Hi guys,

I've been doing some uni work on my laptop and when ever I load a Microsoft product it asks for the 25 digit key. I enter the product key of the bottom of the laptop (which is genuine as I brought it from a pc shop) but its not accepting it :(

This means I can not use any of the functions of the programme!

Can anybody please help

Thanks...

No you need a key for the office apps. That code is for Windows.

You should be able to get a key extremely cheaply through your uni.

Erm, the Office COA/key isn't usually stuck on the bottom of the laptop as it doesn't usually come pre-installed, that sounds like it's probably your Windows COA/key. Your Office one will be with your Office installation discs somewhere safe (I hope) or possibly just in your email inbox if you bought the downloadable version rather than physical media.

I'll dig the box out as its got all the disks and stuff in the box. Fingers crossed its there! :p

I'll dig the box out as its got all the disks and stuff in the box. Fingers crossed its there! :p

unless you bought it with office loaded, then you just have the trial versions.

I'll dig the box out as its got all the disks and stuff in the box. Fingers crossed its there! :p

Did you definitely buy the laptop with the extra option of microsoft office? usually they only come with a pre-installed trial version, and you need to purchase the security key as an added extra or as a seperate purchase.

TBH, your best bet as a student would be to buy it seperate from the laptop as you will get it heavily discounted. IIRC the full version of Office can be bought as a student for £37.98. This is full professional version that includes publisher aswell, not the student / starter version, usually costs about £400. Try sofware4students.co.uk

Thanks for the help and advice. I'll speak to my dad as he bought the laptop initially so when I got given it (as a present) it was already set up ready to go...

Thanks again.

Did you definitely buy the laptop with the extra option of microsoft office? usually they only come with a pre-installed trial version, and you need to purchase the security key as an added extra or as a seperate purchase.

TBH, your best bet as a student would be to buy it seperate from the laptop as you will get it heavily discounted. IIRC the full version of Office can be bought as a student for £37.98. This is full professional version that includes publisher aswell, not the student / starter version, usually costs about £400. Try sofware4students.co.uk

Interesting. How do they stop anyone buying this?

What checks do they carry out to prevent people like me who aren't in education buy it?

Interesting. How do they stop anyone buying this?

What checks do they carry out to prevent people like me who aren't in education?

In a word, they don't and none!

So you're telling me that you can buy the full MSO 2010 for £37,89 without any checks on my educational status whatsoever.

So you're telling me that you can buy the full MSO 2010 for £37,89 without any checks on my educational status whatsoever.

Pretty much. I know a few people that have done it. MS are only really interested in businesses running illegal software or incorrect licensing as they will randomly send FAST round to any business they suspect or random businesses that may not 'according to MS' have any MS licenses.

We have FAST visit fairly often at our place (council) but we have volume licenses for most things.

£37.89 is more money for microsoft than people running with torrented software, which of course nobody does.

Software4students DO carry out checks on eligibility. I know from experience having legitimately purchased Microsoft software from them on 4 occasions for my grandchildren. They required additional information - over and above the child's name and school (which has to be on an approved list) - for verification purposes

They probably ask for the number off your student card to verify it may be :/ surely they must run checks...

They probably ask for the number off your student card to verify it may be :/ surely they must run checks...

you don't get a student card at nursery, primary or secondary last time I checked?

They can't really check anything as you could have it for your relative that visits, next doors children that don't have a computer etc etc.

They don't do anything about illegal software downloaded so hardly think they're going to check on stuff you've actually gone and bought!

When I've been doing college courses & qualified for student discount I've had to verify my student status. We got full MS Office 2010 through work (private sector) for about £7 so it's not just students who benefit.

If you do have a full non-trial version installed & you lost the number run for adding further components run Belarc Advisor (google it) & it will give you a results page with all your license numbers of installed software - MS & others.

Software4students DO carry out checks on eligibility. I know from experience having legitimately purchased Microsoft software from them on 4 occasions for my grandchildren. They required additional information - over and above the child's name and school (which has to be on an approved list) - for verification purposes

I bought Office 2010 from Software4students and was asked to input details of the education premises attended. I only attended a fairly short course (2 week!!) but this seemed to be satisfactory!

They probably ask for the number off your student card to verify it may be :/ surely they must run checks...

Nope, just enter your educational faciltity and name. Job done.

Not sure if they make further checks, but all above board and cheap as chips.

I entered my daughters secondary school as she needs it for most of her school work.. As a bonus they legally allow you to install it on a second PC.

We got full MS Office 2010 through work (private sector) for about £7 so it's not just students who benefit.

That requires your employer to pay MS extra money for that perk though. We used to have it at work, but to save money they cancelled it, plus the NHS pulled that about 6-8 months ago for all NHS staff and saved vast amounts of money.

I just use my MSDN license instead

How come the 2010 version is cheaper than 2007?! lol Either way their both at a cracking price!

Shame they only have upgrade versions of Windows 7 too as I could really do with a cheap full Windows 7 install at the moment.

If you don't have a license and don't want to pay then there's always Open Office which does what it says on the tin really.

Phil

Libre Office is the new kid on the block - a spur from OO.

Since Oracle bought the company that developed Open Office support and releases have all but stopped. Nearly all the original staff have left and are now continuing development using a new product name, as rosswm mentions called Libre Office. This is basically the open office code improved with continued support.

That's an affirmative on what mannyo says. I use Libre Office these days as it's is every bit as good as MS Office in my opinion. At work I have MS Office too but choose to use the Libre package. It doesn't cause any problems either. I use it at work and at home in my office. My colleagues send work related Word docs to my home, I edit in Libre and return them as Word docs. Even presentation packages and spreadsheet scripts remain in format. It has some useful features and tricks that MS Office doesn't have and it wil read virtually any file on the planet and produce everything from PDF's to any Word docs. Kinda makes MS Office redundant in my view. And it's FREE! and fully supported. Most people that I have installed it for on their new build computers instantly like it and don't use Office anymore. Just a thought!