Office 2010 license

[superFoolish]

I’m setting up a Win 10 laptop for my parents and, I have a problem... For the best part of a decade, they have been using Word 2010 and, very occasionally, Excel 2010. I have become unstuck because up to now I have been using a legitimate Office 2010 Pro plus license. On activation, I am advised that the limit of installations has been reached for this key.

For completeness , I should mention that the license is a Technet key; strictly speaking, it should not be used for ‘production’ purposes, but I did purchase the Technet subscription (long expired) from Microsoft, back in the days when the keys were, effectively ‘unlimited’. Office 2010 can no longer be activated over the phone; I think I have done this in the past, at which time, I think they reset the installation count, but it’s a long time since I did it, so I am little hazy on that point.

The bottom line is that I need to be able to install Word/Excel 2010 in the next few days (parents travel abroad shortly). Is anyone aware of where I might be able to obtain a license for a small sum. It used to be possible to get valid OEM licenses for a few quid, but I wouldn’t know where to look, and would prefer a recommened source.

I’m not considering free alternatives such as Open Office; my parents aren’t going to be learning new software after nearly a decade of using Office 2010 (they struggle enough as it is)! Even if it was an option, I wouldn’t have the time to show them how to use it before they leave.

[superFoolish]

Well, I can't quite believe what just happened, but I now have an activated Office 2010 installation with a little help from Microsoft Technical Support...

I can't quite believe it, because Office 2010 activation is not officially supported; if an online activation fails, and you choose the 'activate over the telephone' option, the message advises that phone activation is no longer supported. However, desperate times require desperate measures! I rang Microsoft's customer support line, ultimately selected 'Home User', even though my license is a Technet license (when I selected business user, I kept getting cut-off, presumably because it's a Sunday). After a few judicious button-presses, I got through to a human; an Asian gentleman, called Lavital (I think) with a very strong accent and a poor telephone connection. If I had received the call, rather than making it myself, with a number from an official Microsoft web page, I would have thought it was a scam.

Anyway, after a lot of repeating back and forth, and guessing what he was saying, Lavital remote-controlled into my PC, checked my product key, did something at his end (presumably reset the installation count) and, voila, my Office 2010 activated using the standard 'activate online' button, which had previously failed.

Rather amusingly (to me), Lavital couldn't find the screen in MS Word, where it advises that the product has been activated; he kept going into the Options and coming out again, and then I guessed what he was trying to do, and told him where to click! He rather sheepishly admitted that he doesn't use Office 2010 very often, and had forgotten how to find the information.

I have always had excellent service from Microsoft; I reckon I've called them half a dozen times or so over the years, always for help activating products, and they have always sorted it for me. Usually, it's just a matter of reading the activation code out, and keying in the response from the support technician, but I certainly didn't expect anyone to remote into my PC and do it for me (using LogMeIn).

Not bad for a license that I paid for in 2009, and have used on numerous occasions.

I must admit, I was really doubting myself when he wanted to remote in to my PC, and had to remind myself that I had found the number on the MS web site, and I had called them. I'm not sure why, but I also had a nagging feeling that I might have had a dodgy product key, and that I was going to be embarrassed to learn that I was trying to use a pirated license. I don't know why I thought that, but I started wondering if I had experienced a similar problem previously, and obtained an illicit key; after all, I've been installing Office 2010 for nearly a decade, and the memory has started to fade!

I was really beginning to worry how I was going to resolve this issue, but Microsoft came to the rescue. The last hurdle in getting my parents' laptop set up, is to install the software for their ancient mobile network dongle, and pray that it works on Windows 10!

[Breelander]

I was really beginning to worry how I was going to resolve this issue, but Microsoft came to the rescue...

Yes, I have heard before, usually with regard to Windows activation, that MS can be very accommodating regarding licencing. You just need to get through to a human. Once you explain that it's a re-install on the same or a replacement machine, not an attempt to use it more than once, then they will activate it.

Very useful should your machine die and you need to replace the motherboard, for example.

[superFoolish]

... and Microsoft support just telephoned me, to check that I was happy with the service I received yesterday, and can they close the support ticket