Steam, Is it not "free" anymore?

[Winchester]

I downloaded Steam in July/August or so and was able to download counter-strike and with no problems. Then it quit working, everytime I restarted my computer I got a "cannot connect to server" pop-up, and when i clicked the steam icon, an update popped up, but it just froze.

I just downloaded it again, and it deleted the counter-strike I did have downloaded, and it is now asking for a CD-Key, when it had not before.

 

[igowerf]

The CD-Key might be for your Half-Life or Counter-Strike disc. When I helped my brother reinstall some stuff over Thanksgiving weekend, I think we had to enter the HL CD Key for Steam.

 

[Winchester]

Yeah, I know that. But it didnt ask me for one before.

 

[bunker]

Originally posted by: Winchester
Yeah, I know that. But I don't have a legitimate copy of Half-Life or a cd-key.

I fixed your post for ya .

Counter-Strike is free, Half-Life, needed to play counter-strike, isn't.

 

[Winchester]

Originally posted by: bunker

Originally posted by: Winchester
Yeah, I know that. But I don't have a legitimate copy of Half-Life or a cd-key.

I fixed your post for ya .

Counter-Strike is free, Half-Life, needed to play counter-strike, isn't.

I dont think you quiet understand. It never once asked for a CD key before when I installed it before. This has nothing to do with having a legit copy of anything. Ive had retail boxed versions of half-life, counter-strike (bought, not downloaded), blue shift, and opposing force, as well as gunman chronicles, since they came out. So your theory just went to sh!t.

 

[WobbleWobble]

Did you have HL/CS installed before? If you did, Steam would have just taken the key from your registry so you wouldn't have been prompted for it. It then associates the key with your username.

Now when I download and install it onto a free install of Windows, I just have to enter my username and start playing.

 

[hdeck]

when you had it installed before it was still in beta phases. during those phases you did not need to enter your cd key. now that steam is used as the authentication method for half-life and its mods, you need to enter your half-life cd key if you wish to continue playing those games.

 

[Winchester]

Originally posted by: hdeck
when you had it installed before it was still in beta phases. during those phases you did not need to enter your cd key. now that steam is used as the authentication method for half-life and its mods, you need to enter your half-life cd key if you wish to continue playing those games.

I guess that has to be it, I looked at the steampowered website.

 

[bootoo]

Steam's earlier editions accepted a lot of bad cd keys but they said they were going to clean up on them and indeed they are.

I had problems because I had originally keyed in the wrong # from my jewel case and the second time through steam rejected it; thought my cd key was in use but I had just mis-copied it. So it is on to people. I've owned halflife since it was new and was pretty ticked at having to buy a new copy; you used to be able to get it for like $10 new but now it's back up.

Some people claim you can buy blue shift halflife (cheap) and use its key but I don't know; i'd search counter-strike.net forums and see if folks really have any luck with that.

 

[seepy83]

i'll tell you a bigger problem with steam:

i was involved with beta tests for 'tracker', valve's early version of the steam friends list for hl, and the betas for steam as well. i had an account on email address A when i did the steam beta. months later when steam was official and i had moved back into my dorm, steam would not let me connect from my email address A's account. i created a new account using email address B, not knowing that they were not allowing you to use the same cd-key on different accounts. i assumed that as long as both accounts were not logged on at the same time, i wouldnt have any problems (like the old WON system worked). well, needless to say, every time i log on with my new account on email address B, it asks for my cd-key and makes me install all the mods again.

i emailed the steam tech support, explaining my problem, and asking them to either delete email address A or B's account so that the other would work, and asked them to reply to me with what they had done. i never got a response, but within the next few days, email address A's account was magically allowing me to log on from on campus...so i'm assuming they fixed whatever the problem was with the account and all would be good. WRONG...all they did was fix whatever was not allowing me to connect, they did not get rid of the other account, so it asks for my cdkey and i have to install the mods every time i log on.

tried making a new account and using the cd-key from my old opposing force disc, but it doesnt accept those keys. it's a bunch of crap, imo...everyone says "just buy a new copy of the game"...well i've owned 2 copies of HL and 1 copy of opposing force...i think valve and sierra have gotten enough money out of me. (FYI: the reason i dont use the key from my second copy is because my brother uses it, as we are both at college now and dont use the same computers)

 

[igowerf]

Originally posted by: bunker

Originally posted by: Winchester
Yeah, I know that. But I don't have a legitimate copy of Half-Life or a cd-key.

I fixed your post for ya .

Counter-Strike is free, Half-Life, needed to play counter-strike, isn't.

Hey now, I know that Winchester either buys his software or uses freeware alternatives.