Can the secondary portable license install be done first?

[Gary P.]

It seems clear the license agreement for Office 2007 Professional provides
for an install on two computers via a primary (licensed) device and a
secondary portable right.

MS FAQ's clearly state that:
1. The licensed device can be to either a desktop or a portable.
2. The secondary must be to a portable.

Since I want one of my installs to be to my desktop, that has to be the
primary licensed device and the secondary portable install of course will be
to my laptop.

MY QUESTION: Must the 2nd install (time wise) always be to the secondary
portable right? In other words, can I install to the laptop first and
then to the desktop?

I'm curious to know the answer regarding both:
1. Whether product activation, having previously recorded my product key as
having already completed an installation, physically prevent a second install
onto anything other than a portable device?
2. Even if I'm not prevented from doing so by product activation, is making
the second install to a desktop a violation of the license agreement, even if
the 1st install is to a laptop?

I also understand there is a right to "reassign" but that can only be done
once every 90 days?

 

[Jeff Gaines]

MY QUESTION: Must the 2nd install (time wise) always be to the secondary
portable right? In other words, can I install to the laptop first and
then to the desktop?

I did that with no problems.

I'm curious to know the answer regarding both:
1. Whether product activation, having previously recorded my product key
as
having already completed an installation, physically prevent a second
install
onto anything other than a portable device?

No, the source files are usually on read only media.

2. Even if I'm not prevented from doing so by product activation, is
making
the second install to a desktop a violation of the license agreement, even
if
the 1st install is to a laptop?

No, MSFT don't care what order you do it in.

I also understand there is a right to "reassign" but that can only be done
once every 90 days?

Not come across that and it may depend on local laws. I had to re-install
XP recently and then Office H&E then Access and they all activated online
- it will certainly have been well over 90 days since the last activation.

 

[Gary P.]

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for replying to my questions. I was glad to read you were able to
install first to a laptop and then again to a desktop.

However, I didn't understand what you wrote in your answer to the first part
of my 2nd question: "No, the source files are usually on read only media."

What I meant by product activation is when you contact MS during the install
and MS records the attributes of the computer you are installing the program
on.

If it was the case that the 2nd install in time must be the secondary
portable right (and thus done on a portable device) it's possible the install
might be halted during the product activation if MS determines, through the
info being sent it, that the user is attempting to do the 2nd install in time
to a desktop.

Since you say you were successful installing to your laptop first and to
your desktop second, I conclude that MS either totally disregards, during
product activation, whether the install is to a desktop or laptop, or only
responds to stop the install if it knows from the info transmitted to it
during the installs (regarding the attributes of the computers) that both the
1st and 2nd installs are to desktops.

 

[Jeff Gaines]

However, I didn't understand what you wrote in your answer to the first
part
of my 2nd question: "No, the source files are usually on read only media."

What I meant by product activation is when you contact MS during the
install
and MS records the attributes of the computer you are installing the
program
on.

Sorry, I thought you were questioning whether MSFT marked the source file
in some way.

 

[DL]

The EULA is for a Desktop & portable device, however MS has no way of
determining, during installation/activation, the type of device you are
installing on.