Can't activate trial version

[jennifer]

i just downloaded my trial of microsoft and i cant activate either...when i
click on "I want to activate the software over the internet" it saids..."The
activation wizard is unable to find a connection to the internet. Please make
sure that your connection is working properly and then retry in a few
minutes." but when i check to see if my internet connection is working it's
working fine.. i can even "connect to microsoft office online" on one of the
programs (which i cant even use because i havent activated it) so what could
possibly be the problem!!!!!! if i could please get a response ASAP because i
need this for a school project as well!

 

[Rob Giordano \(Crash\)]

I don't think there is a downloadable trial of Publisher 2003., I think its
only on trial CD.



|i just downloaded my trial of microsoft and i cant activate either...when i
| click on "I want to activate the software over the internet" it
saids..."The
| activation wizard is unable to find a connection to the internet. Please
make
| sure that your connection is working properly and then retry in a few
| minutes." but when i check to see if my internet connection is working
it's
| working fine.. i can even "connect to microsoft office online" on one of
the
| programs (which i cant even use because i havent activated it) so what
could
| possibly be the problem!!!!!! if i could please get a response ASAP
because i
| need this for a school project as well!

 

[B Bigham]

Jennifer ...

I was the person who originally posted this message and I never did get the
trial to work. The only thing I found out was that it *might* have been due
to having had installed a previous version of the software (or some version
of Microsoft Office).

Microsoft never responded to my request for support and I finally just gave
up and got a copy of a program called Page Plus ... and it seemed pretty good
although I ended just farming the project out to my typesetter instead!!

I wonder how many sales Microsoft lost by failing to provide help for people
who wanted to buy their product but couldn't activate the trial?

Anyway ... .good luck!

Barbara

 

[Carrie]

I don't know what this is, because I didn't know there were trial versions
of Office.

But, I know from using other trial versions, some (a lot) only let you have
one trial. If you try and put it in again, it has set a reg key or
something, that tells it and doesn't let it go in again.

Maybe if you wiped the hardrive and reinstalled Windows, you could
again. And, I don't know if this applies to this problem of installing trial
versions and activating them.

~ Carrie

 

[John Inzer]

i just downloaded my trial of microsoft and i cant
activate either...when i click on "I want to activate the
software over the internet" it saids..."The activation
wizard is unable to find a connection to the internet.
Please make sure that your connection is working properly
and then retry in a few minutes." but when i check to see
if my internet connection is working it's working fine..
i can even "connect to microsoft office online" on one of
the programs (which i cant even use because i havent
activated it) so what could possibly be the problem!!!!!!
if i could please get a response ASAP because i need this
for a school project as well!

==================================
Since there is no download for MS Publisher I'm
guessing you ordered the CD and are trying to
install / activate it?

Have a look at these articles:

(828958) How to activate a license in Office programs
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/828958/en-us

(326851) Activation and Registration of a
Microsoft Product
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=326851

 

[B Bigham]

Apparently the problem was a pre-installed full, purchased version of MS
Office -- not a trial program. Crazy, huh?

Barbara

 

[Rob Giordano \(Crash\)]

John,
She's having problems "avtivating" not activating


| jennifer wrote:
| > i just downloaded my trial of microsoft and i cant
| > activate either...when i click on "I want to activate the
| > software over the internet" it saids..."The activation
| > wizard is unable to find a connection to the internet.
| > Please make sure that your connection is working properly
| > and then retry in a few minutes." but when i check to see
| > if my internet connection is working it's working fine..
| > i can even "connect to microsoft office online" on one of
| > the programs (which i cant even use because i havent
| > activated it) so what could possibly be the problem!!!!!!
| > if i could please get a response ASAP because i need this
| > for a school project as well!
| ==================================
| Since there is no download for MS Publisher I'm
| guessing you ordered the CD and are trying to
| install / activate it?
|
| Have a look at these articles:
|
| (828958) How to activate a license in Office programs
| http://support.microsoft.com/kb/828958/en-us
|
| (326851) Activation and Registration of a
| Microsoft Product
| http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=326851
|
| --
|
| John Inzer
|
|

 

[John Inzer]

John,
She's having problems "avtivating" not activating

================================
I post more than a few typos myself...
c is adjacent to v afterall.

