Crysis Warhead - Activation Disabled - Can not play

HDTVfan

Junior Member
Aug 20, 2004
8
0
0
A couple of weeks ago I purchased Crysis Warhead. I just installed it like any other game, put in serial number, and played it. Since them I had a hardware failure and upgraded motherboard. Also had to reinstall windows Vista a second time. When I finally reinstalled Crysis Warhead last night, I received the following popup screen - " The game will not start! For security reasons, only a limited number of machines can ever be licensed by a single purchase. This limit has been reached. Please purchase another registration code, reinstall, and then try again". I tried emailing EA cusotmer service but have not had a reply. Honestly, I wish I had never purchased the game at all. The game is worthless and I just purchased it a couple of weeks ago! I knew nothing about the DRM limitation when I purchased it. I am thinking about contacting the local Consumers Affairs department about getting a refund from EA - their product does not work, and I only installed it on my home computer. And for those of you who make regular hardware upgrades - Beware! You may find yourself in the same predicament as me if you purchase this product and make hardware changes. I am so disgusted by this that I only want a full refund.
 

coloumb

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
4,069
0
81
Warhead has a 5 activation limit. How'd you manage to use up those with only 1 hardware change / 1 re-install of Vista? You should have 3 activations remaining IF the DRM didn't like the motherboard change...

SHENS! :)
 

HDTVfan

Junior Member
Aug 20, 2004
8
0
0
Over the course of two weeks I reinstalled Crysis Warhead twice - so I don't know why the 5x would have been reached. Maybe because I was switching out video cards? I don't know.... In any respect, I am sure that sometime in the future I will be making further hardware changes - upgrading my motherboard as technology changes, upgrading the cpu, installing a new operating system, etc. So I will be sure to read the reviews first and not purchase any games with this kind of DRM protection on it...
 

Nightmare225

Golden Member
May 20, 2006
1,661
0
0
Originally posted by: HDTVfan
Over the course of two weeks I reinstalled Crysis Warhead twice - so I don't know why the 5x would have been reached. Maybe because I was switching out video cards? I don't know.... In any respect, I am sure that sometime in the future I will be making further hardware changes - upgrading my motherboard as technology changes, upgrading the cpu, installing a new operating system, etc. So I will be sure to read the reviews first and not purchase any games with this kind of DRM protection on it...

For the single player disc, there's a way around it. If you know what I mean. ;)

Anyways, be glad that the multiplayer doesnt have an install limit.
 

HDTVfan

Junior Member
Aug 20, 2004
8
0
0
Actually I don't know the way aound it. But I guess I'll have to find out if I want to use the game that I paid for. It's ironic that guys like me that purchase the game retail are locked out and forced to look for ways around the protection that I'm sure are are commonly known to those who don't buy it in the first place.
 

CrazyLazy

Platinum Member
Jun 21, 2008
2,124
1
0
Originally posted by: HDTVfan
Actually I don't know the way aound it. But I guess I'll have to find out if I want to use the game that I paid for. It's ironic that guys like me that purchase the game retail are locked out and forced to look for ways around the protection that I'm sure are are commonly known to those who don't buy it in the first place.

The way around it starts with "c" and ends in "rack".
 

Bateluer

Lifer
Jun 23, 2001
27,730
8
0
A quick check of several popular BT sites reveals many Warhead cracks up for grabs, with plenty of positive feedback in their comments.
 

ghost recon88

Diamond Member
Oct 2, 2005
6,196
1
81
Originally posted by: Bateluer
A quick check of several popular BT sites reveals many Warhead cracks up for grabs, with plenty of positive feedback in their comments.

This
 

Kromis

Diamond Member
Mar 2, 2006
5,214
1
81
Originally posted by: CrazyLazy
Originally posted by: HDTVfan
Actually I don't know the way aound it. But I guess I'll have to find out if I want to use the game that I paid for. It's ironic that guys like me that purchase the game retail are locked out and forced to look for ways around the protection that I'm sure are are commonly known to those who don't buy it in the first place.

The way around it starts with "c" and ends in "rack".

Crack cocaine always does the job. ;)
 

sourthings

Member
Jan 6, 2008
153
0
0
Go to the gamecopyworld website ;) You'll find a check removal .exe for warhead there I bet, they have tons of them for people who want to remove the need for cds in the drive for the games they've bought.
 

