Creating an EXE with iexpress in Windows

[Flava0ne]

I play BF4 on my PC and I also format my system very often. So having to manually download game updates and not to mention the DLC's (good thing there's only 1 ATM) are a real pain.

Origin extracts the updated patch files here:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Battlefield 4\Update\Patch\

and the China Rising DLC here:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Battlefield 4\Update\Xpack1\

But I'm just not sure how to go about creating an EXE for the patch and DLC using the built-in utility, iexpress, in Windows. But I also can't see how it can't be done seeing that all the necessary files are right there. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Only if it were like back in the BF2 and BF2142 days, I could just download the updates and DLC's in an EXE that I can save on my storage drive.

 

[Frick]

You can't change the install path like you can on Steam and install it to the second drive?

EDIT: No wait, RAID 0. If you're formating so often, why not set them up as two RAID drives? Just the OS on one drive, set three of them as RAID 0 and use that as the other drive.

 

[Mindweaver]

You can use WinRAR to pack it into an executable file.

 

[Tatty_Two]

Moved to general software.

 

[kn00tcn]

origin doesnt dload the latest version of the game in full? the way you worded it, it sounds like you dont mind the initial dload, but do mind the updates, or do you mean you want to avoid ALL downloading?

what you could do is keep a backup of the giant files, start the game dload, close origin, place the giant files, resume origin, now you saved the time (same applies for steam games)

a lot of games also can be migrated manually without installation or an internet connection, but i havent tried it on modern origin/battlelog games, i've only done it with bc2, moh2010, burnout, cod4, cod5, cod6

 

[Flava0ne]

You can't change the install path like you can on Steam and install it to the second drive?

EDIT: No wait, RAID 0. If you're formating so often, why not set them up as two RAID drives? Just the OS on one drive, set three of them as RAID 0 and use that as the other drive.

Yeah but for some reason I can't get into my RevoDrive's BIOS during boot to do be able to do that.

You can use WinRAR to pack it into an executable file.

If I do it with WinRAR, will it install the files and Origin recognize that the update and DLC's are installed?

Because in BF3, I actually saved all the DLC's and Update (just the files and folders associated with them) and when I formatted my system and simply copied and placed those files in the game's installation directory after install, Origin doesn't recognize any of them and continues to manually download them through the client.

 

[Flava0ne]

origin doesnt dload the latest version of the game in full? the way you worded it, it sounds like you dont mind the initial dload, but do mind the updates, or do you mean you want to avoid ALL downloading?

what you could do is keep a backup of the giant files, start the game dload, close origin, place the giant files, resume origin, now you saved the time (same applies for steam games)

a lot of games also can be migrated manually without installation or an internet connection, but i havent tried it on modern origin/battlelog games, i've only done it with bc2, moh2010, burnout, cod4, cod5, cod6

Avoid all downloading because of the time it takes.

I tried what you mention back in BF3, but the game doesn't recognize them.

EDIT: But I've never tried starting the DL, then close Origin, place the files and then restart Origin. I'll give that I try and see if it works.

 

[kn00tcn]

oh i'll make it recognize ...

i bet if you had the reg entries, origin will think it's been installed & not even attempt to dload, you just have to dig & export in regedit

why do you format so often? how often is often? i'm the opposite, do as much as i can to avoid formatting (manual virus cleaning for example)

i would have a better answer if i got my replacement gfx card, i would be moving bf3 from this laptop to the desktop & would attempt to migrate bf3 in its entirety, but i dont see this happening that soon, waiting for custom coolers & normal prices

 

[Mindweaver]

I just back up the whole "Battlefield 4" directory and place it in the new directory and I've never had a problem. I usually do this with my laptop and the update goes with it. Just start installing Battlefield 4 then stop it and log out of origins, then move the directory and turn origins back on.

 

[Flava0ne]

oh i'll make it recognize ...

i bet if you had the reg entries, origin will think it's been installed & not even attempt to dload, you just have to dig & export in regedit

why do you format so often? how often is often? i'm the opposite, do as much as i can to avoid formatting (manual virus cleaning for example)

i would have a better answer if i got my replacement gfx card, i would be moving bf3 from this laptop to the desktop & would attempt to migrate bf3 in its entirety, but i dont see this happening that soon, waiting for custom coolers & normal prices

I can navigate regedit without problems, only in HKEY_CURRENT_USER, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE all the other areas scare me off to not want to touch them cause I have no idea WTF they are lol.

