Location of 2011 Product Key - Old hard drive

mtbinva · mtbinva #1 (**permalink**)

06-10-2011, 01:08 PM

So, I'm out of town and ran out of room of my hard drive. I bought a new one and did a Carbon Copy Cloner. Everything worked well except for my Office 2011 needs me to enter the product code.

Is anyone aware of a way to find it on my old hard drive? I don't have the box or disk with me. This is a legitimate copy, and I could put the original drive back in, but that kinda defeats the purpose. I have the drive in an external enclosure.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Raz0rEdge · Raz0rEdge #2 (**permalink**)

06-10-2011, 01:24 PM

The product key isn't kept in any visible way for you to get access to. If you don't have the box or disk (and no one can retrieve the disk for you) then you will have to boot from the old disk, load up Office 2011 and it will show you the product key and then you can use that with your new disk..

mtbinva · mtbinva #3 (**permalink**)

06-10-2011, 01:35 PM

This means I have to swap the drive again. Thanks. Where is it when I boot to the old drive?

chscag · chscag #4 (**permalink**)

06-10-2011, 01:42 PM

You can use the following utility to find your product key on the old hard drive: LINK

mtbinva · mtbinva #5 (**permalink**)

06-10-2011, 01:45 PM

Thanks. Swapped drives again to get the product key. This is one of the things I hate about piracy, legit folks have to suffer.

mtbinva · mtbinva #6 (**permalink**)

06-10-2011, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chscag

You can use the following utility to find your product key on the old hard drive: LINK

Worked for all but Office 2011. I swapped drives so at least it works. Ticks me off that this is because of piracy. MS was NO help.

chscag · chscag #7 (**permalink**)

06-10-2011, 02:29 PM

It should have also worked for Office 2011. Which version of Office 2011 are you running? I know for a fact that it worked for the "Home and Student Version".

Generally, if you registered your version of Office with MS and lose the PID, a call to their customer service resolves it. However, most folks nowadays including myself, never bother to register as that usually results in email advertisements from the publisher or seller.

mtbinva · mtbinva #8 (**permalink**)

06-10-2011, 08:04 PM

Sadly, the phone call was a waste of time. I hate their version of support. So, for now, I have to use the slam full hard drive until I get back home to get the product key.

Sadly the software did not give me the Office 2011 PID. It has to be accessible. I have the product ID.

harryb2448 · harryb2448 #9 (**permalink**)

06-10-2011, 11:52 PM

Just a note does not work on business copy of Office 2011 but did find Office 2008 which was removed six months ago!

mtbinva · mtbinva #10 (**permalink**)

06-12-2011, 11:59 AM

Yeah, I have the business version. I know there has to be a way, I just can't seem to find it.

olam01 · olam01 #11 (**permalink**)

06-02-2012, 06:11 AM

Key finder did not work for me either. I am have Office 2011 Home Edition running Lion 10.7.4

RavingMac · RavingMac #12 (**permalink**)

06-02-2012, 10:38 AM

Just a recommendation, but 1Password which I and others highly reccommend can also store your product keys and registration info for just such a situation.

Slydude · Slydude #13 (**permalink**)

06-02-2012, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Razormac

Just a recommendation, but 1Password which I and others highly reccommend can also store your product keys and registration info for just such a situation.

I did not know that. I think I will be using that software from now on. Tried to give you a rep bump for that but apparently you were the last person I rep bumped.

vansmith · vansmith #14 (**permalink**)

06-02-2012, 12:03 PM

Take a look here - read it through first before doing anything. It's possible that the licensing plist file is corrupted.

TattooedMac · TattooedMac #15 (**permalink**)

06-02-2012, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Razormac

Just a recommendation, but 1Password which I and others highly reccommend can also store your product keys and registration info for just such a situation.

Ill give 1PW a good rap too. I even paid the $10 for the IOS version. This keeps ALL my secret squirrel stuff safe from prying eye's. Best i have come across and won't need to look for anything else. Love the integration with Web browsers as well.

Cheers

Raz0rEdge #2 (permalink)
Member Since: Jul 17, 2009 Location: MA Posts: 5,790 Mac Specs: 27" i7 iMac with 16GB RAM and 1TB HDD, iPhone 3G & 4, iPod Nano 16GB, iPod Shuffle, iPad 2 16GB WiFi	06-10-2011, 01:24 PM The product key isn't kept in any visible way for you to get access to. If you don't have the box or disk (and no one can retrieve the disk for you) then you will have to boot from the old disk, load up Office 2011 and it will show you the product key and then you can use that with your new disk.. -- Regards ...Ashwin Be sure to read the Community Guidelines \| The more information you provide, the better answers you get, remember GIGO.
	QUOTE Thanks

