the number one cause for a game not being able to patch properly. There are a few things that can be done to get around this issue. 1. The easiest thing to try would be to temporarily disable any security programs and their firewalls. Once that is done, attempt to run the launcher again. 2. If disabling the security software did not help, you should try reconfiguring the exceptions list of the security software to fully allow any World of Warcraft executables. To do this, you would basically want to remove and re-add the executables from the exceptions list. Removing and re-adding the executables from the list should allow for the security software to recognize the new versions that were downloaded, and allow the patch to go through without any issues. Here's a list of the executables that should be allowed: Wow.exe Launcher.exe Repair.exe Blizzard Updater.exe BackgroundDownloader.exe ***If you are not comfortable or familiar with how to reconfigure the exceptions list, you should contact the software manufacture for assistance to ensure that this is done properly.*** 3. Lastly, if all else fails, you may need to temporarily uninstall your security software in order for the patch to go through properly. I know this may not sound like a good idea because it can leave your system vulnerable, but keep in mind that as long as you are just downloading the patch, and not going online while this is happening, there shouldn't really be a problem. Once the game is patched and you can login without any issues, you are more than welcome to reinstall your security software. Another thing to keep in mind is that a lot of security programs have their own uninstall tool available on their site that makes sure all files from that software are removed properly. Before uninstalling through the control panel, you should run a search online to see if there is a removal tool available. I know that McAfee and Norton have a removal tool available. Seeing as how those are two of the most common security software available here are links to where those tools can be downloaded: McAfee: http://service.mcafee.com/FAQDocument.aspx?id=TS100507 Norton: https://www-secure.symantec.com/norton-support/jsp/help-solutions.jsp?lg=english&ct=united+states&docid=20080710133834EN&product=home&version=1&pvid=f-home If you have a different program installed, just run a search for the name of the program and add "removal tool". For example, if I was looking for a removal tool for Kaspersky Internet Security, I'd run a search for "Kaspersky Removal Tool". |
#12
1/3/2012
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Support Forum Agent
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Edited by Dankorii on 1/4/12 7:54 PM (PST)
"Launcher Requires Write Permissions to Registry Key"
There are two main causes for this error. 1. This error will occur if you are running the Launcher in some form of compatibility mode. Please right-click the Launcher (or shortcut), click Properties, click the Compatibility tab and then uncheck the Compatibility mode box. 2. This error can also occur after a system restore or if you attempted to install an older version of WoW over a newer one. In both of these cases the only solution is to uninstall and reinstall the game client. After you have uninstalled the client, you will want to make sure that there are no left over files. You can check these locations for any leftover WoW files: C:\Documents and Settings\<YourName>\Local Settings\Temp C:\Windows\Temp Select and Delete these folders if they exist. C:\Program Files\World of Warcraft C:\Program Files (x86)\World of Warcraft C:\Program Files\Common Files\Blizzard Entertainment C:\Users\Public\Games\World of Warcraft C:\Users\Public\Public Documents\Blizzard Entertainment\World of Warcraft\ Here's the link where you can download the new client: https://us.battle.net/account/download/index.xml |
#13
1/3/2012
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Support Forum Agent
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Edited by Dankorii on 1/3/12 7:24 PM (PST)
"Waiting for files to close"
If you are getting the message "Waiting for files to close" please try the following steps to manually close any running game files. You will need to perform these steps while you are getting the "Waiting" message. First, start the Windows Task manager, to do this bring up a Run Window by holding the Windows Key on your keyboard and pressing the R key, and type TASKMGR into the run Window and click OK. Make sure the Applications tab toward the top left is the active tab by clicking on it, then check through the list of files and search for any programs starting with the name "World of Warcraft", click on these and click on the End Task button to close them. If there are no programs with "World of Warcraft" in the name in the list, next click on the Processes tab towards the top of the window. Now check in this list for any files named WoW.exe, Launcher.exe, Repair.exe, or BackgroundDownloader.exe. If any exist, highlight these by single clicking on them, then click the End Process button. The files listed are World of Warcraft and the launcher, and once these are closed the patching process should be able to proceed as normal. |
#14
1/3/2012
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Support Forum Agent
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Edited by Dankorii on 1/4/12 7:13 PM (PST)
"Failed to apply patch"
This error usually shows up when there is a patch that needs to be applied, but the launcher has been bypassed. Security software can also cause for this message to show up. The first thing that you would want to do is ensure that the launcher is being used to start up the game. We do not recommend bypassing the launcher because the launcher does some special security checks to help keep the game client safe. If you are bypassing the launcher because that is the only way to get into the game, you should try to fix the launcher before even considering to bypass it. Security programs can also cause this issue. If you feel that this issue may be due to security programs interfering with the launcher please check out this thread for more information on how to possibly resolve this: us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/3840664036#12 |
#15
1/3/2012
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Support Forum Agent
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Edited by Dankorii on 1/4/12 7:37 PM (PST)
Could not initialize storage. You may not have permission to write to the destination path.
This error is normally caused by permissions issues. For Windows XP users, make sure that you are logged into Windows on an admin account. For Windows 7/Vista users, ensure that you are running the launcher as admin by right clicking on the launcher icon and selecting "Run as admin". |
#16
1/3/2012
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Support Forum Agent
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Edited by Dankorii on 1/3/12 7:58 PM (PST)
"Play" button is grayed out and nothing downloads
This issue is usually caused by security programs or firewalls. 1. Try temporarily disabling what ever security programs and firewalls you have installed 2. If that doesn't work you may need to reconfigure your security software or firewall to allow WoW. To do this you would just need to remove and re-add some of the World of Warcraft executables from the exceptions list. Here's a list of executables that should be allowed in your security program and firewall: Wow.exe Launcher.exe BackgroundDownloader.exe Repair.exe Blizzard Updater.exe ***If you are not comfortable reconfiguring your software or firewall you should contact the software/firewall manufacture for assistance.*** 3. If that doesn't help, you may need to temporarily uninstall the security software and/or firewall. This may not sound like the best idea, but some programs are just not made to be temporarily disabled, which leaves this as the only option. As long as you are only patching the game and not accessing the internet you should be fine. Once the game is fully patched and you are able to log in, you are more than welcome to reinstall your security software. 4. If the issue still persists, there may be a network firewall in place that you cannot access from your system. These can usually be found if you are connecting from a school network, hotel, or any other public network. The only way to resolve this would be to contact the network admin or IT department to see if they can allow the ports that WoW uses in their firewall. Here's a link to the list of ports in case it needs to be forwarded to an admin: http://us.battle.net/support/en/article/unable-to-connect-using-a-firewall-router-or-proxy |
#17
1/3/2012
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