Why o' why is there not a fresh install option?

themaddaedra

So they said you don't have to do anything, launcher would do all update on itself. Okay that's cool but why for the f sake do i have to download the new files on top of the old ones? Why am i not allowed to simply delete old files and download the new patch alone?

I simply don't have that huge space in my ssd. So i deleted all ESO files and wanted to make a new installation. Ooops, it requires 125 gbs to download the old client, then the new one, then patch it on top of the old one.

Why on earth wouldn't you simply update the launcer in the website to install the new client only? Or just put that option in. Why do you guys have to do everything so wrong?

Well thanks now i'll have to strugggle freeing 125 gbs for a game that's supposed to be smaller than before. IQ200.

Neoealth

You can uninstall the game and download again if you don't have the spare drive space to hold the new and old files until it's complete.

themaddaedra

Neoealth wrote: »

You can uninstall the game and download again if you don't have the spare drive space to hold the new and old files until it's complete.

Did you even read? That's already what i did. The new installation includes the old client as well, there's no option to install the new client only. Like you missed the entire point in the post.

daemonios

It's worse than that.

I deliberatly uninstalled the game on my desktop and downloaded the whole thing from scratch, no issues. On my laptop, though, I was simply going to update it in place, but the launcher wouldn't let me due to insufficient space. So I uninstalled ESO and removed the game folders, leaving me with ~120GB free. Not enough. WTF? I had to scour my laptop for stuff to uninstall to hit 126GB free until it would let me install a game that was supposed to be smaller than before.

Smooth coding, ZOS.

SpiderCultist

What I'm doing is downloading the old client plus the new one and plan to move everything to my SSD as it was before. Definitely uninstalling was a mistake.

EDIT: AND THEY SHOULD HAVE WARNED US

calexus1986

I'm going to copy the eso folder straight from my PC to my Laptop, admittedly on a help in a situation like daemonios, but it's going to be a necessity for me as I don't have a large enough HDD on the laptop for that install otherwise

krachall

Yup, I made the same mistake. I asked the question on these forums THREE times since the announcement of the full uninstall and not a peep from ZOS.

Fortunately, I have 1000 GB download per month and never use more than 500 so I'm fine doing a double download. But the fact that there wasn't a "relocate" option OR an updated Steam version is just...well...typical for this *** company.

Neoealth

themaddaedra wrote: »

Neoealth wrote: »

You can uninstall the game and download again if you don't have the spare drive space to hold the new and old files until it's complete.

Did you even read? That's already what i did. The new installation includes the old client as well, there's no option to install the new client only. Like you missed the entire point in the post.

Yes I did read. You asking why you can't just download the patch without all the other stuff, the answer is I don't know, you just can't. ZoS know and probably did it for a reason. Complaining won't change anything however.

The "Fresh install option" is just you deleting the game and downloading it all again. That is it. Not much more to say.

Jarndyce

daemonios wrote: »

It's worse than that.

I deliberatly uninstalled the game on my desktop and downloaded the whole thing from scratch, no issues. On my laptop, though, I was simply going to update it in place, but the launcher wouldn't let me due to insufficient space. So I uninstalled ESO and removed the game folders, leaving me with ~120GB free. Not enough. WTF? I had to scour my laptop for stuff to uninstall to hit 126GB free until it would let me install a game that was supposed to be smaller than before.

Smooth coding, ZOS.

I am having same issue.

Had to go to work. I am on my mobile. I need somebody to post a Geralt Witcher Netflix meme.

***!
[Edited for profanity bypass]

FierceSam

I would imagine this should change once the maintenance update is finished later today (24/02). At that point the old version should be toast and update 25 (at 60-odd Gigs) will be the only version available. Right now, the old version is the most up to date ’live’ version.

I agree that doing a complete reinstall should not require a bigger download/disc space requirement than simply updating the existing version.

It’s annoying, but version control trumps everything else in this situation.

daemonios

By the way, the Zenimax Online folder on the updated install is ~67GB. So the installer is demanding nearly twice the space taken up by the game or it won't install.

