# Why Can't I play Crysis Warhead Anymore?



## Whilhelm (Nov 17, 2008)

Ok so I just went to launch Crysis Warhead and I got this error messege. 







WTF this is stupid I have only installed it twice and now I have to purchase another key 

Anybody know how to fix this without having to buy another copy of a game that I already own?


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## JC316 (Nov 17, 2008)

Hmm, looks like Crysis has a limit on installs. Did you get this used?


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## erocker (Nov 17, 2008)

I haven't seen this with Crysis before!!  Call thier support number and raise hell.


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## newtekie1 (Nov 17, 2008)

Crysis limits installs to 5 different machines, so I am going to guess Warhead has similar restrictions.  Chances are your key is in use by some warez site, or being generated in a Key generator.  It happened to my friend with Crysis, he just had to call their tech support line, then email them a scan of his proof of purchase, and they issued him another key.


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## Whilhelm (Nov 17, 2008)

I got the game new and have only installed it twice. It is so annoying for people that actually buy games and get treated like a pirate by the developer. I hate EA


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## wolf2009 (Nov 17, 2008)

me too, this happened to me too after 1 install .


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## JC316 (Nov 17, 2008)

Whilhelm said:


> I got the game new and have only installed it twice. It is so annoying for people that actually buy games and get treated like a pirate by the developer. I hate EA



It's complete crap. Bioshock had the same problem, but got ALOT of flak for it and increased the number of installs as well as allowing you to un register it.


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## Whilhelm (Nov 17, 2008)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yO913DuRwA


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## Whilhelm (Nov 17, 2008)

That may not be a good idea to post that here. I got the game working again thanks.


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## Castiel (Nov 17, 2008)

Whilhelm said:


> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yO913DuRwA



that is really funny. But that is a good movie though.


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## Solaris17 (Nov 17, 2008)

Whilhelm said:


> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yO913DuRwA





ahahahahahaha


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## JC316 (Nov 17, 2008)

That has to be one of the funniest things that I have ever seen. Thank you for that!


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## SkyKast (Nov 17, 2008)

Whilhelm said:


> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yO913DuRwA



hahaha that's really funny "do you know how many va ation homes I have?!"


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## EiSFX (Nov 17, 2008)

A good way to get rid of the is just use the No Cd crack and it will fix your problem it did for me when i had the problem and still works online cuz of the legit key


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## SkyKast (Nov 17, 2008)

Whilhelm said:


> That may not be a good idea to post that here. I got the game working again thanks.



you were right, how did you get it working anyways?


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## Whilhelm (Nov 17, 2008)

All I can say is that it works and EA had nothing to do with it.


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## Fastmix (Nov 17, 2008)

Whilhelm said:


> All I can say is that it works and EA had nothing to do with it.




But if you have paid for the game.....it makes no sense to do that.

You are giving up your own rights and if that's the case you shouldn't have bought it in the first place.


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## Whilhelm (Nov 17, 2008)

I just want to play it on my new video cards and I don't have to wait till Monday. I will probably still call them to get a new key. I know that I am going to have to jump through a bunch of hoops with EA to get a new key to replace one that should have worked in the first place. 

Its just one of those ironic things where the DRM is there to protect the company from piracy and it doesn't stop it at all. If anything it makes users more wary of which games that they buy. It sucks to be an end user who pays for a game that no longer works where the pirates are playing it with no issues.


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## CrAsHnBuRnXp (Nov 17, 2008)

Whilhelm said:


> I just want to play it on my new video cards and I don't have to wait till Monday. I will probably still call them to get a new key. I know that I am going to have to jump through a bunch of hoops with EA to get a new key to replace one that should have worked in the first place.
> 
> Its just one of those ironic things where the DRM is there to protect the company from piracy and it doesn't stop it at all. If anything it makes users more wary of which games that they buy. It sucks to be an end user who pays for a game that no longer works where the pirates are playing it with no issues.



Makes it pointless to buy a game then doesnt it?


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## erocker (Nov 17, 2008)

CrAsHnBuRnXp said:


> Makes it pointless to buy a game then doesnt it?



It makes a point not to pirate games.  Since the pirates are the ones taking away the gaming fun from the people that do it right.  If everyone were to go on pirating games, what the hell is the incentive for game companies to even make games anymore?


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## Whilhelm (Nov 17, 2008)

Yeah I buy all of my games legit because if everyone pirates these games then the PC gaming market will just keep shrinking. It just sucks when a paying customer gets screwed by software meant to stop piracy.


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## Wile E (Nov 17, 2008)

I don't mind some DRM, but I refuse to buy any Securom titles. It just takes it too far. I was OK with having to put the CD in, I was ok with having your key verified when you play online (and only when you play online), but when you treat me, the paying customer, like a criminal by limiting my number of installs, and making me call a toll line to beg for a new key or activation code, but not guarantying that I actually get it, i draw the line. This is just too restrictive and invasive. EA will not be getting my money for any titles that have this scheme.

There is just no excuse for all of this. They say copy protection is put into place to prevent piracy, yet, what exactly are they preventing? Nothing. Both this and Spore were both available online before they were even officially released, sans DRM mind you. The only thing this accomplishes is the burdening of their honest, paying customers by making them jump thru unnecessary hoops and treating them like a criminal. None of these titles will ever be on my system. As long as EA keeps this up, they have lost a customer in me.

