Office Upgrade without Original Disks

[DT]

Two years ago I bought a used laptop with MS Office 2000 Professional
already installed. The seller also provided me with COPIES of the
original installation disks, along with the product key required
during installation. I have no idea whether the previous installation
was legitimate or not -- that is, whether it was ever registered with
Microsoft (with 2000 and earlier Office versions, registration was not
required to complete the installation). The installation disk does
work - I ran into some problems last year that forced me to uninstall
and then reinstall Office, and the disk & product key worked just
fine.

Now I'm interested in upgrading to Office 2007 (Ultimate). Ideally,
I'd prefer to buy the upgrade version and save a few bucks, but I'd
hate to spend $400+ only to discover during installation that the
upgrade wouldn't install over what turned out to be a pirated version
of Office 2000. On the other hand, I'd hate spending an extra $150 or
so "just to be on the safe side," especially if that $150 will make
absolutely no difference in terms of being able or unable to install
the 07 package.

Can anyone advise me on this? Ethically, I've lived with the "what I
don't know won't hurt me" position for a couple years now, so what I
really want to know is whether what I don't know (in terms of the
legitimacy of my software) COULD hurt me technically in trying to do
the 2007 upgrade.

 

[JoAnn Paules]

If you don't have original disks, I wouldn't count on the upgrade working.
Maybe I'm a cynic but it seems to me that if you had a legitimate version of
Office, you'd have genuine CDs, not a copies.

--
JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

 

[Og]

Here is what I tell my clients:
I make copies of all my (non-OEM) software as backup, per the EULA.
If my install media becomes unusable, I do not have to buy new software.
If my house burns down, I have to buy new hardware, but I do not have to buy
new software.
To preclude questions as to the legitimacy of my software, to which both the
OP and you allude,
I keep the 'originals' off-site in a fire-proof safe.
Steve

If you don't have original disks, I wouldn't count on the upgrade working.
Maybe I'm a cynic but it seems to me that if you had a legitimate version
of Office, you'd have genuine CDs, not a copies.

--
JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

Two years ago I bought a used laptop with MS Office 2000 Professional
already installed. The seller also provided me with COPIES of the
original installation disks, along with the product key required
during installation. I have no idea whether the previous installation
was legitimate or not -- that is, whether it was ever registered with
Microsoft (with 2000 and earlier Office versions, registration was not
required to complete the installation). The installation disk does
work - I ran into some problems last year that forced me to uninstall
and then reinstall Office, and the disk & product key worked just
fine.

Now I'm interested in upgrading to Office 2007 (Ultimate). Ideally,
I'd prefer to buy the upgrade version and save a few bucks, but I'd
hate to spend $400+ only to discover during installation that the
upgrade wouldn't install over what turned out to be a pirated version
of Office 2000. On the other hand, I'd hate spending an extra $150 or
so "just to be on the safe side," especially if that $150 will make
absolutely no difference in terms of being able or unable to install
the 07 package.

Can anyone advise me on this? Ethically, I've lived with the "what I
don't know won't hurt me" position for a couple years now, so what I
really want to know is whether what I don't know (in terms of the
legitimacy of my software) COULD hurt me technically in trying to do
the 2007 upgrade.

 

[JoAnn Paules]

And that's fine but do you keep the clients software as well? I gotta tell
you, if I pay for it, I want my software. If I lose it, a fire destroys it,
my cats use it as a scratching post - that's my loss.

--
JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

Here is what I tell my clients:
I make copies of all my (non-OEM) software as backup, per the EULA.
If my install media becomes unusable, I do not have to buy new software.
If my house burns down, I have to buy new hardware, but I do not have to
buy new software.
To preclude questions as to the legitimacy of my software, to which both
the OP and you allude,
I keep the 'originals' off-site in a fire-proof safe.
Steve

If you don't have original disks, I wouldn't count on the upgrade
working. Maybe I'm a cynic but it seems to me that if you had a
legitimate version of Office, you'd have genuine CDs, not a copies.

--
JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

Two years ago I bought a used laptop with MS Office 2000 Professional
already installed. The seller also provided me with COPIES of the
original installation disks, along with the product key required
during installation. I have no idea whether the previous installation
was legitimate or not -- that is, whether it was ever registered with
Microsoft (with 2000 and earlier Office versions, registration was not
required to complete the installation). The installation disk does
work - I ran into some problems last year that forced me to uninstall
and then reinstall Office, and the disk & product key worked just
fine.

Now I'm interested in upgrading to Office 2007 (Ultimate). Ideally,
I'd prefer to buy the upgrade version and save a few bucks, but I'd
hate to spend $400+ only to discover during installation that the
upgrade wouldn't install over what turned out to be a pirated version
of Office 2000. On the other hand, I'd hate spending an extra $150 or
so "just to be on the safe side," especially if that $150 will make
absolutely no difference in terms of being able or unable to install
the 07 package.

Can anyone advise me on this? Ethically, I've lived with the "what I
don't know won't hurt me" position for a couple years now, so what I
really want to know is whether what I don't know (in terms of the
legitimacy of my software) COULD hurt me technically in trying to do
the 2007 upgrade.

 

[Og]

I learned long ago that some clients are like horses:
You can lead them to water,
but you can't prevent them from
going doo-doo in their drink.
Steve

And that's fine but do you keep the clients software as well? I gotta tell
you, if I pay for it, I want my software. If I lose it, a fire destroys
it, my cats use it as a scratching post - that's my loss.

--
JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

Here is what I tell my clients:
I make copies of all my (non-OEM) software as backup, per the EULA.
If my install media becomes unusable, I do not have to buy new software.
If my house burns down, I have to buy new hardware, but I do not have to
buy new software.
To preclude questions as to the legitimacy of my software, to which both
the OP and you allude,
I keep the 'originals' off-site in a fire-proof safe.
Steve

If you don't have original disks, I wouldn't count on the upgrade
working. Maybe I'm a cynic but it seems to me that if you had a
legitimate version of Office, you'd have genuine CDs, not a copies.

--
JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375


Two years ago I bought a used laptop with MS Office 2000 Professional
already installed. The seller also provided me with COPIES of the
original installation disks, along with the product key required
during installation. I have no idea whether the previous installation
was legitimate or not -- that is, whether it was ever registered with
Microsoft (with 2000 and earlier Office versions, registration was not
required to complete the installation). The installation disk does
work - I ran into some problems last year that forced me to uninstall
and then reinstall Office, and the disk & product key worked just
fine.

Now I'm interested in upgrading to Office 2007 (Ultimate). Ideally,
I'd prefer to buy the upgrade version and save a few bucks, but I'd
hate to spend $400+ only to discover during installation that the
upgrade wouldn't install over what turned out to be a pirated version
of Office 2000. On the other hand, I'd hate spending an extra $150 or
so "just to be on the safe side," especially if that $150 will make
absolutely no difference in terms of being able or unable to install
the 07 package.

Can anyone advise me on this? Ethically, I've lived with the "what I
don't know won't hurt me" position for a couple years now, so what I
really want to know is whether what I don't know (in terms of the
legitimacy of my software) COULD hurt me technically in trying to do
the 2007 upgrade.