Activation keys & saved games issues

[AceFaceMod 0]

Hi, first time posting on here. I can't find a suitable answer/solution, having looked on here, Steam (where I have also posted this query) and Google searches. Can anyone please help?
 

I purchased the ArmA X: Anniversary Edition some 6 years ago, when it was a sale offer, on Steam. It is a while since I last played it, and I thought I'd re-install it over the weekend.

In the past I only played the Gold Edition, and had the odd foray into ArmA 2, as well as playing around about a bit with the Editor; all fine and no probs.

However, this time round I decided to just install ArmA 2: Operation Arrowhead and British Armed Forces. Now the problems begin:

1) When I try to start BAF, I'm told that I don't have an activation key?

2) With OA, I am unable to load any saves and a window pops up saying: "You cannot play/edit this mission; it is dependent on downloadable content that has been deleted." It then went to show a very long list of things.

I then thought that perhaps it needs all the games in the Anniversary Edition to be installed, so I have done that, but still it will not load saves?

The message window now says: "You cannot play/edit this mission; it is dependent on downloadable content that has been deleted. ca_missions_acr, woodland_acr, bootcamp_acr, mountains_acr" - The list is cinsiderably less than before, but I am still confused?

Also, I still cannot load up BAF, due to no activation key?

Has anyone got any ideas, please?

+++Update+++

BAF is now loading ok; at the time of this upodate, still unable to load saves on OA though.

+++Update+++

Problem solved, thanks for all the helpful suggestions 😜

Edited November 20, 2019 by AceFaceMod
Problem solved

[Liam Bourret-Nyffeler 0]

Hi there.

 

I've run into exactly the same issue. I've tried to verify the cache through steam but although it noticed 1 file missing and replaced it, I still can't load saves. Do you mind sharing how you solved it?

[dalber24 165]

try this:

To solve this do following:

1) Install Arma 2 (not Operation Arrowhead, original game)
2) Run Arma 2 once
3) Close Steam
4) Start Steam with "Run as Administrator"
5) Start Operation Arrowhead
It should work fine from there.

or  this:

Ok so I decided to contact BI to see what's going on and this is what they told me

1. Uninstall OA (right-click on the game in Steam Library and select 'delete
local content'), do the same for Arma 2.

2. Delete "<steam>/steamapps/common/arma 2" and "<steam>/steamapps/common/arma
2 operation arrowhead" folders and Arma 2's shortcuts on your desktop (if any).
Then reboot your computer.

3. Open Start menu and type this directly into the menu (in Windows XP, you
will have to click on "Run" first):
regedit

4. Press Enter.

5. In the regedit window, click on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.

6. Press CTRL+F to bring up search.

7. Look for "ArmA 2 OA" (without the quotes).

8. Delete all "ArmA 2 OA" entries you found.

9. Exit the regedit, reboot PC.

10. Run Steam as Administrator (right-click on the Steam icon and click on "Run
As Administrator").

11. Install Arma 2.

12. Run Arma 2 once.

13. Install Arma 2 Operation Arrowhead.

14. Run Arma 2 OA once. If you purchased Arma 2 ACR DLC, it will be installed
now (you may have to restart Steam and try again if it is not).

15. Close Arma 2 OA.

16. Install any other DLCs you have (BAF, PMC) and run each one once.

17. Launch Arma 2 OA once more and make sure all DLCs are correctly installed
and visible in the main menu.

18. You now have fully functioning Arma 2 Combined Operations.

Alright so this fixed the issue for me

[Liam Bourret-Nyffeler 0]

1 hour ago, dalber24 said:

To solve this do following:

1) Install Arma 2 (not Operation Arrowhead, original game)
2) Run Arma 2 once
3) Close Steam
4) Start Steam with "Run as Administrator"
5) Start Operation Arrowhead
It should work fine from there.

Thanks so much. This worked perfectly for me.

When I first installed the game steam's DLC section had Czech Rep marked as installed and though I never saw any installer that's been normal for other games. After trying your method, and running Arma 2 OA again, an installer like the ones for BAF and PMC popped up for Czech Rep so I knew something had changed.

 

Note for others, after installing Arma 2 vanilla and trying to run it crashed due to the destination folder not being readable or something similar but verifying the cache solved that

[thebatman 10]

This one worked for me too

 

[yqs 0]

Hello, the same thing happens to me, but I downloaded the ArmA 2 Aniversary, with BAF, OA and PMC included, after patching it until the last version, it doesn't save me either, if anyone knows, please tell me!

[StilerSt 0]

I also had the error "You can't play/edit this mission" when try to load my save. All I did was run Steam as administrator.

[Gunter Severloh 4063]

31 minutes ago, StilerSt said:

I also had the error "You can't play/edit this mission" when try to load my save. All I did was run Steam as administrator.

Usually means your missing mods, or content that is not loaded or has been uninstalled, or not installed prior to the save.

Were you using any mods prior to the save or running anything else?

 

Welcome to BI forums btw!

[StilerSt 0]

Firs I was installed Arma2 and finished singl company. After that I was installed Arma2 OA. When I was started singl company, I catched this problem. Restart Steam as administrator helped me. I think this question is related to the problem of access on different accounts in windows, I using user account. Oy and something else, I was copied folder "Addons" from Arma2 to Arma2 OA.

 

Thank you for your attention to this issue!

[StilerSt 0]

12 hours ago, Gunter Severloh said:

Usually means your missing mods, or content that is not loaded or has been uninstalled, or not installed prior to the save.

Were you using any mods prior to the save or running anything else?

 

Welcome to BI forums btw!

Firs I was installed Arma2 and finished singl company. After that I was installed Arma2 OA. When I was started singl company, I catched this problem. Restart Steam as administrator helped me. I think this question is related to the problem of access on different accounts in windows, I using user account. Oy and something else, I was copied folder "Addons" from Arma2 to Arma2 OA.

 

Thank you for your attention to this issue!