The only thing copy protection accomplishes is annoying paying customers, and driving up development costs (and therefore retail prices) thru licensing fees.


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## ChromeDome (Nov 17, 2008)

^ i tend to agree with the above. because if they make it too hard for the paying customer to play after X number of reinstalls or because the licensing key got jacked by some key gen then you know what....that paying customer if they have no other recourse and they still want to play what they PAID for is going to go grab a game off a torrent or use a no cd crack. the very thing EA and the likes say they are trying to discourage!

because why should a customer have to jump through hoops or beg for something they already bought? or worse yet have to buy it again? only for it to possibly happen again!

makes no sense


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## SkyKast (Nov 17, 2008)

well there would be just as much problems with unlimited installs because the disc would just float around all of the persons friends....


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## Castiel (Nov 17, 2008)

SkyKast said:


> well there would be just as much problems with unlimited installs because the disc would just float around all of the persons friends....



Thats true right there, I used to do that with Call of Duty.


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## newtekie1 (Nov 17, 2008)

The only thing that limitted installs solves is people beating the game, then giving it to their friends to play.  IMO, it doesn't really solve any real piracy problems, and shouldn't be used.  However, it is a product of the current state of the industry, and the people that are saying "well I don't like the anti-piracy methods, so I'm just going to pirate it" need to realize that they are the ones responsible for those anti-piracy methods.


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## Wile E (Nov 17, 2008)

newtekie1 said:


> The only thing that limitted installs solves is people beating the game, then giving it to their friends to play.  IMO, it doesn't really solve any real piracy problems, and shouldn't be used.  However, it is product of the current industry, and the people that are saying "well I don't like the anti-piracy methods, so I'm just going to pirate it" need to realize that they are the ones responsible for those anti-piracy methods.



Yeah, I don't condone downloading these titles instead of buying them. I'm just not gonna play them, personally. Or, maybe, buy it and crack it, but that's a whole other legal grey area.


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## EviLZeD (Nov 17, 2008)

SkyKast said:


> well there would be just as much problems with unlimited installs because the disc would just float around all of the persons friends....



that can still happen because these install limits are easily bypassed by noCD exe's so therefore its pretty pointless to have an install limit in the firstplace


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## zithe (Nov 17, 2008)

When I install a game, I ALWAYS copy it to an external hard drive. I've never had a problem placing it back into program files if I screwed up the install. I've even copied them onto other PCs without issue.


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## Wile E (Nov 17, 2008)

zithe said:


> When I install a game, I ALWAYS copy it to an external hard drive. I've never had a problem placing it back into program files if I screwed up the install. I've even copied them onto other PCs without issue.



That won't work with all games. Some install registry keys, or other needed software onto your Windows install, that won't get copied over if you just move the game folder to a new drive.


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## zithe (Nov 17, 2008)

Wile E said:


> That won't work with all games. Some install registry keys, or other needed software onto your Windows install, that won't get copied over if you just move the game folder to a new drive.



It's worked with the games I tried, but all of them have a couple years under their belt.
If you know where the extra needed crap is saved, I guess it's worth a shot? 

Don't kill me. I don't understand OS' too well. XD


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## ZenZimZaliben (Nov 17, 2008)

It does make a difference if people pirate. Its the only voice they/we have. Speak through purchasing power. Software companies will see they are losing revenue on games with high profile DRM. I know companies like to make you think 9 outa 10 people pirate, but that is complete BS. It is more in line with how many people OC their computers and install 3rd party cooling. I know it doesn't seem like that here but really Pirates are a very small minority. 

They spend millions on advertising against pirates, and millions more on DRM tech. Then they get to spend millions supporting the average customer that can not install the game or have reached their max install quota.

The reason PC games are shrinking is because of them, the game publishers, wasting all that money on BS that effects 95% of the legit user base yet doesn't effect the 5% they were trying to stop.


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## newtekie1 (Nov 17, 2008)

The number of legit users that are actually negatively affected by DRM is a lot lower than the number of pirates.  DRM definitely doesn't affect 95% of the legit user base, in fact I'm sure 99% of the legit user base never even realize it is there.  The pirates want to make you think it is affecting every person that buys the game legally, but that simply isn't the case, it is just an excuse pirates like to use to give them a reason to get out of buying the game.

The PC game industry isn't shrinking because of DRM, it is shrinking because companies have less and less reason to make PC games.  Less and less people are buying PC games, more are pirating or moving to consoles.

DRM has little to do with the shrinking PC gaming market, if anything is is one of the reasons that the market hasn't collapsed completely.


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## Wile E (Nov 17, 2008)

newtekie1 said:


> The number of legit users that are actually negatively affected by DRM is a lot lower than the number of pirates.  DRM definitely doesn't affect 95% of the legit user base, in fact I'm sure 99% of the legit user base never even realize it is there.  The pirates want to make you think it is affecting every person that buys the game legally, but that simply isn't the case, it is just an excuse pirates like to use to give them a reason to get out of buying the game.
> 
> The PC game industry isn't shrinking because of DRM, it is shrinking because companies have less and less reason to make PC games.  Less and less people are buying PC games, more are pirating or moving to consoles.
> 
> DRM has little to do with the shrinking PC gaming market, if anything is is one of the reasons that the market hasn't collapsed completely.


