Microsoft Office Corporate 2003 serial key or number

While you could simply try one of your Product/License Keys and see if it gets accepted, it’s not a very sophisticated approach.

The proper method to determine or change the Product Key depends on your version of Office or Outlook. However, for either version there is no need to completely reinstall Office.

Note: Office 365 installations don’t require a license key as they activate automatically when you log on to Office with your Microsoft Account. The same applies to Office 2016 and Office 2019 licenses that are linked to your Microsoft Account.

Find license keys for Office 2010, Office 2013, Office 2016 and Office 2019 via a script

Office 2010 and later include a vbs-script which will reveal the last 5 characters of your Product Key. It’s pretty safe to state that these 5 characters would already be more than enough to find out which Product Key you have used (as you should already have safely stored the full Product Key code somewhere else together with your other license information).

You can run the vbs-file in the following way;

1. Open a command prompt. For instance via:
2. In the command prompt, type the following:
   • Office 2016/2019 (32-bit) on a 32-bit version of Windows
     
   • Office 2016/2019 (32-bit) on a 64-bit version of Windows
     
   • Office 2016/2019 (64-bit) on a 64-bit version of Windows
     
   • Office 2013 (32-bit) on a 32-bit version of Windows
     
   • Office 2013 (32-bit) on a 64-bit version of Windows
     
   • Office 2013 (64-bit) on a 64-bit version of Windows
     
   • Office 2010 (32-bit) on a 32-bit version of Windows
     
   • Office 2010 (32-bit) on a 64-bit version of Windows
     
   • Office 2010 (64-bit) on a 64-bit version of Windows
     
3. You should now get a screen with some license details such as the license name, type and the last 5 characters of the Product Key.

Office offers a scripted method to lookup your Product Key.

Changing the Product Key for Office 2010 / 2013 / 2016 / 2019

Changing the Product Key for msi-based installations of Office can be done directly from the Control Panel/Apps & Features or via a command line.

Product Keys for Click-to-Run based installations of Office can only be modified via the command line.

• Windows 10
  Start-> Settings-> Apps & Features
• Windows 7 and Windows 8
  Start-> Control Panel-> Uninstall a Program

Here, locate your Office application and press Modify or Change. Setup will now start with the option “Enter a Product Key” which allows you to enter a different product key.

To change the Product Key via a command line, you can use the same OSPP.VBS script as mentioned before. Instead of using the switch, you must use the switch where you should replace for your Product Key.

Changing the Product Key for Office XP/2002 / 2003 / 2007

Changing the Product Key for Office 2007 or previous requires you to go into the Registry.

1. Browse to the following key:
   
2. Now is a good point to make a backup of that key;
   Right click on the key, choose Export… and save the file to for instance your Desktop.
3. Expand the Registration key in the Registry and you’ll see one or more sub keys which contain a lot of characters between curly brackets: { and }
   Each sub key stands for an installed Office application.
   The proper name for this identifier string is called a “GUID”.
4. Click on the sub key to reveal its contents in the right pane.
   The key will reveal the name of the package that you have installed. If you have multiple GUID sub keys listed, you can use this key name to determine for which installation you’ll be changing the Product Key.
5. In the pane on the right, delete the following keys:
6. Close the Registry and start Outlook (or any other Office application); you’ll now be prompted to fill in your Product Key and activate Office again.

Delete the DigitalProductID and ProductID key to reset your Product Key.

Determine the Product Key with a 3rd party tool

Determining the used Product Key when using Office 2007 or previous isn’t directly supported by Microsoft. However, you can use a little program called Magic Jelly Bean Keyfinder to find out your used Product Key. Simply install and run the application to find out the Product Key (note: during the installation, there will be a prompt to also install a sponsored application which you can choose not to install).

Another free application which you can use is Belarc Advisor. This application does a bit more thorough scan of your computer for which it generates a report that also includes license keys for several of your installed applications. If you are in a large corporate network, you might want to disconnect your network connection as it will also try to build a network map which may cause the application to appear to hang at the “checking the local network of this computer” stage.

Last modified: June 11, 2019

Microsoft Office 2003 Product Key :

KFFQ2-CHT9C-89TW7-2BMRJ-4PV3Y
DKMXD-GRDBF-QTVXG-MBFWK-J9XVM
D36MF-FHTPB-T6B2B-6G9R7-62FDY
H2BVR-4BFPK-D7YDP-GCQJC-VYPMB
FGWMR-K9H3H-DVMJP-QVGRK-W7QHM
HRGMV-9RWT9-Y78GW-6CG2B-T8WYB
BBQ8M-TMCWH-9JPQY-6K9CT-FJ3HM
FK8DW-MRTJQ-9FM4J-69WGH-MT6BB
G2M7M-Y2HY3-T7Q3G-YR4YP-96H3Y

MS FrontPage 2003 :

WFDWY-XQXJF-RHRYG-BG7RQ-BBDHM
CXDH9-4QMFJ-K482C-49XYF-QTH3Y

DM8R3-3VBXF-F7JRX-FJ7P4-YD3HM

MS Office 2003  :

