Registering an account without using the installer CD

[hurg]

Some advice please.

I've been an NTL broadband (600Kb) customer since NTL launched their bb service. When I signed up, I chose to purchase my own cable modem (which I still use) instead of hiring one from NTL.

This week, I contacted NTL to find out what I would need to do to upgrade my connection to 1Mb. It seems that because my account is so old, I'm not actually registered on one of their systems which, I'm told, is a pre-requisite for my being able to upgrade.

So, I've been sent the Broadband Installer (broadjump) CD which I've been told I must use to "register" my account. My question is, does anyone know what this registration process is and more importantly, can it be bypassed without having to run the installer on the supplied CD?

I don't want to use the installer as I see that it will attempt to install drivers for a cable modem which I do not have. Call me paranoid but I want to avoid installing anything (particularly drivers) which I have no need for.

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

P.S. I'm running Windows Server 2003.

--
Hurg

Originally Posted by hurg

Some advice please.

I've been an NTL broadband (600Kb) customer since NTL launched their bb service. When I signed up, I chose to purchase my own cable modem (which I still use) instead of hiring one from NTL.

This week, I contacted NTL to find out what I would need to do to upgrade my connection to 1Mb. It seems that because my account is so old, I'm not actually registered on one of their systems which, I'm told, is a pre-requisite for my being able to upgrade.

So, I've been sent the Broadband Installer (broadjump) CD which I've been told I must use to "register" my account. My question is, does anyone know what this registration process is and more importantly, can it be bypassed without having to run the installer on the supplied CD?

I don't want to use the installer as I see that it will attempt to install drivers for a cable modem which I do not have. Call me paranoid but I want to avoid installing anything (particularly drivers) which I have no need for.

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

P.S. I'm running Windows Server 2003.

--
Hurg

first thing - if you speak to anyone from ntl about any problems - do not tell them you run that OS - winxp & ie6 is as about as far as they will go.

[MetaWraith]

I thought registering did 4 things,

1) account migration and setup.
this can be done by phone call to CS too.

2) tatoos your browser with NTL's rubbish
(you can do without this)

3) disables dialup and modifies browser settings to use lan connection
you can subsequently modify this

4) installs USB drivers if connecting by USB

Someone correct me if this is wrong. I think if you get CS to activate/migrate the account or whatever then Hurg can simply do without the CD and continue using his existing modem.

When I moved from dialup to BB, CS activated my account that way after their damned CD left my HD in an unbootable state. When I reformatted the HD i simply did not use the CD, tho I do use an NTL Modem.

[Mr.Moony]

Originally Posted by homealone

first thing - if you speak to anyone from ntl about any problems - do not tell them you run that OS - winxp & ie6 is as about as far as they will go.

Nothing angers a tech more than someone who lies. If they work it out, they will stick a note on your account saying 'this customer is running win 2k server, and lies'

Maybe not that harsh, but you get the jist.

whats the point of this ?

Please dont lie to our technical support staff


As for MetaWraith points, yes the Cd does do some usefull things (putting ntl rubbish in the browser = incorrect - it does clear out Lan settings and sets the hp) BJ Installer 2 Also doesnt use IE to register, which makes it quite a favourite for me.

[Russ]

Originally Posted by Mr.Moony

Nothing angers a tech more than someone who lies. If they work it out, they will stick a note on your account saying 'this customer is running win 2k server, and lies'

Maybe not that harsh, but you get the jist.

whats the point of this ?

Please dont lie to our technical support staff

Although it's frustrating when NTL won't support your OS, I have to agree with Moony on this one.

[Sociable]

Assuming you are still using the old setup OK there should be no need to reinstall anything. All that will happen on upgrading is that your current account (Which must be active as you are using it LOL) will be set to use the gold service version of the file sent to the modem when it updates the lease.

Given the system uses the mac address to identify the account and that wont change even with a reinstall of the software my money is on any attempt to re-register the same mac address giving an error in any case.

Hope this helps.

AFAIK this should be possible either via the on-line upgrade option or via phone to CS but I stand to be corrected on that.

[hurg]

Originally Posted by Mr.Moony

...