Canai

Diamond Member
Oct 4, 2006
8,016
1
0
Originally posted by: Coldkilla
Things like this make people go onto torrent websites.... good job EA.

I wonder how many think, "well, that was easy. I wonder what else I can download from here?"

Wait, maybe EA is actually a good thing. They're recruiting the next generation of pirates :laugh:
 

CVSiN

Diamond Member
Jul 19, 2004
9,289
0
0
call EA support if you bought it its just as easy for them to reset the activations as it is with windows activations or Ipod activations.
they will ask a few questions and then they will reset it.

why even bother with cracks etc if you bought it.

 

Ganeedi

Senior member
Jul 7, 2008
258
0
0
Originally posted by: CVSiN
call EA support if you bought it its just as easy for them to reset the activations as it is with windows activations or Ipod activations.
they will ask a few questions and then they will reset it.

Yes i think all it takes is a phone call to support. Well, that and a bit of a wait on hold.
 
Apr 16, 2008
135
0
0
I was really thinking about picking up Warhead this weekend because of a few mods that are in the works for the engine (Rise and the Mech Warrior mod) but I'm glad I didn't. I'll just pick up the Original and not be put through a situation like this.

As for the phone call to EA, you could look online for a work around, download it and install before getting any customer service. This just promotes cracking the game by inconveniencing the legitimate user.
 

extra

Golden Member
Dec 18, 1999
1,947
7
81
Call them up and explain what happened. Assuming you are being honest and really only installed it on one machine, that is. They'll reset it for you. If they refuse, go download a crack for it. If your lying and installed it on a bunch of computers then don't be a dick, it was a good game go buy another copy for your friend's machine.
 

CrystalBay

Platinum Member
Apr 2, 2002
2,175
1
0
Originally posted by: protoz
I was really thinking about picking up Warhead this weekend because of a few mods that are in the works for the engine (Rise and the Mech Warrior mod) but I'm glad I didn't. I'll just pick up the Original and not be put through a situation like this.

As for the phone call to EA, you could look online for a work around, download it and install before getting any customer service. This just promotes cracking the game by inconveniencing the legitimate user.



Free Crysis Wars Weekend
 

Pugnate

Senior member
Jun 25, 2006
690
0
0
Bullshit.

I do NOT believe the OP here. Obviously some propaganda spewing pirate.
 

HDTVfan

Junior Member
Aug 20, 2004
8
0
0
Well after not receiving a reply via email I called up EA customer service. They indiccated that EA customer service can not be reached on weekends via email. They did some sort of reset and the game launched. They indicated that if I make any hardware changes it would be a good idea call them up beforehand so that there's no problem. While they were accomodating, I told them that I would never purchase another product from them with this type of DRM. They told me that all of the game companies were going to adopt this. Imagine if every time I upgraded hardware I had to call up all of the software manufacturers for all of the programs I had and notify each one that I was upgrading so that I was not deactivated - sheesh!!! By the way, for all of you skeptics I did purchase the game retail and have been honest about this whole thing. If you doubt me - well just go out and buy some programs with this kind of DRM and lets see how you like it the next time you want to upgrade your motherboard or make other hardware or operating system upgrades or changes.
 

BladeVenom

Lifer
Jun 2, 2005
13,365
16
0
Originally posted by: HDTVfan
They told me that all of the game companies were going to adopt this.

Well EA isn't very honest. Plenty of companies don't use DRM, use a simple disk check, or other noninvasive methods of copy protection.
 

jonks

Lifer
Feb 7, 2005
13,918
20
81
Originally posted by: BladeVenom
Originally posted by: HDTVfan
They told me that all of the game companies were going to adopt this.

Well EA isn't very honest. Plenty of companies don't use DRM, use a simple disk check, or other noninvasive methods of copy protection.

Yeah but not on major releases, just small time unhyped games like Fallout 3.
 

VashHT

Diamond Member
Feb 1, 2007
3,253
1,242
136
Originally posted by: Pugnate
Bullshit.

I do NOT believe the OP here. Obviously some propaganda spewing pirate.

I don't see why its so hard to believe. When Bioshock came out the EXACT same thing happened to a lot of people, that is they were blocked after 1 install instead of the supposed 3. I find it funny though that people will put up with DRM until it goes bad for them and then they freak out, but until then everyone who complains about it is a lying pirate.