W786H-2PQKV-4VRQY-7BPF8-2WRRT
H4RFW-HYMF3-78WBD-F2P92-QQ3WT

MS Office 2003 Full Upgrade :mdrtb-bv6t2-3hk9g-d9gqj

MS Office 2003 Main Suite s/n:

DM8R3-3VBXF-F7JRX-FJ7P4-YD3HM
Extras:CXDH9-4QMFJ-K482C-49XYF-QTH3Y

MS Office 2003 Pro :F9FR6-M86TC-VWJBF-HTCTW-RD3HM
Office 11:GWH28-DGCMP-P6RC4-6J4MT-3HFDY
Visio/Project/OneNote/FrontPage:WFDWY-XQXJF-RHRYG-BG7RQ-BBDHM or
or 9980 0999 9191 7951 Auth:JA5O631B

MS Office 2003 Small Business Upgrade s/n:CJGXR-3WVCK-89KGB-QRMFG-VJB64

MS OneNote 2003 s/n:WFDWY-XQXJF-RHRYG-BG7RQ-BBDHM

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Microsoft Product Activation is a DRM technology used by Microsoft Corporation in several of its computersoftware programs, most notably its Windowsoperating system and its Officeproductivity suite. The procedure enforces compliance with the program's end-user license agreement by transmitting information about both the product key used to install the program and the user's computer hardware to Microsoft, inhibiting or completely preventing the use of the program until the validity of its license is confirmed.^[1]

The procedure has been met with significant criticism by many consumers, technical analysts and computer experts, who argue that it is poorly designed, highly inconvenient and ultimately does nothing to prevent software piracy.^[2] The process has been successfully circumvented on multiple occasions.^[3]

Process[edit]

Before activation[edit]

When installing a retail copy of Windows or Office, the user is asked to input a unique product key supplied on a certificate of authenticity included with the program, which is later verified during activation.^[1] Immediate activation is not required following installation, but the program must be activated within a specific period of time in order to continue to function properly. Throughout this grace period, the user will be periodically reminded to activate the program, with warnings becoming more frequent over time.^[4]

Certain versions of Windows and Office are available under a volume license, where a single product key is used for multiple installations. Programs purchased under this license must still be activated, with the exception of Windows XP and all versions of Office released prior to Office 2010.^[5][6][7][8] Businesses using this licensing system have the option of using Microsoft's activation servers or creating and managing their own.^[9]

If Windows is pre-installed on a computer by an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), the operating system is automatically activated without the need for interaction from the user.^[10] In this case, the copy of Windows installed does not use the product key listed on the certificate of authenticity, but rather a master product key issued to OEMs called a System Locked Pre-installation (SLP) key. On each boot, Windows confirms the presence of specific information stored in the BIOS by the manufacturer, ensuring the activation only remains valid on that computer, even if the product key is used on another machine.^[5]

After grace period[edit]

If activation is not performed within the grace period or fails because of an illegal or invalid product key, the following restrictions will be imposed on the user:

• In Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2003 R2, after a grace period of 30 days, the operating system cannot be used at all until the activation process is completed successfully.^[11][12]
• In Windows Vista RTM, after a grace period of 30 days, the operating system will boot only into a reduced functionality mode. The reduced functionality varies based on whether the operating system is simply out of grace or has undergone a failed activation. In the former case, built-in games and premium features like Windows Aero are disabled, and the system is rebooted every hour; in the latter case, certain premium features are disabled and some content is not available from Windows Update.^[13][14]
• In Windows Vista SP1, Windows Vista SP2, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2008 R2, after a grace period of 30 days (60 days for Windows Server 2008), the operating system will display the notice stating that the copy of Windows is not genuine and set the desktop background to black. This includes allowing only critical and security updates to be downloaded from Windows Update and giving periodic reminders to activate the operating system. However, the operating system otherwise functions normally.^{[4][13][15][16][17]}
• In Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2, and Windows Server 2016, the 30-day grace period has been removed. If the operating system is not activated, there is a watermark showing the edition of Windows or a message telling the user to activate Windows on desktop. Personalization features such as changing the wallpaper are disabled. In Windows 8 and 8.1 notifications appear occasionally telling the user to activate. However, the operating system otherwise functions normally.^[18]
• In Office XP, Office 2003, Office 2007, Office 2010, and Office 2013, after a grace period of 30–60 days for Office 2010 and 14–60 days in Office 2013 or opening the program 25 times for Office 2007 and 50 times for Office 2003 and XP, the programs will enter a reduced functionality mode, where files can be viewed but not edited.^{[2][7][19][20][21]}

When activation takes place, the program saves a record of the verification data in the user's computer. If the system is booted up with significant hardware changes, the application will likely require reactivation to prevent the same copy of the program being installed on two different systems.^[22]

On Windows 10, the activation process can also generate a "digital entitlement", which allows the operating system's hardware and license status to be saved to the activation servers, so that the operating system's license can automatically be restored after a clean installation without the need to enter a product key.^[23][24]

During activation[edit]

