What causes "CD not authorized" prompt?

[Outrider]

Like I mentioned earlier, the person could have obtained it from a CD key generator specifically for SWBF2. Granted the chances are very slim of him producing the very same key you used, the possibility is still there, nonetheless.

[Bocca]

Restart. Reboot. Crater hit it on the nose. It's happened to me, but rarely.

experienced this also with same result as duel..it happens..i reboot..it doesn't happen / goes away..

(clears throat)...ahem...(i'm sure bryant could figure it out if he put his mind to it (a challenge? :-))

Like I mentioned earlier, the person could have obtained it from a CD key generator specifically for SWBF2. Granted the chances are very slim of him producing the very same key you used, the possibility is still there, nonetheless.

agree with the "chances" of producing "very same key" ...so i'm left with "glitch"...right?...i've experienced this over the last few years (precisely as echoed/described by duel)...reboot is only (apparent) fix for it when it rears it's head...not a big deal for me in the past since (if memory serves) it occurs as you first log in...so, it's a pain but not disruptive...thus, maybe not reported??...just fyi for the techs out there....

[Tiburana203]

agree with the "chances" of producing "very same key" ...so i'm left with "glitch"...right?...i've experienced this over the last few years (precisely as echoed/described by duel)...reboot is only (apparent) fix for it when it rears it's head...not a big deal for me in the past since (if memory serves) it occurs as you first log in...so, it's a pain but not disruptive...thus, maybe not reported??...just fyi for the techs out there....

if it is indeed a glitch, then it can more or less be disregarded, as rebooting seems to fix it. seeing ,however, that Panama stated that he had tried rebooting on another occasion to no avail, i still think that its a key/ip address issue like Matt said.
It may even be that the same guy who caused Panama the problem originally is causing it again. if this is the case, the only way to play again is to wait till the imposter stops playing right?

[11_Panama_]

well, luckily the game is so cheap, I have various copies. I just used a different key hash.

[Tiburana203]

well, luckily the game is so cheap, I have various copies. I just used a different key hash.

problem solved...like a boss!

[Outrider]

agree with the "chances" of producing "very same key" ...so i'm left with "glitch"...right?...i've experienced this over the last few years (precisely as echoed/described by duel)...reboot is only (apparent) fix for it when it rears it's head...not a big deal for me in the past since (if memory serves) it occurs as you first log in...so, it's a pain but not disruptive...thus, maybe not reported??...just fyi for the techs out there....

I'm not sure what you are trying to point out here, but here's a recap: There are three possibilities as to why this "CD not authorized" prompt appears, as listed by Bryant here. Panama stated at the bottom of page 1 the following:

Second, I did restart the game and the comp....I still received the message. I do know that it's a type of bug, I was just hoping that someone had a bit of insight on why it happens. I actually had to change my CD key for me to enter any server

The first bolded section rules out the possibility of the glitch you, Bocaa and Duel of Fates experienced (listed as 3) on Bryant's list), which was fixed with a simple reboot. 1) can also be ruled out as well since Panama makes no mention of changing his CD key prior to this prompt appearing. So based on the solution (the second bolded section) Panama used, this leaves us with only 2) being what is specifically causing the problem for him, which was expanded upon by Matt-Chicago with the IP address check. Brazmin also brings up another possibility, although it could disregarded for the reasons that follow:

It is an improper disk read. Nothing more than that. I have gotten cd polisher and fixed mine on occasion , besides the computer restart. It isn't anything or anyone malicious.

The game is no longer dependent on the actual physical CD itself after being verified by the launcher (LaunchBFII.exe) since a) the CD key one inputs during installation is stored in the registry, which is what gets read by Gamespy, and b) one can remove the CD from the disk drive once after the game is up and running.

In short, I was only suggesting how Panama's original CD key could have been obtained by someone else because what he was experiencing here and what he has tried to do to fix it matches what Matt-Chicago described. I wasn't saying that it's not possible for someone else, such as you, Bocaa and Duel of Fates, to experience this very same problem and fix it by restarting. This "CD not authorized" prompt is just caused by three different things at a given time, two of which have the same solution, that is changing the CD key to something else.

[haasd0gg]

well, luckily the game is so cheap, I have various copies. I just used a different key hash.

We'll hafta keep that in mind when we ban you

[11_Panama_]

well, luckily the game is so cheap, I have various copies. I just used a different key hash.

We'll hafta keep that in mind when we ban you

It's been done before. Thanks merc, if it wasn't for them...I wouldn't of had so many copies. I showed them. (Side note: I think they shut down their server because they couldn't get rid of me).

[Talon Karrde]

Are you on DSL? Does your IP change often? Could be something as straightforward as your ISP's DHCP server handing out a new IP to you every so often and you just so happen to be on the butt end of it. If you disconnect from SWBF2 the Gamespy servers may still think you're logged in with that keyhash (i.e. you have a "ghost" logged in), so when your IP just happens to change at that time it'll think you're still logged in using your old IP address.