Question on two copies / cd key

[sexacutioner 1]

So my brother and I share the same computer to play DayZ. Currently we are just playing the same character but I found a post on how you can change the cd key in the registry to switch between two copies of the game.

We are currently playing on a copy of Combined Operations from Amazon. I was going to buy another copy for another cd key. Does anyone know if I can just buy Operation Arrowhead or does it use both keys from CO to register in DayZ?

[gator (DayZ) 22]

So my brother and I share the same computer to play DayZ. Currently we are just playing the same character but I found a post on how you can change the cd key in the registry to switch between two copies of the game.

We are currently playing on a copy of Combined Operations from Amazon. I was going to buy another copy for another cd key. Does anyone know if I can just buy Operation Arrowhead or does it use both keys from CO to register in DayZ?

Got banned, we did?

[sexacutioner 1]

Banned? No, I'm talking about purchasing another copy of Arma so we can use two characters on the same computer.

[rocket 16567]

Only approach that works, is to create a separate windows user, then install the second copy. Make sure you don't select "Install for all users".

Confirmed to work a treat :) I think there a few guys sharing computers with their brothers this way. Unfortunate we can't do multiple characters for them I guess.

[sexacutioner 1]

Only approach that works' date=' is to create a separate windows user, then install the second copy. Make sure you don't select "Install for all users".

[/quote']

Makes sense, although would use much more drive space.

Does this mean the editing registry method (link) does not work?

I'd prefer this method so we only have one game installed.

I'm wondering if with the registry method we will only need another copy of Operation Arrowhead, instead of Combined Ops and they would share the same Arma II base but use a different OA key.

---

Another question would be if we have to use the multiple windows account, perhaps we could install the Arma II that came with our CO pack and a new copy of OA, still saving us from having to purchase two CO games.

This seems likely since you can use Arma Free + OA to play I'd assume the actual Arma II cd key is irrelevant to DayZ, however without knowing for sure if it doesn't work then it's another 20 bucks to get another Arma II base.

[hedich 0]

if you buy the game with steam and you and your brother have two steam accounts and two separate copies of the game that should work, just switch steam accounts.

[sexacutioner 1]

if you buy the game with steam and you and your brother have two steam accounts and two separate copies of the game that should work' date=' just switch steam accounts.

[/quote']

We already have CO bought from amazon. I'd like to see if we can use another OA expansion with the same base from our CO copy to create a new DayZ character.

[samzzi 0]

I'd say the method you linked will indeed work. Also, you are effectively only playing Operation Arrowhead so I don't see why just buying another OA and using the key from that wouldn't be the solution.

Won't take any responsibility though if it, for some reason, doesn't work after all.

[sexacutioner 1]

Well I bit the bullet and bought another CO package just to make sure. I'm going to attempt to only use the OA part of the purchase to test the theory though. I'll update this post with the results.

[phoboss 224]

what i do is, that when i'm playing without my buddys i just look for a private hive server like EU-BIGBO. its not quite the same but its cheaper than having 2 copies of the game.

this way i can have my main char i use only when playing with my friends, and a second char on a private hive server, which i use when i'm alone and want to go all rambo in cherno :D

[Espi (DayZ) 4]

If you have the right hardware you could also run a virtual machine (free) with Windows 8 preview which is free until next year. You won't be able to max out settings or anything but the game is more than playable that way.

[phoboss 224]

how does that give him a second cd key? or help him with HDD space problems? he will need even more space than he would for a second installation.

[faecrol 0]

I use 2 steam accounts currently with arma 2 on both of them works fine on the same computer I don't need to do anything crazy I just log onto the other steam account and bam

[sangheili85@gmail.com 1]

like some have said, you don't need to make two separate users. I have two steam accounts installed on my one profile. I do this because I have one dedicated to my SSD, which I only install games that I want to use the speed. While, the other is on my other HDD, which all other games are being used on.

To do this, I simply copied the steam folder to a different location, thus opened it and set it up like another steam. it worked perfectly.

[sexacutioner 1]

So I tested it and it looks like you only need to purchase Operation Arrowhead to have 2 separate characters if you already have combined ops.

It saves the key needed in the registry, which you'll need to copy from your first install and then install the second one to get both keys.

You don't even need to install the second OA copy on the same computer or run it; I installed it on an old pc that couldn't run Arma so I could get access to the registry entry.

The key your looking for is found here:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2 OA

If you navigate to that in your registry you can open the "key" entry to get the codes needed. If your running Windows XP you can ignore the "Wow6432Node" part.

Now once you have the two entries you can create a couple .reg files that will allow you to just double click on it to swap keys. I used texpad to create mine, but had to make sure to save it as type ANSI or it wouldn't work.

Put this in the files:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Bohemia Interactive Studio\ArmA 2 OA]
"KEY"=hex:xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx

The "xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx" part will be the code you found on each entry. Make a file for each character and save it as .reg.

Now it's pretty simple to swap characters. Just double click the appropriate file before loading Arma, choose the profile you want in the game and play.

[AeonicStorm 0]

I have the cd key issue as well. Except, my and my friend want to play on separate computers/ips/locations/ etc. We also have two complete different steam accounts and steam bought copies of ARMA. Except, when I got her interested in the game I logged onto my steam on her cpu and played it on her cpu. Now though, when she tries to log into ARMA through her steam (after uninstalling my version and installing her bought version through steam) she logs in and IS me. So, she can't make a new character because I think my cd key is in the registry on her pc for dayZ

Fix?

[sexacutioner 1]

I was under the impression the steam version would automatically change the registry to the person logged in.

Seems strange it kept your key after an uninstall. I would try manually deleting that registry entry and re installing the game. If that doesn't fix it/find the problem I don't know what will.

[AeonicStorm 0]

I PM'd you McTittles

[sexacutioner 1]

I PM'd you McTittles

My going tech support rate is $50/hr :)

[Crooze 0]

So does this mean that I have to make a separate steam account and then buy OA on that? Would that work Mctittles?