# CS CD Key Extraction



## Kmunster88 (May 20, 2003)

Hi,

I have CS, installed on one of my older computers and i just recently got a new one. I unfortunately lost my CS cd and therefore lost my cd-key. I was wondering was there anyway i could retrieve the cd-key from the old computer through it's registry?

Or is there any other way i could retrieve that cd-key?

Thanks in Advance

Kmunster88


----------



## AtreideS (Aug 20, 2001)

In RegEdit just browse to:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Valve\Half-Life\Settings]
If you have Half-Life with the CS Mod

Or if you actually paif for CS, then look for:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Valve\Counter-Strike\Settings]

Thats where the CD-Key is stored. Hopefully it will still be there. If they cd-key has already been removed from the registry, I have seen places online to buy CS and HL CD-Keys, although I don't know how legitimate they are. I'd check if they are authorised by Valve and Sierra before buying any.

Good luck.


----------



## jonwessel (May 21, 2003)

If you truely bought CS, then go to Kazza and type in "Counter-Strike CD Key" then download the cd key generaor, no harm done if ya really bought it!


----------



## brendandonhu (Jul 8, 2002)

> _Originally posted by jonwessel:_
> *If you truely bought CS, then go to Kazza and type in "Counter-Strike CD Key" then download the cd key generaor, no harm done if ya really bought it! *


Yes there is still harm done in many ways.
1. Its still pirated
2. You just posted that wide open where anyone can read it
3. You are spreading pirated software.
4. You have not registered that key legally.
5. If I bought a car, and accidentally destroyed it, does that mean I can go steal one?


----------



## AtreideS (Aug 20, 2001)

brendandonhu is correct, Key generators can cause a lot of harm.
jonwessel, everytime someone uses a CD-Key generator, that means that there is one less legimate CD-Key that will work. Imagine some little 12 year old saving up his pocket money too by Simcity 4. He's really really looking forward to it. He goes into the store and looks at the box of the game everyweek. Looking at the PC Specs Required, making sure it will run. Finally he has the money to buy the game. He does, he takes it home. He tries to register his new game. He can't.. why? His CD-Key has already been used! Poor little kid, and he can't take the game back to the store because their polciy only allows for the return of damaged or faulty products. 
Now this kid is going to hate computers and CD-Keys. So most likely he will spend the next year saving up for a console. YES A CONSOLE! Ahhhh, and so there is one less supporter of PC Gaming, and one less reason for developers to develop for the PC.
They cause harm. So don't use them!


----------

