Invalid CD key!!!!

[BlueVoodoo]

i updated my bf2 today with the new patch, adn when i want to play , just before it loads the server, it says "invalid CD key". My copy of bf2 is real, i paid 50 bucks for it, and now its saying the cd key is invalid after ive been playing since the game came out??????? does anyone know what might be wrong???

thanks
Alan

[JarEme]

Re: Invalid CD key!!!!

EA is now using your a new CD-key encryption thing. You need to reinstall Battlefield 2 and the patch using the same user account that you intended to play on. However, if you're using Windows 2000, you're absolutely screwed. Your only option is to send a nasty letter to EA and DICE then hope they fix this mess.

[BlueVoodoo]

Re: Invalid CD key!!!!

im using xp, so ill try re installing the game.

[JarEme]

Re: Invalid CD key!!!!

I wasn't especially verbose on the subject, you might want to poke around the forums until you find a thread on exactly what you need to do when reinstalling to ensure success, since it'd suck to need to do it a second time.

Don't forget to reset your keys after the reinstall too, especially your parachute key (I know).

[BlueVoodoo]

Re: Invalid CD key!!!!

hahaha yup, i had to reinstall the game because i upgraded my computer a while back and forgot to change the parachute key hahah it sucked.

[Teaves]

Re: Invalid CD key!!!!

You dont need to re-install the game, just use this ftp://ftp.ea-europe.com/UK_Support/E...CDKeyCheck.rar

(its from the official EA site so don't worry about me sending you key grabbers or anything :laugh: )

[Sir. Side]

Re: Invalid CD key!!!!

yeah i got that same crappy message. So i sat there for about 5 mins looking at the message , and swearing to ea and dice. And then decided to go and check forums to find the solution. Thanks :)

[BlueVoodoo]

Re: Invalid CD key!!!!

hahah i just reinstalled it, im updating the game with the new patch and ill see if it works, if not ill try that, thanks guys/or girls

[Spodeboy]

Re: Invalid CD key!!!!

Here is what I found on other forums that causes that error:

AFTER RELEASING a patch for Battlefield 2 earlier today, EA is now likely having a nice time cataloguing problems people seem to have with it.
Thanks to a couple of responses from readers this morning we've found a distinct problem with the latest patch for Battlefield 2. It looks like the 1.03 patch encrypts the CD-key value in the windows registry. Most likely this is done to avoid the theft of CD-keys by malicious software while you're playing online. It's a clever move.

Unfortunately, it looks like this encryption of the CD-key is specific to the Windows User Account that was used to install the patch. If any other Windows user attempts to play the game on the same machine they are given a message saying the key is invalid.

So far we haven't been able to contact EA for comment. Thanks to Breen Oullette for his detailed description of what seems to have gone wrong on his machines.