New Office

[RJ_Paton]

Sadly installing your Office program on a new computer is treated as a new installation of the product and requires activation through Microsoft. Something you may not be able to do unless you find the product key.

If you would rather not update your version of Office there are free or lower cost alternatives
e.g. LibreOffice is free and will read and convert your MS Documents with ease
https://www.libreoffice.org/

Microsoft strangely also offer a free alternative, if you are willing to work online - have a read at
https://products.office.com/en-gb/office-online/documents-spreadsheets-presentations-office-online

[Pennines]

Falkyrn -- thank you so much for your speedy reply. I never gave a thought to a new computer treating my existing office as a new installation --- always keep your product key then.

Just one more question -- if I get a new office (I have seen Libre where I work as a volunteer and don't like it as much) -- will I be able to transfer all my existing files onto it do you think? That's probably a very basic question but I need to be able to access them and if Word is wanting me to have a product key - I don't want to get to the point where I am 'banned' from those records!

[andrewalston]

LibreOffice should work with your existing files without any hassle. You can save new documents in MS Office formats too, to allow you to pass them on to other people.

[Pennines]

Thank you Andrew. (Wish I was clever!)

[hallmark]

Where is your old computer??

Is it working?

[RJ_Paton]

Libre will work with your existing documents with no problem. The layout is different from MS Office but investing a little time with it should resolve any issues.

If you still have access to your old computer and it’s working and hasn’t been wiped or reset to factory settings it should be possible to find your old product key within the system.

[locksmith]

If you still have access to your old computer and it’s working and hasn’t been wiped or reset to factory settings it should be possible to find your old product key within the system.

I think the product key is encrypted and held in the registry, so you would need 3rd party tool to retrieve it. Also it depends how many licenses you had and how many have been used. If you have retrieved the product key from the old pc, it may free up the license if you uninstall from the old machine, otherwise you have to ring up MS to explain the circumstances (ie not used on old pc anymore) to free up the license.

Simon

[hallmark]

If Office is still on it, all one as to do is look up the Product key for it via Search.

Same place as changing product key.

[Pennines]

Thank you so much everyone -- I have had my new PC and been using it - for almost 12 months now and this problem has only just arisen!

I gave my old PC away - so unfortunately I have no chance of retrieving the product key. I really don't like Libre by comparison with Microsoft (I have used Libre now and again in my voluntary job).

I will buy an up to date MS Office --- and just hope everything will transfer over.

I really do appreciate all that everyone has done to try and help. (And I WILL keep my new product key safe!)

Thank you everyone so very much.