Multiple product keys on the Home and Student edition

[stonerboy]

"Start the Office Remover application, and hold down the Option key while it starts. It will offer you the opportunity to remove the licence key only. Do that. You will be prompted for the correct licence key the next time you start an application."

Actually, no. Holding down option, or pressing it at any point, doesn't make a difference. The Option key trick works with Remove Office 2004, but not 2008.

Am I missing something? Or is there absolutely no **** way to get this thing entirely off of my machine?

 

[John McGhie]

From the Office 2008 Help:

Office Installer and Remove Office use Spotlight to locate versions of
Office that are installed on your computer. If Spotlight is disabled or does
not search folders where a version of Office is located, Office Installer
and Remove Office will not be able to find versions of Office that are
eligible for upgrade, or versions of Office that you might want to remove.
Also, the search might take longer if your computer has a slower processor
or a very large hard disk.

"Start the Office Remover application, and hold down the Option key while it
starts. It will offer you the opportunity to remove the licence key only. Do
that. You will be prompted for the correct licence key the next time you start
an application."

Actually, no. Holding down option, or pressing it at any point, doesn't make a
difference. The Option key trick works with Remove Office 2004, but not 2008.

Am I missing something? Or is there absolutely no **** way to get this thing
entirely off of my machine?

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/
Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, Australia
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[Jon Tayler]

Apparently there is a problem with the MS web site when you try and put in your product ID, it's not your fault. I had this confirmed when I registered my copy with MS on the telephone.

 

[JE McGimpsey]

"Start the Office Remover application, and hold down the Option key while it
starts. It will offer you the opportunity to remove the licence key only. Do
that. You will be prompted for the correct licence key the next time you
start an application." <br><br>Actually, no. Holding down option, or pressing
it at any point, doesn't make a difference. The Option key trick works with
Remove Office 2004, but not 2008. <br><br>Am I missing something? Or is there
absolutely no **** way to get this thing entirely off of my machine?

Delete these two files on one of the machines:

~:Libraryreferences:Microsoft:Office 2008:Microsoft Office 2008
Settings.plist

where ~ is your home folder, and

HD:Applications:Microsoft Office 2008:Office:OfficePID.plist

files.

When you start an Office app, you'll be asked for a CD Key

 

[John McGhie]

Yes, that's correct: the website method didn't work at all, for anyone.

I am not sure whether this has been resolved yet.

Apparently there is a problem with the MS web site when you try and put in
your product ID, it's not your fault. I had this confirmed when I registered
my copy with MS on the telephone.

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/
Sydney, Australia. S33°53'34.20 E151°14'54.50
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[Guest]

OK, accepting for a moment the premise that I was going to steal until thwarted by technology (I don't agree, but I feel like arguing about it would be fruitless), I have now agreed to instead buy. I would happily read the license carefully to determine whether or not the upgrade applies except that there is no license on paper, I can't launch the product to read the license, and I can't seem to find an electronic link to the license any place (I googled "microsoft office 2008 upgrade license" and I searched on microsoft.com).

What I *do* know is that barring the process I went through, the upgrade process does install without error or question when applied over an existing Office 2004 Student/Teacher installation. The only reason it *doesn't* work for me is because on the first install with the "stolen" copy of Upgrade '08, the last step is that it deletes the original '04 installation. Now I have a legally purchased upgrade license but no remaining '04 installation for it to upgrade, leaving me stranded. It seems that I am not asking too much for there to be a way to provide, say, my old valid and legal student/teacher activation code or to have some other work-around that acknowledges that reinstalling '04 to upgrade to '08 is ridiculously kludgey. What if my '08 installation just became corrupted? Since the install process removes the original '04, it sounds like I would have to reinstall '04 and then reinstall '08 again.

I guess the answer you have given is - assuming it is legal, yes you have to reinstall '04 again and then reinstall '08 again to get to happy happy joy joy Office land.

 

[Diane Ross]

What I *do* know is that barring the process I went through, the upgrade
process does install without error or question when applied over an existing
Office 2004 Student/Teacher installation. The only reason it *doesn't* work
for me is because on the first install with the "stolen" copy of Upgrade '08,
the last step is that it deletes the original '04 installation. Now I have a
legally purchased upgrade license but no remaining '04 installation for it to
upgrade, leaving me stranded. It seems that I am not asking too much for there
to be a way to provide, say, my old valid and legal student/teacher activation
code or to have some other work-around that acknowledges that reinstalling '04
to upgrade to '08 is ridiculously kludgey. What if my '08 installation just
became corrupted? Since the install process removes the original '04, it
sounds like I would have to reinstall '04 and then reinstall '08 again.

I'm getting confused over what was installed and what's legal. Let me just
try to explain the basics.

1. Student & Teacher versions are not upgradable

2. Any upgrade Office installer requires either the old Office 2004 or
Office X be installed or you have the install CD mounted to prove you are a
legitimate user.

I would use "Remove Office" to remove all old copies installed. This will
get rid of any registration info that is stored. This will also remove a
legitimate installed copy of Office.

The Home & Student version is cheaper than the Office 2008 standard version
and does not require any previous version to be installed. It will not have
Exchange support or Automator actions.

Does this help?

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

I'm getting confused over what was installed and what's legal. Let me just
try to explain the basics.

