That's actually pretty funny! But you still get a middle finger. I'll say it again... I don't MIND entering my serial. I would just rather have my disk in the drive than be REQUIRED to own an internet connection whenever I reinstall. I archive my stuff for a reason.

Aww, I'm hurt. See, the thing is - this is one of the nicest setups I've seen for modern games. It is remarkably easy to pirate games these days, I find the way Stardock handles this encourages people to actually buy their game.

The fact is you can't make everyone happy and it just so happens you have a strange setup, where you reinstall on a regular basis. I don't know anyone else which does this for any reason. Also, I don't know anyone who posts on internet forums that does not have some sort of access to the internet - that can be used for validating games on. If its THAT important to you, why not create an additional install of XP, install all your games etc on it, then don't reinstall all the time? The cost of an additional hard drive these days is almost as much as a game costs.

With all your belly-aching and middle finger usage, it makes me wonder why you don't find a solution instead?

Yeah , he can use a HD partition if he has a big enough Drive.

get part magic its lets windows do it for you.. also you NEED norton ghost, it makes an image of you OS,drivers,programs,tweeks & everything.. I can format & reinstall everythin from 2 dvds in 45 minutes.. thats all chipset drivers, vid card sound everything.. its well worth dling

Hey do you have a link to that program??
Does it work well, and do I have to pay??

I need something like that cuz Im going to format to install Windows XP SP2.
how does that thing work, it does a COMPLETE image?? or just partial copy??

and your saying 2 DVDs, but are those 4.7Gbs, or double sided 9 Gbs??


Thnx for the help mate
Monc34

Hey an image like that is not a bad idea!!! Norton Ghost you say? I'm looking into that!

If you're reformatting that often (still don't know why), an image really is your best option. Just get a clean install and put everything on that you want on (including GC2, activation and all), and rip an image of it. Then next time you can just restore that image and start over from that point, no messy reinstalls.

AFAIK Norton Ghost runs about $40, though there may be competing products that are cheaper (or free).

well I dont know, I have 100 Gb of information, how can that fit on 2 dvds??  


Monc34

It wouldn't.
A fresh install of the OS and all programs - minus your data files - would fit on 1 or 2 DVD's.

But an older install with user files would take quite a few. You might need 15-25 DVD's to back up that much, depending on the compression.

Another option is to install a second hard drive as a backup drive. It could also be external with a USB2 or Firewire interface, or if you have it eSATA.
Then you could make the image to that drive in a single shot, and much faster for both imaging and restoring.

I have 3 HD, but I have em all full
40Gb 7200rpm ATA133
80Gb 7200rpm ATA133
120Gb 7200rpm ATA133

I could get another 120 for 70 bucks I guess

Monc34

I think I may have come up with a solution for myself... please tell me what you think.

Even though I own the CD version I signed on to Stardock and downloaded the full 1.30A version of the game. I copied the game folder to a CD and uninstalled Stardock. Now...

I should hopefully be able to just copy the updated game to my computer without an internet connection without any problems and play it I assume.

Will this work?

Didn't work... invalid "sig" or something. I hate Stardock.

Delete the sig.bin file, and only use 1.0. Do not complain, as without activation via the net you get no updates. Problem solved, everyone is happy.

The activation is linked to the windows installation it is made on, so doing that will only work if you then image the windows installation and restore that image each time you want a clean start. It won't work after a total reinstallation from the windows disc. I said as much three weeks ago...

Tried that first. Upon trying a test reinstall it wanted to start Stardock Central. I assumed that wouldn't be the answer because it wants to talk to the internet.

I NEED a clean copy of the game that I can reinstall on an internet free machine without all this hassle. The "activate via email + jumpdrive" idea is only a temporary fix. I want activation free

This is as restricing as Steam.  

Does something impair you from being able to read, though? It wont work.

Stardock is nowhere near as restricting as steam. You're just doing something incredibly stupid with your system that is messing up the registration.

