[SOLVED] Reinstalled Vista, but need Word Product Key

[wispygalaxy]

Hi, I reinstalled Vista on my laptop. However, I need a product key for Microsoft Word. I had Microsoft Office preinstalled at Best Buy when I got my brand new laptop, but I don't have the disk for MO. I bought it with the laptop. Do you know where I can find the product key?

[dasunst3r]

If you can track down the manuals, discs, and stuff that came with the laptop, you just might be able to find your product key. In most cases I've seen, the Microsoft Office that comes with a new laptop is just the 60-day trial. Beyond that, I am unable to help you.

If you have an assignment due soon, don't waste your time -- download OpenOffice.org 2.3 from www.openoffice.org and use it to finish your assignment. It's worth a try and just might meet your needs should my suspicions be true.

[wispygalaxy]

No, I don't want to pirate anything. I just need to find the product key. I bought Microsoft Office, so should it come with a product key? Is it printed anywhere? Thanks for the help!

[-grubby]

No, I don't want to pirate anything.

are you thinking that downloading openoffice.org is pirating? It's not

[Colro]

Openoffice.org is a free alternative to Microsoft Word, there's no pirating involved. The key for it is probably included on a CD or manual that came with your laptop -- if it isn't, then your laptop only came with a trial version of it and there isn't a key.

[dasunst3r]

The only places I could possibly think of finding a key are in the Microsoft Office install media case or somewhere in the massive amount of documentation the laptop came with...

[wispygalaxy]

I know open source isn't pirating . But I'm forced to use Microsoft Word for class, and I'd love to use OpenOffice.org 2.3. My teacher only accepts files from Word, that's it. Sorry if I look like I prefer Microsoft or something

[dasunst3r]

Save your file as .doc and your teacher won't notice a thing.

P.S. Even if you prefer Microsoft Word, that's OK -- we'll try to help you anyway!

[wheredidrealitygo]

Question for you:

Do you have a program in your start menu in the Microsoft Office folder called the "Activation Assistant"?

If you do, this is only a trial version of office, and you can only use it for the trial period.

Are you able to check which version of Word it is?

If it's Office 2007, then go to the pearl button in the top left, click it once, and then go to "word options".

In the lefthand column, go down to resources, and then in the right pane, click "about word". somewhere in that jumble there'll be a product id, consisting of xxxxx-xxx-xxxxxxxx-ish numbers. if the middle three numbers are "OEM" (and not numbers) then it was a preinstalled office version and the key should be with your office documentation. if the middle three are numbers I can tell you where to go depending on which numbers they are.

[wispygalaxy]

There are two parentheses with numbers and periods. Between them it says "MSO". Hope that helps...

Edit: There is nothing like xxxxx-xxx-xxxxxxxx. It's like (1.12.4212.325) MSO (5.13.3252.362)