Why is everyone talking about how great this program runs with WindowsVista? Has no one ever reinstalled that game in WindowsVista and tried to patch it -- after installing from DVD -- to the current version?

Yes, it may run great -- if your graphic cards manufacturer is able to provide you with a driver that performs in 3D as good under WindowsVista as it does under WindowsXP.

But the design of WordOfWarcraft is not compatible with WindowsVista security at all. Hell, the design does not even respect design rules of WindowsXP.

Heres why:

1) Patching
Patching is done through downloading an executable file into the program directory => no biggy under WindowsXP but a big no no under WindowsVista as User Account Crontrol and the file system security will prevent such a behavior.
Anyone tried to patch WOW from Version 2.0 to 2.0.3 via that ZIP file patch? No? Please try and you understand what I am trying to describe.

2) Configuration Data
Also bad program design is configuration data which is stored inside the program directory. That kind of information should be present in the user home directory and not in some sub-directory of the program directory.
Result? Every user playing the game needs not only executable access but also needs full access (read + write + execute) for altering files inside a sub-directory of the program directory.

I just installed game in Windows Vista and there were no problems at all. Its running just fine - like it did under Windows XP

To the poster that complains about the issues with WOW. You must have a bad install of Vista, I did a clean install of Vista with a clean install of WOW from the DVD, patched it, and played it with 0 problems.

As to the game "config data" breaking the rules, this game came out before Windows Vista, WELL before Windows Vista.

Vista totally hosed the graphics in WoW. It will randomly cause my screen to freakout and throw graphic "remnants" all over the place like a lightning storm. It also killed sound in the game too.

Can sometime get a toon to load.
Games starts 1/5th of the time.
Can't update.
If any mods, crashes when loading toon.
Weird graphic issues while playing.
Big sound issues.
This game is not working for me at all.

Issues here as well... Game installs, patches ok but due to either an issue with Vista or drivers, it cuts my FPS in half, sometimes even more. Under XP I consistently get 55-60 FPS and in Vista 20-30 FPS. Load times for characters has also doubled. All this with a fresh install of Vista.

Intel 925 3Ghz Dual Core
Nvidia 7600GT
1 GB RAM
Seagate 320GB 16MB SATA2 HD
Vista Home Premium

After installing Vista, a clean install, upgrading my graphics drivers and all other drivers that I need, I installed WoW. First annoyance is the patching issue. Once downloaded you need to go to the program folder find the downloaded patch, right click and choose install as administrator. Its a pain. Second once the game is up and running, I've noticed a dramatic reduction in FPS. My computer lags something fierce. Its so very annoying. I've tried lowering all the detail and resolution settings, but that doesn't work.

I feel that NVidia has done a poor job providing good drivers. The initial Vista drivers only provided base functionality. The more recent ones provide more features such as enabling TV Out (though it still isnt' working for me) I'm not sure how ATI is handling this. Over all, given the length of time Vista has been in development, I would have expected Graphic Card manufacturers, and Gaming companies such as Blizzard, to fix thier products to function properly with Vista.

I'm thinking I may just revert back to XP until Vista is "ready."

I've installed windows Vista Ultimate, and ran WoW installed under XP with no problems. Just linked to the executable, so I didn't even install under Vista. Running an ATI X1600 Pro 512mb. Only slow down is in cities.

ok i have to agree it has not ben even close to easy i did a upgrade leaveing the wow patches and installs the same since xp had no issues matter of fact i ran perfect now i my screen freaks out gets mad choppy and then blank screen then crashes i tryed to revert drivers /upgrade drivers nothing has worked i still get the same dramatic resualt and i dont have to b doing nothing for it to happen i could turn around and crash and btw i have a pavilion dv5220us gameing notbook with insane graphics card and insane memory prolly the best laptop made for gameing this shouldnt happen lol and im not useing the basic version either premium have fun trying to figure this one out

WoW runs Great on Windows Vista, I had no problem with it wats so ever.
P.S to every one who complains about UAC (User Account Control) if you have problems patching or anything eles due to UAC, just Turn it OFF from the Control Panel.

