No netbook up to today comes with a CD and that’s not particularly a problem if you intend to play simple games or use Word and Excel. The problem comes when you want to play games, and ever since the 90′s, game manufacturers have been seeking ways to ensure you are a legit owner of the game. All sorts of anti-piracy means have been brought forth from the most basic CD-Key, CD-ROM verification, and web activation that has been in vogue since Windows XP.
None of these cannot be circumvented, fortunately. For a netbook gamer, having to lug a CD drive around all the time just to play games defeats the purpose of having a netbook. And then there’s the waste of battery a spinning CD presents to the small battery of a netbook.
No CD, No Problem
Enter the No CD crack.
No CD cracks are essentially .exe files, sometimes dll, ini and registry files, that you patch over the included copy after installation of the game. This circumvents certain processes that inevitably will require some sort of CD drive or a web connection. This can be a life saver for the road warrior or when you’re on a plane.
Different games/programs require different cracks. It varies so you’ll have to read the instructions usually supplied in a .txt or a .nfo file (open with Notepad).
Sources to get cracks:
Above are the sources that offer no-CD cracks. These sources are generally reliable, and don’t lead you to certain nefarious websites such as porno, spyware, malware, crapware sites. Remember that in this site, there are various versions of the game, so ensure you check out which is yours before you download. If you haven’t patched anything, likely, the 1.0 version should be for you. If uncertain, just go online and find a patch and overwrite the files with a crack meant for that version. After cracking, however, you do lose the ability to patch the game to future versions because usually patching programs will check the integrity of your .exe files. Therefore, if you intend to upgrade it in the future, copy the files that are meant to be overwritten to somewhere safe. Then, once a new patch is out, just replace the cracked .exe and patch the game, and then repeat the above steps.
No-CD cracking is absolutely legal if you own the game.
Image: Paco Vila
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