I'm a little OCD when in comes to formatting my system, I usually do it as often as a driver update release or if I get a virus. I don't want to spend the money on an anti-virus subscription if I pretty much know how to stay safe on the internet.

I have ISO images that I made of the 3 discs that I mount on a virtual drive on DAEMON Tools. I just finished installing and tried what you said, but after relaunching Origin, the update that I placed there, it still doesn't recognize it and is even downloading it ATM even though all the files and folders are there already.

 

[Flava0ne]

I just back up the whole "Battlefield 4" directory and place it in the new directory and I've never had a problem. I usually do this with my laptop and the update goes with it. Just start installing Battlefield 4 then stop it and log out of origins, then move the directory and turn origins back on.

So you backup only the "Origin" folder and the "Origin Games" folder? Because there's folders also located in "ProgramData\", "AppData\Local\" and "AppData\Roaming\" as well.

 

[Mindweaver]

So you backup only the "Origin" folder and the "Origin Games" folder? Because there's folders also located in "ProgramData\", "AppData\Local\" and "AppData\Roaming\" as well.

I just backup each "Origin Games" folder. When you turn origins back on right click the game and just repair install. It will scan the directory and fix any issues. It's a whole lot faster than re downloading the whole game. I've done this a few times now.

 

[Flava0ne]

I just backup each "Origin Games" folder. When you turn origins back on right click the game and just repair install. It will scan the directory and fix any issues. It's a whole lot faster than re downloading the whole game. I've done this a few times now.

Genius, sounds like it would definitely work. I'll give that a try.

 

[Mindweaver]

Here is a quick list.

1. Backup up the game folder inside the "Origin Games" folder.
   
2. install origins on the new pc
3. Start installing the game, then stop origins
4. move the backup file to the new "Origin Games" folder.
5. Start Origins and then right click the game and "repair install"

 

[Flava0ne]

Here is a quick list.

1. Backup up the game folder inside the "Origin Games" folder.
   
2. install origins on the new pc
3. Start installing the game, then stop origins
4. move the backup file to the new "Origin Games" folder.
5. Start Origins and then right click the game and "repair install"

So after beginning the game install, do I just cancel it all together in Origin, then close the client and then place the entire BF4 folder in the Origin Games folder and so on?

 

[Mindweaver]

No, just turn origins off. Log out and then close. Don't cancel the install. Remember we are just tricking origins in to thinking it already downloaded the files.

 

[Flava0ne]

Oh okay, gotcha!

 

[HammerON]

Here is a quick list.

1. Backup up the game folder inside the "Origin Games" folder.
   
2. install origins on the new pc
3. Start installing the game, then stop origins
4. move the backup file to the new "Origin Games" folder.
5. Start Origins and then right click the game and "repair install"

Yep - I have done this with BF4, BF3, and Crysis 3

 

[kn00tcn]

oops, forgot about the repair feature

iso images only to mount them, lolwut, just use files on usb sticks/external drives... unless you're set on burning

 

[Flava0ne]

oops, forgot about the repair feature

iso images only to mount them, lolwut, just use files on usb sticks/external drives... unless you're set on burning

No, I use ISO images only for mounting. Installs go A LOT faster, for instance, installing BF4 with all 3 discs only takes me 5 minutes!

EDIT: And even way faster with the update and DLC's with the method you've mentioned.

 

[kn00tcn]

No, I use ISO images only for mounting. Installs go A LOT faster, for instance, installing BF4 with all 3 discs only takes me 5 minutes!

EDIT: And even way faster with the update and DLC's with the method you've mentioned.

but i mean... why would you make an iso if you're just going to load files in directly, you're adding wasted time & hard drive activity to basically duplicate the data into an uncompressed iso

 

[Flava0ne]

but i mean... why would you make an iso if you're just going to load files in directly, you're adding wasted time & hard drive activity to basically duplicate the data into an uncompressed iso

Yes, I was just mentioning why I made ISO images of the discs and what I used them for. They're basically useless now if all I gotta do is copy and paste the game's folder.