I completely disagree with you there. Just look how many issues people are having with securom. DRM is not invisible by any means, and it does nothing to stop piracy, therefore it is not keeping the industry afloat. If anything it is hurting it further, due to the development costs and licensing fees, all of which are passed on to us consumers. ANd even if only a small percentage of people are having issues with the current Securom, what about a year or two from now, when a hell of a lot more people are likely to have hit their install limits?

If you think DRM is actually a benefit, and that it is actually necessary, all I have to do is to point out games like Oblivion. It isn't encumbered by some ridiculous DRM scheme, yet it was wildly successful.

DRM schemes like the current Securom are hurting PC gaming, and the more invasive and limiting it gets, the more the industry will suffer. There's no two ways about it. People don't want to spend $50 on a game that has the potential of becoming nothing more than a long term rental if the developer doesn't keep their word.


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## newtekie1 (Nov 17, 2008)

There will always be issue, however to 99% of the people that buy the game legit, it is invisible, and they will never have issues.

As for hitting the limit years down the road, many do not even install the game more than once, beat it, then put it on a shelf.  Even still, I believe Securom has stated that the install limit is reset after a certain time, I believe it was a year.  So it isn't a limit to 5 for the rest of time, but a limit to 5 installs in a year, which is more than reasonable IMO.

Personally, I don't believe the install limit actually does any good.  However, other DRM schemes do.  And while Oblivion was DRM free, and wildly successful, it was also one of the most pirated games released.  I know of my ~20 friends that played it, only 2 copies was actually bought, mine which I used for myself, and a friends who got distributed to the others.

Unfortunately, it is in human nature to steal digital content.  If it was as easy to pirate a game as it is to copy a music CD for someone, the PC gaming industry wouldn't exist as it does today.  We wouldn't see several good titles released a year, we would see maybe one.  Software developers would all go to consoles as there would be little money in PC gaming.


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## Solaris17 (Nov 17, 2008)

Wile E said:


> I completely disagree with you there. Just look how many issues people are having with securom. DRM is not invisible by any means, and it does nothing to stop piracy, therefore it is not keeping the industry afloat. If anything it is hurting it further, due to the development costs and licensing fees, all of which are passed on to us consumers. ANd even if only a small percentage of people are having issues with the current Securom, what about a year or two from now, when a hell of a lot more people are likely to have hit their install limits?
> 
> If you think DRM is actually a benefit, and that it is actually necessary, all I have to do is to point out games like Oblivion. It isn't encumbered by some ridiculous DRM scheme, yet it was wildly successful.
> 
> DRM schemes like the current Securom are hurting PC gaming, and the more invasive and limiting it gets, the more the industry will suffer. There's no two ways about it. People don't want to spend $50 on a game that has the potential of becoming nothing more than a long term rental if the developer doesn't keep their word.



i completely agree like halo and crysis for the PC i had such a F#$# hard ime installing them because of DRM Crysis would tell me its not a legit copy and alo2 actually forced me to install and play it with the secondary login enabled which i purposely disabled along with other services to ain performance and secondary login wasnt just it i had to enable all its damn deendencies i returned my first copy because i thought it was a bad disk until i found others with the same prob when it did it with the second i looked for hours for the answer with the second disk i was about 30min away from returning the game all together and just keeping the money because game stop was closing down and it took m 15min to get their. then i found out you had to enable those so i did and it worked totally rediculous if you ask me now in order to even play it i need to keep services i dont want on enabled for the game to even F#@$ start.


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## Wile E (Nov 17, 2008)

newtekie1 said:


> There will always be issue, however to 99% of the people that buy the game legit, it is invisible, and they will never have issues.
> 
> As for hitting the limit years down the road, many do not even install the game more than once, beat it, then put it on a shelf.  Even still, I believe Securom has stated that the install limit is reset after a certain time, I believe it was a year.  So it isn't a limit to 5 for the rest of time, but a limit to 5 installs in a year, which is more than reasonable IMO.
> 
> ...



I'm not against all DRM. I don't mind needing the disc in the drive (or perhaps they can give us a usb dongle?). That makes it more like a DVD to normal people. If you want to take one of your DVDs to a friends house, and watch it on their player, you can. Console games are the same way, you can play it on any system, as long as you have the disc. PC games should be the same way. 

Is this type of DRM easily defeated? Yes, it is. But as you already pointed out, normal people don't bother with that. Besides, securom is just as easily defeatable by the same simple download. So, in effect, the only people that it CAN affect, are legitimate owners. It does not, and will not ever affect pirates, and will only ever potentially serve to piss off the people that legitimately bought the game. The pirates are already 100% unaffected. So what purpose does this serve again?

In short, this is pointless, and a slap in the face to legitimate owners, as they are treated like criminals.


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## niko084 (Nov 17, 2008)

Whilhelm said:


> I got the game new and have only installed it twice. It is so annoying for people that actually buy games and get treated like a pirate by the developer. I hate EA



Exactly why I refuse to buy any game released by EA. I feel their pain, but it's not going to become mine..

