Problem with Nikon Customer service - any advice?

[Mike_R1664876643]

<p>Last month I updated my Capture NX2, that I had purchased a couple of years ago from B&H, to version 2.3. I didn't realize it but by updating the program, it put me in a 30 day trial period. After the 30 days was up it asked me to enter the product key. I entered the key from the jewel box, and it said it was an invalid product key. I have been fighting with Nikon customer service for nearly 3 weeks now. I had to send screenshots showing where I entered the product key, photos of the software box, and the invoice. Last week after calling them daily, they finally sent me a product key. I followed their instructions to the T by uninstalling the NX2, running a registry cleaner, and reinstalling the program. However, when I went to register using this new product code it again said it was invalid. I have been working through their support site and calling their help number for the past week. Each time I call they tell me I'll hear something the next day, then I never do. Right now I'm between a rock and a hard place. I cannot use NX2 and the only way I could use it would be by repurchasing the software, which I refuse to do. Then these companies wonder why some don't bother<em> paying for </em>their software.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>If what you have is Nikon Capture NX2 (instead of the original NX), upgrading to NX2 version 2.3 should not put you into the 30-day trial to begin with. It should simply be a software upgrade from an earlier version of NX2 to the current version.</p>

[anthony_bez]

<p>I updated to 2.3 without needing to enter my key.....<br>

Have you updated to the 64bit version?</p>

<p>My advise would be to uninstall CaptureNX2, VeiwNX2, Picture Control, run a registry cleaner. Then manually remove all the associated crap that <strong>will</strong> still be left on your system.<br>

I would be confident your new product key will work on a completely fresh installation. </p>

<p>Cheers</p>

 

[paul_morris4]

<p>I originally purchased NX2 in 2008 and have “upgraded” twice since, each time requiring the entry of the product key ( or run with 30 day trial) entering the VALID product key which is the original 25 digit key ( the 20 digit one flashed up on start is missing the last 5 digits). Works fine ( and I am more than happy with the application )<br>

Personally when I bought it in 1^st instance, I recorded the key number carefully, as after all the programme is freely distributed….and I took it that I was buying the KEY !</p>

[paul_morris4]

<p>I originally purchased NX2 in 2008 and have “upgraded” twice since, each time requiring the entry of the product key ( or run with 30 day trial) entering the VALID product key which is the original 25 digit key ( the 20 digit one flashed up on start is missing the last 5 digits). Works fine ( and I am more than happy with the application )<br>

Personally when I bought it in 1^st instance, I recorded the key number carefully, as after all the programme is freely distributed….and I took it that I was buying the KEY !</p>

[Peter_in_PA]

<p>You might need a new key. This is a known problem with Nikon's registration process. Thom Hogan talks about it somewhere...</p>

[hans_janssen]

<p>I had the same problem after an upgrade of NX2, invalid key and there was a rumour that time that Nikon had disabled certain keys, bcause company had sold them more than once. I thought that was my problem, but at the same time my computer crashed and after reïnstalling windows, the problem was solved.</p>

[raczoliver]

<p>Just a wild guess, but how about a system restore to a time when it worked?</p>

[LeTGiao_Gallery]

<p>Shun,<br>

Had you actually done what you say about upgrading to NX2 2.3 from an ealier version of NX2 WILL NOT require input of product key and/or put you in 30-day mode? I don't want Nikon to invalidate my NX2 when upgrading to 2.3 because I have misplaced my product key! <br>

Any one had actually experience upgrading from NX2 2.x.x to NX2 2.3, please advise.<br>

Thank you all,</p>

[anthony_bez]

<p>Le Giao,<br /> I have updated Capture NX2 several times including from 2.2.8 to version 2.3.0 without having to enter my product key.<br /> You do need to enter the key if you upgrade to the 64bit version of 2.3 if you have call back enabled.</p>

<p>Cheers</p>

[Mike_R1664876643]