1. Student & Teacher versions are not upgradable

Unfortunately, MS is a little contradictory on this one. The deal
is--the 2004 STE license does not promise that you can use it for an
upgrade discount. However, the 2008 upgrade version *does* accept 2004
STE as a previous qualifying version (heard straight from bigwig in
MacBU). So this is a legal situation, there is no problem there.

If you have to reinstall, there are advantages to having both 2004 and
2008 on the same machine--you didn't need to remove 2004.

 

[Diane Ross]

Unfortunately, MS is a little contradictory on this one. The deal
is--the 2004 STE license does not promise that you can use it for an
upgrade discount. However, the 2008 upgrade version *does* accept 2004
STE as a previous qualifying version (heard straight from bigwig in
MacBU). So this is a legal situation, there is no problem there.

If you have to reinstall, there are advantages to having both 2004 and
2008 on the same machine--you didn't need to remove 2004.

That's the special promotion. I forgot about that difference.

 

[Alison]

Ok so I just bought my Home&Student Edition from Best Buy and cannot find a 25 character product key anywhere on the box or the installation manual. I have typed in every number combination I can find and nothing works. I'm a new Mac owner I just got mine on Sunday and I don't know what to do.

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

Ok so I just bought my Home&Student Edition from Best Buy and cannot find a 25
character product key anywhere on the box or the installation manual. I have
typed in every number combination I can find and nothing works. I'm a new Mac
owner I just got mine on Sunday and I don't know what to do.

The product key is on a yellow sticker on the CD package. You should have
three keys.

 

[John McGhie]

It's five groups of five letters and numbers (make sure you can tell the
difference, the font is very bad!!).

The keys are on a bright orange sticker on the back of the CD case.

If the sticker is not there, take the package back to Best Buy, they will
have to give you a new copy.

Cheers

Ok so I just bought my Home&Student Edition from Best Buy and cannot find a 25
character product key anywhere on the box or the installation manual. I have
typed in every number combination I can find and nothing works. I'm a new Mac
owner I just got mine on Sunday and I don't know what to do.

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/
Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, Australia

 

[Courtney_Nash]

The registration problem has been fixed, however if anyone is still having any issues registering we'd appreciate hearing about it.

-Courtney Nash
Mactopia Site Manager

 

[Orion]

Mine is a real simple question. Our new iMac will be shared by three User Accounts. Do I have to install Office08 three times? It does come with 3 Keys so I'm thinking yes - but that seems like an awful waste of disk space. A simple yes or no answer is fine. Cheers.

 

[Diane Ross]

Mine is a real simple question. Our new iMac will be shared by three User
Accounts. Do I have to install Office08 three times? It does come with 3 Keys
so I'm thinking yes - but that seems like an awful waste of disk space. A
simple yes or no answer is fine. Cheers.

One Mac and 3 separate User account = one install of Office in the root
Application folder.

Even the fonts for Office 2008 are now all installed in the root folder.

Enjoy!

 

[csb]

I have related question regarding 2004 STE: I have one loaded on my laptop, one on my daughter's laptop. I would like to load the third on another computer, but don't remember which Product Keys I've already used. I can't seem to find the PK documented anywhere on my computer in my MS files -- where is it located?

Thank you.

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

I have related question regarding 2004 STE: I have one loaded on my laptop,
one on my daughter's laptop. I would like to load the third on another
computer, but don't remember which Product Keys I've already used. I can't
seem to find the PK documented anywhere on my computer in my MS files -- where
is it located?

Thank you.

The product key is on a yellow sticker on the CD.

 

[csb]

On 3/26/08 11:42 AM, in article (e-mail address removed)9absDaxw,

:

&gt; I have related question regarding 2004 STE: I have one loaded on my laptop,
&gt; one on my daughter's laptop. I would like to load the third on another
&gt; computer, but don't remember which Product Keys I've already used. I can't
&gt; seem to find the PK documented anywhere on my computer in my MS files -- where
&gt; is it located?
&gt;
&gt; Thank you.
The product key is on a yellow sticker on the CD.

Bob,

Thanks, but that isn't the question I'm asking. I'll try to clarify: I have three PKs listed on the back of the box, valid for my 2004 STE. I've used two of them already, but I'm not certain which ones. I'm ready to use the third installation, but want to be certain I use the PK which hasn't already been used. How do determine which ones have been used?

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

Bob,

Thanks, but that isn't the question I'm asking. I'll try to clarify: I have
three PKs listed on the back of the box, valid for my 2004 STE. I've used two
of them already, but I'm not certain which ones. I'm ready to use the third
installation, but want to be certain I use the PK which hasn't already been
used. How do determine which ones have been used?

You can't. However, you can launch the remove Office utility, hold the
option key at the first dialog and then reenter the product key. Do this for
each of your 2 installations, then you'll know which to use for the third.

 

[Liz K.T.]

I also have a problem thats been brought up before on this site, but not resolved. Just got a new Macbook. Recieved Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac (home and student edition) from my stepmom, but when installing the product key that I used on mine I guess she already used. Is there any way to change the product key number for the 2008 version?
I've tried uninstalling it (and its library) twice, but when I go to re-install it, I'm not asked to insert a new product key. Someone please help! I really need these programs for school. Thank you.