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Separate Product IDs same product keys - Office 2003

K

KLP34

Flightless Bird
I bought four copies of Office 2003 (four boxes and disks). One of the four
computers died. In checking to see which disk to install on the replacement
computer, I discovered three of the computers (includes the dead unit) have
the same product key, but different product IDs. With the install on the
replacement computer, that will leave two computers with the same product
keys. Is that an issue since I have four licenses, or do I have to
re-install on one of the computers so that each computer has its own product
key? Also, why would the product IDs be different?
I posted this question before but cannot find it in the forum to see if
there was a response, so forgive the duplication.
 
L

LVTravel

Flightless Bird
"KLP34" <KLP34@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:FCE791F7-23D9-4425-B238-DE5A69A9401F@microsoft.com...
> I bought four copies of Office 2003 (four boxes and disks). One of the
> four
> computers died. In checking to see which disk to install on the
> replacement
> computer, I discovered three of the computers (includes the dead unit)
> have
> the same product key, but different product IDs. With the install on the
> replacement computer, that will leave two computers with the same product
> keys. Is that an issue since I have four licenses, or do I have to
> re-install on one of the computers so that each computer has its own
> product
> key? Also, why would the product IDs be different?
> I posted this question before but cannot find it in the forum to see if
> there was a response, so forgive the duplication.


Product IDs are created on the install by using hardware "serial numbers" in
addition to the license key. No two computers, even by using the same
license key will have the exact same product number. It has been this way
since at least Office 97 as I have installed using the same license key now
on more than 10 computers and never had the same product key (all were
installed legally through the years.)

IIRC, and I hope someone will post the web site, there is a license key
change utility that could possibly change the key on one of the currently
installed versions to one of the other keys. The KB article here is
Microsoft's fix to change a license key:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/895456
 
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