CD Key invalid after SF Install - Urgent pls..

[imported_MerlinCH65]

Dear community

Everytime I patch BF2 (1.2/1.3) I had the problem with the "your cd key is not valid" upon joining a server.

For 1.03 I found the solution on the boards BUT know I'm on 1.12 plus BF:SF installed and have the same problem again when I try to enter any SF Server.

The helpdesk guys of EA have no clue (saying things like "no, we never heard of your problem" etc. etc.) This is pathetic because I know it's one of the more common problems.

Can somebody give me a procedure what to do. I am wasting hours and am abit p****d right now

Thanks very much in adavance for your kind help!

Merlin

[imported_MerlinCH65]

Re: CD Key invalid after SF Install - Urgent pls..

Bumb :cry: No love for me lads?

[stilla-killa]

Re: CD Key invalid after SF Install - Urgent pls..

what was the solution for 1.03

[imported_MerlinCH65]

Re: CD Key invalid after SF Install - Urgent pls..

I had to re-enter my cd key by using the bf2cdkeycheck.exe in the supportfolder and then run the bf2cdcheck.exe that can be found in the temp folder when the 1.03 patch is started again. I mean for the 1.03 I know the procedure but here I'm pretty lost.

Please, I know I'm not alone with that - anyone has a clue. The ea support guys know less than me which is slightly irritating. I'd say, I'm fairly alarmed here...

Merlin:hmm:

[rnu]

Re: CD Key invalid after SF Install - Urgent pls..

EA sucks..... reinstall idk. Maybe some1 mugged your cd key and joins every server you try to connect to

[stilla-killa]

Re: CD Key invalid after SF Install - Urgent pls..

I had to re-enter my cd key by using the bf2cdkeycheck.exe in the supportfolder and then run the bf2cdcheck.exe that can be found in the temp folder when the 1.03 patch is started again. I mean for the 1.03 I know the procedure but here I'm pretty lost.

Please, I know I'm not alone with that - anyone has a clue. The ea support guys know less than me which is slightly irritating. I'd say, I'm fairly alarmed here...

Merlin:hmm:

well try that procedure but with sf and the 1.12 patch

[Gunny Highway]

Re: CD Key invalid after SF Install - Urgent pls..

Go into SUPPORT folder for BF2 run Battlefield 2_code.exe type CD-key for BF2. Run BF2CdKeyCheck.exe, it opens and closes just after:

ftp://ftp.ea-europe.com/UK_Support/E...CDKeyCheck.exe

Go into Support folder on your BF2:SF CD/DVD or the folder where EA Downloader saved it to (note this might be different folder than where you have it installed):
C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\EA Downloader\cache\YOUR-EA-USER-USERNAME\eagamesbf2-2006online_contentbf2-ep1\Support

Run Battlefield 2 Special Forces_Code.exe and the BF2CdKeyCheck.exe in the same folder (not the same BF2CdKeyCheck as before)

Now both locations in registry where BF2 and BF2:SF have the cd-key are encrypted to be playable in the Windows Account you just ran the four .exe files.


EDIT/UPDATE
If it doesn't work then try this order:

Battlefield 2_code.exe -> Battlefield 2 Special Forces_code.exe -> BF2CdKeyCheck.exe (for BF2:SF) -> BF2CdKeyCheck.exe (for BF2)

[imported_MerlinCH65]

Re: CD Key invalid after SF Install - Urgent pls..

Hi and thx for the try. It didn't worked. But what's strange is that in the registry the BF2 code is encrypted while in the SF section of the registry the code is in clear text without the - . Is that normal?

[Gunny Highway]

Re: CD Key invalid after SF Install - Urgent pls..

Hi and thx for the try. It didn't worked. But what's strange is that in the registry the BF2 code is encrypted while in the SF section of the registry the code is in clear text without the - . Is that normal?

The Battlefield 2_code.exe and Battlefield 2 Special Forces_code.exe enters the cd-key in registry in clear text.

The BF2CdKeyCheck.exe for BF2 encrypts the BF2 re-key and the BF2CdkeyCheck.exe for BF2:SF encrypts the BF2:SF reg-key so they aren't in clear text.

Are you sure you use the correct BF2CdKeyCheck.exe to encrypt the BF2:SF reg-key?? The two files aren't identical, as they encrypt different reg-key locations.

Try running this batch, it will copy cd-key for BF2 reg-key to BF2:sf reg key (and your Bf2 key is encrypted it seems, but not BF2:SF):
LINK REMOVED


UPDATE: Keys are not identical and thus the batch file is pointless, look here in which file the BF2:SF key is located:

http://www.totalbf2.com/forums/showthread.php?p=525536

[imported_MerlinCH65]

Re: CD Key invalid after SF Install - Urgent pls..

Dear Gunny and all

First - thx for taking care! Yet not working. What I find interesting is following:

As you know - my serial number is valid if I try to join a regular BF2 server. If I try to join an SF server, dang - not valid.

If I look into my registry, I can see both keys. The one of BF2 that works is "encrypted" (not in clear text). The one that doesn't is not. It's written in clear text without the "-" in between.

