Trouble With MS Genuine Office Validation

Julie188 writes "Here's another little gotcha with Microsoft license validation, discovered by security and PowerShell expert Tyson Kopczynski. The Microsoft Office 2007 add-on site refuses to download legitimate add-ons for Office 2007 when a legitimate — but not yet activated — additional Microsoft product is installed on the computer. In Kopczynski's case, the product was Visio. He writes: 'Let's back this license train up and look at why this picture is wrong: 1. I have a valid copy of Office 2007. 2. The Visio installation only failed the validation because I haven't activated it. 3. Microsoft has presented me with a page to buy Office, which I have a valid copy of... Dear Microsoft, When used incorrectly and in direct conflict of something that you are promoting, DRM sucks! By making the usage of your software a hassle, you risk further pushing more users of your applications to other solutions."

Comments

Re:What's the issue exactly?

[dartboard]

Office is activated, it's Visio that's not activated. Visio's non-activation is taking down the entire system.

Re:What's the issue exactly?

[robbarrett]

Forgive my ignorance but I don't really understand the problem here. Why not just activate Office? You can do it over the internet or by a toll free phone call. You can only open Office apps so many times before you must activate it, so why delay? The issue is that "activate" means "buy" -- i.e. to convert a trial/downloaded/whatever copy to a validated, purchased copy.

This exact same thing happened to me just yesterday. My laptop came with a full trial copy of Office. I purchased a copy of Office Standard (only a few of the apps) and tried to use my key to validate my pre-installed copy (thinking it would only validate the apps I had purchased). But it didn't work so I installed my Office Standard and validated it with my key.

Then I tried to get the export-to-PDF add-in from the Microsoft site but it proclaimed that only one copy of Office on my computer was validated so I couldn't update the other. Net result -- un-install one; un-install the other; re-install Office Standard; back in business.

What a stupid pain.

Re:I'm Shocked.

[Distan]

Read the article again.

He has an activated copy of Office 2007.

He has an unactivated copy of Visio. He doesn't say why, maybe he is evaluating it.

Because he has an unactivated copy of Visio, he is unable to upgrade his activated copy of Office 2007.

I would say he has a problem. His unactivated copy of Visio shouldn't screw up the functionality of his activated software, but it is.

Ah yes....

[bwd234]

...one of the main reasons I still use use Windows 2000! No DRM, no activation headaches, no secret file updates, no useless eye-candy, most stable MS OS ever... oh, the list just goes on....

Re:What's the issue exactly?

[RonnyJ]

It's not as if this is something that can't be easily fixed though. There are certainly many legitimate complaints about activation, but I'm sure he knew he still needed to activate Visio at some point (he has Office activated, after all).

Well, the Visio license is valid, I just haven't activated it. I'm just too lazy to complete the wizard, I guess.

Not too lazy to write an article about it though.

Wrong picture

[TheDarkener]

'Let's back this license train up and look at why this picture is wrong: 1. I have a valid copy of Office 2007.'

Yep.

Re:What's the issue exactly?

[jedidiah]

NO. Don't get over it.

Office validation should be concerned about office & not anything else. It shouldn't
be SPYING on anything else. That sort of stupidity leads directly to these sorts of
unintended consequences.

I should not need to "activate" one program to get support for another.

Re:What's the issue exactly?

[iminplaya]

You can do it over the internet or by a toll free phone call. You can only open Office apps so many times before you must activate it, so why delay?

First 3,000 customers get a free tote bag. (void where prohibited by law) Operators are standing by. Call now!

Damn! Do you write infomercials for the Thigh-Master or something?

Microsoft responds

[jollyreaper]

Dear Microsoft, When used incorrectly and in direct conflict of something that you are promoting, DRM sucks! By making the usage of your software a hassle, you risk further pushing more users of your applications to other solutions. Dear Consumer, You keep complaining about the taste and yet you're still sucking the Microsoft cock. Watch us continue to not give a shit.

Love, Microsoft

PS We had asparagus for lunch. We're not apologizing, just letting you know the taste is about to get worse.