Licence caanot be authorised on new PC

[Gareth]

I have recently bought a new Desktop PC. I have uninstalled a copy of Office
Ultimate 2007 from my old PC and now wish to install it onto my new PC. I
have checked with my supplier who assures me I have a licence for 3 machines.
I have installed the product on a Desktop PC, Laptop and Netbook.
Consequently I have uninstalled from one Desktop PC and wish to re-install on
the new Desktop PC so still having 3 licences only. When I installed on the
new PC I get a message asking me to activate the product. This does not work
as it appears I have 4 rather than 3 licences even though I have uninstalled
one copy.

Can anyone advice how I get over this problem?

Thanks

 

[Susan Ramlet]

Use the telephone method of activation in this case.

 

[Gordon]

I have recently bought a new Desktop PC. I have uninstalled a copy of
Office
Ultimate 2007 from my old PC and now wish to install it onto my new PC. I
have checked with my supplier who assures me I have a licence for 3
machines.

I thought the only Office suite that was licensed for three machines with
one Product key is Home and Student, NOT "Ultimate".
I suggest you read the EULA in one of the already-installed copies.

 

[Gareth]

Gordon

I did email Digital River who provided the software on this issue and they
repiled I had 3 licences. Before I bought the new PC I had the software
running on 3 machines which seems to bear out their claim.

Susan - I did try the telephone method, but it seemed to be wholly
automated and gave me no opportunity to speak to a "human being". All that
happened was I had to speak out a key that came when I tried to activate and
the reply was I had used up my licences. No chance to resolve the issue from
that point!

 

[DL]

The response from Digital River is incorrect, Ultimate is licensed for two
devices for use by the same user
To confirm simply read the EULA available in any Office component

 

[Susan Ramlet]

Here's another spot:

Find End User License Terms for Microsoft Software Licensed by Microsoft or
the Computer Manufacturer
http://www.microsoft.com/about/legal/useterms/default.aspx

 

[Smartbond]

Hi,

Use this Microsoft Fix It article , it might help you:

How to troubleshoot problems that you may experience when you try to
activate a 2007 Office product
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/919895

Thanks
Smartbond

 

[Gareth]

Many thanks to everyone for their kind contributions. Digital River have
indeed claimed I am licensed for 3 machines and, indeed, I have managed to
get all 3 machines activated (PC, Laptop, Netbook) and working up to the
point where I wanted to uninstall from my old PC to my new PC. At this point
I cannot activate on the new PC. Let us assume that Digital River is wrong
and that I am licensed for 2 machines only. I therefore have to uninstall
from another machine (say the Netbook) leaving me with just one machine
running Office 2007 (the Laptop). How does Microsoft know I have performed
all this and that the installation/activation on the new PC should now work?
This baffles me quite frankly!!

On another point if I want to take anothert option and increase the number
of licenses beyond the permitted 2 does anyone know how I do that?
Gareth

 

[Susan Ramlet]

See, I'm confused, because I've used the telephone activation method in the
past, and it has worked, but that was ages ago....that's the key: they
*don't* know unless you tell them.

 

[Susan Ramlet]

As mentioned in this article:

Activate Microsoft Office programs - Help and How-to - Microsoft Office
Online http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/help/HA012334341033.aspx

 

[Gareth]

I thought I would post this reply I received from Digital River as it may
help in some way. They are adamant that it is a licence for 3 machines. The
licence for 2 machines applies to individual products such as Word. What is
interesting ( and I think grossly unfair) is that if you use your licence on
3 machines that is it. Clearly they can track if you have used the licence 3
times through the activation code. If you uninstall from one machine and try
to re-install on another - tough!! You have used up your allocation. I this
is correct then it is outrageous.

Hope of use to somebody out there- take care when you use the licence!!

Gareth

 

[Gordon]

I thought I would post this reply I received from Digital River as it may
help in some way. They are adamant that it is a licence for 3 machines.
The
licence for 2 machines applies to individual products such as Word. What
is
interesting ( and I think grossly unfair) is that if you use your licence
on
3 machines that is it. Clearly they can track if you have used the
licence 3
times through the activation code. If you uninstall from one machine and
try
to re-install on another - tough!! You have used up your allocation. I
this
is correct then it is outrageous.

Hope of use to somebody out there- take care when you use the licence!!

I have NEVER heard of that before.
May I suggest that you copy and paste the relevant portion of your EULA here
for us all to see? Because if this is the case then it will say so in your
EULA.
I can almost guarantee that Digital River have either misunderstood your
question, or you have misunderstood their reply.

 

[Gareth]

Gordon

This the email conversation with Digital River:

My query

"I am sorry to come back to you again, but I am now totally baffled.
According to the Microsoft Forums, where I put the same issue, they believe
that Digital River is incorrect and that I have a licence for 2 machines, not
3 as you stated. This is clearly a critical point. Interestingly I have had
Office 2007 Ultimate working correctly on 3 machines, until I uninstalled
from my old PC and tried to re-install on my new PC.

Before I take this up with Microsoft:

1. Can you please definitively clarify whether the licence covers 2 or 3
machines?
2. Do you know how I can increase the number of machines covered by the
licence if that becomes my only option?

