Halflife 2 install disks are broken - now what?!

[Skaven]

I purchased a copy of Half Life 2 from PC Liquidators and the install CDs were physically damaged. I could not install the game. Following the Disk Replacement policy, I mailed the CDs in to get new CDs. Well, they said that the product is no longer retail so they can not send me new copies of the CDs. So I installed Steam, then tried to activate the CD-key that way... but it says I need to install the retail version of the game! I even tried to BitTorrent the original CDs to install it and use my key - but the torrents are all cracked!

I just want to play the darned game LEGALLY!!!

I have contacted Valve (as that is what Vivendi told me to do) to see if they can help, and I have not recieved a response.

What should I do!?

 

[SoundTheSurrender]

SOL i think.

 

[apoppin]

get your money back from PCLiquidator

e-mail Valve again

borrow it from a friend and use your key

[i'm outta ideas]

 

[Sniper82]

I thought you could d/l it VIA steam no matter if you bought CD version or not. Guess it's for ppl who bought it through steam only.

 

[xtknight]

oops, didn't read

 

[NYHoustonman]

Originally posted by: Sniper82
I thought you could d/l it VIA steam no matter if you bought CD version or not. Guess it's for ppl who bought it through steam only.

I can, using the collector's edition... I suspect you have to install it by CD/DVD once, and from then on it is bound to your steam account.

 

[clickynext]

lol, I guess that's what you get for trying to do everything legally. =/

 

[AbAbber2k]

Ur boned unless you registered the product over Steam me thinks.

 

[Skaven]

Anybody want to lend me their install CDs? Or send me a backup? This is so frustrating!

 

[Akhen]

Actually you need to install it once with the cds then you can use steam.
send me a pm Skaven and ill see if we can figure something out

 

[Frodolives]

Vivendi is an evil publisher imo. And I'm serious.

 

[PingSpike]

Originally posted by: Sniper82
I thought you could d/l it VIA steam no matter if you bought CD version or not. Guess it's for ppl who bought it through steam only.

No...I lost a couple of my CDs. When I upgraded my computer and reinstalled windows I just had the steam client download HL2.

Maybe this only works after you've installed/activated it once already though?

 

[KMFJD]

I just installed Steam, plugged in the free cd key from purchasing my video card and it downloaded that full game.

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: KMFJD
I just installed Steam, plugged in the free cd key from purchasing my video card and it downloaded that full game.

Yeah, that's the way it works with Half-Life. As long as you have the CD key, you don't need the install media.

Half-Life 2 may be different though.

 

[Smilin]

You should return this to PC Liquidator.

Per their website they sold you a copy that was known to have been opened and the CD key possibly stolen as well.

$14.95 for a $49.95 game sounds pretty good until you read the details:

"Until we get caught up, this item is not available for order.
The box was opened on the sales floor and we inspected it and taped it closed for sale. We suspect that the reason it was opened is so that someone could copy down the key."

....followed by the CD-Key Reset link from Valve.

 

[Sniper82]

Originally posted by: MrChad

Originally posted by: KMFJD
I just installed Steam, plugged in the free cd key from purchasing my video card and it downloaded that full game.

Yeah, that's the way it works with Half-Life. As long as you have the CD key, you don't need the install media.

Half-Life 2 may be different though.

Don't think Half Life came with his card. I am guessing he got one of those HL2 vouchers from a ATI 9xxxXT series. I bought a voucher from someone and it came with their Athlon 64 purchase. He PM'ed me the key after buying and I d/led and was playing before I got the voucher in the mail. Never needed a CD.

 

[XBoxLPU]

Buying on Steam FTW

 

[rstrohkirch]

$29.95 off steam for GOTY edition

 

[Skaven]

Yea - I couldn't activate it for the first time because one (and maybe two) of my CDs were damaged. So I guess I can' just download it from Steam. I have a support call in with Steam - but they just came back with stupid questions "why couldn't you install it, what kind of error did you get?" umm... I clearly stated that the CDs were damaged!