chscag #4 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 23, 2008 Location: Fort Worth, Texas Posts: 31,968 Mac Specs: 21.5" iMac 2.5 GHz i5, iPad 3rd Gen., 3 iPods	06-10-2011, 01:42 PM You can use the following utility to find your product key on the old hard drive: LINK Community Guidelines
	QUOTE Thanks

chscag #7 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 23, 2008 Location: Fort Worth, Texas Posts: 31,968 Mac Specs: 21.5" iMac 2.5 GHz i5, iPad 3rd Gen., 3 iPods	06-10-2011, 02:29 PM It should have also worked for Office 2011. Which version of Office 2011 are you running? I know for a fact that it worked for the "Home and Student Version". Generally, if you registered your version of Office with MS and lose the PID, a call to their customer service resolves it. However, most folks nowadays including myself, never bother to register as that usually results in email advertisements from the publisher or seller. Community Guidelines
	QUOTE Thanks

harryb2448 #9 (permalink)
Member Since: Nov 28, 2007 Location: Nambucca Heads Australia Posts: 14,058 Mac Specs: iMac i5 2.7GHz OS X.8.3	06-10-2011, 11:52 PM Just a note does not work on business copy of Office 2011 but did find Office 2008 which was removed six months ago! *Hang on to those original install discs like grim death! Using OS X.7 or later make a bootable USB thumb drive before running Installer!*
	QUOTE Thanks

RavingMac #12 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 07, 2008 Location: In Denial Posts: 6,779 Mac Specs: 4GB Mac Mini, 13" MacBook, 15" MacBook Pro OSX 10.7, 32 GB iPhone 3GS, iPad2 64gb 3G	06-02-2012, 10:38 AM Just a recommendation, but 1Password which I and others highly reccommend can also store your product keys and registration info for just such a situation. Of course, I know everything . . . I just can't remember it all at once.
	QUOTE Thanks

Location of 2011 Product Key - Old hard drive

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mtbinva #1 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 13, 2010 Location: East Coast Posts: 282 Mac Specs: 15"MBP 2.66, 750GB 7200RPM HD, 8GB RAM; iPhone4S 64GB; 32GB iPad, White, AT&T.	06-10-2011, 01:08 PM So, I'm out of town and ran out of room of my hard drive. I bought a new one and did a Carbon Copy Cloner. Everything worked well except for my Office 2011 needs me to enter the product code. Is anyone aware of a way to find it on my old hard drive? I don't have the box or disk with me. This is a legitimate copy, and I could put the original drive back in, but that kinda defeats the purpose. I have the drive in an external enclosure. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
	QUOTE Thanks

mtbinva #5 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 13, 2010 Location: East Coast Posts: 282 Mac Specs: 15"MBP 2.66, 750GB 7200RPM HD, 8GB RAM; iPhone4S 64GB; 32GB iPad, White, AT&T.	06-10-2011, 01:45 PM Thanks. Swapped drives again to get the product key. This is one of the things I hate about piracy, legit folks have to suffer.
	QUOTE Thanks

mtbinva #8 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 13, 2010 Location: East Coast Posts: 282 Mac Specs: 15"MBP 2.66, 750GB 7200RPM HD, 8GB RAM; iPhone4S 64GB; 32GB iPad, White, AT&T.	06-10-2011, 08:04 PM Sadly, the phone call was a waste of time. I hate their version of support. So, for now, I have to use the slam full hard drive until I get back home to get the product key. Sadly the software did not give me the Office 2011 PID. It has to be accessible. I have the product ID.
	QUOTE Thanks

mtbinva #10 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 13, 2010 Location: East Coast Posts: 282 Mac Specs: 15"MBP 2.66, 750GB 7200RPM HD, 8GB RAM; iPhone4S 64GB; 32GB iPad, White, AT&T.	06-12-2011, 11:59 AM Yeah, I have the business version. I know there has to be a way, I just can't seem to find it.
	QUOTE Thanks

olam01 #11 (permalink)
Member Since: Jun 02, 2012 Posts: 1	06-02-2012, 06:11 AM Key finder did not work for me either. I am have Office 2011 Home Edition running Lion 10.7.4
	QUOTE Thanks

vansmith #14 (permalink)
Member Since: Oct 19, 2008 Location: Ottawa Posts: 15,283 Mac Specs: 2012 13" MBP (2.5 i5, 8GB)	06-02-2012, 12:03 PM Take a look here - read it through first before doing anything. It's possible that the licensing plist file is corrupted. Important Links: Community Guidelines : Use the reputation system if you've been helped. M-F Blog :: Write for the blog :: M-F IRC Channel - Chats every Sunday at 8PM EST.
	QUOTE Thanks

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