Getting Mass Effect 2 DLC working in 2019 (PC)

[lpsmith]

I just got this working, and figured I'd share.

The ME2 DLC is now available from EA for free, from:

https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/origin/origin/download-dlc-for-classic-origin-games/#masseffect

However, when you run the game, it tries to verify that the DLC has been added to your account, which it won't have been. Back in 2016, I actually *bought* the DLC using 'BioWare' points, and it *still* didn't register that I owned the DLC. After some back-and-forth with EA support, they told me to find 'giveme2entitlements.exe' and run that. Of course, that's a program that someone wrote to crack the game so the DLC would work. And now EA support is pointing people to it, instead of fixing the game themselves. Whee!

In 2016, that file was relatively easy to find and run, but here at the end of 2018, all I could find was sites telling you how to check if it had a virus. Happily, I still had my old machine, and found a copy of it there. I've zipped it and put it on Google Drive for you all:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y_PUJmmajdmpHaJZKJgrCeRi8o1rYwuc/view?usp=sharing

If it's gone by the time you read this, I apologize; maybe try searching for it yourself. The filename is now 'giveme2entitlements_v2.exe' Just be sure to check it for viruses.

Also, if I ran 'MassEffect2.exe', I got a dll error; some searching revealed that I should run 'ME2Game.exe' instead.

Also also, it was recommended to turn off the internet options inside the game.

The upshot:

1) Get the game from Steam or Origin.
2) Download the DLC from https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/origin/origin/download-dlc-for-classic-origin-games/#masseffect to the directory it was installed.
3) Run all the DLC installers.
4) Run ME2Game.exe. From the opening screen, go to Extras/Options/Online and set both options there to 'no'.
5) Exit the game.
6) Run giveme2entitlements_v2.exe
7) Run the game again. If it doesn't complain about unauthorized DLC, that means it worked!

Good luck!

[AbedsBrother]

I have trouble believing that EA told you to pirate the DLC.

[lpsmith]

I had already bought the DLC; they were telling me how to get it to run, and couldn't be bothered to figure it out themselves. I was more than a little incredulous myself.

[lpsmith]

"Greetings,

I really appreciate your patience and kind co-operation in this regards.

I would suggest you to check this link :-http://forum.bioware.com/topic/117724-trouble-authorizing-dlc/ and go through the steps:-

* disable 'auto-connect' and 'feedback' in the game settings: EXTRAS > OPTIONS > ONLINE
* Find a tool called giveme2entitlement.exe, ME2_AuthPatch.exe or something similar
* and download it to C:\\Users\\USERNAME\\Documents\\BioWare\\Mass Effect 2 (you might want to backup that folder, esp. the BioPersistentEntitlementCache.ini file before.
* Launch the little tool and follow the instructions.

This would indeed be helpful to fix the issue for you.

Thank you for contacting Electronic Arts.
We have closed this case for now . You can reach us at help.ea.com for further assistance

Regards,
Rahul K.
EA Customer Experience"

[AbedsBrother]

Originally posted by lpsmith:

"Greetings,

I really appreciate your patience and kind co-operation in this regards.

I would suggest you to check this link :-http://forum.bioware.com/topic/117724-trouble-authorizing-dlc/ and go through the steps:-

* disable 'auto-connect' and 'feedback' in the game settings: EXTRAS > OPTIONS > ONLINE
* Find a tool called giveme2entitlement.exe, ME2_AuthPatch.exe or something similar
* and download it to C:\\Users\\USERNAME\\Documents\\BioWare\\Mass Effect 2 (you might want to backup that folder, esp. the BioPersistentEntitlementCache.ini file before.
* Launch the little tool and follow the instructions.

This would indeed be helpful to fix the issue for you.

Thank you for contacting Electronic Arts.
We have closed this case for now . You can reach us at help.ea.com for further assistance

Regards,
Rahul K.
EA Customer Experience"

The BioWare forums at forum.bioware.com have been offline for years. This looks very fake at this point.

I advise everyone to NOT download anything linked in this thread.

[lpsmith]

As I said, this was in 2016.

[lpsmith]

Hey, archive.org still has it: https://web.archive.org/web/20160302152952/http://forum.bioware.com/topic/117724-trouble-authorizing-dlc/

I will repeat that I was flabbergasted that official EA support was to literally copy and paste other people's solutions to the problem. But that's EA for you.

(EDIT: Holy crap, the post he quoted me was from *2010*. Six years on! Just incredible.)

[m0k]

All you have to do is activate the game in Origin and download the DLC manually.
Worked for me.