MS Office Updates - way back

Hello Everyone:

I'm new here and I need some help.

I had to re-install my operating system recently and lost all of my updates. I updated to OS 10.4.11 without trouble of course. My problem is my Microsoft Office updates. My original disk is Office 98. I updated that quite some time ago to Office 2004 though Auto Update. I've been researching all morning to find an Auto Update download that applies to Office 98. My attempts have been fruitless. All of my files are in Office 2004 so I'd like to find an Auto Update to match without having to purchase Microsoft Office 2004 or newer. Does anyone out there have any advice?

Thank you.

Not sure I understand how you updated Office 98 to 2004? Was it a new disk or a download from Microsoft? If it was a download from Microsoft, it appears that is no longer available. And if you have no backup, you're either going to have to purchase 2004 or a later version of MS Office.

If you can afford to buy Office or don't want to, your only other option then is to use something like Open Office or NeoOffice, both of which are free.

How confusing.

Office 98 was superseded by Office 2001, Office v.X, Office 2004, Office 2008 and Office 2011. Office 98 ran in OS 8 and with the introduction of OS X Office v.X was required. There were never any downloadable upgrades, you had to purchase the CD.

harryb2448:

Thank you for the response. When I installed Office 98 back in 2006 I was able to update it to Office 2004 (I presume) via a download. I have the Office 98 disk and installed it today--hence the difficulty. I should have made a back-up of Office before I re-installed OS X.

chscag:

Thank you for the response. I upgraded to Office 2004 (I presume it was Office 2004) via a download that I got from Auto Update a few years ago (2006?). Since I can't get to Auto Update and can't find anything else on line either I guess I will have to purchase it.

Well there were never any upgrades of Office 1998 to Office 2004, particularly by download unless it came from a certain site. Here is a second opinion on this:-

MS Office 2004 upgrade or full version required? [Archive] - MacRumors Forums

Think your best option is to look for a used copy of Office 2008 with unactivated key codes. The Home and Student version came with three keys.