I have the same problem (installer dies after serial number entered). Thought it may be the disc, but i got install media from friend and have same results. I tried regCleaner, reinstalling DirectX, regedit searching for anything Battlefield (BF1942, EA Games, Battle), uninstalled my virus software. Both media sets work on other machines.
Oh theres nothing in the event viewer logs giving any hints and this DID work previously on this same exact machine with no hardware changes. I am stumped!
I'm on a page about incorrect corrections, and spent the better part of like two hours trying to get someone to understand that -5^2 = -25, not 25, and then that post had comments get reposted because that group is self sustaining, and that person was in turn trying to explain what I just explained to them. And I'm taking that as a victory
I will be AFK for a couple of days you guys hold down the fort while I am gone. I will be checking in on my phone but that will severly limit me. Be back saturday!