Bad serial number given in setup. Please help me!

[wasdAidan 0]

So, I've been having the following error everytime I start up ArmA 2: Operation Arrowhead. When I start it up, it takes me to the "Bohemia Interactive" logo, and then it crashes and I get an error that says "Bad serial number given in setup". This had going on for two days now. ArmA 2 runs fine, but not Operation Arrowhead. I've tried everything. I've watched all the videos on how to fix it 100 times each, i've tried all of the weird regedit things that people say to do, I've tried running steam as an administrator, I've verified my game cache files a couple times now, i've uninstalled and reinstalled the game, and yesterday, I had it. I thought my only solution was to uninstall steam, including my 28 games, and reinstall it all over again. Once ArmA 2, ArmA 2 OA, and ArmA 2 OA Beta was done installing, i tried running ArmA 2. Worked fine. But then I went to OA and lone behold, I got the same error message. So the reason I'm coming here, to the forums, is to get a real answer that can help. If anybody had any suggestions, please send them my way. I'm not too far away from just buying it again. Anyways, thanks for your time.

[GrumpyGat (DayZ) 497]

Don't EVER download any CD key changers, or anything of that sort from the web. What you need to do is run steam in adminstrative mode, and try again. if that doesn't work you need to uninstall OA, reinstall it, run ARMA2 first, then run OA.

Edited June 22, 2013 by GrumpyGat

[wasdAidan 0]

Deleted Text

PROFIT

It says "Error opening registry path, run program as administrator!".

Is it saying to run steam as administrator?

Edited June 22, 2013 by Inception.

[wasdAidan 0]

Don't EVER download any CD key changers, or anything of that sort from the web. What you need to do is run steam in adminstrative mode, and try again. if that doesn't work you need to uninstall OA, reinstall it, run ARMA2 first, then run OA.

Thanks but i've tried that 1.4 trillion times. I just want to play my game, man! :(

[pr9inichek 252]

It says "Error opening registry path, run program as administrator!".

Is it saying to run steam as administrator?

Run KeyChanger as administrator!

[pr9inichek 252]

Don't EVER download any CD key changers, or anything of that sort from the web. What you need to do is run steam in adminstrative mode, and try again. if that doesn't work you need to uninstall OA, reinstall it, run ARMA2 first, then run OA.

I have 10 dollars to buy the key. I just want to help!

[wasdAidan 0]

Run KeyChanger as administrator!

It's saying the same thing. I enter the key without any -'s and it gives me a new ARMA 2: OA hex key? but then it tells me to run as admin again

[pr9inichek 252]

It's saying the same thing. I enter the key without any -'s and it gives me a new ARMA 2: OA hex key? but then it tells me to run as admin again

Try start ArmA OA in Steam!

[wasdAidan 0]

Get this. I asked my brother if I could log into his account to play it and I got the same bad serial number error!

[wasdAidan 0]

Try start ArmA OA in Steam!

"Bad serial number given in startup".

I dont think that serial key changer was working properly. It never said it was succesful I was getting those errors

[pr9inichek 252]

"Bad serial number given in startup".

I dont think that serial key changer was working properly. It never said it was succesful I was getting those errors

Right-click on keychanger and run as administrator

In Steam do an integrity check cache

Edited June 22, 2013 by PR9INICHEK

[Magikbeans 5]

I had this problem about a month ago...read a bunch of BS fixes like restart steam etc

This is what i did and it worked. there also might have been a mix of verify integrity of game cache's in there and other stuff

Deleted "Userdata" folder in steam folder

Edited June 22, 2013 by Magikbeans

[wasdAidan 0]

I had this problem about a month ago...read a bunch of BS fixes like restart steam etc

This is what i did and it worked. there also might have been a mix of verify integrity of game cache's in there and other stuff

Deleted "Userdata" folder in steam foldert

I just tried that and I'm still getting the error. Did you do anything else in addition to that?

[wasdAidan 0]

Right-click on keychanger and run as administrator

In Steam do an integrity check cache

Tried that....i was missing one file. But i ran it and still got the error

[wasdAidan 0]

I had this problem about a month ago...read a bunch of BS fixes like restart steam etc

This is what i did and it worked. there also might have been a mix of verify integrity of game cache's in there and other stuff

Deleted "Userdata" folder in steam folder

Oh I didnt read that other part about verifying. So now that i've deleted the folder should I verify?

[Magikbeans 5]

I just tried that and I'm still getting the error. Did you do anything else in addition to that?

what does it say when you try to view Cd key in steam?

do this by right clicking arma II in your library

[wasdAidan 0]

what does it say when you try to view Cd key in steam?

do this by right clicking arma II in your library

It gives me my CD key. Or product code. I', guessing they're the same thing. But i can see it

[Magikbeans 5]

It gives me my CD key. Or product code. I', guessing they're the same thing. But i can see it

okay well mine was stuck on "requesting key" so I think we had different problems.

however, have you tried this

CD Key issues, including "Bad Serial given in Setup"

If you are running Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows Vista, please perform the following steps linked here first: Windows 7 and Vista Troubleshooting. If you are running Windows XP, please do the following:

• Exit Steam.
  
