Starforce & Sniper Elite Problem

[pat0001]

Hi:

I bought Sniper Elite a year or so ago, installed it and played it without problems. I uninstalled it after playing a few weeks, to install a couple of other games, since I was having a bit of a space problem.

I have since tried to reinstall Sniper Elite but now it tells me I have an a bad copy of the game or an invalid key! I have checked and double checked the key, still to no avail. After spending quite a bit of time uninstalling, reinstalling and getting the same error, I decided the disc might be damaged.

So I bought another brand new copy of Sniper Elite (inexpensive now) and installed it from scratch and got the same result!

I am REALLY stumped as to what to do. I've read that Starforce can be a nightmare. The only thing I can think is different is that I've done the routine Windows update to my Windows XP.

Any ideas? Firewall?

Please go slow, because you can get over my head quickly as I'm not much of a geek (though I wish I were).

Thanks for any help.