JanTanhide

Not to throw a pitchfork out there but 125 GB of space is nothing these days. My last drive for games is a 2 TB Firecuda and it was $59 U.S.

Time to get another SSD? Just saying.

x48rph

FierceSam wrote: »

I would imagine this should change once the maintenance update is finished later today (24/02). At that point the old version should be toast and update 25 (at 60-odd Gigs) will be the only version available. Right now, the old version is the most up to date ’live’ version.

I agree that doing a complete reinstall should not require a bigger download/disc space requirement than simply updating the existing version.

It’s annoying, but version control trumps everything else in this situation.

Yeah, I'm guessing the website won't be updated till they are officially done with patching and the new version is "released"

FierceSam

SpiderCultist wrote: »

What I'm doing is downloading the old client plus the new one and plan to move everything to my SSD as it was before. Definitely uninstalling was a mistake.

EDIT: AND THEY SHOULD HAVE WARNED US

They did say that you did not need to uninstall and that the launcher would do all of the work.

That said it would have been great to have had a simple FAQ guide somewhere (like maybe pinned on the forums) that addressed players’ many questions as well as a puff piece that spent as much time talking about a pet that few care about rather than the actual process that all players will have to go through.

Hope it goes well with everyone

idk

The reason there is not an option that OP is asking about is irrelevant at this point. The ship has sailed.

freespirit

I am quite confused by people having space issues.....

Some people are stating they have over 80GB free and launcher is saying not enough space, I only managed to free up 63.9GB of space on my SSD, my installation went fine and is complete.

I'm not technically gifted, why didn't I have a problem? Is it Steam related or something(I don't use Steam) or do different SSD's work differently?

I'm genuinely curious

Smaxx

If the game isn't installed, it will only download the latest files. It's always been like that. It won't download the old version and then the patch in addition.

The installer/patcher asks for more space simply due to the fact that it downloads the files in archive form, which are around 25 or so files with 2 GB each. That's too much to keep everything just in memory (which would also be rather risky in case of issues or power outages). As such it will need the space of the final installation (around 68GB) and additionally around 60GB for the downloaded temporary files/archives. Add it together and you'll get the estimate the launcher asks for; essentially 125GB.

Could this be changed? Theoretically it could download all files in-place, only requiring around 70GB free space for a fresh install. But that would also increase download size (since you can't add additional compression using this approach) and potentially lower download speed (as everyone has to download more).

Panthermic

themaddaedra wrote: »

So they said you don't have to do anything, launcher would do all update on itself. Okay that's cool but why for the f sake do i have to download the new files on top of the old ones? Why am i not allowed to simply delete old files and download the new patch alone?

I simply don't have that huge space in my ssd. So i deleted all ESO files and wanted to make a new installation. Ooops, it requires 125 gbs to download the old client, then the new one, then patch it on top of the old one.

Why on earth wouldn't you simply update the launcer in the website to install the new client only? Or just put that option in. Why do you guys have to do everything so wrong?

Well thanks now i'll have to strugggle freeing 125 gbs for a game that's supposed to be smaller than before. IQ200.

Yes, the launcher do all updates. Yes, you're allowed to delete the old files. Yes, it needs 125GB if you deleted old files - more if not -, ~51GB to download the new files, + 66.6GB - if english only - for the install, and the rest for temporary files. No, the launcher won't download any old file because ONLY the new files are available to download. Yes, the game is smaller at the end of the process, mine was 82.2GB and now 66.6GB.

[Edited for Baiting]

themaddaedra

freespirit wrote: »

I am quite confused by people having space issues.....

Some people are stating they have over 80GB free and launcher is saying not enough space, I only managed to free up 63.9GB of space on my SSD, my installation went fine and is complete.

I'm not technically gifted, why didn't I have a problem? Is it Steam related or something(I don't use Steam) or do different SSD's work differently?

I'm genuinely curious

If you had 60+gb free on top of the existing game, you wouldn't have issues. But if you had less than 125gb free without having the old files, you can't download the game. This is IQ 200.

Donny_Vito

Weirdly worded thread name versus content. The name suggests you want a way to get a fresh install, but in reality you want a way to NOT download the fresh install and instead just the parts you need.