 

[Me]

Hi. I've been trying for three days to get the trial activated. I very
possibly have just lost a job over the whole thing. When I bought the
computer it had a 60 day trial installed--I never activated it--I was told it
had expired when I contacted them 3 days ago. How can something that has
never even been accessed expire? You are right--Microsost will be losing
business at a far greater rate than they think. Not providing tech support
for your own product is inexcusable. Thaks for letting me rant.

 

[Me]

I just spoke with Microsoft and was told--"We don't provide support for trial
versions. You have to purchase the full version." I proceeded to tell him
that the Attorney General for the state of Arkansas is going to have a FIELD
DAY with the class action suit which will be filed shortly. Fraud and
misrepresentation are the first charges that come to mind. Forcing people to
buy a product is against the law--PERIOD! Good luck.

 

[Me]

Read my last comment and see if you agree. Thanks.

 

[Rob Giordano \(Crash\)]

Who's forcing you to buy it?
What's fraudulent about a trial product that you didn't buy the full version
of?

Buy something else and move on.




|I just spoke with Microsoft and was told--"We don't provide support for
trial
| versions. You have to purchase the full version." I proceeded to tell him
| that the Attorney General for the state of Arkansas is going to have a
FIELD
| DAY with the class action suit which will be filed shortly. Fraud and
| misrepresentation are the first charges that come to mind. Forcing people
to
| buy a product is against the law--PERIOD! Good luck.
|
| "jennifer" wrote:
|
| > i just downloaded my trial of microsoft and i cant activate
either...when i
| > click on "I want to activate the software over the internet" it
saids..."The
| > activation wizard is unable to find a connection to the internet. Please
make
| > sure that your connection is working properly and then retry in a few
| > minutes." but when i check to see if my internet connection is working
it's
| > working fine.. i can even "connect to microsoft office online" on one of
the
| > programs (which i cant even use because i havent activated it) so what
could
| > possibly be the problem!!!!!! if i could please get a response ASAP
because i
| > need this for a school project as well!

 

[B Bigham]

Well, I certainly understand your anger and frustration, but I hardly think
this is a case for the courts.

To me, it's just poor business practices. I can't imagine trying to sell a
rpoduct by offering a free trial, and then not following up that effort with
at least minimal support. But I suppose that's why the Microsoft market base
is segmenting and looking for alternatives (Firefox is a good example).

Too many other companies offer similar products, with trial versions AND
support.

Of course, I'm just an old fogey who longs for the "old" days of DTP
programs like Ventura!

Barbara

 

[Me]

Please read my last comments. It's just not ethical. P. S.--Age is an
attitude!!! Get over it!!! Have a great day!!!

 

[Me]

It's called Bait and Switch, possibly fraud, misrepresentation--who knows.
The problem is that the job I'm trying to get requires it. If I don't need it
at home why would I buy it?

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

If you are trying to get a job that requires Publisher, then I'd suggest you
get Publisher first and learn how to use it before you start bidding for
work. If you don't then you are setting yourself up for disaster. If you
don't want Publisher, then don't look at jobs that require it.

Not trying to start an argument - just making some plain statements based on
common sense.

 

[Mary Sauer]

Every computer I have ever purchased had either trial versions of a product or
partial versions of a product installed. I know that going in from the computer
specifications and description. The first thing I do when I get the computer home is
uninstall all these so-called "goodies." Your vendor makes a partnership choice with
Microsoft to include a trial; it is your choice to delete it.

 

[Donna in Idaho]

How is it bait and switch? You should know, at least I did with every
program I've used a trial version, that it is just a TRIAL version and that
if you like it you're going to have to BUY it.

 

[B Bigham]

Actually, I *did* read your comments. I happen to disagree, that's all. No
one is forcing me to buy their product and at least Microsoft gave me a
chance to try this program -- and determine that it wasn't going to work
BEFORE I paid good money for it.

To me, it's neither unethical nor illegal, simply bad business practices.

I prefer to be less quick to sue companies and more inclined to search for
better alternatives.

Barbara

 

[Me]

It's excel and word that I need. A similiar product is available in MS Works.
I'll just have to learn the differences. Thanks.

If you are trying to get a job that requires Publisher, then I'd suggest you
get Publisher first and learn how to use it before you start bidding for
work. If you don't then you are setting yourself up for disaster. If you
don't want Publisher, then don't look at jobs that require it.

Not trying to start an argument - just making some plain statements based on
common sense.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

It's called Bait and Switch, possibly fraud, misrepresentation--who knows.
The problem is that the job I'm trying to get requires it. If I don't need
it
at home why would I buy it?