registration key lost, what do i do??

[narhic_fd]

okay i recently reformatted my hardrive and when i went to install my need for speed game the instruction manual was lost and i know cant install it because the registration key was on it. I emailed EA about it and i have not gotten the info i need from them yet. Having problems with the new way hotmail is setup and cant get stuff to work right. I dont wont to have to go out and buy a whole new copy of the game just so i can install the game and play it, when i already own a ligit copy to begin with. Is there anyway around this issue?? thank you.

 

[pswenne]

unless you can prove to EA that you purchase the game ( ex: cash receipt) I don't think they will give you a new key code and you will have to buy a new game.

 

[sdrawkcaBgoD]

There aren't any legal ways around it that I know of.

 

[Human1]

You could jump through a thousand hoops and I still don't think EA would give you a key. As was said, you don't have any legal way of getting around it.

 

[llama_man]

Sorry mate, but you're probably out of luck.

Take this opportunity to put the manuals for all your other games back in the box so you don't have this happen to you again.

 

[Human1]

Or make a spreadsheet with all your data in one spot.

 

[llama_man]

I was going to suggest that, but then you need to remember to print it out / back it up before you reformat your hard disk...

 

[waylander]

Not really, if you have your drive partitioned or have multiple drives just make sure the spreadsheet with your cd keys is not on the OS drive. That's what I do...

 

[Flakes]

unless you can prove to EA that you purchase the game ( ex: cash receipt) I don't think they will give you a new key code and you will have to buy a new game.

like this guy said, most game companies will actually give you a key, if you send the game and the reciept to them obviously you pay postage, but i have actually done this with Diablo 2, my cd drive chewed the disks and i lost the code(bad day) i wrote an email and they told me if i post the game and the reciept of me buying the game they would send a new cdkey.

 

[DrNeil]

Is using a CD key found online illegal when you already own a game?

 

[sdrawkcaBgoD]

Good question. I have no idea.

 

[HotSauce]

I'd just find a key online if I were you.

 

[llama_man]

Is using a CD key found online illegal when you already own a game?

I'm not a lawyer, so don't rely on my opinion (!), but I don't see how it can be. A CD key is a device employed by the publisher to prevent piracy - it has no basis in law by itself.

When you purchase the game, you are in essence buying a license to use that product. The theft of piracy occurs when you use a program without a license. You already have a license (you bought the product), so how you get the program to run is your own business. The only problem is if use of an online key invalidates your license. Have a look at the license agreement when you install the game - if you haven't done anything to invalidate your license you should be OK. And morally you're in the clear (in my book).

However, where a game uses an activation code that can only be used once, that is a different matter. Using an online key would prevent another person from using their copy of the game, which of course would in essence be theft.

 

[chuckshissle]

You can find activation keys online but make sure you don't register that game to EA or go play online with it cause it can be trace and if that keys is "hot" or duplicated, stolen etc then you could be in trouble for piracy or something like that, anyways it won't be good.

But playing offline with a "hot" key is safe.

Also be careful as there are many sites that have cracked games and codes and keys and also they can harm your pc by smuggling a virus or harmful programs. So be careful visiting sites that claims they have "hot" keys for games.

Disclaimer: Don't blame me for anything.

 

[dwave]

I agree with Chuckshissle, you will have to watch if you download anything. Several sites will try to slip you a virus.

 

[narhic_fd]

i got a email from EA and they said i can send the game to them, with return postage and after recieving the game and verifying it they will send it back to me with a new register key. So for $10 return shipping i can play my game again. beat having to buy a whole new game again.

 

[chuckshissle]

That's good, I don't know they can do that. Hmm I thought EA has a really bad costumer service, I guess I'm wrong.