PowerPoint registration problem

[Anonymous9876]

I purchased, installed, and registered PowerPoint some time ago (two years
maybe).

Recently, I had to reformat my hard drive. Upon doing so, I reinstalled all
of my old software and re-registered it using the original product keys.

This technique worked fine for everything except PowerPoint. When I try to
register it, I get an error saying that this product key has been used
before. Why yes, it has. I used it, on this very same computer, and I need to
use it again.

I called Support, who told me I needed to contact Pre-Sales Support, which I
did using the number I was given. That Pre-Sales number has been
disconnected. So far so good.

Can anyone tell me how I can use my legally purchased copy of PowerPoint?

A thousand thanks in advance.

 

[Sonia]

What version of PowerPoint are we talking about? Is it a full standalone
version of PowerPoint, or is it an upgrade. I'm assuming that you don't have
the full Office suite with Word, Excel, etc., but is that correct?

Are you trying to "activate" the product or "register" it? There is a
difference. You have to activate in order to give you continued use.
Registration, as I understand it, is required to qualify you for customer
support, etc. Generally I only register once because I'm already in their
database because of my previous registration. But activation is required
whenever you install or re-install the software so that you have continued use
of it. If you have installed PowerPoint then go to Help > Activate product. If
you've successfully activated it you will receive a message to that effect.

 

[Anonymous9876]

Sorry, let me do a better bug report. I'm talking about activation not
registration. I'm using XP (2002), the standalone product.

When the product starts (after my 50 "trial" uses, now long gone), I get the
activation screen. I hit "Next," leaving the internet activation radio button
checked.

I next get the following error message in a dialog box:
"Our records indicate that this Product Key has already been used to
activate another product. If you feel you've received this message in error,
please contact a Customer Service Representative by clicking OK and selecting
the Telephone option." So I click OK.

I called the automated telephone system and read the whole installation ID
in. It says "I'm sorry, I cannot validate your installation ID. Please hold"
and so on. Finally it worked, but I had to talk on the phone with India, of
course.

I can't be the first person to have reinstalled my operating system. It
shouldn't be this complex.

 

[Sonia]

Okay. Gotcha. No, it usually works smooth as silk. My guess is that something
changed on your system so that the Microsoft system didn't recognize it as the
same system that their database said "owned" the key. I'm not sure what system
info is used for this matching. But it sounds like you finally resolved it. Is
that correct?