That must help us in finding the reason, no?

Anybody who can help - you are welcome

thanks lads,

Merlin

[Tomme]

Re: CD Key invalid after SF Install - Urgent pls..

My problem is also that the BF2 key is encrypted but the SF key stays in clear text even after running the SF version of BF2CdKeyCheck.exe.

Out of curiosity, I monitored registry access (with Sysinternals regmon) and it turns out that the BF2CdKeyCheck.exe that came with my EA Downloader distribution of SF acually operates on the BF2 key!

Is this as simple as EA distributing the 'key encryptor' BF2CdKeyCheck.exe for the wrong version, for the wrong registry entries?!?

Can someone with a working SF try to run the SF BF2CdKeyCheck.exe with regmon running and see which keys it accesses?

--TH

[cdrx80]

Re: CD Key invalid after SF Install - Urgent pls..

I´m in the same situation...but I dont pre downlaod the game...Y bought the game two days ago and I cant play cos the game give me the invalid cdkey error...snif snif...

I tr y to apply the batch bf2copykey.zip that was posted here by gunny,and the game dont give me the error!!!I join in server,but inmediately kicked with the message:you have your game modified,... ...

Gunny,whats this error when apply bf2copykey.zip ?

Joup,I want to play,snif snif...help pleazeeee:cry:

[Gunny Highway]

Re: CD Key invalid after SF Install - Urgent pls..

I´m in the same situation...but I dont pre downlaod the game...Y bought the game two days ago and I cant play cos the game give me the invalid cdkey error...snif snif...

I tr y to apply the batch bf2copykey.zip that was posted here by gunny,and the game dont give me the error!!!I join in server,but inmediately kicked with the message:you have your game modified,... ...

Gunny,whats this error when apply bf2copykey.zip ?

Joup,I want to play,snif snif...help pleazeeee:cry:

The batch file I made only copies the cd-key from the BF2 registry entry to the BF2:SF registry entry. I thought you can do this with the downloadable BF2:SF because it used the same cd-key it seemed, but it doesn't. Delete teh batch file it is now pointless.

Take a look here on where to see the BF2:SF key if you EA downloadable:

http://www.totalbf2.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42935

The batch file doesn't touch ANY of the game files. The error you get can come from a faulty installation and corrupt files being transfered to the harddrive or because bf2 files have been altered.

Try uninstalling BF2 and BF2:SF completely. Doing it manually ensures that all things are removed properly, and you won't risk having old files left on the harddrive.

How to remove BF2 and BF2:SF manually:

http://support.ea.com/cgi-bin/ea.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=11150&p_created=1132789004&p_sid=h68notVh&p_lva=8986&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9NTImcF9wcm9kcz03LDEzODgsMTM4OSZwX2NhdHM9MCZwX3B2PTMuMTM4OSZwX2N2PSZwX3NlYXJjaF90eXBlPWFuc3dlcnMuc2VhcmNoX25sJnBfcGFnZT0z&p_li=&p_topview=1

How to remove only BF2 manually:

http://support.ea.com/cgi-bin/ea.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=8986&p_created=1119312427&p_sid=h68notVh&p_lva=8986&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9MTAmcF9wcm9kcz03LDEzODgsMTAwMyZwX2NhdHM9MCZwX3B2PTMuMTAwMyZwX2N2PSZwX3NlYXJjaF90eXBlPWFuc3dlcnMuc2VhcmNoX25sJnBfcGFnZT0xJnBfc2VhcmNoX3RleHQ9bWFudWFsbHk*&p_li=&p_topview=1

The install this way:

• Install BF2, apply NO PATCHES
  
  
• Install BF2:SF, and let it patch to 1.1
  
  
• Install patch 1.12

[Gunny Highway]

Re: CD Key invalid after SF Install - Urgent pls..

My problem is also that the BF2 key is encrypted but the SF key stays in clear text even after running the SF version of BF2CdKeyCheck.exe.

Out of curiosity, I monitored registry access (with Sysinternals regmon) and it turns out that the BF2CdKeyCheck.exe that came with my EA Downloader distribution of SF acually operates on the BF2 key!

Is this as simple as EA distributing the 'key encryptor' BF2CdKeyCheck.exe for the wrong version, for the wrong registry entries?!?

Can someone with a working SF try to run the SF BF2CdKeyCheck.exe with regmon running and see which keys it accesses?

--TH

If you have the downloadable version of BF2:SF you try just copying the encrypted BF2 key to the BF2:SF key in registry. mine are exactly the same registry which would indicate that it just uses the BF2 cd-key. This probably wouldn't work with DVD/CD version if they get seperate CD-keys.

EDIT:

CD-Keys are't the same it would seem, I only looked at the first part of the encrypted keys and they are very long, my bad take a look here:

http://www.totalbf2.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42935

[cdrx80]

Re: CD Key invalid after SF Install - Urgent pls..

Gunny,if I have the game that I boungt...?My problem is the same,in registry,BF2 key is encrypted,but BF2:SF isnt encrypted...

What can I do?