As said, call / email their support, they generally are good at taking care of issues like that.

As for the security features, I agree with Wile E very much..

What happens if you ban guns, then only criminals have them *sounds like a good idea*.


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## Solaris17 (Nov 17, 2008)

Wile E said:


> I'm not against all DRM. I don't mind needing the disc in the drive (or perhaps they can give us a usb dongle?). That makes it more like a DVD to normal people. If you want to take one of your DVDs to a friends house, and watch it on their player, you can. Console games are the same way, you can play it on any system, as long as you have the disc. PC games should be the same way.
> 
> Is this type of DRM easily defeated? Yes, it is. But as you already pointed out, normal people don't bother with that. Besides, securom is just as easily defeatable by the same simple download. So, in effect, the only people that it CAN affect, are legitimate owners. It does not, and will not ever affect pirates, and will only ever potentially serve to piss off the people that legitimately bought the game. The pirates are already 100% unaffected. So what purpose does this serve again?
> 
> In short, this is pointless, and a slap in the face to legitimate owners, as they are treated like criminals.



hell im a legit user buy all my games because i like having a disk and a legit key in case i want to play some of the guys on TPU but im totally guilty of getting no-cd EXE's because i hate how loud my dvd drives get and ill also be the first to admit i copy and back up iso's of all my games on my 1TB drive to keep the disks in new condition thn i get programs like deamon tools to get the laser lock secure rom stuff i mount and install


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## niko084 (Nov 17, 2008)

Solaris17 said:


> hell im a legit user buy all my games because i like having a disk and a legit key in case i want to play some of the guys on TPU but im totally guilty of getting no-cd EXE's because i hate how loud my dvd drives get and ill also be the first to admit i copy and back up iso's of all my games on my 1TB drive to keep the disks in new condition thn i get programs like deamon tools to get the laser lock secure rom stuff i mount and install



I'm the same way, same with all my music and movies also. I don't want my drives spinning up and down all the time, I don't want to be shuffling through cd cases... Waste of my time.


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## Wile E (Nov 17, 2008)

Solaris17 said:


> hell im a legit user buy all my games because i like having a disk and a legit key in case i want to play some of the guys on TPU but im totally guilty of getting no-cd EXE's because i hate how loud my dvd drives get and ill also be the first to admit i copy and back up iso's of all my games on my 1TB drive to keep the disks in new condition thn i get programs like deamon tools to get the laser lock secure rom stuff i mount and install





niko084 said:


> I'm the same way, same with all my music and movies also. I don't want my drives spinning up and down all the time, I don't want to be shuffling through cd cases... Waste of my time.


That's why I suggested a usb dongle. I think it's the perfect compromise. I wouldn't even bother with no-cd's if they gave us those.


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## niko084 (Nov 17, 2008)

Wile E said:


> That's why I suggested a usb dongle. I think it's the perfect compromise. I wouldn't even bother with no-cd's if they gave us those.



Ya, that wouldn't be so bad.


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## SkyKast (Nov 17, 2008)

Solaris17 said:


> hell im a legit user buy all my games because i like having a disk and a legit key in case i want to play some of the guys on TPU but im totally guilty of getting no-cd EXE's because i hate how loud my dvd drives get and ill also be the first to admit i copy and back up iso's of all my games on my 1TB drive to keep the disks in new condition thn i get programs like deamon tools to get the laser lock secure rom stuff i mount and install



yeah I take ISO's of all my games as well and do the same thing you do but I like having the disk/case, I get the special edition whenever possible because it is a collection to me as well as a great piece of media


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## zithe (Nov 17, 2008)

Wile E said:


> That's why I suggested a usb dongle. I think it's the perfect compromise. I wouldn't even bother with no-cd's if they gave us those.



I'd end up losing it. 

Good idea, either way.


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## Trizmatic (Nov 18, 2008)

Whilhelm said:


> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yO913DuRwA



I peed my pants that was so funny


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## SkyKast (Nov 18, 2008)

what movie was that originally from anyways?


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## Whilhelm (Nov 18, 2008)

Its from Downfall. A very well done movie about Hitler and the last days of the Third Reich 

Who knew my OP would have spawned an actual intelligent discussion about DRM and Piracy.


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## zithe (Nov 18, 2008)

Whilhelm said:


> Who knew my OP would have spawned an actual intelligent discussion about DRM and Piracy.



And Nazi's.


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## Whilhelm (Nov 18, 2008)

I guess that's my fault for posting that funny video but I felt it was relevant.


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## Pinchy (Nov 18, 2008)

Wile E said:


> I'm not against all DRM. I don't mind needing the disc in the drive (or perhaps they can give us a usb dongle?). That makes it more like a DVD to normal people. If you want to take one of your DVDs to a friends house, and watch it on their player, you can. Console games are the same way, you can play it on any system, as long as you have the disc. PC games should be the same way.
> 
> Is this type of DRM easily defeated? Yes, it is. But as you already pointed out, normal people don't bother with that. Besides, securom is just as easily defeatable by the same simple download. So, in effect, the only people that it CAN affect, are legitimate owners. It does not, and will not ever affect pirates, and will only ever potentially serve to piss off the people that legitimately bought the game. The pirates are already 100% unaffected. So what purpose does this serve again?
> 
> In short, this is pointless, and a slap in the face to legitimate owners, as they are treated like criminals.



