JPF Home Page Forums Musician Gear and Techniques General Technical Forum Can I install microsoft word 2000 online....Question Closed

when I only have the production key and not the cd?

purchased a new computer and want to download (online) microsoft word. I do not have the cd but I do have the production key. Can it be done and if so how?

The answer is yes. You might have a little trouble finding it, though--Microsoft works hard to eliminate all previous versions of its software and prevent people from using it. Word2000 wasn't a bad program (compared to a lot of Micro9soft programs), though it did tend to crash a lot (I kept WordPerfect on the 'puter for those occasions).

Main thing I didn't like was the annoying pop-ups I started to get, saying "You don't have the latest version of Microsoft Word. The latest version of Microsoft Word is a whole lot better than the one you've got--we promise. Wouldn't you really rather buy the latest version of Microsoft Word? P.S. We no longer support your version of Microsoft Word, and if you keep using it, you're going to be in trouble. You'd better buy the latest version of Microsoft Word RIGHT NOW." And so on. Over and over again.

I think they had a trigger built in to the program that made it do that after you'd had the software two years. Later versions of MS-Word didn't do that, I notice. Microsoft may have figured out they were just creating customers for their competitors.

Joe

thanks joe. do you know were I could find it or what question I am suppose to search?? been trying this afternoon but cannot seem to pinpoint it.

No. Here's an idea that might help, though. Some years back, I wanted to install Windows95 on "Wilma," my 1991-vintage (and still running) 486. I didn't want anything newer, because they were all too RAM-hungry--but all copies of Windows95 had been recalled by Microsoft because of that antitrust suit. I was especially after the *upgrade* from Win3.11 to Win95, because I wanted to keep all my old DOS stuff on "Wilma." Of course, Microsoft and all its vendors said there was no such thing available any more. (By this time, they were phasing out Windows 98.) I was pretty sure nobody's inventory control was *that* good.

I found on Microsoft's Website their "part number" for the Win3.11-to-Win95-upgrade software, and started making the rounds (online) of the big office-supply warehouses--asking for the software not by name, but by Microsoft part number. I hit bingo almost immediately.

Now, I realize you're not out to purchase something--technically, you've already bought it, since you have the product key--but somebody like CNet that does downloadable versions of Microsoft products might have it. Might still work. Lots of luck.

Joe

thanks again joe.

well I guess not. "Question Closed."

Too bad. Sorry.

Joe