So, the Cataclysm launch is a few hours away. I have typed in the key found inside the Cataclysm manual or cover (I don't remember where it was written) so my account is now Cataclysm-ready.
I'm waiting for some patching right now, about 800MB of files to download that suddenly appeared. Note that those 800MB did not appear because I typed in the key. I typed in the key yesterday and when I launched WoW earlier today, it said it was up to date.
Is there anything I need to install from the DVD? Or will the launcher patching take care of everything for me, provided I let it download and install everything?
Best Answer
Actually, those 800 MB probably DID appear because you typed in the key. However, the launcher has no direct access to your account info, and so, does not get updated (and thus, told to connect to Battle.net and download Cataclysm data), until you've logged into WoW after upgrading your account. Hence, you began downloading data the second time you opened the launcher.
And no, you don't need to install from the DVD, but keep it around in case you ever need to reinstall: It's a lot easier than downloading the entire game!