CD Key insanity

[Jazdude]

I that to reformat my hard drives because of a viruse and therefor delting my copie HL2/CS:S. When i whent back to instal HL2/CS:S it asked me for my CD key ( please note that i am using my same steam account etc. ) i entered it and it said that my key was a duplicate key and i recieive an email saying that my CD key has been entered on my account more than once. Which is ridicules since im using all my stuff before the HD wipe. I have seen this problem In some many websites and forums like the Steam forums and ive yet to see an awnser that works. Ive emailed steam about a month ago no reply, ive posted on the steam forums 3 times and ive tried countless other times, ive reinstaled steam mabe 5 times and have done may other things that have all failed.

Please i need help bad i really dont want to pay for a now HL2/CS:S if you can help me i thank yu in advance if im missing anything ask for it and ill proily beable to provide it ( excpt things like CD keys and stuff.)

 

[Beardo]

Try pressing cancel instead.

Steam stupidly asks you for you cd-key everytime, if u press cancel you should be log in as normal.

 

[Gollan]

Basically you *don't* reenter your key to reinstall the game. Look around, there is a button that you can press to skip entering the CD key. (I wish I could remember the screen layout and give you the exact instructions).

 

[Jazdude]

I wish just clicking cancl works but for some reson when i do that it never leaves the just relesed tab....

 

[NJspeed]

Once it says Already Registered, just load up the game dude.

I had the exact thing happen to me. Formatted my HD, entered the CD key, got the error message, got worried, logged into Steam, started the game, played. Just login to Steam with the username and password you set up.

 

[The Monkey]

Yepp, it's all in your account.

 

[HyperionCC]

You have to do the same thing if you ever uninstall, and then re-install the game. Just go ahead and press cancel and you will move on.

 

[kenyo]

once you register your cd-key once you never need to again on any computer! just log into steam and dl it (unless you no like slow, then do what the people above siad)

 

[Jazdude]

Can someone either tell me where HL2/CS:S instals to and where there HL2 file is because HL2/CS:s say that they are installing to program files/valve/steamapps/ and shouldent it beinstaling to program files/valve/steamapps/myemail

 

[Hectic Glenn]

indeed it should have '[email protected]' in it, but also it should still be in steamapps. so youremail.com/steamapps (and all the other bits before that)

 

[Jazdude]

Can you help then because it wont let me change the instal destination when i go to install?????

what do you mean myemail/steamapps myemail comes before steamapps

 

[Hectic Glenn]

hmmm, well if you have retail, let it to what it wants if you cant change it. The way the cd keys work, are they are connected to your email. Once you make an account and put your cd key ONTO that account, you can log onto it and use any games you bought, as long as you have the game files on that computer. Its like signing into msn/aim anywhere but your contacts being the same from any computer! So once you reinstall your games, you dont need to register them again, you do that ONCE only. You just need to log back into the account. All you need to do it install the files for HL2 (from the disc) or download them again if you have the steam version. (if you are sensible you'd have burnt them onto a dvd). Dont register your copy anymore! just log in when you get a chance to.

 

[Jazdude]

So im starting to think that its not my cd key but the fact that HL2 wont install into the right file. Can you tell me if in program files if you have a steam file or a valve file mabe the version of steam im using is corupt or somthing.