Windows 8 tablet MS Office installation issue

Shahmatt

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Jul 28, 2011
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I recently got a Windows 8 tablet.

When trying to run the MS Office installation app it gives me the following error:

"please activate windows before setting up office"

However Windows shows as activated.

How can I resolve this problem in order to get office installed? Any help is much appreciated.
 
Solution


No...
It was a prize for winning a lucky draw. Bit of luck!

It has no branding on it except to say "Windows 8 tablet". So some sort of generic product.

I've tried rebooting and installing Windows updates but these have not made a difference.

I only wonder if an update to Windows 10 will make a difference. But that would be my last resort as I want to get Office working before changing OS. I'm afraid of losing original MS Office with any sort of OS update.
 
Hi
You did not say exactly what sort of ms office you have.
2002, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016
Retail, upgrade, oem, digital download, .....
Then home & student, home & office, pro , enterprise etc
Pirate download ?


At one time Oem office would only install on oem windows but that was a long time ago

Cpu -Z. Tells you what processor and motherboard model you have

If you go on the internet long enough windows 8.1. Will arrive
Though again that will not affect MS office installing


Regards
Mike Barnes
 


You probably need to fix the Windows activation thing first.
Where does it show Windows is activated?
 


Windows shows as activated under Control Panel->Sysem and Security -> System

The lines "Windows is activated" and a Product ID is also given.
 


The MS Office app is for 2013. It does not say the sort. When I click on the app it opens a splash screen saying "Welcome to Office", "getting things ready". And then a prompt appears with the line "Windows hasn't been activated. Please activate windows before setting up office". A help button is given which leads me to the normal process of activation.

I would hope that this is not a pirate app. This computer should be new. I'm just trying to set it up.

CPU-Z gives the following information.

Processor: Intel Atom Z3735F @ 1.33GHz
Motherboard manufacturer and model both say "To be filled by O.E.M".
Memory: 2GB RAM DDR3

Windows edition is: Windows 8.1 with Bing

 


You may need to actually purchase an OS for this.
The current install appears to be a Volume license of some sort.
March 30 next year, that will become unactivated.
 


But isn't Windows activated right now?

If so shouldn't Office install without a problem and stay active for at least this temporary period?

I'm also surprised that the Office installation is dependent on the Windows license. Is this a new thing?
 


No, an Office install is not dependent on the Windows license. But where are you installing Office from?
Is this standalone MS Office, or Office365? It makes a difference.

But seeing as this is apparently a bogus Volume license, there may be some issue with Office trying to install and activate.
 
Solution


Ok understood. So buy a license then. It's unfortunate but the cost of a new Windows alone might make this tablet uneconomical.

Under programs/apps there exists a pre-installed software named "Microsoft Office" (size 322MB). I've assumed that this unpacks and installs the individual Office software on the machine. But I'm not sure. It's not Office 365.
 


And for that Office install, you'd probably have to supply an Office license that you purchased. Possibly it is a 30 day trial, before you have to cough up a license.

But seeing as the Windows install is not quite right, no telling what the Office link is for, or how it wants to work.


"Free tablet" is often like "free puppy".
It never ends up actually 'free'.
 
Hi


MB Office is often available for a short trial on new PC's.
In the past it would revert to Word & Excel only but not enough licences were purchased so Microsoft stopped supplying this version and Office usually stops working after the trial ends.
(It operates as a document viewer only)

Hace you considered downloading Open Office or Libre Office projects which can read & write most MS Office documents and is free

regards

Mike Barnes
 


Thanks. I went ahead and updated to Windows 10. Very nice OS.

The same app was visible but on running it I was offered 30 days of Office 365.

Excel is really what I'm after mainly because I've got some programs written in VBA that I need to be able to run. I'm not sure if these will run on other open source stuff.