Computers with same key code for Office 2013

[goombawaho]

I'm trying to sort out the Office 2013 licensing for a customer. I'm wondering how a customer has three computers with the same office 2013 key code installed. They own retail keys so a volume license agreement is NOT the answer.

I used Microsoft's procedure to find the last 5 digits of the key code installed on the computer to determine that they used the same key code three times.
Link



"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[zelgar]

First of all, you need to know if they have purchased Office 2013 OR if they've done Office 365. Office 2013 is purchasing the Office Suite whereas Office 365 is subscription service at a monthly/yearly basis for the software. The "advantage" to the Office 365 is that it cost less (in the short term) than Office 2013, and it's the latest version of the software (which is currently the same as in Office 2013). For example, as a home user, you can get Office 365 for 5 devices (PC, notebooks, tablets) for a annual subscription is ~$100, whereas it would cost ~$200 for 1 copy of Office (Home & Business) for ~$200.

 

[goombawaho]

I told you it was 2013, so that is not an unknown. So, IT'S OFFICE 2013!!!

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[TonyJollans]

The 'how' is easy - they have activated three installations using it. Automatic activation may have allowed that to happen even if it's not strictly according to the terms of the licence. You will need to check the licence to find out how many installations/activations are allowed.

If they have done it wrongly, it should be changed but, personally, I wouldn't worry about it - if they own other licences that have not been activated I can't imagine there ever being any problem. I would just make a note of the situation, but if you want to correct things you can do it through the Control Panel > Programs & Features.

Enjoy,
Tony

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[zelgar]

I'm sorry for my response. Due to the level of some of the posts here, the confusion MS has created with Office 365 vs Office 2013 and how their licensing works, I thought that my original post wasn't too off-topic.

Also, you might want to use a key code finder software to verify that the entire key is the same.
magic jelly bean
belarc
ProduKey

 

[strongm]

None of those products should be able to recover the full key for Office 2013, since, unlike previous versions, only the last 5 digits of the product key are stored on the PC.

 

[goombawaho]

I'm sorry for my response. Due to the level of some of the posts here, the confusion MS has created with Office 365 vs Office 2013 and how their licensing works, I thought that my original post wasn't too off-topic.

No problem and it wasn't off-topic, but I guess I felt as if you thought I was a tier 1 idot, but I'm at tier 2! No worries.

None of those products should be able to recover the full key for Office 2013

Strongm is right. I have found NOTHING that will recover the full key code. I could only get the last 5 digits which was all I needed to compare what was installed on the computers vs. what the little "key code cards" had on them inside the retail Office 2013 package.

So, basically, what you're saying is that Office 2013 will allow you to install on multiple computers, unlike let's say Windows XP, Windows 7, Office 2010, etc. that had the old activation routine and would say "no dice"?

If that's permissible, then now I'm just trying to figure out why if they had enough retail licenses to install on each computer, why some bonehead would have installed multiple of the same license.



"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[TonyJollans]

There was always a certain amount of leniency in the way activation worked. If anything, it is stricter now than it used to be but it is nothing to do with the operating system. There are so many different versions out there that I can't say what the terms of 'your' licence are but normal retail versions, I think, allow installation on one desktop and one laptop so two activations are almost certainly possible - and an automated system allowing a third would not be a surprise.

I doubt anyone can answer 'why some bonehead ...?'

Enjoy,
Tony

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[goombawaho]

....bonehead....?" was a rhetorical question!

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[goombawaho]

I think I just discovered something and it seems to be key to my licensing conundrum. Is this correct:
The key code that you get when you purchase the retail 2013 product does NOT match the key code when you login to your Microsoft account.

It seems as if they take the retail package key code and convert it to the "real" or final key code that you see online. That would drastically cut down on the number of licenses that I have.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[TonyJollans]

That would be interesting, and not altogether surprising, but I don't know because I never connect my products to any on-line ID. My computers belong to me and I like to keep it that way: it always strikes me as faintly ridiculous that you get all sorts of warnings when you try to do things yourself but that you are expected to trust third parties to do who knows what.

Enjoy,
Tony

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[goombawaho]

You can't install office 2013 without the online account. Why did you bother to reply as your comment wasn't really relevant?

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[TonyJollans]

I have Word 2013 installed without an on-line account.

There is much I don't know about licensing but I have done many installations of Office and I do find the discussion interesting. I'm sorry you find my comments unhelpful

Enjoy,
Tony

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We want to help you; help us to do it by reading this: Before you ask a question.

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[goombawaho]

Maybe I'm wrong! I just recall being forced to create a Microsoft account during installation of office 2013 in order to activate.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[strongm]

You need to get hold of the stand-alone off-line installer. To be fair though, the only version I've experienced of that is for volume licensing, so maybe that's the difference between Tony's experience and yours.

(The normal one you download is still a CTR installer, generally requires Internet access, and requires an account.)

 

[goombawaho]

I downloaded the DVD image from M$ last week, so I will try that with one of the key codes off the Microsoft account. Assuming I won't have to jump through any more hoops since they already have the key code.

Interestingly, I activated Office 2013 on a brand new Lenovo desktop with Office 2013 trial installed from the factory using a key code that shipped on a piece of paper with the computer. No online account required for that.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.