Invalid CD Key...

[MaCs&TeCNiNeS]

Alright, Thank you for reading this topic, n hopefully i can get help from you.

Alright, so, My bro and me both have separate BF2 acounts, And only one will work with Patch 1.3

Whenever you try and join a server it says "Invalid CD Key"

Can anyone, Please help me out?

[Gunny Highway]

Re: Invalid CD Key...

Try doing a search on forum for invalid but make sure to Search Titles Only this will produce a number of post on how to fix it.

Problem is related to either the cd-key not being encrypted after 1.03 or if you use other windows account than you ran patch 1.03 from.

[imported_mn9500]

Re: Invalid CD Key...

do u guys use the same cd-key? or is it on the same comp?

[MaCs&TeCNiNeS]

Re: Invalid CD Key...

do u guys use the same cd-key? or is it on the same comp?

Same Computer, Different Computer Profiles just.

[Gunny Highway]

Re: Invalid CD Key...

Same Computer, Different Computer Profiles just.

If you are using to different Windows accounts that is the problem. Somehow after 1.03 the cd-key only works in the account in which you patched 1.03. (because encrypting uses something unike from that account or similar)

Solution is to use same Windows account but use different BF2 logins.
Which is kinda stupid since they in BF2 made the profiles in My documents so that each Windows account could manage their bf2 profiles.

[MaCs&TeCNiNeS]

Re: Invalid CD Key...

So is there really anyway around it? Apart from using the same Windows Profile?

[Gunny Highway]

Re: Invalid CD Key...

So is there really anyway around it? Apart from using the same Windows Profile?

There is a way. I'll explain but it will be lengty, but you'll only need to do this once.

Logic of this is to import the settings that works in each windows account before playing, but before we can import, we need to create the settings so it works in one and then in the other.

In the Windows account where it works now, account1, export BF2 registry settings with the encrypted key.

TO-DO in Windows account1

• Open registry, go to Run Menu (keyboard shortcut WINKEY+R) type regedit.exe and press OK, and navigate to:
  
  [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Electronic Arts\EA Games\Battlefield 2\ergc]
  
  
• right-click on the registry key called ergc, it looks like a regular folder.
  
  
• Then select export and save it as something e.g. account1.reg. Now you have the cd-key, that works in Windows account1, in an importable registry file.

TO-DO in Windows account2

• Now log into the other Windows account, account2, where it doesn't work, make sure this is also an account that is member of the Administrators local group in Windows.
  
  
• Now delete the entry that holds the CD-key, not the entire ergc folder just right-click on the the (Standard) entry inside select edit and delete the cd-key and press OK.
  
  
• Now go to regular Windows Explorer and find the SUPPORT folder in BF2 installation folder. ( Easist way there is right-click on BF2 shortcut on desktop and select Properties and press the button Find Target, and open the SUPPORT folder.
  
  
• Run Battlefield 2_code.exe and type in the key. Check the ERGC key/folder, it now has the cd-key but it isn't entrypted, and it needs to be.
  
  
• For this we need a util called BF2CDKEYCHECK.EXE. you can download it from EA's ftp HERE
  
  
• Here's how you extract it from 1.03 patch, if you for some reason can't download it. Skip the part in GREEN if you download it:
  
  
  
• Open patch 1.03, select LANGUAGE and press NEXT now let the patch installer be open, don't close it. It has now extraced the patch to the TEMP folder.
  
  
• Go to your TEMP folder, by opening Run Menu and type %TEMP%
  
  
• press F3 and search for BF2CDKEYCHECK.EXE and it should find it insidethe TEMP folder. It is extracted inside two folders that have long alphanumeric characters.
  
  
• Now copy it e.g. to the DESKTOP run the [B]BF2CDKEYCHECK.EXE[/B, it opens briefly and closes just as fast.
  
• Now look in the registry in the ERGC regsitry key/folder and the 20 letter CD-KEY is now encrypted and far more letters than 20.
  
  
• Now export the ERGC registry settings like in account1, but call it account2.reg.

Now you have the cd-key encrypted for account1 and account2. Before playing in each account import the registry settings that fits the account, by double clicking the *.reg file, and then start the game.

EXTRA GOODIES:

You can also make a batch file that imports it automatically everytime you run BF2, e.g. open notepad, type this:

reg import account1.reg
CD "%PROGRAMFILES%\EA GAMES\Battlefield 2"
start BF2.exe +menu 1 +fullscreen 1

Now save it as All Files and type BF2.bat and put it in the same folder as where account1.reg is in, and make similar batchfile for account2. If BF2 is installed in other than default location then use that path.
You can create a shortcut to the BF2.BAT just like any other file and place it on the desktop and give it same icon as BF2.exe has.

I highly recommned NOT to place account1.reg or bf2.bat in the same folder as bf2.exe, there's no reason to put anything inside the BF2 installation folder that isn't supposed to be in there.

[Talus]

Re: Invalid CD Key...

You can also get BF2CDKeyCheck.exe from HERE

[Gunny Highway]

Re: Invalid CD Key...

You can also get BF2CDKeyCheck.exe from HERE

Thanks TALUS, I tried that link some time ago, and it didn't work, so I thought it was an obsolute link by now. :yay:

[MaCs&TeCNiNeS]

Re: Invalid CD Key...

K im buggered... Your plan didnt work Gunny... Im sure i followed it perfectly...