paulo
Hmmm, I didn't know that was a thing that was possible. Sounds like it might be worth a try. Would this would also mean that the offline pc not having antivirus software (because I didn't need it) would not be an issue because it's on the laptop or is that too much to ask?

Antivirus is only good for spotting local infected files. That is not network related, if you feel safe when you copy files from USB stick, network connection is not going to increase the risk.
 
For safety, disable (not enable) "Files and printers sharing" on that PC. But that is just a part of the following:
Not updated OS is potentially vulnerable for local (and only local!) network attacks. So if your Notebook or ANY other computer in your local (!) network (if not sure, temporarily switch them off)  is currently infected, you put your PC under risk. But if your laptop is the only computer in the local network and you are convinced it has no viruses, your PC is safe (even in case is has vulnerable OS version!).
 
There is one potentially problematic point: as soon as you connect the PC to the Internet, almost all programs (including Windows) will try to look for updates... It can happened something is "successful" with that activity, and as with any changes that can trigger instability. So make a complete backup or at least create windows restore point.
 
All that are paranoic pessimistic scenarios. If you ever connect an (even "empty"!) USB stick from clients/friends to that PC, the probability of "harmony destruction" is many times higher then from proposed network connection

azslow3

paulo
Hmmm, I didn't know that was a thing that was possible. Sounds like it might be worth a try. Would this would also mean that the offline pc not having antivirus software (because I didn't need it) would not be an issue because it's on the laptop or is that too much to ask?

Antivirus is only good for spotting local infected files. That is not network related, if you feel safe when you copy files from USB stick, network connection is not going to increase the risk.
 
For safety, disable (not enable) "Files and printers sharing" on that PC. But that is just a part of the following:
Not updated OS is potentially vulnerable for local (and only local!) network attacks. So if your Notebook or ANY other computer in your local (!) network (if not sure, temporarily switch them off)  is currently infected, you put your PC under risk. But if your laptop is the only computer in the local network and you are convinced it has no viruses, your PC is safe (even in case is has vulnerable OS version!).
 
There is one potentially problematic point: as soon as you connect the PC to the Internet, almost all programs (including Windows) will try to look for updates... It can happened something is "successful" with that activity, and as with any changes that can trigger instability. So make a complete backup or at least create windows restore point.
 
All that are paranoic pessimistic scenarios. If you ever connect an (even "empty"!) USB stick from clients/friends to that PC, the probability of "harmony destruction" is many times higher then from proposed network connection

Yeah, I was thinking that I should turn off windows updates so that nothing OS wise gets "fixed" - It hasn't been updated since it was built and it works fine just the way it is and I don't want that to change, which is why I am so wary of putting it online.
 
I don't know how to be "sure" that the laptop doesn't have any infections - ESET scan always reports nothing, Malwarebytes always reports nothing and I've never experienced any problems with it, so.......?? 
 
Only one way to find out I guess, but I'm going to be soooooo freaking annoyed with NI if this goes pear-shaped.

If you use a router and/or broadband connection for your home network, you are not going to expose your local PC ports to the outside network.  The network addressing on the private network (NAT) prevents anything from directly connecting to your PC.
 
However, as mentioned, the problems could begin if your software invites trouble into your house.  Not that you're likely to get a malicious attack that way, rather just a normal update that goes sideways and rocks the boat.
 
Always use a good disk imaging plan for your system drive, before any major updates.  At least that way, you can restore the system software and settings back to the way that they were before.

Thanks again to all.
 
I'm not going to do anything until the weekend, so I'll take the advice on board and see what happens then. 

OK, had a bit of unexpected time today so I tried azslow3's suggestion and that seems to work, Access updated itself and I could log in to my account ok and register Komplete Select serial no. So thank you azslow3.
 
Now could someone please explain why the ****** **** it now wants me to download all of the content when I already have the content on the usb installer that I bought, which I thought was the whole point of having it and please, please, please tell me that once I register the Komplete 11 upgrade that it's not going to ask me to download all of that when I have all 160GB of it (so it says)  on the included HD in the box ??
 
 
 

I bought OTS Hollowbody Blues guitar recently and installed it.

When I tried to add it to the Kontakt library it appeared from the instructions that I had to download the whole library from NI even tho it was already installed.  I don't remember the exact sequence of events but I went ahead and clicked on Hollowbody Blues which was on a list on my Native Access account. I got the Activated message and no re-download was needed.

I'm waiting for my Komplete 11U disk. I hope the activation for that will be the same ie no re-downloads if I already have it installed.

Update: I have now managed to get Access to recognise the usb installer drive and it then shows the 17 things it contains that are not installed. Whichever one I select "install" for momentarily starts the process and then immediately...."Native Access has stopped working" followed by "windows is searching for a solution" followed by "windows is closing the program and will notify you if there is a solution" followed by .....nothing. Try again ..........same, try again........same. Access also lists 2 of my already installed products that can be updated, so I tried that......the update downloads and then when it starts to install........."native access has stopped working" !    Cue thread title.
 
Oh Paulo, stop being a dinosaur and just hook up your pc and let it do the install, it's a piece of cake, everyone does it this way now, blah, blah, blah............
 
Remind again why this is "easier"and "better" because I'm really not seeing it right now.
 
/rant

I would suspect that Komplete is expecting to see an OS and a DAW that are both up to date with the latest patches. Since you don't do updates, its obviously not going to find that on your machine. Not surprising that it might give you fits during the install then. 
 
I would say we're probably getting to the point where you can't go half way about it. Its either complete walled garden where you install everything, get it all running together, then take it offline and NEVER update or add any software unless/until you reformat and reinstall/update  everything. Or you feed it constant broadband and let everything update regularly. Trying to keep it in a walled garden just part time and updating only some of the software only some of the time is bound to cause headaches.

 
 
 

JohanSebatianGremlin
I would suspect that Komplete is expecting to see an OS and a DAW that are both up to date with the latest patches. Since you don't do updates, its obviously not going to find that on your machine. Not surprising that it might give you fits during the install then.

I would say we're probably getting to the point where you can't go half way about it. Its either complete walled garden where you install everything, get it all running together, then take it offline and NEVER update or add any software unless/until you reformat and reinstall/update everything. Or you feed it constant broadband and let everything update regularly. Trying to keep it in a walled garden just part time and updating only some of the software only some of the time is bound to cause headaches.

Which is why I have always steadfastly refused to buy software that cannot be authorised offline. I just got caught out this time because I thought I was safe with NI as I was always able to do offline authorisations before and apparently I still can with the other products just not this one. Having to be online to authorise the software is one thing, but I really can't see the point in not even being able to install the product without a www connection when I have physical media. It's ridiculous. NI support seems to be equally hopeless now. I explained the crashing problem to them and they have just marked the support ticket as closed without any kind of answer.

Cue title again.