How do I know if my CD key is valid?

[waixingren]

First: If I have a real manual with the CD key printed on it, is there any reason that key would be invalid for online play?

I picked up the game at a yard sale, but my machine can't handle it, so I was going to sell it on eBay. I just want to make sure the CD key is valid.

I noticed an interesting thing while researching this, though. CD keys now sell for more than the actual game! I thought that was a weird side effect of piracy at first, but then I noticed the auctions say "unused" CD key. So, is EA selling the equivelent of a "self-destructing" disk--a one-use-only CD key? If so, I find that pretty offensive. It's bad enough these companies force us to keep the CD in the drive, when there is no real reason for any of us to do that, but now this?

Anyway, how do I find out if my CD key is valid for online play?

Thanks.

[imported_Soda]

Re: How do I know if my CD key is valid?

Well, it should be valid since you bought it.

[Talus]

Re: How do I know if my CD key is valid?

Yard sale...

GOOD ONE!

[Scoobing]

Re: How do I know if my CD key is valid?

The only true way of testing it would be to try and install and play the game with that CD key. But I know you can't do that. See because you got it from a yard sale, the person could have made a copy of the game and be using the cd-key already online.

[Scoobing]

Re: How do I know if my CD key is valid?

Yard sale...

GOOD ONE!

Hehe, agreed.

[Zerstorer23]

Re: How do I know if my CD key is valid?

Lol, a yard sale? Wow, this could be hard. Uhh, find someone you know and run it on their comp, uninstall it if it works and then sell it? Cause you could **** some guy off on ebay.

[soraflair]

Re: How do I know if my CD key is valid?

Why did you buy the game from a yard sale. Thats one thing you should never do.

[Tokus Pokus]

Re: How do I know if my CD key is valid?

You can PM me the key, and I'll test it for you.

[waixingren]

Re: How do I know if my CD key is valid?

Nobody I know has a computer that can run it. I am going to try crawling to the "CD key" screen or whatever, on a friend's computer, but there's no way it will run any actual gameplay. So, I'm not sure I can really "verify" the CD key. I mean, how do I know it works if I can't see it actually playing online?

The manual doesn't seem to mention a "CD key". I'm guessing it comes up during the installation process, and then the server "verifies" it every time I log on for a game? It would help if someone could just explain the process of entering and verfying a CD key.

And why shouldn't I buy games at yard sales? That is offensive to me. You shouldn't let monopolistic software publishers dictate the way you buy and sell private property.

Don't think I bought it?

Look here:

http://img231.imageshack.us/my.php?image=battlefield23cz.gif

The CD key is printed on the back of the manual. If this were 1995, I would assume the CD key is valid, but we have a lot of companies today exploiting consumers.

Does anybody know how I can verify that this CD key is valid, and is there any reason why it wouldn't be?

[NoB33r4u]

Re: How do I know if my CD key is valid?

Does anybody know how I can verify that this CD key is valid, and is there any reason why it wouldn't be?

unless the yard sale had a lot of bf2s or multiple versions of other games for sale, I shouldn't think there would be a problem.
it would only really be a problem if the cd was copied and the key already used on that copy.
However if this was a one-off bf2 game for sale then no illegal games salesperson is gonna be making any money by just selling one illegal copy.

No problems if you ask me, just go ahead and sell it!

EDIT: I'll leave this answer here but take a look at my next post with link to the EA support site

[waixingren]

Re: How do I know if my CD key is valid?

The only true way of testing it would be to try and install and play the game with that CD key. But I know you can't do that. See because you got it from a yard sale, the person could have made a copy of the game and be using the cd-key already online.

You write "using the cd-key".

Does that mean a CD key can be used once, then "transferred" to a different user, so long as they aren't both using it at once?

Or does it mean that once a CD key is used online it is automatically invalidated for any other user?

If the latter, then how does EA know that a different user is using the same CD key?

Are CD keys tied to profile names, or IP numbers?

I find the whole thing offensive, in that this company is trying to transform video game product sales into "license" or "membership" sales, but what's worse is I don't even understand how it works. I mean, what nonsense rules do they have for revoking your "license" to use a product that you purchased?

[NoB33r4u]

Re: How do I know if my CD key is valid?

you can partially ignore my previous answer. Take a look at this on the EA support site.

[DrunkenPirate]

Re: How do I know if my CD key is valid?

LOL Talus


@wax, the only way I can think of is to email EA if you want the key to remain unused so that you an sell it onto someone so that they can use it properly.

[waixingren]

Re: How do I know if my CD key is valid?

unless the yard sale had a lot of bf2s or multiple versions of other games for sale, I shouldn't think there would be a problem.
it would only really be a problem if the cd was copied and the key already used on that copy.
However if this was a one-off bf2 game for sale then no illegal games salesperson is gonna be making any money by just selling one illegal copy.

No problems if you ask me, just go ahead and sell it!

It's a legit copy in the original package.

The package has been opened. The previous owner could very well have made copies for himself. He could have written down the CD key and given it to 25 friends. He could be playing it from his hard drive right now. It's even possible that people at the yard sale opened the package and wrote down the CD key.

I don't see what any of that has to do with my purchase of a legal product.

Of course, I fully realize that EA does not respect the rights of consumers, so it is possible that the previous owner has broken some rule which may invalidate the CD key. All I want to know is: how can I find out, without invalidating the CD key myself?

Remember, I want to sell this game on eBay. I can't even play it myself, due to the lack of a $10,000 computer. (sarcasm)

[waixingren]

Re: How do I know if my CD key is valid?

you can partially ignore my previous answer. Take a look at this on the EA support site.

Yes!

Thank you.