Wrong Product key for Office

TitaniumDreads · Jun 23, 2005

Oops. My friend and I bought an educational version of microsoft office with three licenses and corrosponding product keys.

I accidently entered the same key that my friend did and now we can't use the program at the same time (from different computers!)

I tried uninstall -> reinstall for office but when I went to reinstall it didn't ask for a new product key. It seems to have saved it and won't let me enter a new one, what do I do? Is it possible to delete the old key?

trpnmonkey41 · Jun 23, 2005

Well what you and your friend did by sharing the licenses is illegal (Unless you live in the same house or apartment) and I don't think there is anyway to remove the key

rman · Jun 23, 2005

Also what you have is one license that can be copied to three machines, but can only used one at a time. Meaning that if you are using it, your friend can not use it until you are finished.

Like it was stated better you are now in that gray area. The only was all of you can use the software is when you are not on the network. If you are on a stand alone system you will be able to use it.

boneheadz · Jun 23, 2005

I have ms office education for both mac and pc. It is for three computers that are in the same residence. Every time I have reinstalled it, it has asked for the key. (both mac and pc, I know this because I did a clean instal this week.) You should be able to do a clean install on both computers and it will ask for the key. As for legal, as long as one of you is a student, I believe that it is legal. I don't think they state that the licenses have to be used by the same person, just the same household. (I could be wrong.)

Bone

trpnmonkey41 · Jun 23, 2005

Yes it is same household....but he said his friend bought it

BurntSmore · Jun 23, 2005

Roommates possibly?

PunkRockTuba · Jun 23, 2005

"My friend and I bought an educational version of microsoft office" is what he said. There is probably some file on your comp that is like a cookie but for a program, if you can find it and delete it you should be ok. You said you bought a version with 3 cd keys, I would just use the other cd key.

menace3054 · Jun 23, 2005

i have the ms office thing with 3 keys as well, i have it installed on my powermac and imac and im pretty sure that i used the same key by accident, without a problem. uninstall it, and delete all library files assosciated with it and maybe itll work, otherwise you might have to reformat

fco1922 · Jun 24, 2005

Wrong key

Yes, a clean install should do it.

One piece of advice: don't say things like "my friend and I bought..." and then talk about sharing keys or copying software. This is particularly true of Microsoft software. It is just asking for trouble and who needs that...

menace3054 said:
i have the ms office thing with 3 keys as well, i have it installed on my powermac and imac and im pretty sure that i used the same key by accident, without a problem. uninstall it, and delete all library files assosciated with it and maybe itll work, otherwise you might have to reformat

fco1922 · Jun 24, 2005

Wrong key

For what it is worth, the educational version of MS Office is so cheap ($85) that why go to all the hassle? Just buy your own copy. Even someone on the tightest budget can spare $85, especially when you have spent thousands already on tuition, room and board. If all else fails, ask your university for a small loan or spring for a credit card. No one likes paying Microsoft but you've got to weigh up the costs, benefits, aggravation etc.

TitaniumDreads said:
Oops. My friend and I bought an educational version of microsoft office with three licenses and corrosponding product keys.

I accidently entered the same key that my friend did and now we can't use the program at the same time (from different computers!)

I tried uninstall -> reinstall for office but when I went to reinstall it didn't ask for a new product key. It seems to have saved it and won't let me enter a new one, what do I do? Is it possible to delete the old key?

TitaniumDreads · Jun 27, 2005

trpnmonkey41 said:
Well what you and your friend did by sharing the licenses is illegal (Unless you live in the same house or apartment) and I don't think there is anyway to remove the key

With all due respect, it looks like you have no idea what you're talking about.

I went to users -> [username] -> library -> preferences and hucked com.microsoft.office.plist in the trash. On reinstall I was able to enter a new (legit) key.

menace3054, thanks for the advice.

However sometimes cookie-type files like this are stored in other places. You can kill them by doing a search for anything installed at the same time as the program before going for a full on reformat.

also

For what it is worth, the educational version of MS Office is so cheap ($85) that why go to all the hassle? Just buy your own copy. Even someone on the tightest budget can spare $85

You're either being sarcastic, have a poor understanding of budgeting or are totally out of touch with reality. Why not try visiting a third world country and/or a college campus?

trpnmonkey41 · Jun 28, 2005

TitaniumDreads said:
With all due respect, it looks like you have no idea what you're talking about.

If you are talking about removing the key, I said I didn't think you could remove the key, and I was wrong. I didn't think that just removing the plist files would allow you to re-enter keys

If you are talking about the legality of sharing keys then I know exactly what I am talking about

cradom · Jun 28, 2005

IF you have a legal, PAID for key and copy: look for an invisible file named officePID in the MS folder. Delete this. Will ask for the key next time you start it.

Mods: delete post if uncomfortable with legality of information.

fco1922 · Jul 6, 2005

Not out of touch

I was only being partially sarcastic. Stealing is still stealing and I don't care if you are on a college campus or a "third world" country (and I suspect you aren't because their residents would object to being called third world). Using your logic, we should all steal DVDs since they are expensive too...

TitaniumDreads said:
With all due respect, it looks like you have no idea what you're talking about.

I went to users -> [username] -> library -> preferences and hucked com.microsoft.office.plist in the trash. On reinstall I was able to enter a new (legit) key.

menace3054, thanks for the advice.

However sometimes cookie-type files like this are stored in other places. You can kill them by doing a search for anything installed at the same time as the program before going for a full on reformat.

also

You're either being sarcastic, have a poor understanding of budgeting or are totally out of touch with reality. Why not try visiting a third world country and/or a college campus?

Wrong Product key for Office

TitaniumDreads

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rman

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cradom

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