What good does the boxed version do me when I'm required to connect to the internet?

You are never required to register if you only play the installed version of the boxed game. Only if you want to update.

Just as pdifolco said: Why are you so adamantant against reg.key???

The 1.0 boxed version does not have any activation on it. Only the patches do. Even at that, it's a one time deal at install time (and if you install/update through SDC it's handled automatically in the background).

I would have to think that activating Windows would be far more annoying with as many reinstalls as you say you do (though I'm not sure why you'd be reformatting a personal [not a test rig] computer so often), since you can only activate if online once per 120 days and otherwise you have to go call MS to get permission.

I'm constantly reinstalling my stuff (reformatting) and I was thrilled to death at the way GalCiv2 was handled. Now I have to connect to the internet with the latest patch?! CAN'T I JUST ENTER MY SERIAL NUMBER!? Stardock is pulling a "Steam" on me.

You have to be connected to the internet to GET the patch. You can't just click update and have a magical patch show up without any connection. At somepoint you MUST be on the internet to get the patch (they won't mail a copy of it to you). They already said how you can get them if you want to transfer the patch on cd/flash from another computer, try looking.

I have two legal copies of this game

Er... why?

If your restore discs contain an image rather than a installer, your activation should remain valid between reinstalls. Just back up the sig.bin file found in the galciv2 directory and resotre it after you've reinstlaled and updated. If you completely reinstall windows though, this won't work.

Otherwise, you can activate on the laptop by this method:
1) Start the game; you will get a prompt for your serial and email. Provide them and continue.
2) It will fail to activate (of course) and ask if you'd like to activate by email. Click Yes.
3) Copy the subject line and big block of letters into a text file, or into your email program, and save it off to portable media (CDR, USB drive, floppy, etc).
4) Take it to a web-connected PC and send an email to [email protected] with that subject line and content.
5) You should receive a reply with a file and some instructions; take the file back to the non-connected PC and you should be set to go.

Will do... thanks! I assume that I can just archive the file with my patch and next time I reformat the thing and reinstall Winders I can just patch and copy over my key then. Excellent.

*IF* you're reinstalling windows from an image. If you're doing a full reinstall, the sig.bin may not work from a prior installation (AFAIK it is coded to the installation it is created on).

Well that kind of defeats the purpose for me... ah well. I'll just stick with the first patch. Too much hassle.

Now I have to connect to the internet with the latest patch?! CAN'T I JUST ENTER MY SERIAL NUMBER!? Stardock is pulling a "Steam" on me.

Well, unless I miss something, the activation is required only once after the game is patched. Once it is activated, you can play without being connected to Internet. And unless I missed something, it is different from Steam.

What is this....1990? When the prospect of patching a game involved a 6 hour download or actually calling the company for a diskette?

Geez, Dude, every game out needs patching.

Well, I got born and everyone fed me it was great. Then, eventually, I grew up and what do you know, I have to not only eat food 3 times a day, but I got to get it myself? What the hell is up with that? I really feel sorry for the OP, life is so hard man

That's actually pretty funny! But you still get a middle finger.

I'll say it again... I don't MIND entering my serial. I would just rather have my disk in the drive than be REQUIRED to own an internet connection whenever I reinstall. I archive my stuff for a reason.

Oddly enough... Starforce has never caused a problem for me.