Couldn't have put it better myself.


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## Whilhelm (Nov 18, 2008)

Well said Wile E.


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## Darknova (Nov 18, 2008)

Solaris17 said:


> hell im a legit user buy all my games because i like having a disk and a legit key in case i want to play some of the guys on TPU but im totally guilty of getting no-cd EXE's because i hate how loud my dvd drives get and ill also be the first to admit i copy and back up iso's of all my games on my 1TB drive to keep the disks in new condition thn i get programs like deamon tools to get the laser lock secure rom stuff i mount and install



I use no-disc cracks all the time, and as far as I'm aware you are allowed to do that in the UK. TBH, I'd find it idiotic if it was illegal because you own the physical disc, but I believe it's illegal to bypass DRM in the US?


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## newtekie1 (Nov 18, 2008)

Wile E said:


> I'm not against all DRM. I don't mind needing the disc in the drive (or perhaps they can give us a usb dongle?). That makes it more like a DVD to normal people. If you want to take one of your DVDs to a friends house, and watch it on their player, you can. Console games are the same way, you can play it on any system, as long as you have the disc. PC games should be the same way.
> 
> Is this type of DRM easily defeated? Yes, it is. But as you already pointed out, normal people don't bother with that. Besides, securom is just as easily defeatable by the same simple download. So, in effect, the only people that it CAN affect, are legitimate owners. It does not, and will not ever affect pirates, and will only ever potentially serve to piss off the people that legitimately bought the game. The pirates are already 100% unaffected. So what purpose does this serve again?
> 
> In short, this is pointless, and a slap in the face to legitimate owners, as they are treated like criminals.



Of course it doesn't affect the current pirates, the ones that already now how to defeat the protection are unaffected, but they aren't the ones that DRM is supposed to stop.

It prevents your average person from easily becoming a pirate.  As I already stated, without DRM, litterally everyone would simply buy the game once, and copy it for all their friends.  If copying games was as easy as copying CDs, the PC gaming industry would make little money, and wouldn't last 5 years.

Hell, my cousin, who has only been PC gaming for about 2 months, just called me as asked if I wanted a copy of Fallout 3.  He picked it up and it is a great game, he already made a copy for his other friends.  I already bought the game, so obviously I said no, but that is just an example of how easily a non-DRM game gets pirated, even by people that have never pirated a game in their lives.  And a perfect example of the people that DRM is meant to stop.  Even a simple DRM scheme would have worked.  He would have copied the game, popped the copy in and saw it didn't work, and given up(because that is about the attention span teenagers have these days).

DRM is meant to stop the general "uneducated" public from pirating, not the small percentage of people that already know how get around the DRM.

And I agree with the install limit thing, it is pretty stupid and useless.  A person should be able to play it on as many computers as they want, as long as the original disc is used to start the game.  Unfortunately, with no-cd cracks becoming so increadibly mainstream(this thread is a perfect example of that, were a person that has never pirated is aided in finding and apply a no-cd crack), new solutions have to be implemented.

I like the idea of a USB dongle, but I'd rather store flat CDs than a USB dongle for each game.  Imaging going to a LAN party with 20 USB dongles for each game.  Though perhaps a USB dongle that allowed you to load "unlock codes" for multiple games on it, that would be sweet.  They already have similar USB dongles for software that doesn't appear as even a storage device to the computer, but the software can read that it is there, and only loads when it is plugged in.  You even have to install special drivers for it.  Something like that, but allows you to use multiple games per dongle would be great.


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## Wile E (Nov 18, 2008)

newtekie1 said:


> Of course it doesn't affect the current pirates, the ones that already now how to defeat the protection are unaffected, but they aren't the ones that DRM is supposed to stop.
> 
> It prevents your average person from easily becoming a pirate.  As I already stated, without DRM, litterally everyone would simply buy the game once, and copy it for all their friends.  If copying games was as easy as copying CDs, the PC gaming industry would make little money, and wouldn't last 5 years.
> 
> ...


Yeah, but the thing is, it's only a cracked exe to get these Securom titles to run, too. It's exactly the same as a No-CD. So, they actually have accomplished nothing by using this DRM, tbh.

Not a bad idea for the USB key you have there. Perhaps have one dongle for an entire publisher? Like EA has one that can be used for any of their titles. When you install the game, you insert the dongle, and it updates it to unlock your new game or something like that.


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## SkyKast (Nov 19, 2008)

really EA has one I have never heard of that and I cant seem to find anything about it on google


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## Pinchy (Nov 19, 2008)

I like the idea of a USB dongle but unfortunately, I have seen such simple cracks bypass them/emulate them.


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## SkyKast (Nov 19, 2008)

oh yeah good point that would render them useless...


