This is about as simple as I can get it:
I will attempt to make this as easy as possible. Don't gripe at me if you can't get it to work
*** NOTE *** You _MUST_ have at least two sets (Classic and LOD) of _VALID_ CD keys. Generaly, CD key generators do not work. Don't be so cheap and buy the game.
*** ANOTHER NOTE *** Some claim (I disagree) that Onlyer's no CD loader is detectable by Battle.net. If you happen to get your account banned/deleted by using this program, it's not my fault. You have been warned...
If you don't know how to use WinZip, rename files, edit a text file or navigate to a directory on your hard drive then you need more help then I am willing to give. I will not answer any questions regarding those types of issues.
1) Visit Onlyer's site at:
http://onlyer.yeah.net/ or
http://blake.prohosting.com/~onlyer/. This is his official site but, like anything on the Internet, scan the files before you use them.
2) Close the annoying pop-ups and click the 'Download' link on the left hand side of the screen.
3) Dowload D2loader. This is a no-CD loader and will make things much easier.
4) Download d2-cdkey. This is the program that will allow you to change your CD-key.
5) If you have it running, close Diablo. Navigate to wherever you have Diablo installed. This is generaly C:\Program
Files\Diablo II.
6) Find Diablo II.exe and rename it to something like Backup Diablo II.exe.
7) Open d2loader.zip and extract Diablo II.exe to your Diablo directory. You may have to uncheck 'Use folder names' in WinZip, otherwise it puts the files into it's own directory.
8) Copy these two files from your Diablo LOD CD to your Diablo directoy: d2xmusic.mpq d2xvideo.mpq.
9) There! You can now play Diablo without the CD. However, the purpose of this guide is to show you how to install multiple
CD keys and be able to open more then one Diablo client at a time. So, read on...
10) Open up d2-cdkey.zip and extract all the files in there into your Diablo directory. You may have to uncheck 'Use folder names' in WinZip, otherwise it puts the files into it's own directory.
11) Right click on auto-cdkey.reg and select 'edit'. This is what you should see:
Code:
REGEDIT4
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Blizzard Entertainment\Diablo II]
"owner"="onlyer"
"d2cdkeympq"="cdkey.mpq"
"d2xcdkeympq"="cdkey.mpq"
"d2cdkey"="2462829MHEJVHE2W"
"d2xcdkey"="EWF94EPWRXNWZ2CP"
We are only concerned with the last two lines.
12) Delete the CD keys already on the "d2cdkey" and the "d2xcdkey". THESE KEYS ARE NOT VALID AND WILL NOT WORK! You should end up with something like this:
Code:
REGEDIT4
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Blizzard Entertainment\Diablo II]
"owner"="onlyer"
"d2cdkeympq"="cdkey.mpq"
"d2xcdkeympq"="cdkey.mpq"
"d2cdkey"=""
"d2xcdkey"=""
13) Insert your CD keys. They do not have to be in upper case but do not use dashes. You should end up with something like this:
Code:
REGEDIT4
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Blizzard Entertainment\Diablo II]
"owner"="onlyer"
"d2cdkeympq"="cdkey.mpq"
"d2xcdkeympq"="cdkey.mpq"
"d2cdkey"="2763869BHTJWHM2Z"
"d2xcdkey"="PWW96EQWNXWWM2SP"
*** NOTE *** Those are _NOT_ valid CD keys, I just made them up.
14) Close this file. It will ask if you want to save the changes, click 'Yes'.
15) Double click the file. It will ask if you want to import this file to the registry. Click 'yes'. It should then tell you the file was imported to the registry.
16) Now, double click d2-cdkey.exe. Click 'Refill both CD Keys'.
17) You will be asked to select an install directory. Choose wherever you have Diablo installed. When you click 'Ok' you will be given a scary warning about files already existing in that directory and you may overwrite them. You can safely ignore that warning.
18) Click 'Exit Installer'.
19) Now you are going to make a new shortcut to Diablo.
20) Right click on your desktop and select 'Create new shortcut'. Have this shortcut point to your Diablo II.exe file. You can name the shortcut whatever you want.
21) Once the shortcut is created, right click on it and select 'Properties'.
22) You should have a box that says 'Target path' with something similar to this written in: "C:\Program Files\Diablo II\Diablo II.exe". Notice the quotation marks. Those are important! Leave them be.
22) Change this line to read like this: "C:\Program Files\Diablo II\Diablo II.exe" -w -mpq cdkey.mpq. Please note the space after the last quotation mark. THIS IS IMPORTANT! Make sure the space is there. The -w makes it run in window mode.
That's it! You should now be able to run two Diablo windows with no CD. Your original Diablo shortcut should work as always while the new shortcut you created will open a second Diablo in a window. Both of them will be able to connect to the same realm on different accounts.
A couple useful pointers:
It's easier to switch between two windows then to alt+tab back and forth. To make your original Diablo shortcut open in a window add -w after the last quotation mark.
I am impatient and don't want to sit through all the opening credit crap. To make it skip right to Battle.net add -skiptobnet to the shortcut. Your original shortcut will look similar to this: "C:\Program Files\Diablo II\Diablo II.exe" -w -skiptobnet while the second shortcut can look something like this: "C:\Program Files\Diablo II\Diablo II.exe" -w -skiptobnet -mpq cdkey.mpq
If you want to be able to tell the difference between the two windows, add somehing similar to this to your new shortcut: "C:\Program Files\Diablo II\Diablo II.exe" -w -skiptobnet - title "Mule" -mpq cdkey.mpq. That will give that Diablo window the name Mule.
I have tried to make this guide as easy to use and understand as possible. If you have an intelligent question please, ask.