I have minor issues with the game, most of them similar to those described in an earlier post and relating to the game not having write access in its own folder. The workaround is not all that hard, though - the patch downloader will put the patch executable in the right location, and while it will not run automatically, you can do it manually by selecting "run as administrator". Likewise, permanent changes to the settings can be accomplished by running the game itself as administrator.

Aside from these issues, the game runs rock solid, no trouble at all.

Same Problem... I have dual core intel 6300 processor, 2 GB ram, 256MB nvidia 7300GS Video card. WOW ran great on full settings, got about 40-50 fps, and 80-100+ in the cities and instances. Did a upgrade install of vista... totally didnt work.. millions of bugs. So, i did a clean install. Installed WOW, got around the patching issues. Then tried to play WOW. FPS dropped HALF if not more... Sometimes, it jumpes around and gets all crazy and fps drops to 10 or lower.. I dropped all my settings to lower middle and is running better, but still not as good as before. Im pretty upset with microsoft and more so NVIDIA. my system is MORE than capable of handling this. NVIDIA does not know whats going on in life, especially with their graphics drivers. Ive tried every driver known to man kind for my system - still runs like junk. I did notice a little difference after Vista did its thing (runs background system optimization) after about a week, it ran a little better. Vista runs defrag all the time in the background.

AMD64 3400+ Socket 939
Asus A8V Deluxe
2GB Kingston DDR400
3 - Seagate 320GB Sata
2 - Seagate 300 IDE
XFX GeForce 6600GT (NVidia Chipset)
Windows Vista Business

I had no problems with Vista in general. I also had no problems with WoW in general. The only problem was communicating with Voice Chat while playing WoW - Instead of using ventrillo (because we get a 3 - 5 second deley with ventrillo), we use AIM Voice Messaging, Yahoo Voice and MSN Voice chat. All 3 programs would work fine prior to the game starting, after loading the game (meaning when the actual network connection is established with Blizzard), I would suddenly start breaking up and the other party could not hear me. I upgraded my internet package with Time Warner, thinking that the problem was with my carrier. I upgraded from 7 Down/512k up to 10 Down/815k up. That was not the problem. I used all current versions of the programs and still the same problem even if I am not in a city this would happen. To test if Vista was the cause (please note I used a clean install of Vista initially), I formatted and installed Windows XP Pro sp2. I installed the apps reloaded WoW and no problems at all. If I know a better alternative, I would have kept Vista but I needed the voice chat while playing the game so XP for me until Vista is working better. I may try Windows XP-64 this weekend since I have not heard of any issues with WoW and XP-64.

I just got my new system. The first thing i installed was wow and burning crusade. It took hours of updating. I had no issues at all and was not running it with any compatibility tweaks.

But today, a 2.4 meg patch complained it could not create some temporary link.

So i did what blizzard support said to do: run prog. in admin mode. I was back in business.

I am making this entry mainly because i am mystified why i could install everyother patch without incident.

I am also underlining that this game is pretty much flawless :)

(e6600/8800 gts OC 320mb/2 gig ocz plat rv 2 4-4-4 -15)

The issue I have encounterd thusfar is with the Blizzard Loader. I BSOD after the update has been downloaded in WoW and the game closes to update. From what I have seen, there is no patch available for the patching software.

Configuration:
Vista 64 (clean install)
Gigabyte K8NS 939 Ultra
(2)Raptor X 150GB HDD w/Hardware Striping
ATI Radeon X1650
USR 5417

I'm running the ultimate vista 64 version. I have multiple issues installing the patch from Blizzard but I figured out my way around. However the game keep freezing for no reason.
My configuration:
FX60
Ati 1900 GT 256 mb
Soundblaster audigy 2zs
2G ram
I set up all the new drivers without any succes. This is really frustrating.
I am thinking to switch back to xp.

I added the entry: "I just got my new system..." blah blah.

