WinXP and 2nd copy of D2x v1.10 on bnet

[Crystalion]

Disclaimer: if you're a game thief I can't imagine what you're doing here--you'll find D2x cracks on other sites that are far less hassle than the information (for legitimate owners) contained herein...

I've had different housemates three times since D2 came out, but my household has always owned at least two copies of D2 (and later LoD). IIRC at one time we owned four copies of D1 (since I own two, plus Hellfire). Unfortunately I've retired some PCs and given my usable "old" PC (running WinME) to my kids so I no longer have two side-by-side PCs on my desk (I haven't even run two monitors off of one PC in a while, sigh).

This means that as soon as v1.10 released I had to run into the kid's room every time I wanted to run two bnet characters at once (shame on blizzard for not making this easier--don't they know how many players, like myself, bought two Everquest accounts just for convenience?). While previously I'd personaly modded my own v1.09b for multiple windows running simultaneously on my desktop (non-bnet) under WinME I've gotten used to using WinXP user switching instead when I took up the v1.10 beta. This isn't as convenient (for example, for testing Ruvanal's sleaze™ B) ), but it means I don't have to fix the code after every patch.

However, this doesn't, by itself, work for running two characters simultaneously on bnet. The issue is that blizzard, quite reasonably, wants to know that you own a set of D2/LoD per connect, but, unreasonably, imho, have not provided a simple mechanism to validate this for you from one PC. If you are diehard enough to have read this far then I'm assuming:

1) you run WinXP and understand user switching for local tcp/ip play
2) you currently own 2 copies of D2 and LoD or will rush out and buy a second set once you realize the convenience
3) you are able to understand uninstalls, installs, moving files around and customizing shortcuts without expecting support from blizzard or myself.

If I'm wrong, then I'm sorry to have wasted your time thus far. Bail now.

To run two characters on bnet on one WinXP PC at once without 3rd programs or hacks you can do the following...

Install D2 & LoD (skip this step if you already have done so). Make a subdir wintin the D2 directory (call it, for example: "firstCDKey"). Move the d2sfx.mpq and also the d2char.mpq files into that subdirectory. Now the time consuming part (which Blizzard could have made vastly easier)... uninstall D2 (this will leave the dir structure intact, along with your character saves). Now install D2 and then install LoD using the *other CD-Key copy* that you own (to the same directory that you just uninstalled it from).

You are now back to "normal" except that your main install is using the new CD-Key and you've also "wasted" 300Meg+ in the subdir I told you to make (as the two huge files you moved there contain your classic and expansion CD-Keys). Because you uninstalled you might have some preference option resetting to do, I'm not sure (it might remember some of it--I'm not sure because I did this painful procedure on my kid's PC--which I've not played much on since--to see if it worked, but I moved the resultant cdkey files to my main PC directly).

At this point, make a new user account on WinXP (if you don't have one already). One this account you need to make a program launch shortcut to D2 with one slight twist: the "starting directory" should point one level down, into the "firstCDKey" subdir. Now you can launch from this shortcut as this user and sign on to bnet using that cdkey, while launching the normal shortcut as another user thus connecting to bnet with your second cdkey.

Naturally if you have two side-by-side computers it is probably more convenient to a single (different) CD-Key install on each one, but I thought this information might help some of you in the same boat as I am, and perhaps encourage some of you to buy another copy (I'm afraid I don't get a cut, so don't blame me for trying to get your money ;) ).

Frankly I think it's a pity Blizzard doesn't charge, say, a dollar a month for bnet access, because then they'd have the money to spend on, and obligation to be accountable for enabling legitimate customers to have the access they paid for, while at the same time cutting way way back on the freebie scammers and environment destroyers. This means, of course, that banning would have shaper teeth, in more ways than one. Just imho, ymmv.

[guachi]

Thanks for the info. I actually have 2 copies of LoD because my first cd got scratched after being in the drive for too long. The $15 or whatever I spent on the 2nd one wasn't that bad considering
b.net is free.

I shall try your neat trick tomorrow!

Jason

[Crystalion]

I actually have 2 copies of LoD because my first cd got scratched after being in the drive for too long.  The $15 or whatever I spent on the 2nd one wasn't that bad considering b.net is free.

fyi:

2) you currently own 2 copies of D2 and LoD

means that you need two copies of both D2 and LoD (i.e. two cdkeys for each). I mention this because your story sounds like you have 1 D2 and 2 LoD.

I probably didn't make it clear that to play LoD on bnet Blizzard validates both your D2 and your LoD cdkeys.

[ZatarRufus]

I probably didn't make it clear that to play LoD on bnet Blizzard validates both your D2 and your LoD cdkeys.

