Yet more registration problems

O.K. So, I bought Guitar Combos over a week ago from B&H in NYC. First they were on holiday most of last week. Then when I finally got the software yesterday, all I did was have problems registering it. I installed, but unlike what the manual said, it said I couldn't use it until I registered. Uh, what happened to the 30 days?

Then I had to try the remote register because my music machine isn't connected to the internet. I copied the file with my computer ID and opened it from IE on my other computer. But I got a message that I could no longer register that way and that I had to download and install Service Center.

I did so, and after fiddling around trying to get it to work, I finally got a message that I can't register like that, and that I should contact tech. support. I filled out their form and sent it off. I now have a helpful reply telling me they will get back to me "as soon as possible."

So, here I am with purchased software that isn't working and no sense of when I will get a response. Argh!

Does anyone have any tips on registering? Does anyone have a phone number I can call?

I have to say that as a first product I purchase from NI, I am not feeling a lot of desire to purchase from them again.

Ease of registration is good marketing. Software that doesn't work as advertized, i.e. 30 days to register, is very, very bad marketing!

Thanks,
Doc DROP

 

Hi Doc,

This is of course, not how it's supposed to work. I am transferring this to a special forum we have for registration issues, and they will sort you out fast. In the meantime, send email to support, and have them log this.

I hope you get this sorted out so you can enjoy your software.

 

Hi Marc,

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I am getting very frustrated here since it has been at least 30 hours since I e-mailed tech support and I have not received any answers. Do you know how long it usually takes them to respond?

I sure wish I could just call them!

Anyway, thanks for writing.

Doc DROP

 

You can call them. You'll have to wait a little bit, but hey, they might... might sort out your problem.

323-467-2693

Tell 'em Large Marge sent ya!

 

Reinwand aka Large Marge,

I am currently "first in line" for telephone tech support...Could the music be more annoying? I'll post if, or if not, they can resolve my issue.

Thanks for the tip!

Doc DROP

 

This is a nightmare
If they intend to get any further business from us, they should make it more user-friendly

I finally got sorted, and am trying to help Doc Drop as well offline

Please help Doc Drop, support

Thanks
Stratcat335511

 

That music made me mad. I was like, freak! Is this how they showcase their instruments? Crappy reason sounding techno ambient dance?

Yeah after like 20 minutes I about bashed my speaker phone. I had to calm down and remind myself that I was mad at NI not Motorola.

 

Reinwand and Stratcat,

You're killing me! At least I have some company in my struggles. I finally spoke to Nate yesterday. I e-mailed him the automatic file that Guitar Combos creates for remote registration, as well as one of their filled out regisration forms, just in case. Here it is 16 hours later and no reply.

I tried to download 1.1.1, per your directions Sratcat, but I am in some limbo. I can't register the product, so no updates are listed for me to download.

I'll post again if Nate comes through for me.

Again, thanks!

Doc DROP

 

Nate has been trying to help me. I've found that he gives one response then, if that doesn't work, he doesn't write back. I'm sure these guys are busy and have absolutely no idea how to fix this. I believe it's a programming error. It's like asking a guitar center employee about how to fix a modular synth. They have good intentions and generally know a fair amount about music gear, but it's just outside their realm of expertise. I don't blame registration support, I think NI headquarters is not stepping up in fixing the problem.

I believe this fix should be priority one- sure, it just happens to be affecting me more than other problems they may have to solve, but it does seem pretty fundamental.

Would it be so hard to implement the old registration system? Couldn't you send us some sort of master unlock key or maybe a version of the software without protection- at least until you get this sorted out? With my clients I bend over backwards and go to the ends of earth to make them happy - I expect the same from those I do business with. I don't like being ignored or treated like this is some fault of mine. I'm doing everything NI asks with exactness and it's not fixing the problem. So I simply ask that they not stop trying to help me.

Doc DROP, I hope you get up and running.

 

Ha ha. I just tried to call Nate again. As of this morning, there is an automated response saying that the IT people are working on fixing the registration issues. But it just forwards you on to voice mail. I wonder if they will manage to get this fixed sometime. I wonder if I will be somehow reimbursed for buying software that is supposed to have a 30 day trial period, but doesn't. I wonder if I will be reimbursed for all the time I have spent. I wonder if there will be any motivation for me to purchase anything from this company in the future...Time will tell.

Doc DROP

 

From my experience, this is the way it always is- nothing out of the ordinary. I don't think they start working the phones till later in the day. I could be wrong, but I've run into this scenario with consistency.

 

You were right Reinwand. I called again and Nate answered. He tells me that what I sent him doesn't work anymore. He tells me to download service center and load it on my music computer. When I run it, it will create some other file. Then I need to copy that to my internet computer, and run service center with this html file somehow. I am a little vague on that part. And either I will be able to register, or I have to e-mail the file to Nate, so he can do it for me.

I guess I'll try that this evening. But sheesh! My confidence that this will work is not very high!

NI, why are you making me jump through these hoops? What possible good could it accomplish? Whay can't I use the software I bought from you as advertized?

Doc DROP

 

Eureka!

I got it all working last night. What Nate with tech support explained was that I needed to install service center on both my internet and music computers. When I ran it on the music machine it generated an html file. I copied that over to the internet box, and it generated a registration file. I imported it back to the music box and voila. Then I ran through the whole thing again to update to v1.1.1.

But it works, and I am sleepy from playing until late...

Hot tip: Put a compressor and Phaser plug in before the amp sims. Wow.

Hot tip #2: Turn off all the effects on the amps and listen to them clean. Wow.

Thanks for everyone's help and sympathy!

Doc DROP