Product Keys and IDs

[bphillips]

Ok, I'm an idiot. It's been several months since I installed several
copies of Office for Mac. Since then the original software CDs have
become separated from the machines they were installed on and now I
don't know which CD goes with which machine. I'm trying to organize
binders for each machine with the appropirate software in them.

I know I can get the product ID from the Application menu, but how do I
know which ID corresponds to the product key that came with the
application CD? Is there anyway to get the product key from the
application?

Thanks,
Beth

 

[William Smith]

Ok, I'm an idiot. It's been several months since I installed several
copies of Office for Mac. Since then the original software CDs have
become separated from the machines they were installed on and now I
don't know which CD goes with which machine. I'm trying to organize
binders for each machine with the appropirate software in them.

I know I can get the product ID from the Application menu, but how do I
know which ID corresponds to the product key that came with the
application CD? Is there anyway to get the product key from the
application?

Hi Beth!

99% of all application installer CDs are not tied to a specific serial
number. The application itself has a special algorithm it can use to
test the validity of a serial number.

If you have multiple CDs for the same versions of Office then you can
use any of them to install on any machine.

Hope this helps! bill

 

[mmmmark]

Hi Beth!

99% of all application installer CDs are not tied to a specific serial
number. The application itself has a special algorithm it can use to
test the validity of a serial number.

If you have multiple CDs for the same versions of Office then you can
use any of them to install on any machine.

Hope this helps! bill

That is unless she has the student/teacher version that comes with 3 codes.
If the machines are connected via a network, they have to be unique. I've
misplaced the directions where that registration file lives on your
computer, but it is around here somewhere--try searching these newsgroups.

By deleting that file you can pick which serial you want to use, then file
that information away for future reference.

HTH,
Mark

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

If you have multiple CDs for the same versions of Office then you can

If the machines are connected via a network, they have to be unique. I've
misplaced the directions where that registration file lives on your
computer, but it is around here somewhere--try searching these newsgroups.

It's here.
http://www.mcgimpsey.com/macoffice/office/pid.html

By deleting that file you can pick which serial you want to use, then file
that information away for future reference.

If you had already double-installed the same CD Key, you could compare
Product IDs--the twice-used code should produce a Product ID that is the
same except for the last 5 digits.

Not sure whether it's easier to do all the work now, or be forced to do less
of it immediately at a particular time in the future.

DM

 

[William Smith]

99% of all application installer CDs are not tied to a specific serial
number. The application itself has a special algorithm it can use to
test the validity of a serial number.

If you have multiple CDs for the same versions of Office then you can
use any of them to install on any machine.

That is unless she has the student/teacher version that comes with 3 codes.
If the machines are connected via a network, they have to be unique. I've
misplaced the directions where that registration file lives on your
computer, but it is around here somewhere--try searching these newsgroups.

By deleting that file you can pick which serial you want to use, then file
that information away for future reference.[/QUOTE]


Hi Mark!

My impression of the original post was that Beth thought she needed to
pair a single installer CD with a single machine.

Yes, the serial numbers must be unique to a machine but the CDs
themselves are not tied to specific serial numbers. One CD can be used
to install the software on multiple machines so long as the serial
numbers entered for the installation are unique.

bill

 

[bphillips]

Yes, the serial numbers must be unique to a machine but the CDs

themselves are not tied to specific serial numbers. One CD can be used
to install the software on multiple machines so long as the serial
numbers entered for the installation are unique.

bill

Bill & all helping on this question,

When installing Office the only "serial number" I enter is the Product
Key listed inside the CD packaging. Once installed the program gives me
a Product ID that I'm to use if I need to call for support but nothing
that tells me what the Product Key or serial number was/is.

Here's my question, If I have 6 Office CDs and 6 machines running
Office then I'm ok. But what if I need to move Office from one machine
to another? I delete it from the machine that no longer needs it and
move it to a new machine, but how do I know which CD to use to install
on the new machine so I don't conflict with the other 5 machines aready
running Office?

Thanks,
Beth

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

When installing Office the only "serial number" I enter is the Product

Key listed inside the CD packaging.

(they used to call it a CD Key. Clearly they are just trying to make stuff
difficult. Why don't they name it an Installation Code, then everybody
would know it was important)

Once installed the program gives me
a Product ID that I'm to use if I need to call for support but nothing
that tells me what the Product Key or serial number was/is.
Correct.


Here's my question, If I have 6 Office CDs and 6 machines running
Office then I'm ok. But what if I need to move Office from one machine
to another? I delete it from the machine that no longer needs it and
move it to a new machine, but how do I know which CD to use to install
on the new machine so I don't conflict with the other 5 machines aready
running Office?

It doesn't matter about the actual CD, only the product key you use. E.g.,
you could trash 5 CDs and just have a list of which number was installed
where. That's what Will was saying. However, it's probably just as easy to
keep track of physical material instead of numbers, so:

You do exactly what you are doing--create a binder for each machine (or
perhaps a plastic shoebox). There is nothing you can do to find out this
information after the fact, if you didn't write it down at the time.
However, you can reset all 6 machines to specific numbers using this
procedure:
http://www.mcgimpsey.com/macoffice/office/pid.html
And then make sure you put the right CD in the right binder.

OR you can wait until you need to reinstall a program, and randomly use a
number hoping you've got it right. When it turns out to be wrong, one user
will get messages about "cannot launch because this program is already open"
or some such, assuming all 6 machines are networked. At that point, you can
look at all the Product IDs, see which ones start with the same 15 numbers,
and use the procedure above to reset just one of those machines, because
those are the machines with the same serial number. You may need to repeat
this action in the future.

DM