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You receive an "invalid product key" error message when you start an Office program after you install an Office suite
| Article ID | : | 836178 |
| Last Review | : | September 4, 2007 |
| Revision | : | 8.5 |
For a Microsoft Office 2000 and Microsoft Office XP version of this article, see
321346 (http://kbalertz.com/Feedback.aspx?kbNumber=321346/).
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SUMMARY
This article describes a problem in which you receive an "invalid product key" error message when you try to start one of the following:
| • | A Microsoft Office 2003 program after you install a Microsoft Office 2003 suite |
| • | A Microsoft 2007 Office program after you install a 2007 Microsoft Office suite |
To work around this problem, remove the previously installed Office suite or individual programs. Then, install the Office suite version that you want on the computer.
This article is intended for a beginning to intermediate computer user.
You may find it easier to follow the steps if you print this article first.
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Symptoms of the problem
When you try to start an Office 2003 program after you install an Office 2003 suite, or you try to start a 2007 Office program after you install a 2007 Office suite, you are prompted to provide a product key. After providing the product key, you may receive the following error message:
You have not entered a valid product key.
Please check the number located on the sticker on the back of the CD case or on your Certificate of Authenticity.
Or, you may experience the following symptom. Office 2003 or a 2007 Office suite appear to have installed correctly. When you try to activate Office over the Internet, the activation process stops responding (hangs). In this case, the following message is displayed:
Please wait while activation wizard initializes
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Cause of the problem
This problem may occur if the following conditions are true:
| • | You have another Office 2003 suite or 2007 Office suite or individual Office program preinstalled on the computer. |
| • | You have not started any one of these Office 2003 programs or 2007 Office programs before. |
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Steps to resolve the problem
To work around this problem, uninstall any unnecessary Office suites and individual programs. This includes the Office suite that you most recently installed.
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Step 1: Start Add or Remove Programs
| a. | Click Start, and then click Run. |
| b. | In the Open box, type appwiz.cpl. |
| c. | Click OK. |
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Step 2: Remove Office suites or individual programs
| a. | In the Currently installed programs list, locate and then click either the previously installed Office suite or the individual Office program. |
| b. | Click Remove. |
| c. | Click Yes when you are prompted to confirm that you want to remove the Office suite or individual program. |
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Step 3: Reinstall Office
| a. | Put the Office CD in the CD drive or DVD drive for the version of Office that you want to install. |
| b. | In the Add or Remove Programs dialog box, click Add New Programs. |
| c. | Click CD or Floppy. |
| d. | In the Install Program From Floppy Disk or CD-ROM dialog box, make sure that the Office CD is in the CD drive or DVD drive, and then click Next.
|
| e. | Click Finish, and then follow the instructions that appear on the screen to complete the installation of Office. |
| f. | Click OK when the Office Setup has completed. |
| g. | Remove your Office CD from the CD drive or DVD drive.
|
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APPLIES TO
| • | Microsoft Office Access 2007 |
| • | Microsoft Office Access 2003 |
| • | Microsoft Office Excel 2007 |
| • | Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 |
| • | Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007 |
| • | Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007 (Home and Student version) |
| • | Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2003 |
| • | Microsoft Office Publisher 2007 |
| • | Microsoft Office Visio Professional 2003 |
| • | Microsoft Office Visio Professional 2007 |
| • | Microsoft Office Visio Standard 2007 |
| • | Microsoft Office Word 2007 |
| • | Microsoft Office Basic Edition 2003 |
| • | Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003 |
| • | Microsoft Office Small Business Edition 2003 |
| • | Microsoft Office Professional 2007 |
| • | Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007 |
| • | Microsoft Office Small Business 2007 |
| • | Microsoft Office Standard 2007 |
| • | Microsoft Office Ultimate 2007 |
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| kbexpertisebeginner kbtshoot kbceip kbsetup kberrmsg kbprb KB836178 |
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ltrunk
- ltrunk NOSPAM-AT-NOSPAM adelphia.net
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Reported as Irrelevant
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| Written:
8/7/2005 8:49 PM |
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