Lost Office Key Code

[1Mitch]

Having recently bought a second hand iBook I downloaded the upgraded for Microsoft Office. However once complete it has now asked me to enter the keycode. When I bought the computer I was unaware that such a thing even existed; I have found a copy of the keycode in the MS folder but it dosen't work. The seller is no longer contactable and I can no longer use office, any ideas on how to get a key code or get it working again?

 

[clayj]

I think you're pretty much out of luck... Microsoft's not going to give you a product key just because you ask, and the original owner is supposed to transfer ALL materials to you when they sell you Office.

 

[edesignuk]

Sounds like the original installation was a pirate copy with a pirate key, with the service pack the key you were using has been black listed.

Basically, I think you're **** out of luck, sorry 😱

 

[hodgjy]

A couple of things:

You can't download official MS upgrades. You can only download updates, which don't require key codes. They only fix current flaws. You have to buy upgrades on cd, and when you buy, the key codes are on the cd case.

When you try to upgrade office, you put in your key code before any files are ever copied or over-written. That way if you don't have a valid key code, you can always go back and use the older version unharmed.

Something with your story isn't adding up. Did you try to upgrade or update? If you upgraded, it's probably a pirate upgrade, so of course the key codes won't work. If you updated, I agree with the above poster, that it was probably an illegal copy of Office, and the update blacklisted the bad key code.

Sorry, but it appears you're out of luck.

 

[jeremy.king]

You can only download updates, which don't require key codes.

Not entirely true. When I applied the 10.1.5 or 10.1.6 (can't remember which) update, I was prompted for my serial again. Perhaps MS added a piracy check or something like you suggested? Of course, I simply entered in the information that is on my CD case and I was golden.

 

[mkrishnan]

Not entirely true. When I applied the 10.1.5 or 10.1.6 (can't remember which) update, I was prompted for my serial again. Perhaps MS added a piracy check or something like you suggested? Of course, I simply entered in the information that is on my CD case and I was golden.

If MS is using piracy checking on Office, it's pretty unobtrusive, although I don't remember if I've ever had this on either version of Office (.X or 04). At least, you don't have to constantly enter in information. More power to them.

 

[hodgjy]

Not entirely true. When I applied the 10.1.5 or 10.1.6 (can't remember which) update, I was prompted for my serial again. Perhaps MS added a piracy check or something like you suggested? Of course, I simply entered in the information that is on my CD case and I was golden.

You're probably right. I'm speaking only in the case of Office 2004 (ver 11). Every time I applied an update, I was never prompted for a key code. Perhaps the keycode is an Office.X thing.