Lost Product Key Office 2003 after System Recovery

[pickymiss]

I have now done this TWICE... slow learner. I did a system recovery on my computers and did not "find"? My product key for MS Office 2003 before I did it. I upgraded on the web and the key is NOWHERE to be found.

It may take YEARS to figure out if it is buried somewhere on paper in my office... if I even had it written down. I tend to store files with the numbers on them in the computer and so far I can't find it floating anywhere in the gigabyte sea...

Isn't it STORED somewhere in the registry and has it been wiped out, or is it still there somewhere? If anyone knows please, please help! For all the 'registering' that Microsoft makes someone do, you'd think that they had the keys THERE somewhere, but I didn't have any luck with them.

I really don't want to pay for another office suite. Meanwhile, I am using Open Office... Ok, but a tough transition for me.

 

[elsenorjose]

Google for 'Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder'. Honest.

 

[eyec]

as a last resort you could try the Belarc website

http://www.belarc.com;

run their analyzer it will show all of your keys

 

[frainbreeze]

hello

i'm not sure how much changes in the registry from a system restore but you could try to look here:

For 2007 Office programs and suites:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Registration

For Office 2003:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Registration

For Office XP:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Registration

inside there, will be a ProductID key and a value...hopefully at least


If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving isn't for you.

 

[pickymiss]

Well... all suggested options exhausted and still nothing. I think they are all gone. Back to the paperwork search in the all too messy office.

Thanks and if anyone has anything new, let me know!

 

[elsenorjose]

If you have Office installed, the Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder WILL find the key. By any chance, when you 'restored' your system, are you referring to using Windows System Restore? And if so, did you restore to a point PRIOR to installing Office? If so, the entries wouldn't be in your registry.

 

[KenWright]

Assuming you had registered it with Microsoft, then why not give them a call.

Regards
Ken............

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