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
    2017-06-12T12:51:51+00:00

    "....That link did not help at all.  There needs to be a fix immediately.  Otherwise the giant of Microsoft will suffer great losses in sales.  I think that many IT companies like mine will start looking at alternate products at this point...."  Alex

    Alex,

    Microsoft does not care. Microsoft would rather not sell one-time-purchase version of Office. Microsoft want us all on the 365 subscription service.

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-06-12T13:26:42+00:00

    Imagine if GM were not the only car company, but only GM sold cars with air conditioning, automatic transmission, and electric windshield wipers.  It wouldn't technically be a monopoly, but the effect would be the same.  GM could make it difficult to buy a car outright and could promote only perpetual leases.  I've got to have A/C and electric wipers, although I could do without the auto trans.

    Shift over to basic office programs, and you have Microsoft with a virtual monopoly.  No one else has a program like Outlook/Exchange online.  No one else has spreadsheet and word processing that is 100% compatible with Microsoft's programs.  One by one, my clients have been moving over to the subscription.  To partly mitigate the ongoing cost of $8.25 a month forever, I suspect some are taking advantage of the 5 device provision and loading up their laptops, home computers, kids' computers, etc. and in a few cases probably brothers', sisters', and cousins' computers!

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  4. Anonymous
    2017-06-13T11:42:46+00:00

    The "official" reply is silence. 

    Actually, MS does not "officially" reply to any questions posted on this forum.  Rarely, there are some MS employees who reply to question, but not as "official representatives" of the company.

    The unofficial answer to your question is simple. You CANNOT install Office 2016 or Office 365 without an email account. MS has "improved" the install process to make it impossible.

    As RonB pointed out, MS is doing everything it can to "encourage" users to switch to the subscription gravy train. (IMHO) Unfortunately they are too successful at it.

    On your GM analogy, change it to Tesla.  You don't actually 'own' it.  Take a look at the next link, you pay for the car, you drive it, but if you need ANY work on it, you have to go to TESLA and they can shut the car down any time they feel like it.

    http://gas2.org/2015/10/20/do-you-own-a-tesla-or-does-a-tesla-own-you/

    <snip>

    . According to Yahoo, it doesn’t matter whether you are a local car repair facility, a nationally franchised auto repair chain or just an individual owner. Tesla will not give you the tools or data to fix your car, and there’s nothing you can do about it.

    ...

    Tesla has an extra hold over its customers. All of its cars are constantly connected to the cloud, and can self report any tampering or unauthorized access to the car’s software or hardware. In some cases, Tesla can deactivate a car remotely if it feels the car is no longer safe to drive.

    ...

    So what’s wrong with the way Tesla does business when it comes to non-warranty repairs and collision damage? Not a thing — just as long as you understand what the rules of the game are before you decide to park a Tesla in your garage. If you’re the kind of person who likes to twirl your own wrenches and get grease under your finger nails, the Tesla experience may not be the right choice for you.

    </snip>

    Seems like MS is taking lessons from elon musk ...

    http://cafeelectric.com/stretchla/2014/07/14/pariah/

    http://gas2.org/2014/09/27/tesla-wont-activate-mans-salvaged-model-s/

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  5. Anonymous
    2017-06-13T17:07:05+00:00

    The answer is You can't, and Microsoft doesn't care.  They plan to take over the world and force everyone to 365.  It makes a ton of sense for them but unfortunately for the business consumer it sucks Ba!!$.

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