• Go to the Start menu, select Run, type regedit and click OK.
  
• Navigate to the following registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\VALVE
  
• Right click and select Permissions
  
• Check the Allow boxes for Admin and System for both Full control and Read.
  

Now, verify the Game Cache for ArmA 2, Arma 2 Operation Arrowhead, and ArmA 2 British Armed Forces, using the process linked here: verifying your game cache

If it still does not work, please try deleting your ArmA 2 expansion entries:

• Go to the "Start" menu, select "Run", type "regedit" and click "OK".
  
• Navigate to the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Wow6432Node\\Bohemia Interactive Studio\\
  Note: In 64-bit operating systems, this path may begin as: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Wow6432Node\\
  
• Right-click on the entry "ArmA 2 OA" and select "Delete". Do the same for "ArmA 2 BAF". The entries may appear as a folder.
  
• Exit regedit.
  Once you have deleted the registry entries, you will need to reload the CD Key in the registry by doing the following:
  If you are running Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows Vista, please perform the following steps linked here first: Windows 7 and Vista Troubleshooting. If you are running Windows XP, please do the following:
  
  • Exit Steam.
    
  • Go to the Start menu, select Run, type regedit and click OK.
    
  • Navigate to the following registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\VALVE
    
  • Right click and select Permissions
    
  • Check the Allow boxes for Admin and System for both Full control and Read.
    

  From the library list, right-click on "Arma 2" and select "Properties from the menu.

  Select the "Local Files" tab and click the "Verify integrity of game cache..." button.

  Steam will verify the game cache files (GCF's) - this process may take several minutes.

  Once the process is completed, the "Check" window will automatically exit.

  Do the same for "ArmA 2 Operation Arrowhead", and "ArmA 2 British Armed Forces"

  You should now be able to launch your game.

  If you continue to have difficulty, further technical support for this issue is handled by a third party support department - please follow the "ArmA 2 Support" link at the top of this page to contact the support provider for this title.

[Magikbeans 5]

Besides that, the other thing i tried before deleting my userdata, was deleting the config folder in steam folder.

None of it worked, but they were all labeled as fixes, it finally worked after deleting the userdata, not sure if the others effected it

[wasdAidan 0]

okay well mine was stuck on "requesting key" so I think we had different problems.

however, have you tried this

CD Key issues, including "Bad Serial given in Setup"

If you are running Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows Vista, please perform the following steps linked here first: Windows 7 and Vista Troubleshooting. If you are running Windows XP, please do the following:

• Exit Steam.
  
• Go to the Start menu, select Run, type regedit and click OK.
  
• Navigate to the following registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\VALVE
  
• Right click and select Permissions
  
• Check the Allow boxes for Admin and System for both Full control and Read.
  

Now, verify the Game Cache for ArmA 2, Arma 2 Operation Arrowhead, and ArmA 2 British Armed Forces, using the process linked here: verifying your game cache

If it still does not work, please try deleting your ArmA 2 expansion entries:

• Go to the "Start" menu, select "Run", type "regedit" and click "OK".
  
• Navigate to the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Wow6432Node\\Bohemia Interactive Studio\\
  Note: In 64-bit operating systems, this path may begin as: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Wow6432Node\\
  
• Right-click on the entry "ArmA 2 OA" and select "Delete". Do the same for "ArmA 2 BAF". The entries may appear as a folder.
  
• Exit regedit.
  Once you have deleted the registry entries, you will need to reload the CD Key in the registry by doing the following:
  If you are running Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows Vista, please perform the following steps linked here first: Windows 7 and Vista Troubleshooting. If you are running Windows XP, please do the following:
  
  • Exit Steam.
    
  • Go to the Start menu, select Run, type regedit and click OK.
    
  • Navigate to the following registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\VALVE
    
  • Right click and select Permissions
    
  • Check the Allow boxes for Admin and System for both Full control and Read.
    

  From the library list, right-click on "Arma 2" and select "Properties from the menu.

  Select the "Local Files" tab and click the "Verify integrity of game cache..." button.

  Steam will verify the game cache files (GCF's) - this process may take several minutes.

  Once the process is completed, the "Check" window will automatically exit.

  Do the same for "ArmA 2 Operation Arrowhead", and "ArmA 2 British Armed Forces"

  You should now be able to launch your game.

  If you continue to have difficulty, further technical support for this issue is handled by a third party support department - please follow the "ArmA 2 Support" link at the top of this page to contact the support provider for this title.

Oh my...fucking gosh....dude I love you!!!!!!!!!!!! Like literally love you for sending me this!!!!! Ater 3 days of it not working, its working now!!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

[Inception. 9443]

Looks like his problem is solved. Thanks to Magikbeans for giving a solution.