BleepingComputer.com: Office 2003 De-Activated

i bought my Office 2003 Professional 6 months ago $699 from Harvey Norman (big computer store, Australia) and i installed it and went to Activate it but it said "Product already activated" so i have been using it for the last 6 months and doing the updates. It is a genuine CD as it has the special surface with all the colours and the word GENUINE when tilted. But about a week ago i went to use word and a message come up saying "You must activate your product to coninue" i think i have used the application 3 times the 50 launches. But i went in and pressed the "Activate" but it said "You have used all your Activations" i thought there would be two because on for desktop PC and 1 for Laptop but i didn't really get any. So i contacted Microsoft and you know Microsoft $$$$$ they thought that i was using a pirated copy. i went back to the store and spoked to the manager there and he signed the recept as well as the lady that served me as she remembers when i got it. posted it to Miccrosoft and the BLEEPS wouldn't do anything. So now i have lost $699 for a CD i no longer can use. I know its illegal to use pirated software But i need Word, Excel & Publisher. I'm using Office XP Pro which a friend copied for me which is only temporary 'til i can sort it out.

I'm sure you now realize the the message you got saying the product was already activated
was a tip-off that the product key had been stolen from your present copy.

And by now you also know that BC will not help in any illegal activity to circumvent validation keys/codes.

It's a darn shame that M$ will not replace your program with the evidence you've supplied them.

It appears your only recourse to is get the retailer to exchange the program for a fresh copy and a valid key.

i have not got the office 2003 here at the moment as it is with the store manager but how they got the key is a mysterie because the product was wrapped in that plastic where i couldn't see if it had been opened. Unless it was installed on a computer by somebody that works there to get a free copy and then re sealed it. Who knows. But i hope they can replace it. It's tipical of M$ they think of $$$ cause i might buy another copy but no no i want a replacement. Until then its the pirate XP (well for the 50 launches) i know it has been hacked into to use permenately but i ain't a pirate pirate user. I'll use a pirated version for the first 50 launches. SO i hope i don't run out.

If push comes to shove, you can use OpenOffice.Org, which is compatible with MS file types. It has a word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation modules that are as functional as MS's.
It is completely free.
I certainly hope the manager will replace the Office copy for you.

Regards,
John

DOn't worry i'm not letting the $699 slip through my fingers and certainly i'm using MS Office pirated (50 launches) until i get a new copy and it will be 2003 Pro too. I will be contacting the store today to find out any more. As far as i know he is checking all staff computers at home and the ones at the business too see if it has been put on. But as soon as the OpenOffice.Org 2.0 is finally released i will download it and put it on a cd and certainly will not purchase another MS Office especially if MS themselfs think ii was trying to pirate it.

I had contacted the store this afternoon and the manager would give me another copy of M$ Office 2003 Pro but is having a hard time trying to sort out how it had become a invalid key because there was no computer in the store or any staff PCs containing the particular copy of office and they are packed in a cabinet with alarm and locks etc. As MS can't replace the copy of office because they think it a copied one but it not because it had been tested to be the legitamet product. So i wonder if there is one of those key maker thingy's that generates keys and some how it was used that way? Don't know. But the manager said he can'tgive me another copyof 2003 Pro but a refund and a free copy of a new Office XP Professional with Frontpage and Publisher (Old Stock). I don't know why he couldn't give me another copy of 2003 since he refunded it. So i'm still thinking about getting another one. Is it worth it? Since i can't tell much difference between them. I now have a Genuine Copy of XP Pro wrapped sealed and hoping it will work. And save the $699 or just buy another one.

What do u reckon?

I'd take the refund, say thanks, and get the "Open Office" system.

Spend the refund on something else that you need.

Actually, you're somewhat ahead in the game now with a legit version of XP Pro.

I don't understand why they couldn't just swap the old for a new program either.

Move on, but maybe throw a bit of other business back to the one particular store
for their efforts to help you.



Regards,
Koan

(Hey, thanks for telling us how it all has turned out.)

Well i thought about it and i know Office XP Pro is 3-4 years old but i'll kepp it since i've got my $699 plus office for nothing. So i got an Windows XP Pro upgrade for my XP Home OEM. i was ondering it i can put it on i never thought about it. If it doesn't work can i use sytem restore to put it back to the way it was.

as i'm only a Pro user i'm not sure but i think i read that XP Home OEM can not be "Upgraded" to Pro.


But like i said i'm unsure.

1 - Home can not be upgraded to pro.

2 - If you still have the copy of Office 2003 Pro and you want to activate it - use the "avtivate by phone" option. Call the number it has listed for your region, follow the nice automated lady on the phone. She will tell you she can not help you, blah blah blah and transfer you to a live person. When you get the live person, they ask you for the code and note that it has previously been activated. If they ask why you are trying to activate it again, tell them you reformated your computer. They might also ask if the program is installed on any other system - say no. It is not installed anywhere but on your newly reformated computer. The rep will go ahead then and activate the product by giving you the activation code over the phone. Woila! You are set. I do this all the time. Legally. Mostly for work. Then you can now use your product and be happy


Good luck!

I havent got the office 2003 pro as the store manger took it back and refunded my money and gave me a free copy of Office XP pro which was nice but i didn't know why he didn't swap it for another 2003 pro. Well if i can't upgrade Home to Pro (which is very stupid) what about a retail Home? can i upgrade Home OEM to retail Pro? Or just stuck with OEM Home?

Home can't be upgraded period.

Best thing to do is wipe out the machine and put on PRO.

it's hard to do when you don't have all the CD's for all the drivers for Audio, CD-Rom/Burner/DVD all-in-one, etc. because of the 4cd recovery thing though the 4th cd has a folder labelled driver and has a few folders in there i'm not sure which is for which and if i ain't sure i'm best to leave it alone. i though it would be just simply insert the pro CD and select upgrade and it will keep all my settings like Office, Internet, e-mail etc. But obviously it's not like that. M$ is a pain. They could have just made any version of Home can be upgraded to Pro but no Anyway i'll sort it out one day. I did have a Upgrade Pro but took it back and got a retail one ($160 more). i'll put it away and let someone who knows to do it.