And these disks are in very good condition too, they are like new disks freshly bought.

That isn't something you can check

There used to be the option on that message to send an EMail to the owning account, but I'm guessing that was removed at some point. Which means, no -- you can't find the account who owns the key, other than trying all your accounts and checking their libraries.

It'll only say its a duplicate if you try to activate it on the account that already has it.
So if it's telling you that on one of your accounts, activate it on the other account.

Alright thanks

Originally posted by Start_Running:

It'll only say its a duplicate if you try to activate it on the account that already has it.
So if it's telling you that on one of your accounts, activate it on the other account.

by the way I don't have it on this account this game has been un-touched in ages and I found it stored away so I tried to work it but I can't play now

If the game was originally yours not 2nd hand then you have an old steam account with it on.

Originally posted by eram:

If the game was originally yours not 2nd hand then you have an old steam account with it on.

But if he's not trying to activate it on that account then it shouldn't give you the 'duplicate' error.
Either he's fibbing about the 'duplicate' error message. Or he triggered a 1:1000000 scenario where a cdkey from long ago by chance is the same as the steam generated key for a different product on his account.

Originally posted by Start_Running:

Or he triggered a 1:1000000 scenario where a cdkey from long ago by chance is the same as the steam generated key for a different product on his account.

Where did you come up with that statistic? Please link your sources so I can confirm.

Originally posted by Start_Running:

It'll only say its a duplicate if you try to activate it on the account that already has it.

Actually, I just tried to activate a key that I already activated on this account, and it literally told me "Product already owned".

Then, I tried to activate a different key, where the game is owned by this account but the actual key was used on a different account. Same message.

Finally, I tried activating a previously redeemed key on an account that does not actually have that game, and "finally" got the "Duplicate product".

Originally posted by Kargor:

Originally posted by Start_Running:

It'll only say its a duplicate if you try to activate it on the account that already has it.

Actually, I just tried to activate a key that I already activated on this account, and it literally told me "Product already owned".

Then, I tried to activate a different key, where the game is owned by this account but the actual key was used on a different account. Same message.

Finally, I tried activating a previously redeemed key on an account that does not actually have that game, and "finally" got the "Duplicate product".

He doesn't know what he's talking about. It only says duplicate game if someone else has already used that code.

Originally posted by Kargor:

Originally posted by Start_Running:

It'll only say its a duplicate if you try to activate it on the account that already has it.

Actually, I just tried to activate a key that I already activated on this account, and it literally told me "Product already owned".

Then, I tried to activate a different key, where the game is owned by this account but the actual key was used on a different account. Same message.

Finally, I tried activating a previously redeemed key on an account that does not actually have that game, and "finally" got the "Duplicate product".

I duly retract my statement.. But at any rate one my point still stands.
If he legitimately ..as in his story is true. Then he hit the 1:1000000 chance that that two independently generated cdkeys would match.

Or. He snagged a used biox set from a garage sale, ebay, or attic apparently convi9nced that the previous owner never once played the game

Originally posted by Start_Running:

I duly retract my statement.. But at any rate one my point still stands.
If he legitimately ..as in his story is true. Then he hit the 1:1000000 chance that that two independently generated cdkeys would match.

Or. He snagged a used biox set from a garage sale, ebay, or attic apparently convi9nced that the previous owner never once played the game

Actually the odds would be something like 1:8E24, which is like 10x more than the higher estimate for the number of stars in the universe.

Originally posted by Shotgun:

Originally posted by Start_Running:

I duly retract my statement.. But at any rate one my point still stands.
If he legitimately ..as in his story is true. Then he hit the 1:1000000 chance that that two independently generated cdkeys would match.

Or. He snagged a used biox set from a garage sale, ebay, or attic apparently convi9nced that the previous owner never once played the game

Actually the odds would be something like 1:8E24, which is like 10x more than the higher estimate for the number of stars in the universe.

N-EEEEEEEEEE-RD
Sorry. HJust always wanted to be on the other side of that for once.

And yeah i know that actual odds are absurd, but the colloquial phrasing is more readily understood.