What is needed to avoid total re-install of BF2?

[Kinseek]

I tend to format alot (nothing like the fresh smell of a newly installed OS) and switch between XP and Vista too (that is; I want to give Vista a fair chance, but it kinda sucks IMO). A BIG pain in all of this is having to re-install BF2 again. The amount of time to install it from DVD, patching it, tweaking it, installing expansions etc. is just way to long. I`ve tried with varying sucess to export the relevant registry settings, but I seem to always hit a snag still the same with missing CD-keys or punkbuster. Does anyone have a cut and dry method of making an easy .reg file and whatever else needs to be installed?

[System]

Re: What is needed to avoid total re-install of BF2?

I bought the complete set on DVD... No more switchin between CD's and what not.. Just sit by the computer and click "NEXT" each time it pops up... That was my method of avoiding the hassels, simple yet effective.

[Stormy{CAN}]

Re: What is needed to avoid total re-install of BF2?

You could try following the manual removal instructions here (will only work if BF2 is installed on a partition/hard drive ither than the Windows partition),

http://support.ea.com/cgi-bin/ea.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=8986&p_created=1119312427&p_sid=ODgNCWLi&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9Nyw3JnBfcHJvZHM9NywxMzg4LDEwMDMmcF9jYXRzPTU2NiZwX3B2PTMuMTAwMyZwX2N2PTEuNTY2JnBfcGFnZT0xJnBfc2VhcmNoX3RleHQ9dW5pbnN0YWxs&p_li=&p_topview=1

http://support.ea.com/cgi-bin/ea.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=11150&p_created=1132789004&p_sid=ODgNCWLi&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_lva=8986&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9MTQsMTQmcF9wcm9kcz03LDEzODgsMTM4OSZwX2NhdHM9NTY2JnBfcHY9My4xMzg5JnBfY3Y9MS41NjYmcF9wYWdlPTEmcF9zZWFyY2hfdGV4dD11bmluc3RhbGw*&p_li=&p_topview=1

(the first if BF2, the second is SF). only instead of removing the registry entries, export them to Notepad and once you have them all save it as bf2.reg (can call it whatever you want as long as the file extension is .reg). Then after re0installing Windows double click on your saved .reg file and it will add all the BF2 registry entries, then fire up the game.

For the invalid cd-key if you get it you can try going to the "EA GAMES\Battlefield 2\Support" folder and running "Battlefield 2_code.exe", which will allow you to re-enter your cd-key.

[jdrou]

Re: What is needed to avoid total re-install of BF2?

For the invalid cd-key if you get it you can try going to the "EA GAMES\Battlefield 2\Support" folder and running "Battlefield 2_code.exe", which will allow you to re-enter your cd-key.

But you need to do this before you patch since it doesn't encode the key. Or, after running this you edit the registry and add x9392 in front of the key. The other option is to use BF2CDKeyCheck.exe which is what the patch uses to encode the key in the registry. You can grab it from the temp folder while the patch is installing or download it from ftp://ftp.ea-europe.com/UK_Support/E...CDKeyCheck.exe .

I bought the complete set on DVD... No more switchin between CD's and what not.. Just sit by the computer and click "NEXT" each time it pops up... That was my method of avoiding the hassels, simple yet effective.

I just install the game and boosters (and mods) to a folder and copied it to a USB disk (2.5" so it runs without an AC adapter). If I need to restore the game I restore the registry from a .reg file as Stormy{CAN} described.