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Reseller issuing new serial #?

Discussion in 'All other topics' started by Nephilim, Jun 2, 2004.

  1. Nephilim

    Nephilim Moderator Staff Member

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    I just bought Nero 6 Ultra from eagletronics.com for $50 after hearing other members had bought it from them with no problems.

    The initial install went fine, the issued serial was accepted and all was good until I tried to update to 6.3.1.15 yesterday. Once the upgrade was complete, I tried to run SmartStart and was greeted with a message that I was trying to use an unlicensed copy.

    I immediately e-mailed eagletronics support and explained that I was concerned I recieved a pirated copy of Nero (it came in a paper sleeve with serial attatched and the printing on the disc looked suspect). They replied saying the original serial was probably corrupt and gave me a new one. How can a reseller issue new serials?

    I've already emailed Ahead's tech support and am awaiting a reply. I've since read up on eagletronics (which I should have done in the first place) and there are quite a few allegations of them selling pirated software that doesn't work. Hmmmmm.....
     
  2. Nephilim

    Nephilim Moderator Staff Member

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    Forgot to add that I tried uninstalling, running Nero's CleanTools and reinstalling several times - no go. Also uninstalled, ran CleanTools, then installed the demo and tried to enter both the original serial and the new one - both came up as invalid.

    I guess I know the answer to my original question - they can't - but was wondering what everyone else's thoughts were :)
     
  3. Praetor

    Praetor Moderator Staff Member

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    Logically they cant however if you apply the normal store policy on software ("straight exchanges only") what would they have to do? They would have to send you a new cd and a new serial. Obviously your CD is functional so they only really have to send you a serial (they would have to verify that it isnt functional first of course). That would be the logical thing to do ... but the legal system isnt logical so i dunno.
     
  4. Nephilim

    Nephilim Moderator Staff Member

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    The funny thing is when I try to install it now, it hangs at the very end of the install when it is updating the registry entries. Task manger reports it closed when I "end task" it, but the install screen remains and I have to reboot to unlock my computer.

    I asked for an RMA # but they haven't answered yet after being very prompt in their first two replies. I'm SOL for a refund because they won't refund opned software - typical catch-22 because you don't know the disc/serial is bad until you try to install it :)

    Oh well, will update.
     
  5. Praetor

    Praetor Moderator Staff Member

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    Same as per a normal store but you should be able to get a replacement although it may just cost you more to ship back and forth
     
  6. Nephilim

    Nephilim Moderator Staff Member

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    Wow. They just told me to return the disc for a refund :) Maybe they already knew what Ahead's tech support was going to tell me.
     
  7. Praetor

    Praetor Moderator Staff Member

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    LOL that's surprising indeed.
     
  8. vurbal

    vurbal Administrator Staff Member

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    That's funny - in a sad, pathetic kind of way. Well at least I know not to buy there now. Thanks for the heads up.

    If it were me, and keep in mind I get extremely pissed about companies like this who take advantage of consumers, I'd take this as an admission that they sold me pirated software and probably do everything I could to get Ahead to go after them.
    _X_X_X_X_X_[small]Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for a night. Set him on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life
    Backup A DVD With DVD Rebuilder & CCE Basic: http://www.afterdawn.com/guides/archive/dvd_rebuilder_tutorial.cfm[/small]
     
    Last edited: Jun 3, 2004
  9. Sophocles

    Sophocles Senior member

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    I've been hearing on the net that they've been selling pirated software. The vairous post that I've read say pretty much what Nephilium said. The software came in a plain white envelope with serial written on the outside.

    Here is a one customers experience with them.

    5/26/04 8:21 PM
    I purchased Quickbooks Pro 2004 from www.eagletronics.com on May 4th and the order was delivered on May 10th.

    The product does not work nor was delivered as advertised. I have tried to contact the merchant but I have had no luck in getting a hold of anyone for a refund.

    Here are the details:
    No mfg documents, manuals, or proof of authenticity was included. The software disk was packaged in a plain white envelope with a generic registration key glued to the envelope. When an attempt to use the software was made it was unusable product. The registration key was invalid and the software would not install due to lack of a proper registration key. Further inspection proved the product to be pirated software when compared to actual store bought software that is packaged by the original mfg. The software delivered by eagletronics.com had a Black & White printed on label on the disk; the store bought software had a color label.

    Seven attempts over a week period were made contact eagletronics.com but they would not respond. There website lists only an email address for customer service so I was unable to contact them by phone; I was only able to send them email messages regarding my problem.

    I have since disputed the charge on my credit card and sent back the pirated software to the address listed on the delivery envelope.

    Also I have looked online for other comments about this merchant and many other people have had the exact same problems that I have (bad product, no service/refund).