As for MetaWraith points, yes the Cd does do some usefull things (putting ntl rubbish in the browser = incorrect - it does clear out Lan settings and sets the hp) BJ Installer 2 Also doesnt use IE to register, which makes it quite a favourite for me.

I run a number of OS's on my network, all of which talk to a router which in turn talks to the cable modem so even though my main machine run's Windows 2K3, I have other machines running XP Pro and XP Home which I can use for registration purposes.

Mr. Moony has highlighted exactly what I'm worried about i.e. having my browser and LAN settings messed with. I'm perfectly capable of messing those up myself without any additional help. So, my question still stands, can I get through the registration process without using that CD?

P.S the person I spoke to in CS didn't give the slightest hint that I could register on the phone, does this make sense to you guys?

--
H.

[hoss]

You can register without the disk by going to https://autoreg.autoregister.net

Thats if u had an NTL provided modem, not sure if going there with the modem u have will kill your connection/modem, so possibly best not going there (someone might be able to clarify/comment on this?)

you would need a pin number & a serial number anyway

[Mark W]

Originally Posted by hoss

You can register without the disk by going to https://autoreg.autoregister.net

Thats if u had an NTL provided modem, not sure if going there with the modem u have will kill your connection/modem, so possibly best not going there (someone might be able to clarify/comment on this?)

you would need a pin number & a serial number anyway

all true - without a pin number you are not going to get very far, cs should have sent you a 'welcome letter' with it on....

as for the serial number, thats ntl-ct8-cj486

[Sociable]

Originally Posted by Mark W

all true - without a pin number you are not going to get very far, cs should have sent you a 'welcome letter' with it on....

as for the serial number, thats ntl-ct8-cj486

CS can issue a new pin number and other details to allow registration via the online sytem allthough I seem to recall when this is done to correct an error where an existing account is not being seen this actually sets up a dummy account which is then migrated to your old one thereby "fixing" it.

Either way it would appear you are going to have to talk to NTL on this one unless one of the NTL guys that come here can help directly.

[deedee]

You will need a pin, CS can create one for you then you can go to https://autoreg.autoregister.net & follow the on screen intructions.
It should not interfere with your connection at all. It was fine for me!
One thing to point out is that if you upgrade to the 1mg then you will have to pay the full £34.99, losing your £5 pm "bought modem discount".

[Sociable]

Originally Posted by deedee

You will need a pin, CS can create one for you then you can go to https://autoreg.autoregister.net & follow the on screen intructions.
It should not interfere with your connection at all. It was fine for me!
One thing to point out is that if you upgrade to the 1mg then you will have to pay the full £34.99, losing your £5 pm "bought modem discount".

Sadly it is even worse than that as should you later want to go back to 600k you will have to pay the £24.99 rate as the old £19.99 deal is no longer available.

Also don't forget that the same 1 gig a day cap applies for 1 meg as 600k even if they are chosing not to enforce that right now and signing up for the 1 meg service means accepting the revised AUP rather than being able to rightly say your contract is covered by the AUP that applied when you agreed your existing contract instead.

It is for those two reasons I have decided not to upgrade untill both those issues are resolved.

[Mr.Moony]

Actually ive just read into this more than I did last night.
What will have to happen is the following :
1) The modem MAC will be Nuked
2) You will be given (or already have) the autoreg addy
3) You will be given (or already have) a new pin/serial
4) You will register and obtain your email address
5) You wont need to use the CD rom

Only problem, the auto-reg site will not let you register if using a proxy.

[meandmagootoo]

I have a friend that has Win XP - Japanese version. She ran cd and it complians that it will not work with her OS. She tried calling NTL helpdesk - they repeated that line and did not help 1 iota. I tried talking her thru using the online reg site but it eventually says the same error and stops. (She is an ntl dial up customer)

Anyone have any ideas how to go forward with this ?

I am sending her the 1.3 CD (as this worked for me with another Win XP Japanese ver) but suspect that probably won't work either ?

Appreciate any ideas here !
Thks

to CF, meandmagootoo. I expect someone with some ideas about this will be along soon ...