Activation is free. STOP BLOODY REINSTALLING.

The end.

just wait for the Dark Avator expansion pack. This will surely have the latest patch for GC2....

Something tells me it will require internet "activation" as well.

I think you're just going to have to take the 30 seconds required each time you do a reinstall.

I realise this will add a good 1% to the time required.

You still haven't enlightened us to WHY you keep reinstalling Windows. There seems to be a very easy fix - stop doing it. I'm still not sure whether you're complaining about activating on your laptop or the computer you use the forums on. If it's the laptop...it has no outside contact, if it's just a normal laptop and you're not doing any tests on it or anything, why on earth would you keep reinstalling? If it's the computer you have internet access on, I'm sure it would be incredibly easy just to run the activation after your apparently pointless reinstalls.

If it's the computer you have internet access on, I'm sure it would be incredibly easy just to run the activation after your apparently pointless reinstalls.

Especially if he has internet connection to rant about it on the developer's forum...


Monc34

My highly uneducated guess is that he is a "space pirate" and doesnt really own the full game but want all the goodies that come with the patches. Why else be so vocal about the 100% most unrestrictive system I have ever seen in a modern game. There is no copy protection at all except when patching. And you want to take that away because:

"You have a laptop that you reinstall several times a week/month without internet connection"

As others have said. Dont reinstall Windows all the frigging time, there problem solved. Oh but what about patching? Well before you take your laptop out in the middle of nowhere where the internet isnt available (the darkest jungles of borneo?) just update the game and you will be fine.

And if you really really need to reinstall, do it when you have access to the internet to patch.

Oh my god what a great idea! Or as the others have said, install Windows/Drivers/programs/games and make a ghost out of it. No need to do activate it again for that particular patch version ever again (untill you change hardware).

[quote} I was thrilled that I wouldn't need to connect to the internet as I never know when I will have internet service around here[/quote}

Well you seem to be able to complain a lot so you seem to have no problems with internet access, so activating while you download the patch shouldnt be a problem. You even said you bought the entire game online..

I really do need to look into that Ghosting thing... that really sounds like the best fix for this.

I reformat this gaming/graphic design machine regularly too. Mostly because I'm constantly upgrading or tweaking something and I'll tell you what... nothing gets peak performance out of a system like a clean install of Windows and the latest drivers. That's the real reason for regular reformats. Everything I have is archived on DVD-R.

As cool as the "Space Pirate" title sounds... that is not the case. What do I need to do, post a picture of me with my with my CD, box and my computer logged into Stardock behind me to have my concerns treated respectfully around here? Not everyone does things the way you do.

Ah well... ending my ranting. Maybe someday the real pirates will stop and people like me who like the independance of using our software the way we want can carry on.

BTW - Maybe some Stardock Mod can check my account so you people can see that I OWN the game.

I reformat this gaming/graphic design machine regularly too. Mostly because I'm constantly upgrading or tweaking something and I'll tell you what... nothing gets peak performance out of a system like a clean install of Windows and the latest drivers. That's the real reason for regular reformats.

It's your lookout, of course, but I have to ask: how much of the performance gain is offset by the time spent reformatting and reinstalling everything?

broncobusterppg,

Why don't you just use driver removal tools to remove old drivers before installing new ones, and run disk defrag on a regular basis, and restrict your reformatting to every 3 months or so?  It will probably save you some time.   I hate re-installing windows so I only do it every six months or so at most.

Well if you are truly serious about reformating your computer all the time, you should really take a look at:

Acronis True Image Home
Acronis Homepage

Norton Ghost
Norton Ghost Website

I'm using the corporate edition of Ghost at work and its a priceless tool. Havent tried Acronis True Image but heard good things about it. The programs do cost a little bit of money but if you format your computer all the time its well worth it.
Can always get yourself a USB/Firewire extern harddrive or partition a part of your system disk to act as a mirror drive for easy "reinstallation" of everything.