reinstalling office 2013 with temp key

[pcpete]

You know when installing office they give you a key that is used to setup Office with an MS account. What is the process for a client who does not remember what Email they used to set it up initially? Can they use the original key to reset it up or can they call MS with that key(seems like a temp key) and will they help them in any way? For example, will MS at least tell them the email used? Or are they just out of luck?

 

[thecomputerguy]

You know when installing office they give you a key that is used to setup Office with an MS account. What is the process for a client who does not remember what Email they used to set it up initially? Can they use the original key to reset it up or can they call MS with that key(seems like a temp key) and will they help them in any way? For example, will MS at least tell them the email used? Or are they just out of luck?

How many emails can they have? Just do forgot password on every email they've ever used.

My guess is if you don't have access to the email address then they can probably reset it by checking your billing information as long as it's a subscription product. If it's an outright purchase of 2013 then you might be out of luck since it would be difficult to tell whether you are who you say you are.

 

[pcpete]

How many emails can they have? Just do forgot password on every email they've ever used.

My guess is if you don't have access to the email address then they can probably reset it by checking your billing information as long as it's a subscription product. If it's an outright purchase of 2013 then you might be out of luck since it would be difficult to tell whether you are who you say you are.

I tried the two emails they had and neither were valid. But they have the original key card

 

[thecomputerguy]

I tried the two emails they had and neither were valid. But they have the original key card

Yeah I dunno ... Unless they can confirm the email they have on file even with the keycard I think you might have an issue because keycards are typically useless once activated since the card is then tied to an account, and then I don't even know if there is a record of the keycard through MS anymore.

It could be a keycard you found on the side of the road for all MS would know.

 

[mikeroq]

Have you tried inserting the key into Office and seeing what it does? Also go to office.com/setup and try adding it to an account and see what it says.

I've had a few key cards that when entered in office.com/setup it just spit back the same key and said to install with that key. Just did one the other day a 2013 reinstall.

I just noticed the text on the card is slightly different, instead of saying:
Use this product key to set up Office for the first time at www.office.com/setup etc.

It says:
Keep this Product Key in case you ever need to reinstall Office. Go to www.office.com/downloadoffice to download the software.


With the exception of our larger customers I tie each product key to one of our accounts. I make a new one once I fill up the account. Then keep the card key and the install key in our records with the account it is tied to.

 

[fincoder]

I tried the two emails they had and neither were valid. But they have the original key card

I would tell the customer that they could try calling Microsoft if they need to sort it out. I've heard that Microsoft will help people that lose access to the registered email address, as long as they have the product key. Maybe they can remove the key from it's current account so it can be re-registered from scratch.

I would not take that on for a customer though, it definitely needs to be the end user for identification and it could take a while.

It could be a keycard you found on the side of the road for all MS would know

MS would know the account the key was registered under, so they can verify the end user's identity if they call for help with activation.

 

[carmen617]

It's quite possible back in 2013 the customer, or the tech who was installing Office, just made up a one-off Microsoft account. And Microsoft will close those accounts if they are inactive. I would definitely tell the client to call Microsoft with the card, find out what account it's associated with, and if it's been inactivated either have the account reactivated or transfer the license to an actual email address owned by the client.

 

[Sky-Knight]

I've never recovered an account in this situation. The key is burned on account creation, if you have the new key you can simply install that and it'll reactivate, but if you never documented the new key from the account after activation... well as far as I know the license is gone. Buy a new one.

 

[Mainstay]

just buy a new one... or move them to O365. Not worth the effort or the time to try to convince a MS tier 1 agent to cough up a product key / email address.

If the client wants to tackle that, sure... otherwise, 2013, meh, move on.

 

[Sky-Knight]

Yeah, when O365 Home is $100 / year for 6 people to have office... it's kinda hard to argue. MS offers deep discounts to military to get the sub via the commissary, I think my mom paid $30 for her copy... There are other nonprofit discounts out there too...

How much time do you spend chasing it? Now, if the client wants to do that on their own time fine. But I warn clients, if you want me to chase it, you're paying for the hours it takes, and it will not work out in their favor.