Activation Questions

Freyar · 03-22-2011, 09:25 AM

So.. it's pretty obvious there's online activation beyond Steam, even worse is that it merely pops up (for me so far) stating "Activation Successful". So, here's the important question:

How many activations do I get? I want to know exactly what limitations I'm dealing with here.

03-22-2011, 09:31 AM

I believe you can have up to five computers authorized at a time on the serial key, but you can also deauthorize computers - I found this in fine print text on the ea website when I was looking for where to redeem the LE bundle on the page to preorder the LE

Freyar · 03-22-2011, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kasai_Oni

I believe you can have up to five computers authorized at a time on the serial key, but you can also deauthorize computers - I found this in fine print text on the ea website when I was looking for where to redeem the LE bundle on the page to preorder the LE

That sounds standard for them, but the storefront didn't have that information. : /

Psycho101 · 03-22-2011, 09:37 AM

If the game is using SolidShield, there should be a file similar to other games that use it allowing you to check remaining activations.

Navigate to the game's main directory and lok for an executable that has nothing to do with the actual gasme, usually called activation.exe. mRunning it should bring up details including license key used, date of activation and how many activations are remaining, as well as allowing you to de-auth the game on that machine.

This is all assuming that they're still using Solidshield (which can be confirmed using ProtectionID).

03-22-2011, 09:43 AM

I actually only found that info because I was trying to figure out how to redeem the LE bundle code. And that text also said the game was using SolidShield.

Freyar · 03-22-2011, 09:59 AM

Yup, five activations. How annoying.

steven88 · 03-22-2011, 09:59 AM

you have 5 total activations

i just looked it up under programfiles x86/steam/steamapps/common/crysis2/bin32/activation

it lets you de authorize the game....so everytime you want to clean sweep your hard drive, make sure you run this

03-22-2011, 09:59 AM

Meh mycrysis.com won't even let me login

Freyar · 03-22-2011, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steven88

you have 5 total activations

i just looked it up under programfiles x86/steam/steamapps/common/crysis2/bin32/activation

it lets you de authorize the game....so everytime you want to clean sweep your hard drive, make sure you run this

I can't plan hard-disk failures.. like the one I had three days ago.

steven88 · 03-22-2011, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freyar

I can't plan hard-disk failures.. like the one I had three days ago.

just pray you don't have more than 5 HD failures...haha

Freyar · 03-22-2011, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steven88

just pray you don't have more than 5 HD failures...haha

... they tend to go in waves.. about a week apart for some reason. :P

Psycho101 · 03-22-2011, 11:09 AM

Image the drive and you shouldn't have any issues.

Of course that does depend a little on what the activation utility looks for with regards to hardware. Replacing the failed drive with an identical make and model will definitely cause no issues though.

Though I do agree, activation limits are pretty stupid. They don't even stop casual piracy. You can loan the game to a friend, who can use comonly available "workarounds" to run the game, as if it were a genuine copy. SP only of course.

flibitijibibo · 03-22-2011, 11:24 AM

Just posting in here to thank you guys for the find. I had this marked on my notepad in friggin' February hoping they wouldn't actually use it despite being in the leak.

Their reasoning (read: whining) can be found here: http://www.destructoid.com/why-we-ca...m-196926.phtml

Quote:

"I know there's a lot of negative feelings toward DRM. But, I mean, what are we supposed to do? The actions of a few are causing maybe a mild inconvenience for others,"

You can start by not using the stuff you JUST SAID WAS A NEGATIVE FEATURE. Cry more, Crytek.

Quote:

"If I'm playing a game and it has DRM on it, do I notice? Not really. I just know that there's something going on, but doesn't really enhance (sic) my play experience. So, it's something that we'll have to look at in the future."

Translation: "I don't notice anything with DRM, you know, except for the things that DRM does. No problem, right?"

chrisdglong · 03-23-2011, 07:47 PM

I hope you guys understand that none of these systems are perfect. I installed the original Crysis once, reformatted and installed again and BAM was out of activations... How does that work? EA, after an hour on the phone, finally gave me more activations. However, how many times will they do this? Russian roulette with your 60 bucks? Nah, I would rather put up with Activision's B.S. then play the machine activation game.

madafaka · 03-23-2011, 08:16 PM

I don't understand the deauthorize thing. After you used up all your 5 installations, do you get them back after running the "activation.exe" executable? What I mean is if you get the 5 installation limits back
someone plz clarify

03-22-2011, 09:25 AM	#1
Freyar Join Date: Jul 2006 Reputation: 1413 Posts: 16,457	Activation Questions So.. it's pretty obvious there's online activation beyond Steam, even worse is that it merely pops up (for me so far) stating "Activation Successful". So, here's the important question: How many activations do I get? I want to know exactly what limitations I'm dealing with here.

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03-22-2011, 09:31 AM	#2
Kasai_Oni Guest Posts: n/a	I believe you can have up to five computers authorized at a time on the serial key, but you can also deauthorize computers - I found this in fine print text on the ea website when I was looking for where to redeem the LE bundle on the page to preorder the LE

03-22-2011, 09:37 AM	#4
Psycho101 Join Date: Dec 2010 Reputation: 135 Posts: 869	If the game is using SolidShield, there should be a file similar to other games that use it allowing you to check remaining activations. Navigate to the game's main directory and lok for an executable that has nothing to do with the actual gasme, usually called activation.exe. mRunning it should bring up details including license key used, date of activation and how many activations are remaining, as well as allowing you to de-auth the game on that machine. This is all assuming that they're still using Solidshield (which can be confirmed using ProtectionID).

03-22-2011, 09:43 AM	#5
Kasai_Oni Guest Posts: n/a	I actually only found that info because I was trying to figure out how to redeem the LE bundle code. And that text also said the game was using SolidShield.

03-22-2011, 09:59 AM	#6
Freyar Join Date: Jul 2006 Reputation: 1413 Posts: 16,457	Yup, five activations. How annoying.

03-22-2011, 09:59 AM	#7
steven88 Join Date: Dec 2006 Reputation: 139 Posts: 1,034	you have 5 total activations i just looked it up under programfiles x86/steam/steamapps/common/crysis2/bin32/activation it lets you de authorize the game....so everytime you want to clean sweep your hard drive, make sure you run this

03-22-2011, 09:59 AM	#8
Rickyr120 Guest Posts: n/a	Meh mycrysis.com won't even let me login

03-22-2011, 11:09 AM	#12
Psycho101 Join Date: Dec 2010 Reputation: 135 Posts: 869	Image the drive and you shouldn't have any issues. Of course that does depend a little on what the activation utility looks for with regards to hardware. Replacing the failed drive with an identical make and model will definitely cause no issues though. Though I do agree, activation limits are pretty stupid. They don't even stop casual piracy. You can loan the game to a friend, who can use comonly available "workarounds" to run the game, as if it were a genuine copy. SP only of course.

03-23-2011, 07:47 PM	#14
chrisdglong Banned Join Date: Mar 2009 Reputation: 411 Posts: 5,638	I hope you guys understand that none of these systems are perfect. I installed the original Crysis once, reformatted and installed again and BAM was out of activations... How does that work? EA, after an hour on the phone, finally gave me more activations. However, how many times will they do this? Russian roulette with your 60 bucks? Nah, I would rather put up with Activision's B.S. then play the machine activation game.

03-23-2011, 08:16 PM	#15
madafaka Join Date: Oct 2007 Reputation: 31 Posts: 1,157	I don't understand the deauthorize thing. After you used up all your 5 installations, do you get them back after running the "activation.exe" executable? What I mean is if you get the 5 installation limits back someone plz clarify