Where is the cd key?

[Mingdug]

I'm trying to use a mod, and it asks me for my cd key but i can't find it, and i reckon it's pretty safe because you can't do anything with a 4 year old used cd key.

[Blyte]

The key is not stored locally in the registry any more.
It is stored externally in your account on Steams' servers.

In the past it was stored in the registry here
HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Valve/Settings/Key

[Mingdug]

where is that?

[Mingdug]

i know usually it has product key on the side tab for th game in steam, but mine doesn't have that.

[SURVIVOR-DUP]

Originally posted by Mingdug:

where is that?

It was in the past, mate.

[Mingdug]

so where do you get find your own cd key nowadays?

[SURVIVOR-DUP]

Originally posted by Mingdug:

so where do you get find your own cd key nowadays?

It's automatically stored in Steam's servers as Blyte stated.

[Mingdug]

so is there no way to find it?

[SURVIVOR-DUP]

Originally posted by Mingdug:

so is there no way to find it?

To my knowledge, nope. Blyte's an expert so i'd suggest waiting for his answer, though.

[Blyte]

Steam only allows you to add/change activation codes. They do not reveal the code once it has been activated. That is really strange for a Half-Life mod to ask for your key. It sounds like a trick to get key codes. What mod is asking for the key? There is no reason a mod would need it. Either you have activated a key for Half-Life to install. In that case the game is there for the mod to be added. If you have not activated a key then Half-Life will not be installed and there is nowhere for the mod to be added.

[Mingdug]

it's called ESF AMXX.

[Blyte]

I downloaded ESF mod. The reason it is asking for a code key is because the installer contains a full copy of half-life. Strangest mod install i've ever seen for a half-life mod. Why would it include the base game files? Unless this mod was included on a retail half-life disc that was for sale.

[Mingdug]

Could it maybe be because i bought the half-life collection?

[Blyte]

It asks me for the key as well. I have all of the Half-Life games

I pre-ordered Half-Life (WON) and received it a month before the game was released to the public. I still have the disc and jewel case it came in.
At a later date, I bought a second copy of Half-Life (WON). It is the second edition release and it came with several mods (Blue Shift, Day of Defeat, Firearms....)

When I installed Half-Life threw steam. I used the key code from my second release jewel case. It unlocked the Half-Life Platinum Collection. That unlocked all the mods including Counter-Strike.
After that a few years later I bought a Half-Life 2 package that unlocked all the Half-Life 2 game series

So I think I have the code keys covered.
I decompiled the installer,. It is looking for the code key to be in the registry. That was where the key was located with the WON version of the game. The ESF install contains the WON version of the game.

I have a feeling that is why the ESF mod is dead now. The installer was never updated to work with the Steam release Half-Life.

I manually extracted the ESF folder from the installer and inserted it into my Steam Half-Life. it still asked for the key. The asking for the code key is embedded in the ESF hl.dll file. Not much I can do about that. I'm not a programmer. I'm just an old cook that's out of the kitchen.