Microsoft Office

stragglebod

Or you could have just read the number off the Windows activation screen. Given a choice between that or a number provided by a stranger off the internet, I know which I'd go for.

JustAnotherSaver

parcival said:

Just bought a cheapie of Office 2016 on Ebay. Had to activate by phone but seems fine so all good.......

2 questions for you

1) How much was your eBay special?

2) What was the phone call like? Person or automated? Did you have to feed them a line or was it all straight forward enough?


Asking as your way may cost more but may be a lot easier than, other ways.

Neil_Jones

The 0800 018 8354 number is a good one to commit to memory/paper/contacts/fridge, considering its the same number Microsoft have used for the last 20 years ever since activation was introduced in Windows XP and covers all versions of Windows, Office and some other stuff that uses activation.

J_B

stragglebod said:

Or you could have just read the number off the Windows activation screen. Given a choice between that or a number provided by a stranger off the internet, I know which I'd go for.

You haven't used the (useful) quote facility, so I'm not sure if your comment is directed at me?

If it is, what do you mean about <<read the number off the Windows activation screen>>?

stragglebod

J_B said:

stragglebod said:

Or you could have just read the number off the Windows activation screen. Given a choice between that or a number provided by a stranger off the internet, I know which I'd go for.

You haven't used the (useful) quote facility, so I'm not sure if your comment is directed at me?

If it is, what do you mean about <<read the number off the Windows activation screen>>?

I meant the Office activation screen. Here's an example for 2016 but it's the same for 2019.

JustAnotherSaver

Is that an automated service?

DoaM

Yes ... I did this recently to activate Excel 2016 on a system that cannot be connected to the Internet. You follow the voice prompts, use the phone keypad to enter the digits shown in step 2, then type in the resulting codes that are read out to you (for blocks A, B etc. through to block H). You can also write down these responses and keep them for another time, in case you need to reactivate (e.g. after reinstalling on the same system).

parcival

Paid £12 on ebay and used the number provided by the activation wizard. It was automated and straightforward. 

JustAnotherSaver

I actually did this last night for windows 7 install.

Someone gave me a key years ago for Windows 7. Fed me some story about how their family are IT guys and they bought a ton of keys so they have spares. Yeah right, ooooooooook.

I tried the key to get a Win7 .iso from MS but it wouldn't work, so i had to use my own key.

I tried to activate it on the Virtual Machine i installed it on, it wouldn't work. Had to go through the whole automated process which eventually got Windows activated.

This leaves me with the question, what's to stop 100 people using this code and all doing the automated phone call?

dogmaryxx

parcival said:

Paid £12 on ebay and used the number provided by the activation wizard. It was automated and straightforward. 

      Why?   What was wrong with activating the 2016 installed?