# Transfering game files between computers?



## ralcaba (Jul 27, 2010)

Hi everyone

I have Call of Duty 1 for an older computer, but that computer has very mediocre hardware that can barely run the game at medium settings. We recently got a new computer with much better hardware, and I would like to try the game on this newer computer. The problem is that somehow, the original game CD got a huge scratch in it that makes it unreadable. My question is: is there a way for me to transfer the game files from one computer to another without the original CD, and still be able to play it? I couldn't care less about the single player. I'm only interested in playing online. 

(I know I could just get another copy of it for fairly cheap, but I don't want to spend the money unless there's no way around it.)

Thanks


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## Stephen Bowles (Jan 28, 2011)

If the CD is damaged, you would have to buy another one.

That said, you could try copying the entire game folder/files from your older computer to the new one, then running the exe. This might work, but don't be surprised if it doesn't or it does with strange issues.

If that doesn't work, then you would have to buy the game again (try an auction site?).


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## wizard. (Jan 23, 2010)

I doubt transferring the files will work. When a game is installed, it integrates special key/files to your registry that essentially make the .exe run. So, as Stephen Bowles said, you can try but i highly doubt it will work. I've tried doing the same with Call of Duty 4 and it did not work.


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## Redeye3323 (Sep 20, 2009)

Hey mate,

Another idea is to see if you can download it online.

Perhaps you can find a site where you can download the game (legally I might add) if you have a valid key.

Steam would be a good place to try it, go onto steam and use the "Activate a Product on Steam" option under Games. Then put in your code and all, and it should let you download the game from there (once it has verified the code).

Hope this works,
Redeye


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## ralcaba (Jul 27, 2010)

Hey eveyone, sorry for taking so long to get back to this.

I have downloaded the online part of the game before, but that was to the same computer that it was originally installed to. It was some years ago and at the time I did it, it seemed like a very long and complicated process. I believe I needed to download it off of some website, and use winrar, or something like that. Thankfully I didn't get a virus from it, but I don't want to try my luck again by hoping some download is legitimate. That is an interesting idea redeye about downloading it through steam. I still have the cd key. I'm out of town right now, but I will try that as soon as I'm able.

Thanks for the help!


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## -WOLF- (Jan 17, 2009)

When purchasing software, you really purchase the licence. Therefore; you can obtain a copy of the game any legal way you can think of, as long as you are using the CD-Key that you paid for.

I purchased The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion but I have no DVD Drive to install it with, so I installed the game onto my external hard drive then copied the file from that to my new system and it runs fine.


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## Redeye3323 (Sep 20, 2009)

Wolf is right on this one, but try the Steam idea first since it is legal and there is no chance of a Virus


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## ralcaba (Jul 27, 2010)

Well, no luck with steam. Apparently it doesn't even support the kind of CD key the game uses. Is there anything else I can do?


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## Stephen Bowles (Jan 28, 2011)

You could:

- > Find someone local who also has the installation CDs and use your serial when installing.
- > Just buy it again...

That's about all I can think off.

You could contact steam and see what they say, if you say your serial is not working with the game from steam.


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## Redeye3323 (Sep 20, 2009)

When you say that steam doesn't support the kind of CD key, do you mean that it doesn't accept the "-" s?

If so, you are suppose to not use them when typing the key in (it should work even though the key is formatted differently in the book)


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## ralcaba (Jul 27, 2010)

nope, I tried it CD key with and without the "-"s with no success.

is there anything else I can try before I resort to shelling out the cash?


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## Redeye3323 (Sep 20, 2009)

Try contacting Steam to ask if they can sort it their end because it should work as far as I know


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