What should I patch, unpatch, install?

[bariumdose]

I have IWD1 and also installed the v.1.06 patch. But I recently bought the HoW expansion. I heard that installing HoW onto a patched IWD1 can cause a lot of problems in gameplay. Do I have to uninstall IWD1 and its patch, the reinstall IWD1, and finally install HoW in order for HoW to work properly? Or can I simply install HoW over IWD1 plus patch and hope that HoW's patch overrides the v.1.06 patch?

I'm in the middle of the IWD1 game and I don't want to install any other expansions and patches that might erase my current saved game.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[Aerich]

I'm not sure where you wanted the response, so I'll put it here. The other thread has gone off topic a wee bit.

I'm 99.9% sure that you will have no ill effects from installing HoW over vanilla IWD and the v.1.06 patch. Successive patches in a sequence are designed to go over previous patches. Where difficulties arise is putting earlier patches over later patches, as myrophine found out when installing the 1.06 patch over the 1.41 patch in HoW. There should be no ill effects from installing HoW over the 1.06 patch.

All you need to do from a starting point of vanilla IWD + 1.06 patch is to install HoW then TotL. TotL contains the final patch, which includes all of the modifications made by previous patches plus a few more. You do not have to uninstall and reinstall IWD or get rid of the 1.06 patch in any manner. I recall reading a post by someone on one of the forums I visit that installed IWD, then the 1.06 patch, then HoW, then the 1.41 patch, then TotL. That is a redundant process, but to the best of my knowledge there were no ill effects.

I myself had vanilla IWD + the v.1.06 patch before buying HoW (as part of the Ultimate Collection). I installed HoW and TotL over top of the original installation with no troubles.

[bariumdose]

Thank you, Aerich, for taking a load off my chest! I bought HoW on eBay just a few days ago and was having a conniption fit over the thought of having to restart IWD all over in order to get new characters all leveled up under the HoW patch in order to play HoW and ToLM, etc. Thank you much!

Originally Posted by Aerich

I'm not sure where you wanted the response, so I'll put it here. The other thread has gone off topic a wee bit.

I'm 99.9% sure that you will have no ill effects from installing HoW over vanilla IWD and the v.1.06 patch. Successive patches in a sequence are designed to go over previous patches. Where difficulties arise is putting earlier patches over later patches, as myrophine found out when installing the 1.06 patch over the 1.41 patch in HoW. There should be no ill effects from installing HoW over the 1.06 patch.

All you need to do from a starting point of vanilla IWD + 1.06 patch is to install HoW then TotL. TotL contains the final patch, which includes all of the modifications made by previous patches plus a few more. You do not have to uninstall and reinstall IWD or get rid of the 1.06 patch in any manner. I recall reading a post by someone on one of the forums I visit that installed IWD, then the 1.06 patch, then HoW, then the 1.41 patch, then TotL. That is a redundant process, but to the best of my knowledge there were no ill effects.

I myself had vanilla IWD + the v.1.06 patch before buying HoW (as part of the Ultimate Collection). I installed HoW and TotL over top of the original installation with no troubles.

[Aerich]

You're welcome. If you want to make extra sure, you could back up your savegames (as you should if ever you have to reinstall). Just pop them back into the savegame folder and you're all set. Reinstalling never means you have to restart.

[bariumdose]

Thanks for the extra tip! Is the savegame folder hard to find? I've never had to back up my saved games.

Originally Posted by Aerich

You're welcome. If you want to make extra sure, you could back up your savegames (as you should if ever you have to reinstall). Just pop them back into the savegame folder and you're all set. Reinstalling never means you have to restart.

[Aerich]

Nope, not hard.

If you used the default installation folder when you installed (e.g. when it asked you where you wanted to put it and suggested a place, you didn't change it), you can use the following path to find it:

My Computer > Drive C: (or whatever designation your hard drive has) > Program Files > Black Isle > Icewind Dale > mpsave.

Alternately, you can search your program files for the folder 'mpsave' (E.g. Start > Run > input 'mpsave')

Just copy-paste them into another file (not one from Black Isle if you're reinstalling the whole thing, create a temporary file on your desktop) or onto a CD.

When you're done a reinstall, the mpsave folder will be empty. Merely copy-paste your previous saved games from your temporary folder or CD backup into the mpsave folder and you're set to go.

[bariumdose]

Terrific! Thanks for your help. I'm gonna make a copy before doing the HoW install. I don't want to have to go through the multiplying garnet gems dialogue again in order to get enuf coin to buy those magic weapons robes from Conlan and Orrick. My index finger is sore from all the rapid keystrokes!

Originally Posted by Aerich

Nope, not hard.

If you used the default installation folder when you installed (e.g. when it asked you where you wanted to put it and suggested a place, you didn't change it), you can use the following path to find it:

My Computer > Drive C: (or whatever designation your hard drive has) > Program Files > Black Isle > Icewind Dale > mpsave.

Alternately, you can search your program files for the folder 'mpsave' (E.g. Start > Run > input 'mpsave')

Just copy-paste them into another file (not one from Black Isle if you're reinstalling the whole thing, create a temporary file on your desktop) or onto a CD.

When you're done a reinstall, the mpsave folder will be empty. Merely copy-paste your previous saved games from your temporary folder or CD backup into the mpsave folder and you're set to go.