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How to make your own WoW Private Server - fast & easy guide

Learn how you can setup your own free WoW Private Server, and become GM on your own server, through a WoW Repack. Play with friends/solo/lan.
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Sep 26 2020 By zremax

Have you always dreamed about having your own GM WoW Private Server for solo play or with your friends, family, or as LAN? Perhaps, you don't know how to create the server and set it up? We've made a detailed and useful guide to help you get started on exactly what you need, and we've made sure to make it user friendly.

Create your own WoW private server

Setting up your own WoW Private Server

This guide is well suited if you want a server that you can either play on alone, with your family, friends, or the local community. We do not recommend this for a "big" and public private server. The reason is simply due to the requirements. If you need to make an official private server, it is much more advanced, and you will also need basic coding knowledge (or know people who do). That is however not necessary if you just want a World of Warcraft GM Server for yourself/lan/friends.

Step 1:

Let's get started making your own free WoW server!

You need to download a wow repack for your server. A World of Warcraft Repack is basically a "simplified" version of your own server, making it much easier to set up. This means that you will not have to compile the original source code, no need to set up all the programs and dependencies as you would else wise. When downloading a repack, you use another person's "work", which has been pre-compiled and been packed for you. With a WoW Repack, you will only need to download the files, open them in the right order, and you're (almost) ready to call yourself a GM on your server.

Step 2:

Finding a good WoW Repack

As you've recently learned, you will need to download a wow repack. If you're into the newer Expansions, you can grab a . But let me inform you already, there are hundreds of different ones to choose from, and the quality varies a lot. Due to that, we have made an article on the Best  for each Expansion. We suggest checking it out if you need inspiration. Keep in mind there are repacks for each expansion/version of the game, so make sure to decide what version of the game you want your own private server to have.

Step 3.

Setting up your own WoW Repack

We now assume you've decided the version you want to play on, and found a repack you want to use, perhaps based on our article about it.

The next step is to set it up. In this case, we will be basing the setup on the famous Cataclysm Repack from Zremax. If you went with another repack, then no problems. It's a very similar process, so you can follow along either way.

Step 3.1. Download the WoW Repack files

Visit the topic related to the repack, and find the download link section. Download the following:

  • Vmaps
  • MMAPS
  • Maps
  • DBC
  • _Server (Database) folder
  • Release folder

That is basically similar for all WoW repacks. You need the data files, which "controls" the in-game appearance such as the map and models, and then you need the database for creatures and so forth.

Step 3.2. Extracting the game files

WoW GM Client

After downloading, you need to un-extract them to your disk. You can choose where. The Vmaps, MMAPS, Maps, and DBC should however be extracted into the same folder as the "Release" folder, because they need to be "linked" together.

Step 3.3. Opening the WoW files in the right order.

Now, you will need to open the files in a certain order, or it will not run. Start by opening MySQL.bat from the _Server (Database) folder, and then you can run worldserver.exe and authserver.exe, which are found in the Release folder.

If you did everything correctly, it will now take around a minute to load up the .exe files you just opened. Now, you basically have your own running World of Warcraft Private Server. Cool right?

Step 3.4.

Logging in to your own home WoW Private Server

Of course,  you want to be capable of playing too. Therefore, you need a , in order to open the game. Click on our article, and find the game version that matches your repack, and download it.

Step 3.5. Change your realmlist.wtf file to work on your local server

After downloading, you will need to modify a file called Realmlist.wtf file, in order to play locally. Find it by opening the Client file, Data, enGB or enUS and open the file.Now download everything inside it, and change it to:set realmlist 127.0.0.1. Close and save the file afterward.

Step 3.6.

