Reinstalling Software Leads to Loss of Key Feature

By Michelle Mastin

PCWorld | PT

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I bought an audio editor called WavePad from software maker NCH in February 2010. It worked fine until a month ago, when I received messages saying that the "14-day trial was about to expire," though I'd purchased the software already. I contacted customer service at NCH and spoke to someone who restored my software, but then the crossfade feature (which I use often) didn't work. At this point I broke down and bought an NCH priority-support package. For reinstalling my version of WavePad, the company sent me a .dmg file for a Mac, which wouldn't open on my Windows computer. After a number of unfruitful calls, I still can't get the help I need. So I'm asking you for help.
--Michael Rocco, Ann Arbor, Michigan

OYS responds: An NCH rep told us that the expiration notices Rocco received could not have been due to a malfunction with the original software. The rep suspected that Rocco--or someone with access to his PC--might have tried to install the latest version of WavePad software from NCH's site. The license key he bought with the original software would not work with the newer version. NCH acknowledges that, in attempting to fix the license problem, it accidentally sent him a Windows-incompatible .dmg file.

After On Your Side stepped in, NCH techs spent a total of 4 hours on the phone working with Rocco to restore his original software with functioning crossfade settings. NCH also said that it would re-fund the cost of the priority-support plan.

Taking a few precautions may help you avoid a similar experience with malfunctioning software. First, before installing or reinstalling software, make sure that you know what the program is and why you're installing it. Confusion over the version of WavePad that Rocco was running complicated the crossfade troubleshooting process with NCH service techs.

NCH also found several support tickets that referred to Rocco's issue--a new one for each time he called. If you call tech support, ask for the support ticket number and cite that number in each follow-up call or email message, to avoid opening multiple tickets for the same issue.

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