Office 2003 - unable to edit documents

[Run out of ideas!]

I have a registered version of Office 2003 yet I can no longer edit documents
/ create new ones / etc.

I have tried reinstalling and repairing without success

Any ideas?

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

Are you sure that it's not a trial version? It's either that or you didn't
activate your software. (Activate is not the same as register.)

 

[Run out of ideas!]

It is not a trial version.

If I go into Word for example and click on the 'activate product' option in
help nothing happens. Should I get a message saying the product is already
activated or similar?

Are you sure that it's not a trial version? It's either that or you didn't
activate your software. (Activate is not the same as register.)

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

I have a registered version of Office 2003 yet I can no longer edit
documents
/ create new ones / etc.

I have tried reinstalling and repairing without success

Any ideas?

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

Yes, you should get a dialog box that says that.

Are you logged in as the administrator? Is this on your home computer or a
work computer? (I'm trying to think of any possibilities here.)

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

It is not a trial version.

If I go into Word for example and click on the 'activate product' option
in
help nothing happens. Should I get a message saying the product is already
activated or similar?

Are you sure that it's not a trial version? It's either that or you
didn't
activate your software. (Activate is not the same as register.)

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



in
message news:[email protected]...

I have a registered version of Office 2003 yet I can no longer edit
documents
/ create new ones / etc.

I have tried reinstalling and repairing without success

Any ideas?

 

[Run out of ideas!]

I'm getting no dialogue box. I had been able to edit photos prior to last
night and my machine was only returned from repair last Thursday when I had
to install Office, etc ('coincidentally' a week before this problem). I think
it was Office I had to phone to register as the supplied Product Key had been
used too many times but it might have been my XP - My PC was previously
having some major hardware issues that resulted in numerous reinstalls!

It is a home computer and my user is an administrator.

It does sound like an activation problem to me as well but the product ID is
appearing on the 'About .......' window

Yes, you should get a dialog box that says that.

Are you logged in as the administrator? Is this on your home computer or a
work computer? (I'm trying to think of any possibilities here.)

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

It is not a trial version.

If I go into Word for example and click on the 'activate product' option
in
help nothing happens. Should I get a message saying the product is already
activated or similar?

Are you sure that it's not a trial version? It's either that or you
didn't
activate your software. (Activate is not the same as register.)

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



in
message I have a registered version of Office 2003 yet I can no longer edit
documents
/ create new ones / etc.

I have tried reinstalling and repairing without success

Any ideas?

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

That number is not the same thing as the key that's on the label.

Did they reformat your computer when it was repaired?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

I'm getting no dialogue box. I had been able to edit photos prior to last
night and my machine was only returned from repair last Thursday when I
had
to install Office, etc ('coincidentally' a week before this problem). I
think
it was Office I had to phone to register as the supplied Product Key had
been
used too many times but it might have been my XP - My PC was previously
having some major hardware issues that resulted in numerous reinstalls!

It is a home computer and my user is an administrator.

It does sound like an activation problem to me as well but the product ID
is
appearing on the 'About .......' window

Yes, you should get a dialog box that says that.

Are you logged in as the administrator? Is this on your home computer or
a
work computer? (I'm trying to think of any possibilities here.)

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

It is not a trial version.

If I go into Word for example and click on the 'activate product'
option
in
help nothing happens. Should I get a message saying the product is
already
activated or similar?

:

Are you sure that it's not a trial version? It's either that or you
didn't
activate your software. (Activate is not the same as register.)

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



"Run out of ideas!" <Run out of [email protected]>
wrote
in
message I have a registered version of Office 2003 yet I can no longer edit
documents
/ create new ones / etc.

I have tried reinstalling and repairing without success

Any ideas?

 

[Run out of ideas!]

No, the 20 digit Product ID showing on the PC is very different to the 25
digit Product Key that came with the disk.

During the repair they replaced the hard drive and the memory. Remember, I
have been able to edit docs since the repair - it was only from yesterday
I've had the unable to edit problem.

I reinstalled Office yesterday to see if that would resolve it and the
system didn't flag problems with me using the 'old' Product Key that came
with the disk.

Is there a way of confirming this is an Office problem rather than an XP one?

Thanks for your efforts so far!

That number is not the same thing as the key that's on the label.

Did they reformat your computer when it was repaired?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

I'm getting no dialogue box. I had been able to edit photos prior to last
night and my machine was only returned from repair last Thursday when I
had
to install Office, etc ('coincidentally' a week before this problem). I
think
it was Office I had to phone to register as the supplied Product Key had
been
used too many times but it might have been my XP - My PC was previously
having some major hardware issues that resulted in numerous reinstalls!

It is a home computer and my user is an administrator.

It does sound like an activation problem to me as well but the product ID
is
appearing on the 'About .......' window

Yes, you should get a dialog box that says that.

Are you logged in as the administrator? Is this on your home computer or
a
work computer? (I'm trying to think of any possibilities here.)

