Hatrack River Forum: Tech help; lost 2003 Office/Excel password

This is topic Tech help; lost 2003 Office/Excel password in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
http://www.hatrack.com/ubb/main/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=051149

Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :

Is there any safe way to recover a password for Excel 2003? I had it installed, legally, on my computer when I bought it, but I had to reset my entire computer due to spyware/viruses, and now when I try to use my Excel program (or any other part of the 2003 Office suite) it won't work. I have no idea where to get a password, and I have no idea how to open it otherwise.

Is there a safe, non-spyware way to recover this password/registration?

Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :

If you had it installed legally, you would have received a paper license with a copy of the license key. If you don't have that, you can call Microsoft and provide some other proof of purchase and they'll give you a license. There are other non-legal options, but I'm not going to go into those.

That said, I'm a little confused by what you're saying. Are you being prompted for a license key? Or is it simply not working? If the latter, I suspect that "resetting" your OS broke your installation; this is unrelated to any license key problems, and can be fixed by reinserting the installation media (which, if you had it installed legally, you should have) and choosing "Repair." (Note: after you repair the installation, you should visit the Microsoft Update site to get the latest service packs.)

Posted by MattP (Member # 10495) on :

Please post a list of the passwords you use everywhere else so we have an idea of what your passwords *look* like in general. That might help us to narrow it down.

Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :

lol

I am being prompted to enter new keys for these products, but i have no idea where the paperwork for them is after 4 years and two moves.

It was a legal install, as it came with with computer, and I bought the computer at Staples, not some fly-by-night outfit.

Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :

Your only legal recourse, then, might be to contact Microsoft and explain the situation to them.

Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :

That sucks. [Frown]

Thanks for confirming what I suspected, despite the fact I dislike the answer. [Wink]