Yes that would be nice, but too much thinking for a Monday morning...

Thorvarg

themaddaedra wrote: »

Neoealth wrote: »

You can uninstall the game and download again if you don't have the spare drive space to hold the new and old files until it's complete.

Did you even read? That's already what i did. The new installation includes the old client as well, there's no option to install the new client only. Like you missed the entire point in the post.

I downloaded 50 GB + the English + the German VO, all in all 82 GB after installation. No need to download the older files.

daemonios

JanTanhide wrote: »

Not to throw a pitchfork out there but 125 GB of space is nothing these days. My last drive for games is a 2 TB Firecuda and it was $59 U.S.

Time to get another SSD? Just saying.

Some people may not be able to afford another SSD. In any case, if the game takes up 67GB after installation, it makes no sense to demand 125GB free to even begin, whether you're updating or installing fresh. That publishers assume their customers' space is essentially infinite is symptomatic of the sloppy approach to software publishing. Why code efficiently when you can throw more resources at the problem, right?

FierceSam wrote: »

SpiderCultist wrote: »

What I'm doing is downloading the old client plus the new one and plan to move everything to my SSD as it was before. Definitely uninstalling was a mistake.

EDIT: AND THEY SHOULD HAVE WARNED US

They did say that you did not need to uninstall and that the launcher would do all of the work.

That said it would have been great to have had a simple FAQ guide somewhere (like maybe pinned on the forums) that addressed players’ many questions as well as a puff piece that spent as much time talking about a pet that few care about rather than the actual process that all players will have to go through.

Hope it goes well with everyone

Problem is, even trying to do an in-place update failed due to lack of free space on my laptop, which forced me to remove the game (it is by far the largest single program on it) and even then forced me to free up to 126GB before it would begin installation.

Lisutaris

Jarndyce wrote: »

daemonios wrote: »

It's worse than that.

I deliberatly uninstalled the game on my desktop and downloaded the whole thing from scratch, no issues. On my laptop, though, I was simply going to update it in place, but the launcher wouldn't let me due to insufficient space. So I uninstalled ESO and removed the game folders, leaving me with ~120GB free. Not enough. WTF? I had to scour my laptop for stuff to uninstall to hit 126GB free until it would let me install a game that was supposed to be smaller than before.

Smooth coding, ZOS.

I am having same issue.

Had to go to work. I am on my mobile. I need somebody to post a Geralt Witcher Netflix meme.

***!

My answer to this:


[Edited for profanity]

SpiderCultist

Panthermic wrote: »

Yes, the launcher do all updates. Yes, you're allowed to delete the old files. Yes, it needs 125GB if you deleted old files - more if not -, ~51GB to download the new files, + 66.6GB - if english only - for the install, and the rest for temporary files. No, the launcher won't download any old file because ONLY the new files are available to download. Yes, the game is smaller at the end of the process, mine was 82.2GB and now 66.6GB.

66.6 GB, clearly Bethesda = Illuminati



now jokes aside, versioning in their software would have helped them and we would be grateful now

[Edited for reference to removed content]

freespirit

@themaddaedra , ty for explanation, I feel even more stupid now...….

I was referring to people who in other threads were stating the launcher wouldn't do the update due to insufficient space..... I presumed these people were trying to update a current game installation

Jarndyce

Lisutaris wrote: »

Jarndyce wrote: »

daemonios wrote: »

It's worse than that.

I deliberatly uninstalled the game on my desktop and downloaded the whole thing from scratch, no issues. On my laptop, though, I was simply going to update it in place, but the launcher wouldn't let me due to insufficient space. So I uninstalled ESO and removed the game folders, leaving me with ~120GB free. Not enough. WTF? I had to scour my laptop for stuff to uninstall to hit 126GB free until it would let me install a game that was supposed to be smaller than before.

Smooth coding, ZOS.

I am having same issue.

Had to go to work. I am on my mobile. I need somebody to post a Geralt Witcher Netflix meme.

F**k!

My answer to this:


[Edited for removed content]

Thanks!!!

pma_pacifier

Hi,

I think there's some confusion, either thread starter was not clear or others without firsthand experience with the issue would not know what's the issue. The frustration stems from the counter intuitive method the game is currently installed.