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



message It is not a trial version.

If I go into Word for example and click on the 'activate product'
option
in
help nothing happens. Should I get a message saying the product is
already
activated or similar?

:

Are you sure that it's not a trial version? It's either that or you
didn't
activate your software. (Activate is not the same as register.)

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



"Run out of ideas!" <Run out of [email protected]>
wrote
in
message I have a registered version of Office 2003 yet I can no longer edit
documents
/ create new ones / etc.

I have tried reinstalling and repairing without success

Any ideas?

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

What do you mean by "old product key"?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

No, the 20 digit Product ID showing on the PC is very different to the 25
digit Product Key that came with the disk.

During the repair they replaced the hard drive and the memory. Remember, I
have been able to edit docs since the repair - it was only from yesterday
I've had the unable to edit problem.

I reinstalled Office yesterday to see if that would resolve it and the
system didn't flag problems with me using the 'old' Product Key that came
with the disk.

Is there a way of confirming this is an Office problem rather than an XP
one?

Thanks for your efforts so far!

That number is not the same thing as the key that's on the label.

Did they reformat your computer when it was repaired?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

I'm getting no dialogue box. I had been able to edit photos prior to
last
night and my machine was only returned from repair last Thursday when I
had
to install Office, etc ('coincidentally' a week before this problem). I
think
it was Office I had to phone to register as the supplied Product Key
had
been
used too many times but it might have been my XP - My PC was previously
having some major hardware issues that resulted in numerous reinstalls!

It is a home computer and my user is an administrator.

It does sound like an activation problem to me as well but the product
ID
is
appearing on the 'About .......' window
:

Yes, you should get a dialog box that says that.

Are you logged in as the administrator? Is this on your home computer
or
a
work computer? (I'm trying to think of any possibilities here.)

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



message It is not a trial version.

If I go into Word for example and click on the 'activate product'
option
in
help nothing happens. Should I get a message saying the product is
already
activated or similar?

:

Are you sure that it's not a trial version? It's either that or you
didn't
activate your software. (Activate is not the same as register.)

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



"Run out of ideas!" <Run out of [email protected]>
wrote
in
message I have a registered version of Office 2003 yet I can no longer
edit
documents
/ create new ones / etc.

I have tried reinstalling and repairing without success

Any ideas?

 

[Run out of ideas!]

The key on the sticker in the Office CD case

What do you mean by "old product key"?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

No, the 20 digit Product ID showing on the PC is very different to the 25
digit Product Key that came with the disk.

During the repair they replaced the hard drive and the memory. Remember, I
have been able to edit docs since the repair - it was only from yesterday
I've had the unable to edit problem.

I reinstalled Office yesterday to see if that would resolve it and the
system didn't flag problems with me using the 'old' Product Key that came
with the disk.

Is there a way of confirming this is an Office problem rather than an XP
one?

Thanks for your efforts so far!

That number is not the same thing as the key that's on the label.

Did they reformat your computer when it was repaired?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



message I'm getting no dialogue box. I had been able to edit photos prior to
last
night and my machine was only returned from repair last Thursday when I
had
to install Office, etc ('coincidentally' a week before this problem). I
think
it was Office I had to phone to register as the supplied Product Key
had
been
used too many times but it might have been my XP - My PC was previously
having some major hardware issues that resulted in numerous reinstalls!

It is a home computer and my user is an administrator.

It does sound like an activation problem to me as well but the product
ID
is
appearing on the 'About .......' window
:

Yes, you should get a dialog box that says that.

Are you logged in as the administrator? Is this on your home computer
or
a
work computer? (I'm trying to think of any possibilities here.)

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



message It is not a trial version.

If I go into Word for example and click on the 'activate product'
option
in
help nothing happens. Should I get a message saying the product is
already
activated or similar?

:

Are you sure that it's not a trial version? It's either that or you
didn't
activate your software. (Activate is not the same as register.)

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



"Run out of ideas!" <Run out of [email protected]>
wrote
in
message I have a registered version of Office 2003 yet I can no longer
edit
documents
/ create new ones / etc.

I have tried reinstalling and repairing without success

Any ideas?

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

I phrased that badly because I didn't get quite the type of response I
expected.

It's obvious that something is screwed up with the Office installation. If
your computer repair people reinstalled the software, I would go back to
them since you're having issues within one week. Yes, I know you said you
reinstalled it. Wait - did you uninstall it before reinstalling it?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

The key on the sticker in the Office CD case

What do you mean by "old product key"?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

No, the 20 digit Product ID showing on the PC is very different to the
25
digit Product Key that came with the disk.

During the repair they replaced the hard drive and the memory.
Remember, I
have been able to edit docs since the repair - it was only from
yesterday
I've had the unable to edit problem.

I reinstalled Office yesterday to see if that would resolve it and the
system didn't flag problems with me using the 'old' Product Key that
came
with the disk.

Is there a way of confirming this is an Office problem rather than an
XP
one?