<p>Thanks for all your comments & suggestions. Still not sure what to do if Nikon Customer service does not respond other than possibly move to another program like Lightroom. I've been without a program to process my files for 3 weeks now. I don't what to restore to an earlier point because I would lose to much other stuff. It was back in early December when I did the 2.3 upgrade. I'm not even sure I could restore back that far. <br>

Shun, unfortunately to my knowledge when you update the Nikon software you have to basically do a reinstallation, unless there is some other way to do it. There is an update function in the program but it never works (it always says there are no updates). I may try uninstalling all my Nikon software and doing a reinstallation to see if it will accept the key they sent me, but I just have a feeling they sent me a key that doesn't work. I feel like someone who bought a car at retail price, then the manufacturer takes away the keys so you can't drive it. I have certainly learned my lesson, to never do an update again on a Nikon software product unless it's free like View NX. And I'm not even sure I would ever buy another Nikon software product. I've spent $250 between the NX1 and NX2 upgrade, and now can't use either, not even in a trial mode. They make good cameras and lenses, but obviously don't know what they're doing when it comes to software.</p>

[chris_keyworth]

<p>I upgraded from NX2 2.2.8 to NX2 2.3.0 64bit and had to enter my product key after the upgrade. I have upgraded certainly twice, possibly three times in total and to the best of my recollection I have been required to enter the product key each time.</p>

<p>Chris</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>I did that upgrade a little while ago, but I don't remember the exact procedure. In any case, I never got a different key. If they require a key, your original should work. It should never get into the 30-day trial mode.</p>

[LeTGiao_Gallery]

<p>Anthony and Shun,<br>

Thanks for your responses.</p>

[erik_christensen3]

<p>I have upgraded from NX2 2.2.8 to NX2 2.3.0 64bit and had to use the product key after the upgrade. It, however, didnot function first time, I think it only worked after 4-5 attempts!</p>

 

[LeTGiao_Gallery]

<p>Now i'm really confused!<br>

While Shun seems to be the only one who upgrades NX2 without the need of a product key, the rest in this thread says otherwise! The morale here is to carve the NX2/or any Nikon software product key in stone and cross your fingers any time you upgrade anything from Nikon! Short of that, you're likely to find your pocketbook much much lighter!!!!<br>

Again, thanks for all your inputs.</p>

[Mike_R1664876643]

<p>Thanks again for trying to help me out. I've pretty much thrown in the towel with Nikon on this. They will not respond to my inquiries at all, despite my numerous phone calls and me updating my incident # on their support site. The last I heard was 2 days ago when I called the help line asking for an update. i was told this person, Alfredo, supposedly has my case, and I would hear something the next day. Of course, I've heard nothing. I have $250 worth of software bought from B&H, with the original CD's, just sitting in the boxes completely useless. But there is more than one way to skin a cat...</p>

[ken_i_h]

<p>Have been using Capture NX2 since its inception and upgraded each time they release. Never been asked for the product key. But when I upgraded a few weeks ago to 2.3.0 64bit version, I was asked for it. I looked for the email from Nikon Mall when I first purchased it a few years ago, found it, and entered it (full number) <em>together with my name</em> in the box above. Voila, no problem. Sorry that you are experiencing it... Hope it be solved soon.<br>

Ken</p>

[richard__]

<p>You might request that the issue be escalated to an upper level tech.</p>

<p>I find now that everything has gone digital, their response times on the unusual odd problem has dropped to being so long that they expect the user to solve any problem without their assistance.</p>

<p>This was not the case years ago.</p>

<p>So I doubt I would give up on them. But it is hard for us to understand why this has happened to you when a cleaned system should allow you to install the software with the right key.</p>

<p>The only suspicion one could have about this now is that your OS must be improperly functioning, and you might need to get that in shape.</p>

[Mike_R1664876643]

