Install Office 2016 OEM without Live account

Anonymous
2015-10-07T18:12:57+00:00

I manage IT services for several small businesses and periodically need to purchase new computers with Office. I just purchased a new Dell laptop with the OEM version of Office 2016 Home & Business. It will not let me activate it without adding it to a MS account.

I know this is a perennial question, beginning with Office 2013, that is a major headache for independent technical consultants that support small businesses, as I do. But I have never seen a solid answer as to how to get this installed on the computer without the MS account--just a lot of try this, try that. This is NOT Office 365, just Office H & B 2016!

 I will not:

  • Add it to my MS account, or it will be forever stuck to me--which is inappropriate, since I will not own the computer or software once I am paid for the system by my client.
  • Make my client set up a MS account just for this.
  • Pry into my client's information to get his MS account information (if he even has one).

But I must have Office installed, activated, and updated before I give the system to my client. The activation dialog, in fact, gives me the option of using a product key instead of a login, but then proceeds to "Redeem Online"--which I believe will end up with the same result that requires a MS account.

At this point, I now have a bigger issue. I backed up the Program Data folder that contains the cached Office installation files, then uninstalled MS Office, hoping that a reinstall would give me some option to truly install without being forced to figure out a MS account for my client. The uninstallation removed the original setup folders. Good thing I backed it up, but then when I reinstall from any of those, it installs Office 2013, not Office 2016. And while it still validates the key when I click the option to use a key instead of a logon, it (as before) takes me to "Redeem Online".

Hello, Microsoft: this issue alone has just eliminated my entire profit from this project, given the time I have already spent trying to get this done, then uninstalling and attempting to reinstall.

I know there are versions that can be activated without a MS account, but I do not buy in bulk and can never seem to figure out which is which.

How do I get this installed for my client without being required to use a MS account?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Install, redeem, activate | For home | Windows

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-01-07T15:16:32+00:00

    We bought 40 machines. I activated office on each one, no problem. Then I went in to set the laptops up for users, and they are not active again. I went on my live account, and ALL of the product codes are different than the product code cards I have been given. Someone has to be screwing things up in the MS database. I have the cards in MY hand that say what product code I put in... and then on my ms live accounts they are totally different. No way is Dell giving away so many "Used" codes. I think MS is screwing up on keeping track of what really has been used.

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-01-07T23:35:15+00:00

    Someone has to be screwing things up in the MS database. I have the cards in MY hand that say what product code I put in... and then on my ms live accounts they are totally different. No way is Dell giving away so many "Used" codes. I think MS is screwing up on keeping track of what really has been used.

    Jay and Aleigh, thanks for the interesting perspectives on this problem.

    AL, what you are saying has the ring of truth.  It would explain why so many other people are complaining that Office installations that worked suddenly don't work and when they try to reactivate they get the invalid product key message. 

    I wonder (pure speculation, based on past development experience) if they "broke" something during the process of making changes to the activation system to handle Office 365 through the MyAccount site, and the (relatively) new ability to register Office 2013/2016 one-time payment licenses so they are visible through MyAccount.

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-01-08T17:44:11+00:00

    My experience is that after setting up a dummy account, and activating 1 copy of 2016 PRO and 1 copy of 2016 H&B that is all it will except. On my 2nd copy of 2016 H&B the install never asked for the key? And would not activate!

    When I query the install for the key:

    cscript “C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16\OSPP.VBS” /dstatus

    It comes up with wrong last 4 of the Key I have in hand, and since I never entered a key I am assuming it has a limit (per email account) and simply picks the last key associated with that email account. Very professional LOL

    Looks like I will have to setup a new email to activate this one, uninstall my current MS Office 2016 H&B, then re-install and reregister with the new email account, needles to say Mico$oft should be held accountable for each and every hour of wasted productivty $$$$.

    Rio

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-01-08T18:14:01+00:00

    Hear, hear!

    Microsoft: where do I send my $250 invoice for the time I have wasted thus far trying to get Office 2016 activated?

    Hmmm...nobody listening over there...why am I not surprised?

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  5. Anonymous
    2016-01-08T22:02:07+00:00

    Hey Al. What is going on is when you go to activate MS Office, the key on the card are not the actually the product key, they are an activation key. When you activate MS Office online, there is a window available that will show you the actual product key. Where I work we have to record both the card key (activation key) and product key in addition to the MS Account we activate MS Office too. MS Office Card keys up to Office 2010 contained the actual product keys. For MS Office 2013 only OEM card keys and keys sold with actual install disks contained the product key. Retail copies of the 2013 card keys and all 2016 card keys contain and activation code and not the product code. There is a VBS script in an office folder that can be used to display the last 5-digits of the product key on a local computer which was the only way we where able to sort this whole thing out.  For Office 2010 it's at [Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14\OSPP.VBS], for 2013x32bit it's at [Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15\OSPP.VBS] and for office 2013x64bit [Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15\OSPP.VBS]... seems like someone could make a lot of money now by making a competing product.

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