Well after 40 days of use now...i want to ammend my WoW entry. It still works great but there is one very large issue i have finally pinned down.

There is massive frame drop BUT only when you trying spinning your character (or just rotating view) on a transport (ship or flying beast). Lately it seems even more sensitive. You can also get same result off transport..but it takes a bit more effort.

The intermim fix..is just to quit the game...re log back in... and try not to turn too fast :)

this is prolly more to do with nvidia 100.65 certified drivers for vista than the O/S itself.

(bfg 8800 gts 320 mb/e6600)

and update to above post: yup it was the nvidia drivers. the certified ones from a few days ago ..correct the slowness problem. It works almost perfectly now. :)

At first when i installed World of Warcraft onto a windows vista it worked alright, but when next patch came i had troubles with it and tried all the soulutions blizzard gives. It still doesnt work on my PC. What do I do?

To fix patch problems and a few other random errors.

Navigate to the folder 1 level above the wow install folder. This is usually C:\Program Files\

Right click the WoW install folder and click properties.
Click the tab labeled security.
Click the button labeled edit.

From the select list click the one called Users[(your computers name)\Users]
In the box on the bottom make sure the check box under Allow next to Modify is selected.

Giving users rights to modify this this folder allows WoW to run normally. It is not as secure as Windows Vista intended but Blizzard isn't likely to change this any time soon.

Well to shut you all up, those of you whom are complaining, let me give you some insight from 20 years experience programming and troubleshooting.

Those of you running less than 2gb ram with vista, of course you're going to see slower loads. Windows is using almost a full gb at idle ON AVERAGE depending on system configurations and running services and processes. I myself noticed the game always lagged in the cities in the game until I upraded to 2gb ram. Cheap fix, wouldn't you say? 2x512mb ram (make sure you have the correct frequency for your ram).

Onto the video card users. Update, update, update. I'm running an a1700n HP desktop. I added 2 more 512mb sticks of ram, and put in a cheap $150 nvidia ... 7800 gt i think. Average frame rate, 50-60.

Btw, I use about 20-30 add ons, and I'm using vista home premium. 0 crashes, fast load time, good fps...

Hmmmm. I think there are a few people here who just don't understand that their dilapidated old machines can't handle a cartoony game like wow.

Final note, for those of you with the security issues, go to your control panel and disable that godforsaken security measure. Are you honestly downloading massive amounts of executable programs that are linked to each other and calling each other in the background that you need to worry about the protection that user account control has to offer? Turn that off and move on with life and quit complaining about it. You're not making your computer so much less secure that it could affect your daily life. The only real way you're going to pay for that action would be doing something stupid and downloading software from private and personal websites created by people with hidden intentions.

Game is working fine under Windows 7 still getting the SLI mode flicker on high detail shadows, must be relating to driver or game.

This applies to the Initial release of WoW, Burning Crusade, and Wrath of the Lich King.

I have run this game on Windows XP Home and Pro edtions (zero issues).

I have run this game on Vista Home Premium (32bit), Ultimate (32/64 bit) no issues

I have installed and run this game on Windows 7 (64) no issues.

Someone said it - you have to update your drivers. If you do an upgrade OS install, my years of experience says you will have problems with more than just WoW. I recommend clean installs for OS. NEVER trust the upgrade option (that was evident in Windows 98 upgrade from 95).

UAC issues: Most people said to turn off UAC. I disagree with that from a security stand point. Other suggested a simple work-around by clicking on the patches and telling it to run as adminstrator. For those of you with Wrath of the Lich King installed on Windows Vista or later, you might have missed the window during install that recommended you let the installer - uninstall the game from the c:\users folder and instead, move it somewhere else where UAC won't give you as much grief. I did this, and no problems were encountered. For those who don't have WotLK, I'd recommend that you install the game in a folder not under ..\Program Files (or ..\Program Files (x86) - for those of you with 64 bit OS) or under ..\Users. Try something like ..\games\world of warcraft.