try this:

1.  open notepad or word pad

2.  type your cd key in

3.  save it as "sof2key"

4.  remove ANY extensions, like .txt, that it may have been saved as, so that it is just called "sof2key", with NO extension

5.  i'm not sure where the CD key file goes for single-player, but for multiplayer, it goes in the "mp" folder; put it there

i haven't played SP in ages, but i'll dig up my CD and load up the SP game to see where the CD key file may go for SP.  Or perhaps someone else who does play SP will come along and tell us.

BTW, here's what my "sof2key" file looks like:

abcd#efg#hijk#lmno
// generated by soldier of fortune 2, do not modify
// Do not give this file to ANYONE.
// Raven Software and Activision will NOT ask you to send this file to them.

....but you can just put in your CD key, only, if you make it manually, as i described

good luck!

that's very interesting! on the activision site it says the invalid key error may result due to the key being inputted in capitals. so i previously opened SoF2MP and inputted it again in lower case letters -  to no avail....

when i opened the sof2key file my key had been stored in capitals even though i had done the above^^^

so i manually inputted my key again in lower case via the sof2key file and saved it - i have only tried to access three servers since then but so far i have not recieved the INVALID_KEY error message!!!!!

thanx schiz, i owe you one! i would never have thought about opening the key file myself! fingers crossed this has solved my problems

cool beans

this used to happen alot with rtcw until then the problem dissapeared after one of the patches was realeased.

yeah, i've been asking around and had a few stories about this one now.... one guy had to open the sofkey file, examine properties, change from read only, then re-input the key then save again as a windows file then change back to read only....ans some more palava that i cant remember... and apparently this method works too


if there's anyone interested in more details about this problem and/or solutions please feel free to email me or post here and i will do all i can to get every piece of available infor to you  

cheers-  dave      

www.ex.rocks.it

yeah, i've been asking around and had a few stories about this one now.... one guy had to open the sofkey file, examine properties, change from read only, then re-input the key then save again as a windows file then change back to read only....and some more palava that i cant remember... and apparently this method works too


if there's anyone interested in more details about this problem and/or solutions please feel free to email me or post here and i will do all i can to get every piece of available infor to you  

cheers-  dave      

www.ex.rocks.it

http://finger.planetquake.com/plan.asp?userid=khoekstra&id=16186

Monday, July 14th, 2003 - Just a warning about a SOF2 CD Key
scam that's going on right now... Some guy calling himself
"John Novak" is e-mailing people from a hotmail account and
claiming to be from Raven Software. He's claiming that we
(Raven) are gathering defective keys for replacement and asking
that you e-mail him your CD Key.

DON'T FALL FOR THIS SCAM! In fact, DON'T SHARE YOUR CD KEY
WITH ANYONE! No one from Raven will ever contact you and
ask you for your CD key. If we do, it's only if you
contact us first through our website with a tech support
request.

Feel free to e-mail this guy and let him know what you
think of his little scam. ;)

Another thing to beware of, if you're not already aware of
this, is to watch out for buying used games on Ebay (or
anywhere else for that matter) that require CD keys. I've
seen many people sell their game who continue using the
key after the sale. This causes no end of trouble
for the buyer and unfortunately we can't issue new keys for
used games. Buyer beware...

That is all.

--Kenn
http://www.kennhoekstra.com