Thanks

Gareth"

Digital River reply

"Thank you for contacting the Ultimate Steal online store.

We apologize for the confusion about this matter. Basically, Microsoft
Office Suites are licensed for use on up to three machines. Individual
product purchases such as Word, Excel, Outlook, and other programs may only
be installed on one licensed device and one portable device.

Since you already install the software into 3 computers, the three license
was already used, even if you uninstall the software into your old computer
and install it into a new one. Unfortunately, under this promotion, you can
only purchase once.

For additional licensing information, please visit:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/products/HA102333141033.aspx"

I caanot see how I could have put my query any more clearly than this.
Their answer also seems quite clear.

Even if your view that I am licensed for 2 machines is correct, and not 3 as
claimed by Digital River, no one has answered my query as to how Microsoft
know I have uninstalled from one machine and wish to re-insatll on another.
The only solution that makes sense (even thought I think it is outrageous) is
that Microsoft can account for each installation by their activating system.
They have no de-activation system so according to them I have used up the
licence.

When you say in your reply to me "I have never heard of that before" are you
referring to the 3 machine licence for Microsoft Ultimate 2007 or to my
"accusation" that Microsoft will not let me re-install because they have
alraedy activated the system and that I cannot uninstall from one machine and
install on an other.

The other way I suppose is to change the licence in soem way and incsrease
thge number of machines covered by the licence, but heaven knows how one does
that. It would be so much more helpful if there was an email address within
Microsoft where I could address this issue.

Thanks again for your interest

Gareth

Gareth

 

[Gordon]

Gareth"

Digital River reply

"Thank you for contacting the Ultimate Steal online store.

We apologize for the confusion about this matter. Basically, Microsoft
Office Suites are licensed for use on up to three machines.

That is TOTALLY wrong for YOUR version.
Home and Student is the ONLY version authorised for more than two machines
on the SAME product key.
Please, as I asked - READ YOUR EULA.
THAT is the definitive answer.

 

[Gordon]

We apologize for the confusion about this matter. Basically, Microsoft
Office Suites are licensed for use on up to three machines.

here is PROOF.
A copy of the relevant part of the EULA for Office 2007 Standard:

1. OVERVIEW. These license terms permit installation and use of one copy
of the software on one device, along with other rights, all as described
below.
2. INSTALLATION AND USE RIGHTS. Before you use the software under a
license, you must assign that license to one device. That device is the
“licensed device.†A hardware partition or blade is considered to be a
separate device.
a. Licensed Device. You may install and use one copy of the software on the
licensed device.
b. Portable Device. You may install another copy on a portable device for
use by the single primary user of the licensed device.
c. Separation of Components. The components of the software are licensed as
a single unit. You may not separate the components and install them on
different devices.

 

[Earle Horton]

I am jumping into the middle of this thread but you are right in that
Microsoft has no de-activation system. Also unless you have an OEM product
(You don't with this promotion.) installations are simultaneous, i.e. you
are allowed to have the product installed on two computers at one time, not
installing it twice. See the difference? Microsoft has no way to determine
that you conform to the terms of the license, so what they do, and pay
attention now, is they look first at the number of activations and second at
the last time you activated. If you have exceeded the number of licensed
activations, and the time since the last one is too recent, then they fail
the activation. At this point if your total installations is within the
limit, clearly stated in the EULA, you have the option to perform phone
activation, and it should put the toll free number on the screen so you can
call it.

Many people are confused about this point. Apparently from the e-mail you
enclosed this includes people at Digital River also. Having installed the
product a total of two times (or whatever the number is) is not the same as
having it installed on two computers at the same time. If you now have the
product installed on two computers, and the limit is two, then you may not
install it on another computer. If you elect to uninstall it from one
computer, then you may install it on another, but you may have to use phone
activation. If you wait long enough, phone activation will be unnecessary.

If you have installed the product the number of permitted times, then there
is no option to obtain another copy or install under the Ultimate promotion.
You would have to purchase another copy of the product, and they are
expensive.

Earle

 

[Gareth]

Earle

Many, many thanks for your response. As you said "pay attention now"!!
After reading your post a couple of times I do see the difference, but please
bear with me if I give you the exact details of what I actually did. I would
then welcome your interpretation of what this means in terms of my ability to
use the software.

1. I installed the product on 3 machines (not 2!!) consecutively and all
were successfully activated.
2. I bought a new PC, uninstalled the software from my old PC and tried to
install on my new PC - activation failed, using both internet and phone
activation processes.
3. I have now uninstalled from another machine, leaving me with just one
active machine running Office Ultimate 2007.

If I have interpreted you email correctly I have reached the limit of
activation and have no option other than buy again.

If I have mis-interpreted your email could you clarify what you mean by
waiting long enough so phone activation will not be necessary?

A last point - when I tried phone activation it was totally automated with
no opportunity to talk to a "human being" so to speak.

Earle - again my thanks for your help on this - much appreciated I can tell
you!! I hope you don't mind my seeking a little more clarification on this
issue. It would be so much easier for everyone if Microsoft had a
deactivation process.