Official Word Starter update?

Anonymous
2014-08-16T15:23:38+00:00

When I opened up my laptop this morning (8/16/14) there was a pop-up on the screen telling me  there was an update available for Microsoft Word Starter 2010 and asking me if I wanted to download it.  It did not look like the typical Windows or Office update notification.  I closed the pop-up and opened Windows update and ran it.  There were some updates available, but none that said they were for Word Starter.  IS there a new Update for Word Starter or is this someone trying to get me to download a virus?

***Office Product moved to Office 2010 by the Moderator.***

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

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Suzanne S Barnhill 279.1K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
2014-11-20T16:27:28+00:00

Microsoft has posted a Knowledge Base article describing and explaining this popup and providing a solution. Find it at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/3016799.

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Anonymous
2014-08-20T14:23:14+00:00

Hi everyone,

We heard back from the product group. The dialog is expected for a legitimate Office 2010 starter update. It appears for click to run scenarios where the path is missing a piece of information between the build that the user is running on and the latest available build.

The august update that was pulled is a Windows update, not an Office update.

Thanks!

DK - MSFT support

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-10-23T23:29:45+00:00

    i agree, its not for free..i bought my Vaio almost 2 yrs ago and it was included in the package. All i need and i want it to get back to normal..Microsoft support..where are YOU?

    Correct, Starter was not free.  MS charged the computer US$2 or $5 for the license (I got that directly from the relevant MS info pages for the computer builders. That page has subsequently been blocked)  to install it on your computer. And presumably you paid the vendor that amount in your purchase price.

    On the vendor marketing pages, Starter was always intended as a temporary "bait and switch" offer that would "entice" you to pay for a full license.  MS did NOT expect so many people to be satisified with this crippleware version of Office.

    Part of the license that the computer build paid for was that MS was NOT responsible for providing user support for this product. Just like the "OEM" (factory installed and ACTIVATED Office) license the computer builder is obliged to provide customer support for it.  Good luck getting that from the builders ... <sigh>

    I know this is NOT what you want to hear, but it is the reallity of MS Marketing scams, pardon me, MS marketing "schemes"...

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-10-24T00:49:08+00:00

    Rohn007,

    Thank you for that INFO.  

    I can see where support for this might fall back on computer manufacturer "OME" (factory installed and ACTIVATED Office).  The computer builder is obliged to provide customer support for it and can charge you for that support...  However, the product has been working just fine.  So if Microsoft decides to make changes and now is messing up our computers, then Microsoft should be responsible for fixing the mess that they made.

    The way I see it is at the very least, they can step up to the plate and #1 tell us if this update is a real Microsoft update and #2 If it is real, help us with installing it.   If people are having trouble with the install then maybe there is a problem with THEIR UPDATE and they need to fix THEIR UPDATE.

    HELLO MICROSOFT, ARE YOU OUT THERE.

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  3. Doug Robbins - MVP - Office Apps and Services 323.6K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2014-10-24T01:04:22+00:00

    While I agree that it would be easy for someone to create an update dialog such as the one that you are labelling as a hoax, it would be just as easy to create the pop-up window in the taskbar, far right in which you appear to place your faith.

    Frankly, I find this whole conspiracy theory quite amusing and it reminds me of something about gift horses and mouths.

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