Launching the game to your free GM World of Warcraft Server

Now you're actually ready to go. Launch the client by opening the file: WoW.exe, and let it load.Afterward, you will of course need an account to log in. To do so, open up the already running worldserver.exe, and type this in the console:account create yourusername yourpassword yourpasswordNow, let's promote it to a GM so you can have your own GM WoW Private Server. Type this in the console, to do so:account set gmlevel 3 -1 yourusername

After doing so, you are capable of logging in, and you also have GM powers now!
Now, you can play on a WoW Private Server. This means you have access to a lot of exciting commands, such as changing your level, adding yourself gear/item, modifying your gold and so much more. There are hundreds of in-game commands available as GM on a WoW Private Server. Because of that, we have compiled you with a list of .

Conclusion

Setting up and making your own WoW Private Server is really not that advanced. It's mostly about finding a good WoW Repack that you can use alone, together with your friend, or with a LAN community. When you have completed our guide, you can play on your very own WoW Server for free.

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17 Comments

Zremax
beglara
Nov 01 2021
Upvote 0
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Hello evry one

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Zremax
beglara
Nov 01 2021
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did everything right, I also play the game normally with my friends, But when we enter two or three gm and set up something on the server, the server console window shuts down and falls, Then I have to extract a new server from WinRAR, What is the change in the World Server configuration file so that the server does not shut down, thanks in advance.

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Zremax
beglara
Nov 01 2021
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Sorry for my english language

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Zremax
UnknownName
Dec 02 2021
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Guide need to update for shadowlands. Thanks for guide.

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Zremax
UnknownName
Dec 10 2021
Upvote 3
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I followed the instructions and watched the video from emucoach. I’m still struggling. There isn’t a realmlist.wtf for Shadowlands. I was still able to get the server to start but worldserver and authentication server close out after a few seconds. Are there any updates walkthroughs anywhere?

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Zremax
UnknownName
Jan 21 2022 Reply to UnknownName
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Seconding this same problem. Please, does anyone have any advice?

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Zremax
UnknownName
Aug 06 2022 Reply to UnknownName
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in new update idk what file are its only works on lich king

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Zremax
UnknownName
Jan 03 2022
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account doesnt have a create sub command, anyone know what Im doing wrong? When I type account create username password password, it says "There is no such sub command", then type .help account and it gives me delete, onlinelist, and set..., no "create" option

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Zremax
UnknownName
Jan 17 2022
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I have tons of questions, but will be back later since I am a tad occupied atm.

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Zremax
UnknownName
Mar 16 2022
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Hello, Did everything according to the tutorial and got stuck on connected. Any solutions please edit: Im cataclysm repack.

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Zremax
UnknownName
Apr 22 2022 Reply to UnknownName
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on your auth window hit enter for it to update servers should get you right through

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Zremax
UnknownName
Apr 04 2022
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Any reason why it seems that every link to Shadowlands Repacks have been removed or are broken. Closest working one I found was for KyrianCore on files.fm but every time it reaches 100% it says there is an error downloading and crashes the screen.After sifting through close to 50 different forums and webpages that say they have a Shadowlands repack, either the link is a dead end to a missing file or in some cases like with forums, folks like Shadowcore have gone and removed all the thread content. Are there any functional links for a Shadowlands repack or at this point do I have to make my own.

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Zremax
UnknownName
Apr 22 2022
Upvote 3
Downvote 0

I don't see a Releases folder for the Wrath repack..

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Zremax
UnknownName
Sep 01 2022
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hello , i just do all the steps and the game works ... my question is how my friends will join

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Zremax
Deathwhisper
Apr 09 2023
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Good evening, guys, can someone explain to me how it is possible to get such a thing https://prnt.sc/cB0ts9L7YvkY

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Zremax
Contussi
Apr 24 2023
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I followed all steps and updated all the ports and other settings, but when I logged in I got a realm list that showed KyrianCore 9.0.2 with population Offline. How can I get it online?

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Zremax
danvokk
Apr 28 2023
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Hi! I did everything as the text said and I watched the video too how to do it, but when I open the worldserver.exe or the authserver.exe it has an error. I wan to use Cata from EmuCoach.

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