Placebo 29 Posted June 4, 2012 (edited) From now on, this thread is the only one to be used for the 'bad serial number given' problem. No matter if you have the Steam or the Retail version. All other threads created in an attempt to get more attention will be deleted without further notice! You usually can fix this problem by running the game 'as administrator' the first time to make sure the registry entries can be written. If you still have the problem, check below numerous threads for additional solutions. Sorry for the long list of threads, but this is what happens when everyone thinks he must have his very own thread for a common problem. http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?138564 <- Working solution http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?134426 http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?118027 http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?134870 http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?132892 http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?129235 http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?131583 http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?133929 http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?93515 http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?100153 http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?101277 http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?76692 http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?101448 http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?115988 http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?117997 http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?118628 http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?118979 http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?120917 http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?122969 http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?76004 If after checking above threads you still have the problem, use this thread to get further help. Edited October 16, 2013 by Placebo Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blueguyz 1 Posted July 17, 2012 (edited) I bought ArmA 2 combined ops yesterday. I played ArmA 2 with no complications, but when I try to run Operation Arrowhead, "No entry '.profilePathDefault'." shows up. Then, once the screen goes black and fullscreen, "Bad serial number given in Setup" pops up. I bought this through Sprocket, and have tried most of the suggestions in those threads. My Specs: Processor : AMD Turion II Dual-Core Mobile M500 2.2 GHz Graphics (If you can even call it that) : AMD M880G w/ ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4200 4GB RAM 64 bit Win 7 Any help would be appreciated. NVM I just downloaded OA weirdly. Edited July 17, 2012 by blueguyz Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HikerLT 1 Posted July 17, 2012 I also purchased the combined operations from Steam yesterday. the weekend special Arma 2 Combined operations. Both games appeared to install OK. BUT- When launching the 1st game, Arma 2, it gives an error message "bad serial number in setup" and just fails to start. The 2nd game "Arma 2 Operation arrowhead" runs fine with no problems. System - Windows 7 64bit ultimate OS QUESTION - how do you run Steam "as administrator" in Windows 7 ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Placebo 29 Posted July 18, 2012 QUESTION - how do you run Steam "as administrator" in Windows 7 ? Right click your steam shortcut, then: Click ok, reboot, play. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GOKITTY199 10 Posted July 29, 2012 i looked through all of those threads and non worked for me. i have arma 2 combined operations on 2 disc that came in a pack and installed them both fine about a year ago and all the updates work. now the game has worked fine everytime ive played it ive installed ace and dayz mod to it also and been playing those quite often with no errors. now with operation arrowhead when i open it i get a bad serial number with setup. i reinstalled both arma 2 and operation arrowhead and installed the updates again and launched arma 2 first then operation arrowhead but operation arrowhead still said bad serial number with setup. idk what elese to do :/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Placebo 29 Posted July 30, 2012 Did you have any antivirus active when you installed? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
denikec 1 Posted August 1, 2012 Hello. I've got some problems because i reinstalled windows. Now,i can't start OA because i get an error saying:"Bad serial number given in setup." I know this is a registry problem because the game can't find the serial in the registry. So the question is,is there any way to fix this without reinstalling the game? I would appreciate the help,thanks. :D P.S:Sorry for my bad english :( Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Placebo 29 Posted August 2, 2012 Just two posts up, the answer with screenshots. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GOKITTY199 10 Posted August 2, 2012 yes i had antivirus on. i think i had iit on when i previously installed it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GOKITTY199 10 Posted August 2, 2012 ok i fixed it idk if this will help but if you have the combined operations disc what i did was click the start key and click on computer. then you see the operation arrowhead icon (your operation arrowhead install disc must be in) and after you install it you click play and a menu thing will pop up with the option to choose serial key saved by internet or by disc which means your disc will have to be in everytime you play. choose by internet and then you will get a box where you type in your serial key that was on the back of your operation arrowhead manual and type that in(you have to put capitals and dashes so it will look like this 2DYL-61T0-8C09 exc) and then you should be set. but run arma 2 original first the press alt tap and open operation arrowhead and then exit both and you should be done. let me know if i helped. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrGiggle 1 Posted August 7, 2012 Hi i was wondering if anyone could help, i have been playing dayz for a week or so, today i started Arma 2 OA and it's giving me Bad serial Number given in setup. if someone could reply it would really help, and i have right all of the stuff above none of it has worked... *ps* its for steam Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Placebo 29 Posted August 7, 2012 Are you sure you're permanently running Steam as admin? