The mismatch in versions comes from a patching problem. Obviously, you are running a different version than your friends are. The only way to synchronize versions is to have everyone patch to the current “highest” patch version.
Patching is one of the most despised activities, but it is also very important. There are two ways to get a patch. The first way is to obtain it from the “official” website or a major gaming website. Both of these approaches are slow and tedious, because of the large number of users on each file server. The smarter and more practical solution is to obtain the patches from filesharing networks, such as KaZaA and eDonkey2000.
Once you and your friends have patched to the current highest version, restart your server. Now, even though the version situation is temporarily solved, you should always stay up to date with the latest patches. First off, staying up to date ensures seamless communication with other gamers and the hosts (even if you are the host yourself). Second, and more importantly, most games require all players to be using the same patch version. One of the easiest ways to check your current file version is to find the game’s executable file, right-click it and go to “Properties,” and go to file information. If the version number is not there, then use an included “Update” utility. Most game publishers these days include some sort of update utility.
Now, there is another issue. There are programs, known as “cracks,” which allow (dun dun dun!) users to run games without the CD in the drive. Although cracks have been notorious, they are actually quite useful. Honestly, very few modern games still read info out of the CD. They just check for the CD to make sure you really bought the game. However, you know you bought the game, so why worry? One of the best places to find cracks is MegaGames (http://www.megagames.com). Found under the PC Game Fixes section, the crack library on MegaGames is updated and enormous. Kudos to the staff there for keeping such a top-notch site.
Once you have downloaded a crack, usually it is applied by simply copying the executable in the crack’s zip file and pasting it into the game directory, therefore overwriting the old executable. This brings up another important issue -before you go crack crazy, you must first have the game patched. Also, you should keep a copy of the old executable in case you need to patch again.
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