BF2 running without the DVD unpatched?

[Giftheck]

So I recently bought SWBF2 PC DVD version. I uninstalled Steam and the   SWBF2 I bought off Steam, installed a fresh copy of SWBF2 with the DVD.   Go to install the Unofficial 1.3 patch, and when I am done, SWBF2   automatically runs. The DVD is not in the drive. I thought it was a   side-effect of the installation so I tried starting BF2 after installing   it. Same thing again - the game works without the DVD. The DVD is not   pirated because I bought it from a supermarket's games section, the   serial number I used works.

So I am wondering, has my Steam version created a 'no-CD' version of BF2? If it hasn't, what the hell is going on?

I'm not trying to condone piracy, BTW. I am honestly baffled by this, and I would like to fix the issue.

[Jedikiller]

So I am wondering, has my Steam version created a 'no-CD' version of BF2? If it hasn't, what the Diet Dr. Pepper is going on?

Is this a problem? If there's nothing you did to incite this, then why bother attempting to fix what isn't broken?

[Giftheck]

It's unintended behaviour that might cause gameplay glitches. I haven't tried it yet. That and some forums might see that as me trying to get an illegal no-cd patch.

EDIT: There are no glitches. I'm just curious as to why it's happened.

[Hardcore]

Well, strictly speaking having a no-CD for SWBF is not illegal if you can make it without breaking the EULA- making a back up of your own game on harddisk is allowed, and that would allow for a no-CD if you set it up right, its the act of sharing that no-CD that is illegal.

Outside of this if you activated the game over Steam as if it were the Steam version of SWBF2, it would require a no-cd version to run, due to being direct download so if you patched the game over steam perhaps it automatically added a no-cd patch purely for the reason that it normally requires one to run the game if you bought it over steam. as a side effect to how the filetree in SWBF1/2 is handled it just might happen to be in the same file as something that was patched.

Also going to have to warn you about using abbreviations for curses it isn't allowed here; words removed.

[aeria.]

I think developers tend to be lazy and just find the easiest way to remove the cd check. This is truly an interesting side-effect and I think it's worth knowing about it.

[SW_elite]

My DVD version of the game is allready unpatched... But as Ag said this is worth knowing... Thanks