Can I use Microsoft Office 2007 on more than one computer?

March 18th, 2007

Microsoft Office 2007

I recently bought Microsoft Office 2007. I have to say, they have done a very good job. The package as a whole installs very easily, and I really like the new ‘Web 2.0′ style interface.

Can Microsoft Office 2007 be used on Multiple Computers?

One concern I did have was whether or not I’d be able to use Office 2007 on the various computers I have (for instance my laptop as well as my main desktop).

This is a really valid concern, as I understand Microsoft’s other new release, Vista is quite strictly a ‘one computer only’ package.

I Googled to try and find this out, and turned up no answer, so like every good ‘experimenter’ I just went ahead and tried it.

The answer is YES - you can use one copy of Microsoft Office on up to 3 personal computers - although each copy requires ‘activation’ over the internet, which probably means that Microsoft records information about each computer to make sure that the package is only installed the three times.

How does Office 2007 activation work?

This makes me wonder.. how do they implement the 3 copies restriction? Off the top of my head I can think of only three ways:-

The copy can only be activated 3 times - period.
Microsoft records the IP address of each activation, and a reasonable number of activations allowed from up to 3 different IP addresses (not unlimited, but more than 3).
Microsoft records the MAC address (Medium Access Control - each network card has a unique ‘DNA’ code that can be used to uniquely identify individual computers operating under the same IP address - but it can be faked).

If it is the first, as I suspect, you can probably expect that if you happen to install vista down the track, or have to reinstall Office 2007, that you’ll use up your 3 activations pretty quickly.

What to do if you can no longer activate Microsoft Office 2007?

If that’s the case, don’t despair, as I have had the same thing happen before, and one phone call to Microsoft Support to explain the situation has usually been sufficient to reset the activation limit.

The other two possibilities are both preferable, although I’d suspect they wouldn’t have used the IP technique, as many people have dynamic IP’s, which means their IP address is changed by their internet service provider on a fairly regular basis, mostly (I suspect) to make it harder for people to put web servers on their home internet connection (although, like everything, that can still be done with a little ‘know-how’ )

Cheers,

theDuck

Entry Filed under: 7. Microsoft Tips

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7 Comments Add your own

1. JohnMu | March 18th, 2007 at 11:12 pm

Wow. I’m just amazed that you can actually use it

http://blogs.business2.com/beta/2007/03/us_government_b.html

FWIW, I still have the whole office working with Office 97. Darn I feel old.
2. DuckMan | March 18th, 2007 at 11:20 pm

Ta John!

By the way, have you seen this thread?

I’m drawing a blank about what their rub is.. you might have some insights..

M
3. DuckMan | March 18th, 2007 at 11:36 pm

Just some extra info - when I first checked it was a 301 from the ‘fake site’ to the real site.

Subsequently when I checked again, it was a 302 to the avantbrowser site..

I’m struggling to understand what they were trying to achieve - and the other information that was dredged up from the DNS records make it even more interesting…

What also puzzles me - 301, 302 or otherwise is how the ‘fake’ site managed to get entirely indexed under their URL - essentially, an exact duplicate of the site they were 301/302ing to..

Correct me if I’m wrong, but as I understand it, this is unusual - a 302 should tell google ‘this is temporary content - don’t index it’ and a 301 should say ‘I’m not here anymore - head over to the realestate site - that’s where I live now’. So to me, the fact they got indexed throws up flags for me that whatever strategy they have used might well have been successful.

M
4. NJ | March 13th, 2008 at 6:35 am

Did you install MS Office Professional or Home & Student Edition on multiple computers?
5. jeffrey | April 5th, 2008 at 9:52 am

b. Portable Device. You may install another copy on a portable device for
use by the single primary user of the licensed device.

taken from http://download.microsoft.com/documents/useterms/Office%20Ultimate_2007_English_9c165bed-f6de-417e-a958-f3728fb7eee2.pdf

I got to this page via Google wondering if I can install to my desktop PC and laptop. The EULA specifically allows this. Hope it helps another user with the same question as me.
6. Ann | April 11th, 2008 at 10:54 pm

I asked this question of Microsoft as I am purchasing a new computer with vista, but still have my current laptop and a home desktop. The price of the Office programs is quite high and I could not fathom buying multiple copies. Here was their response:

“Thank you for choosing the Microsoft Office Online Store.

All software products, except otherwise noted, are now licensed and registered for installation and use on one computer only. Federal Law strictly prohibits sharing or copying of licensed software from one computer to another.

If you require a software package for use on more than one computer, you will need to purchase individually registered and licensed copies for each computer. Please note that some software packages may be available in a multi pack or volume licensing option. “
7. theDuck | April 12th, 2008 at 1:21 am

All that proves Ann is that Microsoft would like to sell as many licences as possible. At the end of the day, the reality is that (thankfully) MS has enough brains to realise that the average person can’t afford to pay for a licence for every one of their computers - In effect, at present, when you buy a licence you’re buying a licence for YOU to use the software - which is the way it should be.

Try it and see - M

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