Hey I want to copy Microsoft office from this computer onto my laptop. How do I do this? Thanks.

Microsoft frowns on that kind of sharing. You can download Open Office.org and have a similar product for no cost.

Open Office

Most MS Offcice license are for one user/one computer. Some Student/Teacher versions allow 3 installs I believe. Check the packaging that came with your MS Offcie purchase, it will let you know which license you have. You may have to uninstall it from the previous computer in order to be allowed to install it on your laptop.

I don't have the disc or the case is there anyway to find the license?

Without the install media (CD) you're pretty stuffed anyway.

Your best off going with Emland suggestion of Open Office.
It's FREE and opens all M$ formatted items as well as saving them in that manner as well.

Is there anyway to get the installation? Because I think I've found the license in the registry.

I doubt that very much.

CD keys aren't normally in the reg, certainly NOT in plain type.

You are dead right :) Its encrypted. So there is no way of sharing the program or moving it over via the network?

Bingo

That's a bit silly. :(

That's Micro$oft for you.
Actually, it's perfectly normal.

You think M$ is bad, try Oracle licensing. None of us likes it but you have to admit that they have a right to expect money for their product. It is really no different than taking your neighbors news paper.

Apologiesnow!:
Do you have a trial version on you rlaptop?
Do you have a product key?

If the answer to the top two queastions are yes then I believe you can use that product key to activate the trial version to a full version after you uninstall from old PC, but you must use the phone activation method for laptop and must have registered your product on your old PC.

Curlyben and chuckhole will correct me if I am wrong.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by chuckhole

You think M$ is bad, try Oracle licensing. None of us likes it but you have to admit that they have a right to expect money for their product. It is really no different than taking your neighbors news paper.

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Oracle licensing makes MS look like Walmart. Since they bought BEA they phased out the version of WebLogic we're using and our licensing is going up from about 2K to over 30K per server. 30k x 11 servers = Ouch.

There is software that will extract the license keys from your registry, but as its been pointed out already, it may not be legal to install it on another computer.

Like I stated before, I heard of it working when you uninstall from your desktop and re-install on your laptop. WHen you get to the product key activation you will get an error (obviously) but then use the phone activation method and there should be options to make it work.

I realize you're in the process of a new home and that availability of that KEY might prove difficult but there's no way to know if there is no way to try.

Agreed, generally MS will let you move software from one PC to another at least once, IF you have the original key that was used to install it. This is true for retail software... not so much if it came pre-installed on the computer.

But, like Curlyben said, without the actual install CD, you're 'pretty stuffed' (I think I need to start using that phrase).

If you DO happen to find the original CD and key, and it is indeed a retail version, go with Activate by phone. Just let them know you've uninstalled it from the old computer (otherwise it won't be quite legal) and give them the info they ask for. They keep a history, and it goes by the install key, so you'll only be able to do this once, maybe twice.

Here is the basics of MS licensing (and I mean basics, it gets really convoluted in some areas).

If you have an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacutur) license key for the operating system, product suites, etc. that license lives and dies with that piece of hardware. It is NOT a transferrable license. It is not even very upgradeable except for service updates. Reinstallations are permitted for upgrades or replacement of the original hardware due to failure.

If you have purchased a retail or volume license, then the product is typically transferrable to another piece of hardware (computer). The original installation must be removed as it is licensed to only one computer.

License transfers are limited in number for retail versions and are typically less limited for volume licensing.

Enterprise level licensing with a three year agreement with Software Assurance is the only licensing model that is flexible enough to allow for a constant change of equipment and/or upgrades. These types of agreements will run in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and higher.

Chuckhole:

That's what I figured. I have transferred M$ Office off one PC on to another. (only after I uninstalled from original).

I knew someone would come along and give a clear-cut answer.

AplogiesNow:
Like I said you need the original install CD (if it was not an OEM that is) and uninstall from your PC and then re-install on second PC.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for your help I do not have the CD but I have now solved it.