The retail copy of Borderlands (2009) uses SecuROM DFA to perform an automatic online-based release date check to prevent pre-release access to the game. The online servers this service relies upon, however, is non-working as of 2019, and this manual tool is required instead.



Instructions:

These instructions must be performed before the installation of the game is started from the retail disc.

1. Download and run Borderland-ManualReleaseDateCheck.exe from this page.

2. The tool should automatically start up at the "Generate Request File" step and prompt you to save a "ActivationRequest.dfa" file.

3. Click on "Select..." and pick an appropriate location.

4. Click on "Next". The tool should save the activation request file on the desired location and move unto the next step called "Activate License File". Leave this window open for now.



5. Now open SecuROM's official DFA Manual Activation page in a web browser.

6. Click on "Browse..." on the website and select the "ActivationRequest.dfa" file you saved using the tool.

7. Leave the "Serial Number" field empty if your retail copy of Borderlands (2009) didn't come with a serial number (only GOTY-versions did, I believe, and only for the DLCs).

8. Type in the security code, and click on "Submit Query".

9. You should be taken on a new web page that says "Your 'ActivationResponse.lic'-file has been created sucessfully" and give you a link do download said license file. Click on the link to download it.



10. Now go back to the SecuROM tool you left at the "Activate License File" step.

11. Click on "Open..." and select the "ActivationResponse.lic" file that was downloaded from the SecuROM webpage.

12. Click on "Activate". You should get a message about the activation process being successful. Click on "Next" to close down the tool.

13. Finally, proceed with the installation of the retail disc copy of Borderlands from the disc.



Sources:

* https://support.securom.com/borderlandsdfa/ (non-working upload form, use the generic DFA Manual Activation page linked above instead)

* Official download link of the manual release date check tool: http://download.securom.com/support/2k/BorderlandsManualReleaseDateCheck.zip (obtained from https://web.archive.org/web/20140714091342/https://support.securom.com/pop_borderlands.html)

