Product Key Code Not Working

Question

I purchased a laptop preloaded with WIN 7 OS and Office Home Premium 2007.  I have the receipt.  Had to remove a virus which had completely shut down my laptop. Laptop is now operating again using WIN 7 OS with MS Office 2007.  However Product Key Code seen on bottom of laptop does not work.  I went to Best Buy where I purchased that laptop.  The receipt shows date laptop was purchased with pre-loaded software.  Best Buy referred me to the manufacturer or to Microsoft............

I've contacted the manufacturer, SAMSUNG, and requested DVD for WIN 7 OS and same Office 2007 originally purchased with laptop. They sent me a DVD entitled "System Recovery Media, Windows 7 Home Premium SP-1." without instructions.  I contacted Samsung via live chat. They said that since I am able to operate (run) my laptop using Win 7 OS and Office 2007, don't use that DVD..........

Now I am confuse.  If I don't get the product key code to be accepted, it says after so many tries, I will loose some of the attributes of the software.............

I don't want to load that DVD if it may cause trouble. All I want to do is to be able to re-use my product key code or get a disc to reload the same software already purchased on the same laptop it originally came............

Once you purchased software, you use to be able to get or purchased for a few dollars (not re-purchased at full price) a DVD for backup of the same software for the same computer?...........

HELP!

Answer 1

Contacting Samsung is the way to go. They are required to provide support for office and Windows installed at the factory (that is part of the contract they sign with MS to sell cheaper copies factory installed).

Do you have one or two product key stickers on the bottom of the computer.  If there is only one, then it is almost certainly for the Windows installation, not Office. Look at the fine print on the sticker to see if it says Windows or Office.  If you don't have an Office PK sticker, then the factory would have given you some sort of paper work with the Office product key on it. A "certificate of authenticity" or something similar.

Certificate of Authenticity (COA)? -  How to Tell What Win and Office COA look like PHOTO- http://www.microsoft.com/howtotell/content.aspx?pg=coa&displaylang=en

or something like a HP “MS Product Identifier Card” / Certificate of Authenticity:**http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kcs/document?docid=415387******

Yes you can buy "backup" disks, at the time of purchase. But MS no longer sells 2007 disks. They REALLY want you to spend money on 2013.

Ideally, you should have had a written copy of the Product key, or used a tool to extract it from the HD.  Now it is much harder to get it back.  Without the Product Key,

Do you have an image copy backup of your old system? We can provide tips on how to extract the PK.

There is a very tiny chance you can take advantage of the MS process to get a replacement product key

How to obtain a new product key for a Microsoft Office 2010 suite, Lost Product Key support – lost key

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/823570

You need 2 things to install Office, your unique personal 25 character “Product Key” and the generic Office installation file / disk for the matching Office bundle.

The above link describes the formal MS support available.

To summarize the article, it depends on how you bought Office:

If you have a 1-computer (online download), “PKC” (Product Key Card), “MLK” (Medialess Kit), “OEM” (factory installed and Activated) type license you cannot transfer the license to a new computer. It is only good on the first computer it is installed on and stays permanently with the computer when it is sold or scrapped.

If you have a 2-computer or 3-computer for Home and Student only (online download), “FPP” (online download), Boxed retail CD/DVD (which is usually the”FPP” type), these types of license may be transferred to new comptuers as required.

All licenses available to the general public that I am aware of may be re-installed on the same computer, even after limited upgrades like adding RAM, new HD, re-installing Windows, upgrading Windows version etc.

The link above describes where to look for Product Key numbers.  If you still have a computer that Office was installed and activated on, which you have NOT re-installed or upgraded Windows let us know and we can provide links to tools that will extract the key from your HD.

If your purchase was through the Microsoft Store, You can contact them at 1-877-696-7786 or login using your credentials in the link below: http://store.microsoft.com  and they may be able to provide download details.

If your purchase was through Digital River, refer the following link: https://store.digitalriver.com/DRHM/servlet/ControllerServlet?Action=DisplayContactFormPage&SiteID=msshus&Locale=en_US&Env=BASE

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Replace a lost or damaged Microsoft Office 2007 or 2003 product key

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2548260 Article ID: 2548260 - Last Review: July 3, 2012 - Revision: 16.0

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How to replace a damaged, invalid or lost product key for a full version

If you have followed the tips in the previous section and you still cannot unlock Office with your product key, or if you cannot find your product key, you can obtain a new one. To do this, contact Microsoft Support. Find the support telephone number for your area by running the Product Activation Wizard on your computer.   For more information about how to run the Product Activation Wizard, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: How to contact a Microsoft Product Activation Center  

When you contact Microsoft for a new Office product key, please have the following items available for the customer service representative: 

o   The product CD-ROM. 

o   The computer serial number on which you want to install the Office suite. 

o   The readable parts of your original product key (if available).

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What happens if your product key is stolen?

http://office-watch.com/t/n.aspx?a=191&z=12 Pt 1

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http://office-watch.com/t/n.aspx?a=202&z=12  Pt 2

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How to identify, locate, and replace a product key

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811224

http://office-watch.com/t/n.aspx?articleid=1628&zoneid=12

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/help/replace-lost-office-product-keys-HA001150834.aspx

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2548260 

If you have followed the tips in the previous section and you still cannot unlock Office with your product key, or if you cannot find your product key, you can obtain a new one. To do this, contact Microsoft Support. Find the support telephone number for your area by running the Product Activation Wizard on your computer.   For more information about how to run the Product Activation Wizard, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: How to contact a Microsoft Product Activation Center  

When you contact Microsoft for a new Office product key, please have the following items available for the customer service representative: 

·         The product CD-ROM. 

·         The computer serial number on which you want to install the Office suite. 

·         The readable parts of your original product key (if available).

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How to replace Microsoft software or hardware, order service packs, and replace product manuals

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326246/

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I had the product code but I couldn't activate it because it was an upgrade and couldn't see any other office in my system. On this site there is a phone no that I called.  On the back of your disk there is a code (you can hardly see it) but if it is legit, they will give you the product code.    They were very nice.  I was able to buy a complete office replacement for $23.00 plus postage and they sent it FedEx in just a couple of days.

</snip>

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