Dont run this program!

[signa]

Warning: don't run this program:

C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\Battlefield 2\Support\Battlefield 2_code.exe

the story: I was looking into some cdkey problems and read about this program that lets you re-enter your cd-key. I figured I would check it out so I ran the program. A window popped up with spaces to enter the cdkey. I made note of it and hit 'cancel'. Later on when i tried to play online the game would just crash to desk upon joining a server. a quick google and I learned it was a cdkey problem. I checked the registry and my key was gone. the program had deleted it, even after I canceled it.

More googles later and I found the fix:

Fix for invalid CD Key

First look in your battlefield 2 support folder and start
Battlefield 2_code.exe to reenter you Key

Then

1. Start the patch program again (no this is not a reinstall - keep reading)
2. Select your language
3. At the "welcome-screen", do not proceed!.
4. Keep the patch-window open and go to your start menu, select "run".
5. Write %temp%
6. Search for BF2CDKeyCheck.exe
7. Double click BF2CDKeyCheck.exe
8. You won't notice anything at this point.
9. Now your CD-KEY troubles are over.

so, while this was a pain in the ***. I learned you if you have cdkey problems you can re-enter your key, then run the BF2CDKeyCheck.exe program without having to do a full re-install + patch.

[DOGGiE52]

Re: Dont run this program!

lol thanks for warning us, at first I thought it was a virus though

[ConscriptVirus]

Re: Dont run this program!

strange..i think ive used that b4 but i never had problems with it

[jdrou]

Re: Dont run this program!

The problem is that battlefield 2_code.exe is from the initial release of BF2 and does not encrypt the CD key as is required since patch 1.03. It will just put the key in the registry in plain text. You would need to either:
re-patch
or
run BF2CDKeyCheck.exe from a 1.03 or later patch
or
add x9392 in front of the key in the registry

[ConscriptVirus]

Re: Dont run this program!

yeah if u need to reenter ur cd key, its easiest to just go to the registry type x9392 and then ur cd key instead of having to run BF2cdkey exe thing

[signa]

Re: Dont run this program!

what does that 'x9392' do, if the key is not acutally encoded. ?

also the point of my rant was that I only ran the program to the 1st screen, then hit cancel. It shouldn't of modified any registry settings until the user went to the next step. Another example of crappy EA programing.

[jdrou]

Re: Dont run this program!

what does that 'x9392' do, if the key is not acutally encoded. ?

Apparently that is enough to make the game consider it "encoded". The real point of the encoding process it so that someone can't steal the key from the registry and use it on another system (since the real encoding ties it to a particular Windows account); of course you lose that "protection" if you use the x9392 trick.

also the point of my rant was that I only ran the program to the 1st screen, then hit cancel. It shouldn't of modified any registry settings until the user went to the next step. Another example of crappy EA programing.

True.

[Ezequiel]

Re: Dont run this program!

thanks for telling this