Activation is performed with a utility supplied with Windows and Office called the Activation Wizard. It can be performed either over the Internet or by telephone.^[1] When activating over the Internet, the Activation Wizard automatically transmits and receives verification data to and from Microsoft servers, completing the process without any interaction by the user.^[25] Activation by telephone requires that a user and a Microsoft agent verbally exchange activation information. In this case, an installation ID is generated, which is then read to the agent. The agent verifies the information and replies with a confirmation ID, which is then typed into the Activation Wizard.^[25]

The Activation Wizard generates verification data primarily based on information about hardware in the computer. In Windows XP, information about the following ten categories of hardware is included:^[5]

Every time a PC is booted, Windows checks the hardware configuration against that which existed at the time of installation. From the above list, six or more items must change for the reactivation to be required. The position is complicated in that the network card MAC address is regarded as three items. Therefore, if the network card is not changed, a change to six or more other items will trigger a reactivation. If the network card is changed, then just three other changes will trigger a reactivation.

PCs that are considered dockable are treated more leniently as hardware will, by definition, regularly change. A dockable PC is one that is equipped with a docking port that connects to an expansion unit that features extra ports or hardware (these are usually ancillary units custom designed for some laptop PCs). A dockable PC is allowed three extra changes beyond a non-dockable PC before reactivation is required.

The verification data is also based on the product key entered during activation. In some cases, the product key is checked against a list of known illegally distributed keys.^[26]

Certain retail copies of Windows and Office sold in certain countries classified as emerging markets have geographical activation restrictions, which only allow the user to activate the product within the indicated region.^[27]

After activation[edit]

If activation completes successfully, the user can continue to use the application without any further issues or impediments. Also, if the key gets blacklisted, the application will continue to run as normal unless a clean install and activation is performed after its key has been blacklisted.

Usage[edit]

The following tables illustrate the usage of product activation throughout Microsoft software, specifying whether the programs can be equipped with retail or volume licensing activation as well as geographical activation restrictions.

Windows[edit]

Office[edit]

*All Office 2016 and Office 365 licenses are associated with an email account. A personal licence is re-activated on a new machine by logging in to office.com and selecting which of their machines to associate.^[31]

Criticism[edit]

While Microsoft says that product activation benefits consumers by allowing Microsoft to produce higher quality software,^[1] it has nevertheless received much criticism regarding its design and implementation, effectiveness at stopping piracy and respect of privacy rights. For instance, during the development of Windows XP, beta testers strongly criticized the introduction of product activation, particularly because a change in computer hardware required re-activation.^[32] Ken Fischer at Ars Technica questioned whether activation would ultimately be effective in stopping piracy, stating that while casual computer users would be affected, he would "be a fool to think that someone out there won't find a way to break this whole thing."^[33] Dave Wilson, a technology columnist at the Los Angeles Times, describes activation as "just another example of a rapacious monopolist abusing computer users who are helpless to do anything about it." He too believed that the system would not have "any significant effect on professional pirates."^[34] Fred Langa at InformationWeek, with reference to the transmission of hardware information during activation, stated that "many users are incensed at this level of monitoring, intrusion, and control by Microsoft."^[2] Finally, Dr. Cyrus Peikari and Seth Fogie, security consultants, considered product activation to be "hostile both to privacy and to human dignity."^[35]

Others defend Microsoft's use of product activation. The Harrison Group, a market research firm, conducted a study sponsored by Microsoft in 2011 illustrating that computers running activated versions of Windows software were on average 50% faster than their pirated counterparts. The group concluded by stating that users of genuine Microsoft products ultimately receive superior performance while counterfeit users are susceptible to security issues and lost productivity.^[36] Fully Licensed GmbH, a developer of digital rights management technology, while criticizing Microsoft for being vague about the nature of information sent from a given computer during activation, nevertheless concluded that activation is not particularly intrusive and does not significantly violate privacy.^[37]

Microsoft Product Activation has also been criticized on multiple occasions for violating patent law. In 2006, Microsoft was required to pay $142 million to z4 Technologies for infringing on a product activation patent,^[38] while in 2009 Microsoft was ordered to pay $388 million to Uniloc for patent infringement in product activation in Windows XP, Office XP and Windows Server 2003.^[39]

Circumvention[edit]

Microsoft Product Activation has been cracked or circumvented on numerous occasions since it was introduced in 2001. In 2001, a UK security company called Bit Arts successfully managed to bypass product activation on Windows XP,^[40] while in 2003, volume license keys for Windows XP were leaked to the public, allowing users who had not purchased a volume license to the operating system to bypass activation.^[41] In 2009, several security flaws in Windows 7 were used by hackers to circumvent activation.^[3][42]

Since the introduction of Windows Vista, most attempts at circumvention of product activation have focused on using leaked SLP product keys and BIOS information used by OEMs to preactivate Windows. In 2007, a circumvention measure was developed for Windows Vista by warez-group Paradox that simulates the BIOS, allowing leaked SLP information to be fed to the operating system, bypassing activation.^[43] In 2009, SLP product keys and certificate information for Windows 7 were leaked to the public, allowing the BIOS to be reconfigured to bypass activation.^[44]

List of Microsoft products with product activation[edit]

The following Microsoft products other than Windows, Windows Server or products from the Office family use activation: ^[45]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]