Magna-Mike
Member
+5|6097
Hey everybody, I know this game is old, but I recently purchased a new copy of BF2 The Complete Collection, and I'm having a mess of an install problem. I first let it install everything automatically. I then updated to 1.5 after it was all finished, I go online to play and when I join a server I get the "CD Key Invalid" error.

Next step: I uninstalled everything. And installed BF2 first (From the disc). Then I installed 1.41 that I downloaded from EA's site. Then I installed SF (From the disc) then I reinstalled 1.41 and then I immediately installed 1.5. This is the proper install order I thought, but again I went online and got the same error message when trying to join a server.

I went into the registry and entered in the CD Keys manually into the proper places as well. Did not help. I installed PBUpdate and ran that. Nothing has worked!

I'm not sure what to do now...I've searched EA Forums and these forums. Have not found many answers... Any suggestions?
2juk
Member
+12|5168
Well obviously it's a good CD Key because the game finishes the install and lets you play.  So the problem would probably be with Punkbuster, what else is new?  Anyways when I get this error or an error relating to 'pnkbstrA' and/or 'pnkbstrB' it's usually my Anti-Virus software.  Try running the game without ANY anti-virus software and as Administrator if using Vista.

Give this a shot and let me know!
theboving
Member
+0|5532|Denmark Hoerning
Your problem is properly Punkbuster as 2juk said.
You must let Punkbuster run as admin both Punkbuster A and B. Also make sure that your firewall let them through.
You can also try to run the test program from punkbuster install.
You must search for the following files PnkBstrA.exe PnkBstrB.exe mine is at C:\Windows\SysWOW64  I am running Win7 64

Last edited by theboving (2010-12-28 02:12:43)

Vector
Missing in Action
+6|5527|Cerbere Landing
There's a registry key where you have to replace the random gibberish with your actual CD key without the hyphens. I think it's somewhere in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\EA GAMES\

Take out the Wow6432Node part if you aren't running a 64-bit OS
2juk
Member
+12|5168

Vector wrote:

There's a registry key where you have to replace the random gibberish with your actual CD key without the hyphens. I think it's somewhere in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\EA GAMES\

Take out the Wow6432Node part if you aren't running a 64-bit OS
Wow didn't know about that.
Magna-Mike
Member
+5|6097
I just downloaded a torrent of BF2 and installed that instead. I used a different CD key from a copy I bought 2+ years ago and it works. BUT I did try the CD key provided with Complete Collection, and that still did not work even with the torrented copy.

Works fine now though, although I'm still bothered that I spent $$ on Complete Collection, and had to resort to downloading a copy and using a previous CD key lol...

I might try the above options later, sometime.
2juk
Member
+12|5168
Give them a call or shoot 'em an email maybe they can help you out.. in the next few years.
Vector
Missing in Action
+6|5527|Cerbere Landing
You should be more bothered that you spent all that money on the complete collection when you can get all the booster packs for free now.
Vector
Missing in Action
+6|5527|Cerbere Landing
hey, if any of you try the registry edit trick, leave the x9392 in the CD key variable in the registry for both BF2 and Special Forces, but delete the gibberish after that and type in your CD key with no dashes or hyphens.
globefish23
sophisticated slacker
+334|6315|Graz, Austria
Have you tried these CD key tools that come with the game?
They clear and re-register your key, without the need of any manual registry editing.

..\Battlefield 2\Support\Battlefield 2_code.exe
..\Battlefield 2\SupportXP1\Battlefield 2 Special Forces_code.exe

Note:
Once you launch either of those EXEs, the respective key gets erased, even if you don't enter anything and quit.
So don't do it when you don't have the key at hand.

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