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## newtekie1 (Nov 19, 2008)

Wile E said:


> Yeah, but the thing is, it's only a cracked exe to get these Securom titles to run, too. It's exactly the same as a No-CD. So, they actually have accomplished nothing by using this DRM, tbh.
> 
> Not a bad idea for the USB key you have there. Perhaps have one dongle for an entire publisher? Like EA has one that can be used for any of their titles. When you install the game, you insert the dongle, and it updates it to unlock your new game or something like that.



Using the install limit DRM, you are correct, it does very little, but I already said I agree with you here.  However, the game still uses traditional DRM that requires the DVD in to be played, which is effective.

And yes, a dongle per publisher would be great.  Carrying around 4 or 5 dongles is a lot better than 30-40 CD/DVDs.


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## SkyKast (Nov 19, 2008)

newtekie1 said:


> Using the install limit DRM, you are correct, it does very little, but I already said I agree with you here.  However, the game still uses traditional DRM that requires the DVD in to be played, which is effective.
> 
> And yes, a dongle per publisher would be great.  *Carrying around 4 or 5 dongles is a lot better than 30-40 CD/DVDs.*



yep that's the part I totally agree with the question is people, will it ever happen?


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## MadClown (Nov 19, 2008)

WE NEED A CRACK!!!  Are you afraid of punkbuster?

lol epic vid


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## Wile E (Nov 19, 2008)

newtekie1 said:


> Using the install limit DRM, you are correct, it does very little, but I already said I agree with you here.  However, the game still uses traditional DRM that requires the DVD in to be played, which is effective.
> 
> And yes, a dongle per publisher would be great.  Carrying around 4 or 5 dongles is a lot better than 30-40 CD/DVDs.


I know, I was just adding to your point, not disagreeing.



Pinchy said:


> I like the idea of a USB dongle but unfortunately, I have seen such simple cracks bypass them/emulate them.



Yeah, and a simple cracked exe defeats all current DRMs as well. Moot point, really.


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## SkyKast (Nov 19, 2008)

Wile E said:


> Yeah, and a simple cracked exe defeats all current DRMs as well. Moot point, really.



yeah seemed like a good idea before that was mentioned 

is there any way to make a crack proof dongle?


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## Wile E (Nov 19, 2008)

SkyKast said:


> yeah seemed like a good idea before that was mentioned
> 
> is there any way to make a crack proof dongle?



No. No DRM is crack proof, and it never will be. If it can be engineered, it can be reverse engineered. That's the primary reason I think DRM is crap. It prevents nothing, and is a waste of money and resources that could be spent actually making better game content.


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## SkyKast (Nov 19, 2008)

I agree with that but is there any other known technology thats works the same way as DRM?


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## christof139 (Nov 19, 2008)

What's DRM?? Dialectic Revolutionary/Revisionary/Reactionary/Restricted Mumbojumbo?? Is this only on new FPS games or also on RTS games??

Thanx, Chris


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## Solaris17 (Nov 19, 2008)

christof139 said:


> What's DRM?? Dialectic Revolutionary/Revisionary/Reactionary/Restricted Mumbojumbo?? Is this only on new FPS games or also on RTS games??
> 
> Thanx, Chris



Digital rights managment

and its on alot of newer games regardless of genre


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## Wile E (Nov 19, 2008)

christof139 said:


> What's DRM?? Dialectic Revolutionary/Revisionary/Reactionary/Restricted Mumbojumbo?? Is this only on new FPS games or also on RTS games??
> 
> Thanx, Chris





Solaris17 said:


> Digital rights managment
> 
> and its on alot of newer games regardless of genre



Otherwise known as Copy Protection.


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## Solaris17 (Nov 19, 2008)

Darknova said:


> I use no-disc cracks all the time, and as far as I'm aware you are allowed to do that in the UK. TBH, I'd find it idiotic if it was illegal because you own the physical disc, but I believe it's illegal to bypass DRM in the US?



idk but they can come get me


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## SkyKast (Nov 19, 2008)

ha sol other than GreyHat because spying unlocks possabilities what country, or even continent are you located? because I think he is right about it being legal in the UK


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## Solaris17 (Nov 19, 2008)

SkyKast said:


> ha sol other than GreyHat because spying unlocks possabilities what country, or even continent are you located? because I think he is right about it being legal in the UK



usa concord NH (like 70miles north of were you live) when i feel like it i go to the beach and spy on some of the members through my rediculously high powered telescope and for those living in a vally below sea level i have an intricate mirror system in place.


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## SkyKast (Nov 19, 2008)

haha that's awesome I love spying I don't know why. I know it's kinda creepy but it's fun.


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## Solaris17 (Nov 19, 2008)

SkyKast said:


> haha that's awesome I love spying I don't know why. I know it's kinda creepy but it's fun.



LOL


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## newtekie1 (Nov 19, 2008)

Wile E said:


> No. No DRM is crack proof, and it never will be. If it can be engineered, it can be reverse engineered. That's the primary reason I think DRM is crap. It prevents nothing, and is a waste of money and resources that could be spent actually making better game content.



I've already pointed out that DRM does prevent something.  It stops the "casual" pirate.