<p>Richard, you mentioned my operating system, which I'm now starting to wonder about. I'm running a 2 year old top of the line Dell XPS desktop & Windows 7. This is what makes me wonder. After not being able to get the product key to work on my desktop, I downloaded NX2 to my small Dell netbook to see what would happen. After installing to the netbook, I entered the new product key Nikon sent me, and to my surprise it worked. The software is not in trial mode and the key shows in the lower right hand corner of the welcome screen. Why does this very same product key continue to say "invalid" every time I enter and try to register it from the NX2 installed on my Dell desktop, but then seems to have worked from my netbook? I ran a registry cleaner Nikon sent me and even ran Cleansweep before installing on my desktop, so I don't think that would be an issue. <br>

This is one of those cases that I would hope Nikon support could help me out. I just sent in another ticket explaining to them about the product key working when I installed NX2 on my netbook PC, but have little faith they will care to help me out. I'm almost thinking I may need to just bite the bullet and buy another desktop or laptop just to run NX2. Unfortunately, the netbook is too small and slow to use for NX2 regularly. I know I always have the option to switch to Lightroom especially when the updated version comes out, but don't know if I would like it. If anyone has any opinions on Lightroom vs. Capture, please let me know. Thanks everyone once again for your help.</p>

[western_isles]

<p>Hi Mike,<br>

Along with thousands of other Nikon users I have had similar problems with this software and Nikon are in denial. I had to resort to a letter, yes a surface mail letter, to the head of the Nikon Corporation in Tokyo. Eventually, I got a letter of apology from Nikon Europe regardding customer service but my understanding is that they have not solved the problems with Capture. You can see my final post at "Nikon senior management refuse to answer - Part 2 of 2".<br>

I still use Capture but also use Photoshop CS5 as my main means of editing as it does not fall over. Please write to Nikon Japan like I did, the more people that kick up a fuss the more likely that they might do something. However, I would hold my breath on that!<br>

Good luck with Nikon.</p>

[richard__]

<p>The best guess I can have is that their registry cleaners did not actually work, most likely due to a permissions issue. Since I never run Win7 with UAC enabled, I'm not sure where else to start looking.</p>

<p>The registry keys on the x64 systems are stored differently, and theoretically transparently from the x32 systems. However it's liable that the cleaning software failed to clear the keys in the x64 portion of the registry. And the installer likely isn't setting the keys up correctly for you either.</p>

<p>Which is why I mention UAC, and a permissions related issue. I don't remember if you created a new administrative account to install the software with or not. Still the Win7 OS usually doesn't behave this poorly, but could if not functioning correctly.</p>

[Mike_R1664876643]

<p>The registry key not getting deleted sounds logical. The Regsweeper program indicated the Capture NX2 registry key was deleted, but I guess there is always the chance it really wasn't. I wish I knew how to find the registry keys in Windows to see if my Capture NX2 key is still there even after unistalling and running Regsweeper, but I know they are encrypted. </p>

[Stephen L]

<p>If it were me, I would uninstall capture NX2 and manually delete all left over folders in the Program Files directory, as well as the hidden <user>\application data\Nikon\CaptureNX2 folder. Then I would run regedit and search the registry for any regestry keys containing "Capture NX2" and delete them. Then I would try reinstalling with the new serial number.<br>

Then again, I'm a little more comfortable than most messing in the registry - but not much.<br>

I've had success doing this with similar problems (different applications) and I've had success perhaps 50% of the time.<br>

There is a risk when editing the registry, so don't do this if you are confused by anything I said above. Folder locations may differ between windows versions.<br>

This is not meant to be a how-to ;)</p>

[Mike_R1664876643]

<p>Steve, Nikon had me run a file they are sending to Nikon Japan for analysis. I'll be patient and see what they find. I did try deleting every Nikon file I could find in Program Files and ran Nikon's registry cleaner but to no avail. I even tried setting up a new administrator account, and installing there, but still the key says invalid. I really don't know a whole lot about registry files at all and wouldn't feel comfortable deleting an of them. If I can't get it fixed then I'll either need to forget about ever using Capture NX2 again on my Dell or pick up a decent laptop and start using that for image editing. I do think it is good advice to advise anyone to really think twice before updating their NX2 unless they absolutely have to. There is just too muich risk that something will go wrong.</p>