Its installed but it wont let me play! HELP!

[robbie1942]

Hey all

I installed HL2 onto my computer when i bought it but it wouldnt play until i downloaded some updates. Now i cant find the updates again. When I tried to register my account onto STEAM I was sent an email saying this.

Dear Steam user (account name: sgt_robbie1942), This is an automated message generated by Steam account administration. Steam has detected that your copy of Half-Life 2 Retail Standard has already been registered to another Steam user. Your product's CD-Key (the number printed on the CD case which you were asked to type in after installing the game) matches one already in our database. The CD-Key you entered is: 4ZBPC-KEFVX-SHG6N-YPTIH-DWA7V You will not be able to play Half-Life 2 Retail Standard unless you provide an unclaimed CD-Key. To provide an unclaimed CD-Key, you will need a copy of Half-Life 2 Retail Standard which has not already been registered on Steam. Double-click on the name of the game in Steam's "Games" window and then follow the given instructions. For further help or product support, please visit http://support.steampowered.com Signed, The Steam Support TeamTo contact us, email [email protected]

Any help on this would be appreciated greatly

Cheers.

 

[Jintor]

Duh, you've got a CD Key that is already in use. Is this new from a shop or did you buy it second-hand?

 

[DannyC.]

ooooo, this looks fishy.

 

[Acepilotf14]

It had BETTER not be pirated.
BETTER. Yes, you said you bought it. But you COULD be lying.
Otherwise, your screwed prolly.

 

[robbie1942]

Oh, no it says my CD key has been subscribed, because I subsrcribed it before i rebooted my computer. I definitely didnt pirate it, i bought it ages ago from a shop and now it wont let me play it. I mainly want to play single player and possibly online. What I really want is to find the updates that i downloaded last time so I can play the game again. I would appreciate a link to a site that gives you updates to download and install.

 

[Naudian]

The game should automatically update through Steam...unless you accidentally disabled it or something.

To make sure you can right-click the game in the menu and click properties. In the Updates tab make sure it's on "Always keep this game up to date."

But you say it's not letting you play?

Once you register the key to an account, it's tied to that account forever. Are you using the same account that you registered it to or do you have more than one?

 

[Jintor]

What kinda shop? Dodgy Asian shop that my uncle runs, or...

First thing, you said the CD Key was already subscribed (or locked to that account) because you tried to register it. Second post, you say that you subscribed (locked it to that account) before you rebooted your computer. If you've already locked the CD key to an account, use that account.

 

[Stucco]

Oh, no it says my CD key has been subscribed, because I subsrcribed it before i rebooted my computer.

That pretty much explains it all (assuming that by "rebooted" he actually means "reformatted"). He bought the game, registered an account using the CD key, then reFORMATTED, installed the game again - but then the idiot created a new account using the same old CD key (we all know that doesn't work) instead of just logging onto his existing Steam account.

Solution - Log onto your original Steam account.

 

[Xendance]

/Thread over.

 

[Stucco]

Until the usual "but I don't remember my original account name / password / email address" rant comes out...

 

[Jintor]

Stucco - are you going to take the Shasta attitude and tell me "Why the **** should I be polite on the interwebs"?

Just asking.

 

[robbie1942]

Look I bought it from a normal shop and had it working when i first installed it, and i did log in onto my old account. It just wont let me play the game on single player which is all i want to do at the moment. I had a go online, but i prefer BF2 for online play.

 

[Jintor]

Uh uh. If it's tied to your account, and yet it's not letting you play, you should email Steam support and ask them whose account the CD Key is tied to - because if it's not letting you update/play, then there's no way in hell it's tied to your account.

If it was working when you first installed it, and you did log into your old account, BUT NOW IT'S NOT WORKING - does not compute. Ask Steam Support. What you have said happend cannot happen; I have not seen any case where a CD Key tied to an account has mysteriously 'stopped working'.

 

[robbie1942]

Right just now i tried logging out then clicking play. It has come up with something saying

"This game is not ready to be played in offline mode."

Anyone know what to do now? My guess is some update needed to be installed or something.

 

[Jintor]

Sounds about right. Is there a progress bar next to it when you open the "Games" tab of Steam while connected to the interwebs?

 

[Link]

Ok, log in to your account on steam and look at the "my games" list. If there is no HL2 icon in there, then you have the wrong account. You need to use the same account you used when you first installed the game. If you can't remember them, your boned.

When you do find the correct steam login, write it down on a piece of paper and keep it in your CD case.

 

[robbie1942]

Yea ive got it working now, turns out i logged into the wrong account.

 

[Stucco]

Solution - Log onto your original Steam account.

Until the usual "but I don't remember my original account name / password / email address" rant comes out...

Yea ive got it working now, turns out i logged into the wrong account.

Wow. Just as I predicted. How surprising. [/sarcasm]

Log onto your original Steam account.

You could have saved yourself a whole heap of time by actually paying attention when you ask for help.

 

[Rapstah]

At least you tried not to be an American idiot, Stucco.