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## SkyKast (Nov 19, 2008)

newtekie1 said:


> I've already pointed out that DRM does prevent something.  It stops the "casual" pirate.



yup completely agreed, but the percentage of the Csual pirate compared to the experienced is probably about 40% to 60%

I dont know just a guess


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## DanishDevil (Nov 19, 2008)

Whilhelm said:


> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yO913DuRwA



Are you afraid of punkbuster?


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## Wile E (Nov 19, 2008)

newtekie1 said:


> I've already pointed out that DRM does prevent something.  It stops the "casual" pirate.


A simple disc check does that, and would require no extra financial overhead, when compared to Securom.


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## newtekie1 (Nov 19, 2008)

Wile E said:


> A simple disc check does that, and would require no extra financial overhead, when compared to Securom.



Not true, as a simple disc check can not tell if the disc is a copy or the original.  More advanced forms of DRM, such as Securom, are required to make sure the disc is original.  Validating the original disc is the major purpose of Securom and other DRM schemes used in PC games.  This useage limit BS is only a minor addition to Securom's capabilities.

And I am sure it is far more expensive to produce your own copy protection scheme compared to simply licencing Securom.


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## Wile E (Nov 19, 2008)

newtekie1 said:


> Not true, as a simple disc check can not tell if the disc is a copy or the original.  More advanced forms of DRM, such as Securom, are required to make sure the disc is original.  Validating the original disc is the major purpose of Securom and other DRM schemes used in PC games.  This useage limit BS is only a minor addition to Securom's capabilities.
> 
> And I am sure it is far more expensive to produce your own copy protection scheme compared to simply licencing Securom.


Normal disc checks do not allow copied discs either. It still requires the original, or a perfect clone with the book type set to DVD-ROM. Casual pirates do not know how to rip perfect clones and set book types.

And it would not be more expensive. The tech is already out there.


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## SkyKast (Nov 19, 2008)

wile e is correct simple disk checks do detect a amateur disk copy


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## newtekie1 (Nov 19, 2008)

No simple disc check detects copies, any game that detects copies is using some kind of copy protection beyond simple disc checks, be it Securom, starforce, safedisc, laserlock, or something else.

Unless by "simple disc check" you actually mean one of the many protection schemes that have been in use for well over a decade now, in which case, those aren't simple disc checks, and they certainly still cost the publisher money to license.


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## Pinchy (Nov 19, 2008)

newtekie1 said:


> No simple disc check detects copies, any game that detects copies is using some kind of copy protection beyond simple disc checks, be it Securom, starforce, safedisc, laserlock, or something else.
> 
> Unless by "simple disc check" you actually mean one of the many protection schemes that have been in use for well over a decade now, in which case, those aren't simple disc checks, and they certainly still cost the publisher money to license.



Do you know what F.E.A.R used for copy protection?

It certainly wasnt anything like securom and it did detect copied versions of the disk.


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## christof139 (Nov 20, 2008)

Solaris17 said:


> Digital rights managment
> 
> and its on alot of newer games regardless of genre. Will E: Otherwise known as Copy Protection.




Yeah, you all rang the bell in my belfry. Funny thing too as I just read some stuff on DRM last week, but my mind drew a blank, a not unusual occurrence.

Thanx, Chris


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## newtekie1 (Nov 20, 2008)

Pinchy said:


> Do you know what F.E.A.R used for copy protection?
> 
> It certainly wasnt anything like securom and it did detect copied versions of the disk.



Actually, F.E.A.R. did use Securom, version 7 to be specific.


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## Pinchy (Nov 20, 2008)

newtekie1 said:


> Actually, F.E.A.R. did use Securom, version 7 to be specific.



Hmm thats weird, I dont remember seeing anything about Securom during the installation.

It was a while back, though


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## newtekie1 (Nov 20, 2008)

Pinchy said:


> Hmm thats weird, I dont remember seeing anything about Securom during the installation.
> 
> It was a while back, though



Very rarely is anything about the copy protection mentioned during install.


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## ste2425 (Nov 20, 2008)

dunno if this has allready been mentioned, i got bored reading halfway through, but why carn't they make it so that you can tell which pc its installed on and make it only installable on that one rig but no need for installation limits once its installed on that rig, so if you need to you re-install it on the same rig fine with no problems but its only limited to one rig. Im shure theres ways of tellin if its installe don a computer with a different os. Itl have to be done by the os though not hardware incase people upgrade


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## InnocentCriminal (Nov 20, 2008)

ste2425 said:


> dunno if this has allready been mentioned, i got bored reading halfway through, but why carn't they make it so that you can tell which pc its installed on and make it only installable on that one rig but no need for installation limits once its installed on that rig, so if you need to you re-install it on the same rig fine with no problems but its only limited to one rig. Im shure theres ways of tellin if its installe don a computer with a different os. Itl have to be done by the os though not hardware incase people upgrade



Kick in the nuts if you have to reformat.


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## ste2425 (Nov 23, 2008)

hmmmmm aye only answer to that would be ur rig burning sumit onto the disk during install so the game no's which os its installed on incase or a reformat but that would bring in uncountable problems and probs never even be considered.


