Sail the Seas Arrrrrrrrrrr

Hoist the Jolly Roger and youll find a way around whats guardin the port !

I would never condone such means except in very special cases where things are clearly not supported and even the publisher denies it exists and refuses to provide even minimal support to keep said legitimately bought software working. As long as you own a legally purchased copy of the original install media then I see no reason you cant bypass dead activation.

Even MS still provides a way to activate Windows versions that have been EOL for years.

Cant discuss this much further here or provide any suggestions on where to look, Vogons is pretty clear about this, so youll be on your own to find the means.

Aye capin trash n bytes, by me scurvy sea legs Isa swear me gotten booty is not fools gold but it was a steal for the low urchin of tree apples ($3.00) I be lookin here and thar and while scratchin this ol bum o mine I be thinking I better look down the crack of a plumber and hopes I dont a foul the mistress of the dead (not a stab at you vogons I swear I am typing this in the best pirate lingo I can muster) while being on board the wench because if someone shouts thar she blows I'll keel haul thee windows kargigga and have tee start me a new crew

I don't know about the DVD version (maye you can redeem it from EA/Origin using your code) but for the downloadable one from EA/Origin you can perform the following:

Use the Anadius Origin Unwrapper to remove the DRM. (Preferred cleaner method)
or
Use the Theta crack. (old way)

After you've done that you can then run the first game using "alice.exe -INT -RunningFromAlice1"

As far as discussing it and providing info and methods (not providing or linking to copyright infringing files).
EA/Origin dropped XP and likely Vista support and the game supports both.
Apparently the DVD copy protection doesn't work anymore.
So as far as the DMCA is concerned it's covered to break the DRM under the DMCA even without the exemption. Doesn't mean it's covered everywhere but good enough here.

GabrielKnight123 wrote on 2023-12-11, 11:17:

Im pulling out some old windows games and one is Alice Madness Returns, it installs fine from the original DVD but there is a copy protection that involves connecting to a server to receive an encrypted key, it then would unpack the files it copied to the HDD to complete the install the problem is the server to my knowledge isn't up anymore, there is an offline option if I edit an ini file that starts a window to go to an archive.org page by uploading the file the game window made and then I had to type my licence key and a capture code but it doesn't work, is there a way to play this DVD version at all anymore?

try redeeming the cd key on Origins/EA App so you can download that version of the game (digital version)

This method worked for me with The Godfather 2 game.

I would have thought that if the company were going to close down the verification-check server (or anything else that stops the online checking from working) then they would at least make a little patch available for public download from their website, that disabled the game's online check. Even if they didn't do it for altruistic reasons (big surprise, eh?) you'd think that they might do so for good public relations.

Or maybe I'm just stupid...

Kerr Avon wrote on 2024-01-10, 21:34:

I would have thought that if the company were going to close down the verification-check server (or anything else that stops the online checking from working) then they would at least make a little patch available for public download from their website, that disabled the game's online check. Even if they didn't do it for altruistic reasons (big surprise, eh?) you'd think that they might do so for good public relations.

Or maybe I'm just stupid...

This is EA ...they have no idea what good public relations are, they do have the award for the most downvoted post on reddit.

Dancsi40 wrote on 2024-01-10, 01:01:

try redeeming the cd key on Origins/EA App so you can download that version of the game (digital version)
This method worked for me with The Godfather 2 game.

Thank you. This method worked. Unfortunately, you will not receive in full what you paid for. Instead of a one-time activation and subsequent offline play, you will be forced to log into your EA account every time you start the game. Next, you will receive only the language version that you can select - and there is little choice.
I have a licensed DVD with ru subtitles, which are officially embedded. I had to choose the English version - other options were not suitable for me at all. Now you will have to look for ways to translate into ru or Ukrainian on your own.

Closed.
Open your own thread for your own issue.
As for the issue you have if you have a DVD version with files that the game store version does not have them you can possibly copy the files you want from the DVD version.