RTW- blank cd's - copy protection?

**csteinke2** · 10-02-2006, 21:27

Hi there.

I am having a trouble running Rome Total War. Long story short I purchased a copy in ’05 in The Netherlands. I lost CD #1 so I was out of luck, until I downloaded an app that would let me run it with no CD. Yes I understand this is usually done for malicious purposes but as I own the game I did not sweat it.

Everything was fine until I uninstalled – without CD #1 I could never reinstall the game.

I really miss it since I moved to the US and so I bought another copy – Rome Total War Gold Edition with Barbarian Invasion. Sounded fun. Imagine my surprise when I got home, put the CD-ROM in my PC only to find the CD’s were blank. Odd, I thought. Then I remembered a conversation I had with a Activision tech support person back in ’05 – apparently the copy protection for RTW works by using your temporary internet files/cookies. I deleted all those, rebooted and surprise, surprise, I could read the CDs.

I proceeded with the installation and completed it, but now again the RTW CD-ROMs appear blank when I put them in my dvd-drive. I can’t start up RTW because it asks for Cd 1 to be in the drive. It is!!! I’ve confirmed the drive works – the RTW cd’s are the problem. Also I noticed I was never prompted for a CD key when I installed – do you only need to enter it for multiplayer? I did try cleaning my internet files again but that didn’t help.

Any ideas?

**Raz** · 10-03-2006, 01:31

CD keys are for multiplayer only, as for the rest....

*Sighs*

**Puzz3D** · 10-03-2006, 02:23

Cannot Locate the CD-ROM

**Stig** · 10-03-2006, 07:39

No Puzz that ain't the problem he just doesn't have CD1 anymore

just mail Sega, they might send you a new one, you might have to convince them you have a legal copy tho

**caravel** · 10-03-2006, 10:37

@Stig: Read the the OP's post again.

@csteinke2: Follow Puzz3D's link, it looks likely to be related to your problem. If you're using any of the CD emulation software that could be it.