Best Practice? Uninstall Office before reformatting?

[Rassi777]

I am about to reformat a computer that has Office 2007 installed. After the
reformat, I plan to reinstall Office 2007.

From a licensing standpoint, is it better to uninstall your existing copy of
Office 2007 before you perform the reformat, or doesn't it make any
difference?

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[garfield-n-odie [MVP]]

Makes no difference. Microsoft's activation system does not
track the number of uninstalls.

 

[Rassi777]

Does it check to see if it is a "reinstall" on that same PC (to save having
to revalidate) or might you have to go through validation again?

 

[garfield-n-odie [MVP]]

What do mean by "validation"? You must reactivate the Office
software after reinstalling, even if on the same PC. See
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/293151 "Description of the Office
Activation Wizard" for more information.

 

[Rassi777]

Sorry, I mis-spoke. What I was referring to was how with WindowsXP sometimes
if you change too many pieces of the hardware, it will make you talk to a
Microsoft person on the phone, rather than being able to reactivate
automatically.

Thank you again.

 

[DL]

Office Activation is Office specific, it depends on how long has transpired
betwwen the last activation and the current one as to whether you have to
use phone actvation