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rakaesa 1 Posted August 7, 2012 I have tried everything. When I say everything, I mean absolutely bloody everything. So don't ask if I've tried any of the obvious solutions that are in the hundreds of created threads by people that can't use the search bar, or google. I've used both for three days now. I've: Ran in administrator mode. Verified game cache. Use Regedit (Possibly not correctly) Uninstalled and reinstalled game And restarted computer several times. It's on steam, and I get the bad serial number error like everybody else, and nothing I try works. Help? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Placebo 29 Posted August 8, 2012 Did you have an anti virus active when you installed? When you installed was Steam running as Administrator? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BennyOj 1 Posted August 8, 2012 (edited) Hello. So im new to the Arma games, I was told to come and check out this game Dayz. so i tried it and sucked and a fellow player in game told me to go to this link on youtube on download this program were i could get weapons. So being a total sheep I did. Well I done what the instuction's told me to do, stated i should run this exe app as admin didnt work ingame so i thought oh ok never mind il go back to OA wich i was only playing like a hour before. But since trying to play now I can not seem to play Oa anymore. I have Uninstalled the game 4 times. and when i go to install the it states that OA is installed but knowing i just uninstalled it like 3 mins ago. so i belive this exe file i click on as admin have corrupted my files as it keeps telling me i have got bad serial in setup. I tried to patch the game once it was installed and it said no game found or files are corrupted. I am at a dead end and i dont know what to do....... Edit. this is not a steam version. I bought this from the Bohemia Store. Benn. Edited August 8, 2012 by BennyOj Added content Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Placebo 29 Posted August 8, 2012 a fellow player in game told me to go to this link on youtube on download this program were i could get weapons. So being a total sheep I did. Err that sounds really dodgy, what was the name of the program you downloaded? Obviously if it was Six Updater or something it should be harmless but you might want to PM me the URL so I can check it out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marcoswu 1 Posted August 8, 2012 NEED HELP, i have this error and i cant get the game to work, i want to play dayZ but cant fix this error, please please someone tell me how to fix it, i've tried everything i found (admin mode, verify cache, re-installing, regedit) i really want to be able to play, i dont want to be thinking that i've waisted 25 euros. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BennyOj 1 Posted August 8, 2012 Err that sounds really dodgy, what was the name of the program you downloaded? Obviously if it was Six Updater or something it should be harmless but you might want to PM me the URL so I can check it out. The Program what was in the WinRar file is called DayZ script Bypass V2.exe and has two other folder with it Resourses+BEpass and scripts folder And a note with RUN AS ADMIN!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marcoswu 1 Posted August 8, 2012 The Program what was in the WinRar file is called DayZ script Bypass V2.exe and has two other folder with it Resourses+BEpass and scripts folder And a note with RUN AS ADMIN!!!!! same happebed to me, someone told i could get weapons and now bad serial is given to me ;( Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
W0lle 1052 Posted August 8, 2012 Why on earth you guys are executing some software you don't know where it comes from nor what it does? Maybe this tool reads your cd key and sends them to god knows whom who then sells them. And then you end up with a blacklisted, bad serial number because it is used by dozens of people. Alone the file name would tell me that something weird goes on. Bypass v2.exe ... what to bypass? If you bought the game, there's nothing to bypass at all. Sorry but... does anyone still use common sense these days? Or is just everyone running every executable he runs into without even thinking a minute about it. :confused: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thr0tt 12 Posted August 8, 2012 (edited) Great thought i would support bis and buy ACR and installed now its asking me for a cd key, ive tried all my discs, which one does it want ffs ! Edit: scrub that, case sensitive plus needed the acr serial yet again. Why i have to put it in twice anyones guess. Edited August 8, 2012 by Thr0tt Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BennyOj 1 Posted August 8, 2012 Thank you for adding such helpfull information, yes as humans we all make mistakes. I have come here asking for help. I won't be pressing anything I don't know now. Benn Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
W0lle 1052 Posted August 8, 2012 (edited) Of course we all make mistakes, every day. That's why we're humans. I probably made a dozen alone today. But I would never, ever install some fancy software some guy on the internet gave me. But come on, there are warnings about malicious software like virus and trojans all over the internet on a daily basis. By now everyone should be aware about this and being so smart not to execute every software he runs into. And especially not some software with such obvious names and from people you don't know. Good thing you only have your cd key screwed up and not your credit card details stolen. But even here I'm not so sure as you simply do not know what this "Bypass V2.exe" is doing on your system. Edit: After some quick research it seem this bypassv2.exe is a hacking tool to cheat in games. For hacking/cheating your product key will be permanently banned on BattlEye no matter what excuse you come up with. So that error message you guys are getting has something to do with that. Again, I'm sorry that you all have these problems now. But eventually this has a good side too and in the future you think before installing some software from unknown sources. Edited August 8, 2012 by W0lle Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BennyOj 1 Posted August 8, 2012 (edited) Wolle. I understand were you are coming from 100% I have ran my security checks and i deleted the App. the checks came back fine.. I had to Pm erm Placebo. with the link so he could check it out. I know I played with fire and got burned and belive me i am rather P### of with myself because I am Usally carefull. So i hope Placebo gets to check it out and lets me know whats it doing. as im rather fond of Oa!! Domination that is. Holy shit I have got it working, I followed the regedit guide. Edited August 8, 2012 by BennyOj Fixed Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
