# Reinstalling MS Office? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 27, 2006, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reinstalling-ms-office/385776 "2006-12-27T18:32:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2006, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reinstalling-ms-office/385776/1 "2006-12-27T18:32:49Z")
As noted in my other thread, our hard drive was replaced and we’re gradually reinstalling everything from scratch. t’s funny how much stuff you accumulate over the years, one program at a time… MS Office was preinstalled by the manufacturer. As such, we don’t have an install CD (the one I thought we had turned out to be a 10-year-old Mac version). We _do_ have an activation code taped to the side of the computer case. So, presumably, we “just” need to download something from somewhere at Microsoft’s website, plug in the activation code, and voila. Right? But I’ve had zero luck finding the right spot. I guess my google-fu (or Microsoft-fu) is weak today. Anyone have any suggestions for where to look? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2006, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reinstalling-ms-office/385776/2 "2006-12-27T18:40:50Z")
You can order replacements from Microsoft: [http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302822](http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302822) However, I don’t know if you can order one for an OEM installation. For that, you will probably need to contact your computer’s manufacturer. Try one the contact phone numbers in the link above; they should be able to tell you what you’ll need to do, even if you can’t order a new CD from MS. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reinstalling-ms-office/385776/3 "2006-12-28T11:10:18Z")
[QUOTE=Mama Zappa] But I’ve had zero luck finding the right spot. I guess my google-fu (or Microsoft-fu) is weak today. Anyone have any suggestions for where to look? [/QUOTE] Just a thought > **[Apache OpenOffice - Official Site - The Free and Open Productivity Suite](http://www.openoffice.org)** > > The official home page of the Apache OpenOffice open source project, home of OpenOffice Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw and Base. Free, reads and writes MS word/excel/powerpoint files. I use the heck out of it. ---
**Author:** ![MizGrand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@MizGrand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MizGrand)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reinstalling-ms-office/385776/4 "2006-12-28T15:48:05Z")
How did you reinstall Windows? I, too, recently had a harddrive replaced and had to reinstall all my programs. Everything that came with it was included on a Restore disc. By running the disc I got all the original programs reinstalled - clean slate. THEN I started removing stuff I didn’t need and installing all additional software. What a pain in the a\*\*! ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reinstalling-ms-office/385776/5 "2006-12-28T16:11:18Z")
[QUOTE=RSSchen] THEN I started removing stuff I didn’t need and installing all additional software. What a pain in the a\*\*! [/QUOTE] Something to consider, you can use something like acronis true image to create a bootable restore disk set of your computer once you have it set up the way you like it. That way you can load all your apps and set everything the way you want it and still be able to get it back to a fresh copy of everything the way you want it. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reinstalling-ms-office/385776/6 "2006-12-28T16:14:21Z")
[QUOTE=RSSchen] How did you reinstall Windows? I, too, recently had a harddrive replaced and had to reinstall all my programs. Everything that came with it was included on a Restore disc. By running the disc I got all the original programs reinstalled - clean slate. [/QUOTE] Restore disk programs vary, some have all apps, some come with OS and app disks. Some only have restore partitions which are dead in the event of a HDD failure. Most mfr’s in my experience will sell you a set of restore disks to get back to factory spec for a fairly reasonable price. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2006, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reinstalling-ms-office/385776/7 "2006-12-30T02:45:11Z")
[QUOTE=drachillix] Restore disk programs vary, some have all apps, some come with OS and app disks. Some only have restore partitions which are dead in the event of a HDD failure. Most mfr’s in my experience will sell you a set of restore disks to get back to factory spec for a fairly reasonable price. [/QUOTE] Yeah - I got restore disks from the manufacturer. Supposedly the restore CDs included all “preinstalled applications” which (to my mind) should have included all the MS Office stuff that was loaded. But their definition of “preinstalled” is obviously different from mine :mad:. Still, no biggie if I can recover the MS office by other means. The technician actually ran the restore disks - they had replaced the hard drive, then I was going to do the restore… but there was some other problem involving the memory and they had to order more parts and come out a second time… then a third… on that visit, the tech ran the restore process. **Q.E.D.** , thanks for the link to the Microsoft page - that’s what I needed to find (and failed). I’ll contact them tomorrow. If as you suggest, I need to contact the OEM, I’ll do that as well. Dunno why _that_ didn’t occur to me sooner :smack: **drachillix** , thanks for the OpenOffice info - that’s something we’ll look into at some point soon! In the meantime, I’m going to try to get the MS products reloaded since I did, after all, pay for 'em (if I had to repurchase, I might indeed go directly to OpenOffice and bypass MS entirely). ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2006, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reinstalling-ms-office/385776/8 "2006-12-30T03:35:47Z")
[QUOTE=Mama Zappa] **drachillix** , thanks for the OpenOffice info - that’s something we’ll look into at some point soon! In the meantime, I’m going to try to get the MS products reloaded since I did, after all, pay for 'em (if I had to repurchase, I might indeed go directly to OpenOffice and bypass MS entirely). [/QUOTE] Do the world a favor and donate a couple bucks to them. I charge my customers $10 for OO which I turn around and donate. From my POV and considering the cost savings for an excellent app they are one of the most deserving targets for donations I know of.