General Chat

I had a very small signing on problem with my computer and our usual computer guy came and fixed it. While he was here he asked us if we wanted him to run a disk which would take about 2 hours and show up any errors or potential problems.

Oh how I wish I had said no.

The disk ran and I closed down for the night.

The next day half the programmes wouldn't open this has been fixed but the BIG problem is my Office 2003.

Each day I get a message ... This is not a genuine microsoft office disk etc you have X days left...

Well the X days left is now down to 1day. The computer guy has been 4 times and now doesn't know what else to do. If he had ran the disc without my permission I would have had more reason to complain but he did ask me first.

I DO have the genuine disk with the key number etc. We have tried taking it all off and reinstalling it. The computer says that the new installation IS activated but the message still appears every day. As from tomorrow I shall not be able to use windows office or any of the facilities. I have backed it all up onto an external hard drive.

I have ordered office 2010 but would desperately like to salvage 2003 before it disappears tomorrow.

Can anyone help as I have nothing to loose now

Wendy x

Go to the Miccrosoft window. It's selling all their stuff around the clock.
From their you should find a way to communicate by email or telephone directly with a customer service person to whom you can explain.
Once they are aware of your problem and how it arose, they should rectify it for you online.

Good Luck

Hi David

Thank you for your help. I went to the Microsoft site and went through the procedure until the point where they wanted 46.00 GBP to answer my question! As I can't be sure that the answer will solution my problem I came out of the site.

Wendy

£46 to answer a question!!

What do you want to know?

I have Office 2000 and Office2003 if you want them.

Hi David and thanks again

I really don't know what the answer to problem is. I have got the genuine Office Professional Edition 2003 it has a product key as long as your arm. I bought it last year and it has been working and I have been doing the updates. Now since the ''checking for errors disk'' as mentioned in my first post was run the whole thing has gone to pot!!! The messages it gives states that the disc is not genuine and it flipping well is

Wendy x

I am in exactly the same boat. I have the genuine Microsoft products but when my system was upgraded my computer guru used another disk to input these products. This disk came from my work environment which I am registered to use at home as well as at work.

I have spoken at length to Microsoft and have quoted all my numbers and codes and they acknowledge I do own the office set.

They wanted me to reinstall the original disks into my system. No mentiion of having to pay to answer the question.

I do not intend to reinstall my original disks. That is stupidity beyond belief when my system is running perfectly. I know I own the disks and they are not pirated, they know that and they also know I am licensed to use the set of disks used to upgrade my system.

What I do is just click on the remind me later button when the reminder comes up. I have been doing this for about three months now. I am still using the product without any problems. I think mine is Office XP professional..

Someone should contact Microsoft and tell them we are giving their practices a negative airing on a public forum.

Oh no I see you are falling about laughing at that suggestion. Ever tried contacting them.

Hi Somerset Girl

Thanks for your comments. I do also have open office but all my 'stuff' is saved to Microsoft Office 2003. I have now ordered a later version and hope that when it comes all will go smoothly.

Get the computer guy who had you download his disk to rectify the problem which was caused by his disk, or to compensate you.

You will get Office2003 cheaper off ebay than off Microsoft if you have to resort to that.

Hi Aunty Sherlock

You have given me hope. I have been clicking the 'Remind Me Later' button for ages but as I only have 1 day left, today, I don't know if it will work anymore or that the message will even appear.

Wendy x

Hi David

I wish he had run the disk without asking me, or better still not at all.

He did ask me so I had the option to say no. therefore I don't like to make a big thing of it. The computer guy has been looking after our 2 computers and 1 laptop for a few years and charges us an acceptable fee.

I can't wait for midnight when tomorrow will be here to see what happens

I feel like Cinderella!!

Wendy x

Could you go to system restore and back it up to a date PRIOR to when this problem began ??

Would that solve it Wendy ?

I never thought of that I don't know if the computer guy did.

I'm not too technically minded but I will have a look.

Well that was the first time I had tried using restore but I was unsuccessful.
First attempt was for 17th April as I can't remember when all this first started the message said 'Can't restore your computer to 17/04/210. Nothing on your computer has been changed.

I then decided that the count down message was for about 30 days so tried to restore to 02/05/10 but got the same message. Using a date after that would be too late.

Wendy x

I had the same problem at work, the "Not Genuine" message came up even though it was.

That was fixed by uninstalling and reinstalling from a disc.

I don't know why that should not work in your case so long as the disc and key match.

Well Office is still working although I still have the message re not a genuine copy but it has moved to near the top task bar.

Wendy

I'll post you my Office 2000 no charge if your'e stuck

David

You are so kind.

If my 2003 goes down please may I pm you?. I live in the north of Tenerife, re postage, but I would refund you.

Thank you again for such a nice offer

Wendy x

Of course you can

Think positive

Hi Tracey

Thank you for your post but I am in Tenerife. I have made a note of the number in case you want to delete it from the thread. I'm not sure that it is a good idea to leave it on this site.

As far as I know it is still going I only look when I need to in case it has a limited amount of use left. It takes ages to open XL for example, but it works okay after opening.

I have ordered a new updated disc but I do like the 2003 edition

Wendy x

It's a stunningly horrific idea to post someone's name and telephone number on this site, or anywhere on the internet. Since it has been here for quite some time now and the suggestion to delete it has not been followed, I've reported it -- sorry, but one just does not post other people's names and telephone numbers on the internet.