Need New Product Key

[Janetinnj]

I have an Acer Extensa 5630-4928 that is about 5 years old. It runs Windows Vista. We were having a lot of problems with frequent freeze-ups. Could only turn off with power button. Lots of error messages. I asked my son to look at it. He basically restored it to factory settings. When I tried to use MS Outlook, I was prompted for product key. I entered the key from the bottom of laptop. I get a message saying it's invalid or incorrect.

How can I get a new product key?

 

[BSOD BSTD]

I think its asking for your MS Office product Key, not the windows product key. If you have any documentation or packaging that came with the laptop it should have it.

 

[Janetinnj]

I think its asking for your MS Office product Key, not the windows product key. If you have any documentation or packaging that came with the laptop it should have it.

You're probably right. I hadn't thought of that. I just checked all the documentation that came with laptop. I don't see it anywhere. Is there any way to get it?

 

[BSOD BSTD]

try jellybean key finder (download the free one on the left)

https://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

but i think it only works with office 2010, which version of office are you using?

 

[Math Geek]

jellybean won't work since it has been restored. since it is asking for the key, that means it is not in the computer for jellybean to find. it needed to be written down before restoring the laptop to save get to the keys. once it is restored, then they are not in the registry for jellybean to access.

if it is not in the packaging from your laptop, then you may have to purchase a new key. you can contact MS and provide maybe an invoice or something that shows you paid for office with the pc purchase and they may give you a new key for it, but it is up to them. they really are the only ones who can get your office running if you don't have the key for it.

 

[Janetinnj]

try jellybean key finder (download the free one on the left)

https://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

but i think it only works with office 2010, which version of office are you using?

I'm not sure. I think it's 2007. I'm sure it's not 2010.

 

[Math Geek]

jelly bean reads office 2007 keys no problem, but it won't be there for jellybean to get. it is stored in the registry and jellybean simply picks the number from there and show it to you.

since office is asking for this number, then it clearly does not have it in the registry for jellybean to get. otherwise, office would know it is there and not be asking for it.

jellybean does not do some kind of random search for a possible key in your system, but it simply goes to the place that it is supposed to be and reads it to you.

 

[Janetinnj]

jelly bean reads office 2007 keys no problem, but it won't be there for jellybean to get. it is stored in the registry and jellybean simply picks the number from there and show it to you.

since office is asking for this number, then it clearly does not have it in the registry for jellybean to get. otherwise, office would know it is there and not be asking for it.

jellybean does not do some kind of random search for a possible key in your system, but it simply goes to the place that it is supposed to be and reads it to you.

I just found 2 cd's that were sent to me by (I guess) Acer a while back. One is for 32 bit and the other is 64 bit. They are labeled: "Embry v Acer America Corp Acer Recover Settlement -- Microsoft Recover Console/Utilities for Windows Vista"

These relate to a class action law suit against Acer. Would using one of these help me recover the use of the Office software? I need to check the computer and see whether it's 32 or 64.

 

[Math Geek]

i have no idea what those disks have on them. the class action settlement i found dealt with false advertising for the amount of ram in some acer laptops they sold. ram was shared as vram causing WAY too low ram available to the vista based systems making them useless.

as far as i know, the only official way that MS presents a valid key to you is through a sticker with the key on it. it may be on a cd case, that came with the pc or it could be inside a manual or in some other part of the documentation that came with the pc. other than that, i know of no other way for the key to be given to you.

sorry, but a call to MS explaining your situation is the only way you may get help if you don't have the sticker somewhere. if you have some sort of proof you bought office through an invoice or confirmation email or something, they may be nice and give you a new key. otherwise, you will have to buy a new one. there is nothing we here at tom's can do for you since we do not work for MS 🙁

 

[Janetinnj]

i have no idea what those disks have on them. the class action settlement i found dealt with false advertising for the amount of ram in some acer laptops they sold. ram was shared as vram causing WAY too low ram available to the vista based systems making them useless.

as far as i know, the only official way that MS presents a valid key to you is through a sticker with the key on it. it may be on a cd case, that came with the pc or it could be inside a manual or in some other part of the documentation that came with the pc. other than that, i know of no other way for the key to be given to you.

sorry, but a call to MS explaining your situation is the only way you may get help if you don't have the sticker somewhere. if you have some sort of proof you bought office through an invoice or confirmation email or something, they may be nice and give you a new key. otherwise, you will have to buy a new one. there is nothing we here at tom's can do for you since we do not work for MS 🙁

 

[Janetinnj]

Thanks for your input. I read about the settlement earlier. I don't think it applied to me. I vaguely remember the CDs arriving quite a while after I bought the computer. I thought maybe because the disks mention MS Recovery Console/Utilities they might help.

I have original invoice and e-mail confirmation. I don't think any cd's came with it. If they did, I'm sure I would still have them. I will look at cds and see what's on them. If they don't help, I'll contact MS. I won't purchase a new key. Not worth the money on an older laptop that is basically a "spare."

Thanks again.

 

[hang-the-9]

Install OpenOffice and use that, it's free and a decent clone of MS Office. If you don't have the Office disks or key, you won't get it from Microsoft unless you buy a new copy. If the system came with a demo copy of Office, you must have at some point purchased the full copy or had someone install the full version with a key for you. In which case you should have some documentation of the purchase or ask whoever installed Office for you.

 

[Janetinnj]

Install OpenOffice and use that, it's free and a decent clone of MS Office. If you don't have the Office disks or key, you won't get it from Microsoft unless you buy a new copy. If the system came with a demo copy of Office, you must have at some point purchased the full copy or had someone install the full version with a key for you. In which case you should have some documentation of the purchase or ask whoever installed Office for you.

Thanks for the tip. I will look into OpenOffice.

I have solved my issue. My mistake. I used Outlook on a different computer -- one that I don't have anymore. The Acer has always been used as a 2nd computer. I had a lot of things backed up on it and I took it when I went on trips. It only came with a trial of Office, which I never purchased. I realized a few weeks ago that I was using Windows Mail on that one and that is still there.

Thanks again for your response.