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## SkyKast (Nov 23, 2008)

yeah that will never happen it wouldnt improve anything really just make it worse


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## ste2425 (Nov 23, 2008)

in theory it would improve things, It would mean people dnt have a limit to installs, on their own computer, but carn't intall it onto another computer and lend the game, but not every1 has a dvd burner and people may feel it a betrayal of privacy maybe. But i gues if the game, upon install, contacts who ever the maker is and then sends the info of the os etc then even if theres a reformat its still the same os so the game just contacts the manufactures site and gets the info to say the person using the comp bought the game? haha ooo im full of ideas today


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## Polarman (Nov 23, 2008)

Whilhelm said:


> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yO913DuRwA



 Had to stop halfway before i died.


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## SkyKast (Nov 23, 2008)

Polarman said:


> Had to stop halfway before i died.



haha me too my parents were like WTF are you watching!?


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## ste2425 (Nov 24, 2008)

> Originally Posted by Whilhelm
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yO913DuRwA



im sorry to say that that was already done but abought him gettin banned from abox live, http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=sfkDxF2kn1I


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## ste2425 (Nov 24, 2008)

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9uNtPh7hSsE&feature=related

not as funny but....


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## eidairaman1 (Nov 24, 2008)

the More DRM they implement the more complex an app becomes and thus more Errors in code creation are discovered by the User.


Wile E said:


> I don't mind some DRM, but I refuse to buy any Securom titles. It just takes it too far. I was OK with having to put the CD in, I was ok with having your key verified when you play online (and only when you play online), but when you treat me, the paying customer, like a criminal by limiting my number of installs, and making me call a toll line to beg for a new key or activation code, but not guarantying that I actually get it, i draw the line. This is just too restrictive and invasive. EA will not be getting my money for any titles that have this scheme.
> 
> There is just no excuse for all of this. They say copy protection is put into place to prevent piracy, yet, what exactly are they preventing? Nothing. Both this and Spore were both available online before they were even officially released, sans DRM mind you. The only thing this accomplishes is the burdening of their honest, paying customers by making them jump thru unnecessary hoops and treating them like a criminal. None of these titles will ever be on my system. As long as EA keeps this up, they have lost a customer in me.
> 
> The only thing copy protection accomplishes is annoying paying customers, and driving up development costs (and therefore retail prices) thru licensing fees.


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## johnnyfiive (Nov 25, 2008)

those hitler videos are slaying me, LOL!


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## SkyKast (Nov 26, 2008)

I think its about time for this thread to die


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## mrhuggles (Nov 26, 2008)

this has been said befor but,.. imho the best protection is definatly the model blizzard uses with diablo2 and starcraft yay 

i guess a good way for them to do that with even offline games is to use the model windows uses maybe? that wouldnt be so bad. i guess.... and now, you dont even have to use the discs anymore yay! [latest patch for starcraft, well i dont know about diablo2


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## erocker (Nov 26, 2008)

ste2425 said:


> dunno if this has allready been mentioned, i got bored reading halfway through, but why carn't they make it so that you can tell which pc its installed on and make it only installable on that one rig but no need for installation limits once its installed on that rig, so if you need to you re-install it on the same rig fine with no problems but its only limited to one rig. Im shure theres ways of tellin if its installe don a computer with a different os. Itl have to be done by the os though not hardware incase people upgrade



Computers get upgraded, hardware changes.  The rig that the application was origianlly installed on changes.


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## SkyKast (Nov 26, 2008)

erocker said:


> Computers get upgraded, hardware changes.  The rig that the application was origianlly installed on changes.



yeah just like if you change hardware you cant use your windows key anymore, if you just call microsoft and say you switched out your ram, mobo, cpu they will send you an activation key

it would have to be that same kind of thing


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## ste2425 (Nov 26, 2008)

so theres nothing within windows or any os for that matter that would stay the same no matter what?


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## SkyKast (Nov 26, 2008)

well if you replaced all that then no (mobo, RAM, HDD)


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## ste2425 (Nov 27, 2008)

fair enough :d


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## newtekie1 (Nov 27, 2008)

We'll, in the perfect world, the OSes CD key would stay the same...But even then, there are many reasons it could be different after a re-install and it wouldn't cover OS upgrades either.


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## ste2425 (Nov 27, 2008)

upgrades you mean like from xp to vista? hmm true


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## johnnyfiive (Nov 30, 2008)

So.. I am getting this same problem, and ive only installed the game two times. I reinstalled it hoping it would fix the problem. It didn't fix it. How do I fix this? I bought this game, have barely played it and I have time during the holiday break. Now I can't play it because EA is stupid.


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## Whilhelm (Nov 30, 2008)

You can either call EA and jump through a bunch of hoops to get a new key, or you can use Google to find a way to fix it using methods that are not to be talked about on this forum


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## johnnyfiive (Nov 30, 2008)

I tried a game " fix " but that doesn't work. Get the same problem. Could you pmsg me and let me know how you got it working again, please!


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## johnnyfiive (Nov 30, 2008)

Anyone know how to resolve this without getting a hold of EA? (because they are closed on weekends!). I just want to play some damn Warhead.


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## SkyKast (Nov 30, 2008)

sorry man the onlyt way would be to buy another activation key or wait till monday


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## johnnyfiive (Nov 30, 2008)

meh, am I really gonna have to find a pirated copy just to play a game i own.. man... EA... i hate u.


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