Can't install licensed Office 2011 on a Macintosh computer

[123DanielUSA]

I have Microsoft Office 2011 that I purchased years ago. I still have the installer file and the product key for it. I am currently migrating to a different computer with the same operating system 10.12.6. I installed the Office 2011 on the new computer and opened one of the programs. It requires me to register. I put in the product key and submit. It says “Server is not available.” I have tried this several times. I also called the phone number given, gave the long code and received a new code. The new code does not work. I also tried this several times.
I did search for answers on the internet. I found the trick of replacing files in the LaunchDaemons, PrivilegedHelperTools, and Preferences folders. No success.
Any more ideas? Please help!

 

[Raz0rEdge]

If you have a valid MS license, you need to work with them to get this resolved, not much we can do to help you.

 

[123DanielUSA]

I have called Microsoft several times and can't get a human on the phone. it is all automated.

 

[Mcyrdr]

I have Mojave 10.14.6 on my 2019 iMac. Used time machine from old imac and MS Office required initial product key to continue. Needed a new issued product key and I followed instructions and it sent a very log new product key. It worked! This was completed it Jan 2020.

 

[MacInWin]

All I can suggest is to keep trying at MS. It is their problem so you will need to get to them. Do they have a chat contact? I find that works better than phone most of the time. They seem to have an automated chat bot, but if you persist with it, maybe it will eventually connect you to a human.

 

[chscag]

I have called Microsoft several times and can't get a human on the phone. it is all automated.

Office 2011 is no longer supported by Microsoft, however, Office 2011 should have activated automatically over the net. I suspect with the virus pandemic that they are not up to speed. I know for a fact that older versions of Office will activate over the net if the servers are up. I recently was able to activate an old copy of Office 2010 (Windows version) that I have.

The only suggestion I have for you is to keep trying.

In the meantime, why don't you download "Free Office" from Softmaker? It will open all your older Office documents.

 

[pigoo3]

I use OpenOffice (free)...it works well...and has had no difficulty opening any MS Office files I threw at it.

- Nick

 

[pm-r]

You could try it what they suggest here:
Download and install or reinstall Office for Mac 2011 - Office Support

You can use the DVD that came with Office, but to get the most up-to-date version, download Office for Mac 2011 at Download Earlier Versions of Office. Make sure you have your product key.

Along with some other suggestions you may want to look at.

But their Webpage isn't too encouraging when they state:

Support for Office for Mac 2011 ended on October 10, 2017 . All of your Office for Mac 2011 apps will continue to function. However, you could expose yourself to serious and potentially harmful security risks. Upgrade to a newer version of Office so you can stay up to date with all the latest features, patches, and security updates.

- Patrick
======

 

[chscag]

Hey Patrick:

The problem is if the servers at Microsoft are down, he won't be able to activate Office 2011. That's what he's complaining about.

It doesn't do him any good to download another copy since he already has a valid copy with the original product key. He also stated above that with a key that Microsoft gave him by automated voice, he couldn't activate his copy. That would happen if the servers are down.

Microsoft Office 365 no longer needs to be activated if you have subscribed and have a MS user account.

 

[MacInWin]

Microsoft Office 365 no longer needs to be activated if you have subscribed and have a MS user account.

Not entirely sure about that, Charlie. I have Microsoft365 (new name for Office 365), and when updates install, the first time I use the app I get a message that it is "verifying" the product, which coincides with a bit of a network traffic burst, then the app opens. I only see this activity once after an update. So I think the apps are "phoning home" to the mothership to check on the status of my MS365 account. I read somewhere that if the servers are down, MS365 will let you run the app for a while, but will eventually cease to do so. Ditto for after you cancel your account, or before you activate it. There is a limited grace period, apparently.

 

[pm-r]

@chscag

Hey Patrick:
The problem is if the servers at Microsoft are down, he won't be able to activate Office 2011. That's what he's complaining about.

It doesn't do him any good to download another copy since he already has a valid copy with the original product key.

Hey Charlie, I'm just relaying what their webpage says.

I guess I have been lucky with my copy of Microsoft Office 2011 as far as it's registration etc. is concerned and moving it to any newer iMacs, it has always just seemed to have worked, but then again, it just got moved or incorporated with a clone CCC backup.





- Patrick
======

 

[chscag]

@Jake:

I have not experienced that and Office has updated numerous times. And why would it phone home if your subscription is active? I purchased my subscription through the Mac App Store which may be the reason?


@Patrick:

The problem is when Office is moved to different hardware, it asks for activation again. And if the MS servers are not on line, there is no way it will activate. Apparently that's what happened to our OP. Frankly, it's a lousy system but MS products are probably the most pirated throughout the world, so you can't really blame them.