If you were to intend to do a "fresh install" (emphasis on the ") what the game does right now is that:
1.Steam installer downloads the OLD client files
2.Launcher attempts to download NEW game files ONLY after downloading and having OLD client files
You are downloading redundantly the OLD client files to be patched for the NEW client
You require space for both, or you require space for OLD client files to be patched with the new client, rather than just having space for the NEW files ONLY.

What TS, if i assume is expecting is that:
1. Installer downloads and installs freshly the NEW client files ONLY
*But this is not happening.

So your fresh install isn't actually a fresh install. Right now I need SO MUCH space for OLD client files with the NEW files. You can't uninstall the OLD files and expect to be able to have clean download and installation of the new SMALLER client, having enough space for that. Because the installer does not do that.

Would be lovely if people take more time to clarify or understand from another before making assumptions. This is a legitimate pain point and I don't think threadstarter would be the only person with such an issue. Telling him to "stop complaining" is not constructive. Things can't improve this way.

themaddaedra

pma_pacifier wrote: »

Hi,

I think there's some confusion, either thread starter was not clear or others without firsthand experience with the issue would not know what's the issue. The frustration stems from the counter intuitive method the game is currently installed.

If you were to intend to do a "fresh install" (emphasis on the ") what the game does right now is that:
1.Steam installer downloads the OLD client files
2.Launcher attempts to download NEW game files ONLY after downloading and having OLD client files
You are downloading redundantly the OLD client files to be patched for the NEW client
You require space for both, or you require space for OLD client files to be patched with the new client, rather than just having space for the NEW files ONLY.

What TS, if i assume is expecting is that:
1. Installer downloads and installs freshly the NEW client files ONLY
*But this is not happening.

So your fresh install isn't actually a fresh install. Right now I need SO MUCH space for OLD client files with the NEW files. You can't uninstall the OLD files and expect to be able to have clean download and installation of the new SMALLER client, having enough space for that. Because the installer does not do that.

Would be lovely if people take more time to clarify or understand from another before making assumptions. This is a legitimate pain point and I don't think threadstarter would be the only person with such an issue. Telling him to "stop complaining" is not constructive. Things can't improve this way.

pma_pacifier

Smaxx wrote: »

If the game isn't installed, it will only download the latest files. It's always been like that. It won't download the old version and then the patch in addition.

The installer/patcher asks for more space simply due to the fact that it downloads the files in archive form, which are around 25 or so files with 2 GB each. That's too much to keep everything just in memory (which would also be rather risky in case of issues or power outages). As such it will need the space of the final installation (around 68GB) and additionally around 60GB for the downloaded temporary files/archives. Add it together and you'll get the estimate the launcher asks for; essentially 125GB.

Could this be changed? Theoretically it could download all files in-place, only requiring around 70GB free space for a fresh install. But that would also increase download size (since you can't add additional compression using this approach) and potentially lower download speed (as everyone has to download more).

Wrong. In my case, the game is not downloading the latest files if the game isn't installed. (Through steam at least). It is downloading the EXACT same OLD version of files only to download the NEW files after having the old files. I can attest to that because I uninstalled and installed before the patch and I am seeing the same 87gb chunk of old game files being downloaded right now if I were to do a fresh install of the new game.

See? We all expect it to work the way you described, but it's not (game does not download only the latest files). Hence this pain point is being presented.

Donny_Vito

It would be nice to pick and choose what files you need, but I think in the mind of ZoS (and other companies as well) it's better to do a full download to reduce the chances of corrupting files by users not getting all the files they need or overwriting/deleting a core file. ZoS would need to way to track individual changes per each patch/update, as they don't know if this person needs only this patch or 5 patches worth of data (returning players from a break). It's easier and safer to do a full download, and it comes at the cost of users waiting a few extra hours in hopes of not getting bombed with support tickets to help people install their game.

MissBizz

Have a friend who awoke to the "not enough space" error. She also uninstalled the game (not a steam install) - has 185GB of free space and it's still giving the error. Anyone experience this yet and figure out how to fix?