"Your product key is invalid" error message when you start Halo: Combat Evolved (842948)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Halo: Combat Evolved
Important This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

When you try to start Microsoft Halo: Combat Evolved, you may receive the following error message:
Your product key is invalid. We recommend removing and reinstalling the game.
This dialog box offers to link you to more information at:

http://www.microsoft.com/games/halo/support.asp

This dialog box has a check box that you can select to prevent the error message from appearing again.

CAUSE

Halo: Combat Evolved detects that the Product Key that is stored in the registry is missing or is damaged. This does not indicate that your Product Key is in use by someone else or has been stolen.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, follow these steps:
  1. Restart the computer.
  2. Remove and then reinstall the game.

    Do not select the option to remove the saved game files because they are not part of this problem.
  3. Try to log on as a different user.

MORE INFORMATION

When you receive an error message that is permanently dismissible, and then select to dismiss the error message, the information is stored in your registry as a binary value entry under the following registry subkey:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft Games\Halo

Each error message is tied to your video card or your sound card regardless if it is a sound card problem or a video card-specific problem. This means that the binary value entry is named something that is similar to the following:

nVidia GeForce3 (0x0200):147

The data in this value is a 'y' followed by 0 or 1 depending on if you click to select the option to show the dialog box again, and if you click Continue or click Continue in Safe Mode.

Warning If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

If you click to select the check box to prevent this error message from being appearing again, you may miss this error message in the future. To view dismissed error messages, follow these steps:
  1. Quit Halo: Combat Evolved.
  2. Start Registry Editor.
  3. Locate and then click the following key in the registry:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft Games\Halo

  4. Right-click each binary value entry, and then click Delete.
  5. Quit Registry Editor.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:6/15/2005
Keywords:kbsetup kbRegistry kberrmsg kbprb KB842948 kbAudEndUser
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.