Thanks for your efforts so far!
:

That number is not the same thing as the key that's on the label.

Did they reformat your computer when it was repaired?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



message I'm getting no dialogue box. I had been able to edit photos prior to
last
night and my machine was only returned from repair last Thursday
when I
had
to install Office, etc ('coincidentally' a week before this
problem). I
think
it was Office I had to phone to register as the supplied Product Key
had
been
used too many times but it might have been my XP - My PC was
previously
having some major hardware issues that resulted in numerous
reinstalls!

It is a home computer and my user is an administrator.

It does sound like an activation problem to me as well but the
product
ID
is
appearing on the 'About .......' window
:

Yes, you should get a dialog box that says that.

Are you logged in as the administrator? Is this on your home
computer
or
a
work computer? (I'm trying to think of any possibilities here.)

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



in
message It is not a trial version.

If I go into Word for example and click on the 'activate product'
option
in
help nothing happens. Should I get a message saying the product
is
already
activated or similar?

:

Are you sure that it's not a trial version? It's either that or
you
didn't
activate your software. (Activate is not the same as register.)

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



"Run out of ideas!" <Run out of
[email protected]>
wrote
in
message
I have a registered version of Office 2003 yet I can no longer
edit
documents
/ create new ones / etc.

I have tried reinstalling and repairing without success

Any ideas?

 

[Run out of ideas!]

Yes I uninstalled the software first. I don't recall if I rebooted though.

A quick summary:

I installed Office after getting my PC back. I had problems with either
activating Office or XP due to the Product Key being used too often in the
past. I believe it was with Office. I phoned the number I was prompted to
ring and was given a new key.

Office had worked fine until yesterday when I found I couldn't edit /
create. I then tried the activate products, detect and repair and check for
updates options from Help without any success so I uninstalled and then
reinstalled Office. When prompted for my Product Key I found I could use the
key that came with the disk. However I am still not able to edit any
documents, etc.

Should the various activations be visible in Event Viewer anywhere? Or is
there anything else I can look for in there?

How can I check both XP and Office are correctly activated?

What other questions should I be asking?! ;-)

Cheers

I phrased that badly because I didn't get quite the type of response I
expected.

It's obvious that something is screwed up with the Office installation. If
your computer repair people reinstalled the software, I would go back to
them since you're having issues within one week. Yes, I know you said you
reinstalled it. Wait - did you uninstall it before reinstalling it?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

The key on the sticker in the Office CD case

What do you mean by "old product key"?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



message No, the 20 digit Product ID showing on the PC is very different to the
25
digit Product Key that came with the disk.

During the repair they replaced the hard drive and the memory.
Remember, I
have been able to edit docs since the repair - it was only from
yesterday
I've had the unable to edit problem.

I reinstalled Office yesterday to see if that would resolve it and the
system didn't flag problems with me using the 'old' Product Key that
came
with the disk.

Is there a way of confirming this is an Office problem rather than an
XP
one?

Thanks for your efforts so far!
:

That number is not the same thing as the key that's on the label.

Did they reformat your computer when it was repaired?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



message I'm getting no dialogue box. I had been able to edit photos prior to
last
night and my machine was only returned from repair last Thursday
when I
had
to install Office, etc ('coincidentally' a week before this
problem). I
think
it was Office I had to phone to register as the supplied Product Key
had
been
used too many times but it might have been my XP - My PC was
previously
having some major hardware issues that resulted in numerous
reinstalls!

It is a home computer and my user is an administrator.

It does sound like an activation problem to me as well but the
product
ID
is
appearing on the 'About .......' window
:

Yes, you should get a dialog box that says that.

Are you logged in as the administrator? Is this on your home
computer
or
a
work computer? (I'm trying to think of any possibilities here.)

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



in
message It is not a trial version.

If I go into Word for example and click on the 'activate product'
option
in
help nothing happens. Should I get a message saying the product
is
already
activated or similar?

:

Are you sure that it's not a trial version? It's either that or
you
didn't
activate your software. (Activate is not the same as register.)

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



"Run out of ideas!" <Run out of
[email protected]>
wrote
in
message
I have a registered version of Office 2003 yet I can no longer
edit
documents
/ create new ones / etc.

I have tried reinstalling and repairing without success

Any ideas?

 

[garfield-n-odie [MVP]]

See http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=823527 "Activation Wizard
does not start in Office 2003".

 

[Run out of ideas!]

I deleted the OPA11.dat file but this didn't make a difference, I still can't
edit anything.

 

[Run out of ideas!]

Have got it working! I've read through other discussion threads and ended up
going into the registry and deleting the Office keys. Can't say I knew what I
was doing but it's worked!
What causes this in the first place?

 

[John]

I am having the exact same issue. Office 2003 is activated but all the
toolbars are greyed out and the program reports the document is locked.
Chosing "activate product" from the Help menu results in no response. Could
you please post the name of the thread that you found that solved the
problem? Thanks