Thanks. This reveals the mystery of a similar problem. I own two of each, but for conveinence sake on hard drive upgrades, I used one copy of D2 and then separate copies of LoD. TCP/IP works just fine with this setup. (v1.09d) The one time I played on battle.net, I tried to create the second account (from the 2nd computer) for muling and was told 'no', but in many more words.

I have only updated one system with the 1.10 patch. Any idea if this will affect my local game play when I do the other machine? Will I need to unistall from one system and bring it up with the unused copy of D2? (I'm running 98se.) I'm guessing this is a carry-over from the beginning and TCP/IP will not be altered.

[CelticHound]

So even though I have two full installs each with their own valid CD keys, I can't run both copies at the same time.

I'm afraid I need something like your famous "3 byte fix" for D2gfx.dll.

-- CH

[gimlisam]

For convenience (and for saving money, I'm a college student), I made a copy of my LoD CD and have had to use a crack. I have had few problems, except that I have been stuck in the "void" channel. Is that due to my using a crack, and am I at risk of being disconnected? I will take this time to say that I am NOT a software thief and prefer to be honest in all aspects of the game. Thanks in advance for all help that I am sure that you will give me!

[BOB2]

Hello Crystalion,

I had a 2nd copy D2 and LOD buthad only computer left.
So I tried your move.
And it does not work as expected.
This is what I am doing:
I first launch LOD, go to a game, switch user, lauch LOD in the firstCdKey directory.
Then I try to connect to battle.net
I got a message battle net is not able to identify correctly the version of your application.

Then I do not know what you do, any idea?

Thanks in advance,

All the mule hope in you

[Manes]

Thanks, I've done the 2-comp setup before when I had 2 computers, but this should be equally fast :)

A minor thing though, does the old cdkey-switchers still work in 1.10? That would prevent me from the hassle of double-installing diablo again :)

Edit: Feeling adventerous, I tried it, and they do indeed work, making the procedure easy for me:

Copy the 2 mpq's into a subdir.

Change the cdkeys in my original dir to my second set.

Change the shortcut as you did.

Play with 2 versions.

Damn, this is cool, I didn't realize it could be this easy before :)

[BOB2]

Thanks, I've done the 2-comp setup before when I had 2 computers, but this should be equally fast :)

A minor thing though, does the old cdkey-switchers still work in 1.10? That would prevent me from the hassle of double-installing diablo again :)

Edit: Feeling adventerous, I tried it, and they do indeed work, making the procedure easy for me:

Copy the 2 mpq's into a subdir.

Change the cdkeys in my original dir to my second set.

Change the shortcut as you did.

Play with 2 versions.

Damn, this is cool, I didn't realize it could be this easy before :)

Hi,

I just did the work and I probably did something wrong :(

I am wondering what do you mean by writing change the cdkeys in my original directory? Did you just reinstall or did you something else?

Thx in advance,

Bob2

[Manes]

I am wondering what do you mean by writing change the cdkeys in my original directory? Did you just reinstall or did you something else?

The cdkeys are stored in the two mpq files. I copied those into a subfolder, thus my first set of keys are in my diablo2\install2\ folder. Then I use a cdkey-changer, to alter the set of keys in my original folder.

Then set A is in diablo2\install2, set B is in diablo2\ :)

The net effect is exactly the same as the first method, use that if you're unsure.

[BOB2]

I am wondering what do you mean by writing change the cdkeys in my original directory? Did you just reinstall or did you something else?

The cdkeys are stored in the two mpq files. I copied those into a subfolder, thus my first set of keys are in my diablo2\install2\ folder. Then I use a cdkey-changer, to alter the set of keys in my original folder.

Then set A is in diablo2\install2, set B is in diablo2\ :)

The net effect is exactly the same as the first method, use that if you're unsure.

Hello,

I gave it 3 more tries after uninstalling everything:

1-I install the first copy, move it to a directory, it works, than upgrade to 1.10 (from the 1.07 install). Then uninstall, install the second copy, upgrade to 1.10. Every version on his own is working. But when I tries the second one, I am still getting the message that "battle net is not able to identify correctly the version of your application", whatever the order is.

2-I install the first copy, move it to a subdirectory, uninstall, install the second, upgrade the second to 1.10. Same conclusion everything is working on its own, but both are not.

3-I then follow your process (with the key-changer// on a side note, pay attention, the first I found was trojan infected//) and I desperatly get the same battle net message again.


Anymore guess, someone?

EDIT: weirder and weirder, I actually did the testing yesterday evening (I am on europe), but today, if I first launch the game from the subdirectory (first key) I got and unhandled exception error for 5 times

EDIT 2: I can t not even launch the game from the second user whatever the directory I used. Maybe the source of the problem is here.
I used the user manager to create the second user, and I create it the same way than the first one. Maybe some ressources are not well put in place? I am not a windows expert so every pieces of help is welcome (use of lusrmgr.msc)


LAST EDIT: Problem solved. The good old reinstall is still in the windows habits.
I did reinstall the system, the drivers, the network, 2 diablos, and now it works fine.