 

[MacInWin]

Charlie, could be. I signed up at MS for Office365, now MS365.

 

[pm-r]

@Patrick:
The problem is when Office is moved to different hardware, it asks for activation again. And if the MS servers are not on line, there is no way it will activate.

Well maybe that is what is supposed to happen, but my copy has been moved (cloned) to several Macs and I have never been asked do any sort of activation and it works just fine and was fully updated when it was possible. A long time ago now.

The same thing happened with my old MS Office 2008 that I Trashed many years ago.

Anyway, it works fine for me even though I very seldom use it, but thanks for the explanation of what normally happens, or should, sometimes...





- Patrick
======

 

[chscag]

The same thing happened with my old MS Office 2008 that I Trashed many years ago.

Patrick:

MS Office 2008 (Mac version) did not require activation. MS only started to require activation on the Mac version of Office from 2011 onward. So, you are correct about being able to move it from one machine to another.

 

[PGB1]

When I first bought Office 2011 (in 2011), Microsoft's tech support could not solve an installation product key problem, ultimately telling me that their product wasn't compatible with my OS/Processor combination. A person at the group linked below had the solution.

The Solution Mentioned Above-
A) Use Force Quit (Command-Option-Escape) to close all open applications
B) Stop Time Machine (Open Time Machine Preferences - Click to move the slider to "Off")
C) Stop my external 3rd party backup application.
D) Install Office 2011
E) Reboot
F) Turn Time Machine back on.

The User Group-
Results in Microsoft 365 and Office - Microsoft Community

[U]How To Find The Office 2011 Section[/U]:
In the "Office Topic" box, click the arrow & scroll to the bottom to select "Unknown / Other".
Then, under "Office Sub topic" click the arrow & choose "Mac".
Next, under "Office Product" the drop-down arrow will reveal "Office 2011 for Mac". Choose it and you will be taken to the proper section.

Please be sure to understand that, by suggesting the Office 2011 user group, I am not trying to be disrespectful of the people on this user group. They are wonderful and very generous with sharing of knowledge. (Without their help with Mac problems, I'd be sitting in the in the corner rocking back & forth by now!)

I hope this is helpful and you get the solution. Office sure can be frustrating sometimes.

Enjoy This Day!
Paul

 

[chscag]

Paul:

The OP has not posted back so we really do not know if he solved his problem. Ultimately, it's between him and MS and right now since Office 2011 is no longer supported, I suspect that he will have to upgrade Office in order to get things going again. Not a good solution but we have seen this with other publishers not just MS.

 

[pm-r]

The OP has not posted back so we really do not know if he solved his problem. Ultimately, it's between him and MS and right now since Office 2011 is no longer supported,

I know it won't help the members having problems installing MS Office 2011, but I don't recall having any problems installing it on any of our Macs, or in some cases reinstalling it more recently, or when helping getting it installed it on some friends or sometimes, some client's Macs.

Nor with any updates when the MS servers were available and supporting it, but I am wondering where their copy may have originated from they are trying to get installed. Maybe it is just plain corrupt or a goofed up installer???

I wonder if it would help to enable and use safe boot mode when attempting to use the Office 2011 installer???
Maybe some unnecessary AV Software is running on their Macs.

That is quite an install method that Paul posted, but such an awkward workaround should not be necessary and I'm still wondering how and why it actually worked, and who figured out how in the first place. And I wonder if it will work the second and third times for different users??? Sort of bizarre...




- Patrick
======

 

[pm-r]

The OP has not posted back so we really do not know if he solved his problem. Ultimately, it's between him and MS and right now since Office 2011 is no longer supported,

I know it won't help the members having problems installing MS Office 2011, but I don't recall having any problems installing it on any of our Macs, or in some cases reinstalling it more recently, or when helping getting it installed it on some friends or sometimes, some client's Macs.

Nor with any updates when the MS servers were available and supporting it, but I am wondering where their copy may have originated from they are trying to get installed. Maybe it is just plain corrupt or a goofed up installer???

I wonder if it would help to enable and use safe boot mode when attempting to use the Office 2011 installer???
Maybe some unnecessary AV Software is running on their Macs.

That is quite an install method that Paul posted, but such an awkward workaround should not be necessary and I'm still wondering how and why it actually worked, and who figured out how in the first place. And I wonder if it will work the second and third times for different users??? Sort of bizarre...

Download and install or reinstall Office for Mac 2011
Download and install or reinstall Office for Mac 2011 - Office Support






- Patrick
======

 

[usagora]

I have called Microsoft several times and can't get a human on the phone. it is all automated.

Just in case you haven't resolved this yet, try repeatedly pressing zero (0) (waiting after each press to hear the results) and see if the automated system transfers you to a representative.