    Sincerely,
    Tod Bloxham

    ratings69

    reviews posted: 1
    user type: professional
    transaction date: 5/4/04
     
  10. Praetor

    Praetor Moderator Staff Member

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    I think this is time to get the Maximum Dog in on this company! Go boy! Go! Go! Chew them out! Go boy!
     
  11. vurbal

    vurbal Administrator Staff Member

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    This whole thing made me think of a local business who thought selling pirated software was a good way to make money.

    A friend of my wife's had a problem with the first PC she ever bought. She got it used, preloaded with Windows, and they didn't give her a copy of the Windows install disc. Then, when it crashed, they told her she had to bring it in so they could charge her to reload Windows, which I had already told her I'd do for free. After arguing with them about whether they were required to provide her with the disc since they sold the PC with the OS, they finally convinced her that they hadn't done anything illegal because they got the PC that way.

    After she told me about it, I printed out the applicable portions of US copyright law and the Windows EULA and took them into the store. After I threatened to turn them into the state Attorney General's office and Microsoft, and showed them the provisions in the law that basically said the courts could seize every PC in the place without even rendering a judgement, they were more than happy to refund her money.
     
  12. Sophocles

    Sophocles Senior member

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    Nero's ultra edtion serial can be purchased from Ahead's web site as an upgrade for $49.99, about what eagletronics is selling it for. All you need is one of these version.

    # Nero 4
    # Nero 5.0
    # Nero 5.5 OEM
    # Nero 5.5 Retail
    # Nero 6 OEM

    A while back I decided that I needed surround sound on my PC Iwas using WinDVD OEM0 and Power DVD 5.0 Deluxe fit the bill but cyberlink wanted $69.99 for it. I went through my OEM software and found a 2 channel OEM verion of 5.0. I installed it and then bought the upgrade for $24.95. savings, $45.00.
     
  13. Praetor

    Praetor Moderator Staff Member

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    LOL a lesson in customer satisfaction for ya :p I need to do that some time :p
     
  14. Sophocles

    Sophocles Senior member

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    Thieves abound on the web and the goverment does little to bring them to justice.
     
  15. Nephilim

    Nephilim Moderator Staff Member

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    It's a total admission. I'm in the process of doing just that - I e-mailed Ahead's tech support right after I e-mailed eagletronics the first time.

    @Sopholcles - the funny thing is I tried to upgrade before I ordered from eagletronics. I've an old legitimate copy of 5.5 that came with one of my burners and when I entered the serial during the upgrade order process it came up as invalid and the process wouldn't continue. I think I just have bad juju with Nero and serial #'s.

    Hee hee! I love that part. That's a very good idea though. I think I just might :)

    Hell of a story too, vurbal. At least you helped her lay the smackdown on those dirtbags.
     
  16. vurbal

    vurbal Administrator Staff Member

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    Yeah, I hate seeing people taken advantage of, and I don't know of any product that it happens with more than PCs.
     
  17. Sophocles

    Sophocles Senior member

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    I too did the serial number bit with a 5X OEM copy with no problem. I have about a half dozen copies floating around so one was probably going to work. I say go get'em Neph and if anyone else has had aproblem with them then remember there's strength in numbers.

     
  18. vurbal

    vurbal Administrator Staff Member

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    Exactly. You can never get too many people complaining about a company like this.
     
  19. firepilot

    firepilot Guest

    Hi all,

    I too purchased Nero from Eagletronics.com..as well as Norton Antivirus and Intuit Quick Books 2004 Pro all of which installed just fine, and the Quick Books registered just fine and the Nero Updated with no problem as well....

    I e-maild Eagletronics about the problem you were experiencing just to see what games they might play.: )

    They told me that in a case of a bad serial number they will take another number off of another disk in their inventory, and give that one out and then destroy the disk...they said it was cheaper this way because they would have to pay for the original disk to be re-shipped back and then the replacement disk to be sent out......makes sense.

    So I guess this means that any serial number will work with any Nero disk?...which further means that the Nero website has all of the "serials" in their databse and washes thru them when people update?...

    So mabyee someone whom allready bought from this company mabyee had their number stolen or used multiple times? Which caused the Nero database to deny it?

    I am still curious about this whole situation...but from my end it all worked fine....

    I hope you get what you want out of the situation Nephilim....or at the least a working program!
     
  20. Sophocles

    Sophocles Senior member

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    The same can be said about all software, a serial is a serial. The serial does more than just activate your software it also identfies who you are. Otherwise everyone would be using the same number and software companies wouldn't be able to identify pirated versions from legitimate versions. Microsoft has carried it one step further by forcing you to register and activate online.
     

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