Thanks for the help manes, and thanks for the tips Crystalion

[Crystalion]

LAST EDIT: Problem solved. The good old reinstall is still in the windows habits.
I did reinstall the system, the drivers, the network, 2 diablos, and now it works fine.

Glad you figured it out. I had no clue what your problem might be (other than Microsoft :blink: )

[reno666]

Just bought another set of D2/LoD cds and successfully installed both in 1 computer. I'm able to play but find having to continually switch between 2 user accounts on the same computer cumbersome. So now I'm only doing mule games and sometimes, wp exchanges. Unfortunately, my first goal was having the ability to rush peewee characters but the process doesn't allow for that kind of play.

I'm curious if the quoted statement means you can run 2 sessions via 1 user account, say, windowed mode side-by-side or do you still do the user switch ?

I understand this is an old post but hope to get a response. Thanks all.

edit: forgot to mention i didnt use your method, crystalion, but actually installed 2 sets and renamed them 1st key and 2nd key, then made shortcuts to both on 2 user accounts

[Jugalator]

I've followed these tips that Crystallion gave, but am still unable to launch the "second Diablo II" from the other user.

I made a shortcut with the following settings:

Target: "C:\Games\Diablo II\Diablo II.exe"
Start in: "C:\Games\Diablo II\SecondKey"

The directory SecondKey contains the other two mpq's -- d2char.mpq and d2sfx.mpq.

When running that shortcut from the other user, I get this error message:

Diablo II was unable to find Game.exe.

... which is reasonable since the Game.exe is in the Diablo II directory, not in the SecondKey directory. Placing Game.exe there don't help though and I get the same message. Any ideas?

[Guest]

Ok. Install the game twice on your pc. You will need different cd keys for each so 4 total keys in all. You will have to rename the first d2 folder before you can install a second copy on your pc.

Then log both versions onto bnet to update the patches.

Then go to google.com and search for d2gfx.dll. Click on the 3rd link down. Then download that d2gfx.dll. Then replace the old d2gfx.dll file in both d2 folders with the new one.

Then create a shortcut from the "Diablo II" icon in the first folder. Then create a shortcut from the "Game" icon in the second folder. The "Game" icon will be right below the "Diablo II" icon but it will not have a picture just a name.

Then to start up both copies just click on the first shortcut you created. Once that game is loaded minimize it then click on the indivisble icon to start up the second copy.

You can have two characters from the same account in a game at once but not in chat at the same time. So you will have to load one character up into a game. Then switch over and log on with the other character.

[Jugalator]

OK, got it all working now. I was missing rights to run Game.exe for some reason (at least according to Windows) and that wasn't even helped by reinstalling Diablo to the same directory (after uninstalling it first). So I finally just installed it to a differently named directory and everything is working fine now. :ph34r:

[Jess]

Why would you do this without programs when you can do it with?
As long as you're not ruining any gaming experience for you or anyone else, and pay for all four cd-keys, I don't see why it'd be so bad...

[Whitering]

Don't mean to beat a dead post, but the link on DII.net for the D2gfx.dll file does not work... Planet Diablo has one...but I don't remember hearing great things about them.

[Crystalion]

Why would you do this without programs when you can do it with?

To me this is the same as asking "since you can do this, why doesn't Blizzard make it a feature?--they're making money off the additional sales (of CD-Keys) after all".

My answer in both cases is identical: Blizzard didn't choose to.

That is to say, Blizzard has chosen to declare that modifying your game files is forbidden. They have gone to the trouble to claim the right to take (and demonstrate) punitive action at will against those they believe to be doing forbidden things.

Whether I personally agree with Blizzard's choices isn't the immediate question for me. The question I ask myself is this: if there is a "hard" but kosher and valid patch-to-patch method of playing multiple CD-Keys and there is also an "easy" but not-kosher and possible foobar patch-to-patch method, which do I choose?

In my case, for D2, when I expect to play on the Blizzard provided BNet service, I chose the "hard" kosher way. For Hellfire and then D1, for private play, after Blizzard took "forever" to fix bugs, I not only chose to fix them myself, but to make the information on the fixes available to the D1 owning public (and long after, Blizzard did fix the majority of the bugs--for D1, not Hellfire--that afficinados considered serious).

Until "IP" (intellectual property) has a legal precedent set for consumer rights (fat chance in this era of "as is, no warranty") we can continue to expect that lobbyists and the courts will side with those willing to spend money (aka the corporations) in favor of restrictive interpretations of fair use.

Naturally if you choose to sue Blizzard in court to establish your right to use a modified program (for your reasonable benefit, as a consumer), I'll be cheering for you.

Please forgive me if your question was meant to be rhetorical.