# UnActivate Office/ Reactivate on new PC?



## makewayhomer (Oct 6, 2005)

Hi,
Is it possible to uninstall Office XP on my old computer, and reinstall it on my new one?

Also, I have lost my original CD...but Office XP is installed and running perfectly fine on my old PC.

I'm trying to avoid buying a new license...or getting an illegal one 

Thanks!


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## Resolution (Sep 17, 2005)

You can't transfer something as big as Office XP from one computer to the other, file by file, and that's not even including the registry entries. 

Your best bet would be to buy/find an Office XP CD.


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## makewayhomer (Oct 6, 2005)

Resolution said:


> You can't transfer something as big as Office XP from one computer to the other, file by file, and that's not even including the registry entries.
> 
> Your best bet would be to buy/find an Office XP CD.


ok, assuming I could find a CD (borrow a friends?), can I use my existing licence? I don't even know what it is.

thanks!


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## Resolution (Sep 17, 2005)

If you use your friend's CD to install Office XP, then you would be breaking the End-User License Agreement (EULA), which makes it illegal to install Office XP on more than one computer. It is also against this forums policies to help you on such a matter.


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## ReeKorl (Mar 25, 2005)

Haaaang on...

As long as the product is completely removed from one system first, you are permitted to then install it on another system. Also, you may use another person's installation media, as long as you use your own licence to activate it and the installation media is for the same version.

A handy tool which should be able to show you your CD-Key on a computer with it already installed is the Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder - run this and you can write down your 25 digit CD-Key for Office (make sure you go across to the office tab and don't write down the Windows CD-Key by mistake, as the Windows key won't work for activating Office).

Once you have the CD-Key, uninstall the copy of office you have already installed, borrow the installation media, install it on the second system using the CD-Key you have obtained from the Keyfinder, and you should be fine.


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## makewayhomer (Oct 6, 2005)

ReeKorl said:


> Haaaang on...
> 
> As long as the product is completely removed from one system first, you are permitted to then install it on another system. Also, you may use another person's installation media, as long as you use your own licence to activate it and the installation media is for the same version.
> 
> ...


thanks! the Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder didn't find my Office (actually Office Professional Edition 2003) key. however, I can see the 20 digit Product ID in "about Outlook/.Excel etc".
is this the same thing?


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## Chevy (Jul 25, 2003)

No .. the 20-digit id is generated during the install.

You'll need to find your original license (or cd case) and it will have the correct cd key.


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## makewayhomer (Oct 6, 2005)

Chevy said:


> No .. the 20-digit id is generated during the install.
> 
> You'll need to find your original license (or cd case) and it will have the correct cd key.


thanks. I actually just opened up my laptop case (which I got from work), and low and behold there is an unopened MS Office Pro 2003 CD in there, complete with key. (The laptop came with Pro 2003 installed, I believe).

is this is backup version of the Office already installed on my PC? or, will I be able to install this on my home PC?


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## Chevy (Jul 25, 2003)

Yes, this is the license/media for your laptop. But, according to the EUAL (http://download.microsoft.com/download/1/2/5/12538ba0-3d24-4f00-aab1-dd9ff4aacfc9/en_client_eula.pdf) you *can* install it on a desktop (non-portable) pc as well, as long as you are the exclusive user.


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