Installing MS Office when the on line account has been deactivated

[Phillip Manning]

As a small Computer shop we deal with a lot of customers who have little understanding of IT, business and home users. Ever since Microsoft started making you install office from an online account, we would set up the account for the customer and install office, this way we can keep track of the details so that we can reinstall the office software for them at any time.

A problem we ran into was that the on line accounts would become deactivated if you have not logged into them after 3 years. This would lead to the problem of having bought an office licence out right, the licence still being supported, but having no way to reinstall it on a new computer without logging into the online account that Microsoft had closed.

This would result in a 2-3 hour chat with Microsoft support, with us telling them we have the licence key we have paid for and we want to install it and them telling us no we cant, until they back down and give us a replacement key, this would only work 2 out of ever 3 licences we have had locked.

This week we have been replacing 17 laptops for a local company, the old laptops had Office 2013 pro and the owner of the company did not want to buy replacement licences, but the Microsoft accounts had been closed.

We found that if you have the original email sent out when you registered the account, clicking the link to download the software from this email, is enough to reactivate the account, that Microsoft themselves have told us can never be reactivated. This has enabled us to reinstall the office software the company has paid for.

Hope this helps someone else.

 

[britechguy]

Thank you for this information.

This also points up the need to emphasize to clients that they need to log in to online accounts, even if that's all they do, at least once per year, and not just for Microsoft accounts.

I strongly encourage my clients to use Password Managers and an electronic calendar to nag them about this. Password Safe is a great one that's open-source and has multiple ports to iOS and Android with the ability to keep one's encrypted password file in the cloud so that all devices one is using have access to the same file.

 

[fincoder]

we would set up the account for the customer and install office, this way we can keep track of the details so that we can reinstall the office software for them at any time

Obviously in hindsight that was your mistake. No matter how the customers whine or struggle with managing accounts, they still need to have the ultimate responsibility for them. Our job is to help them by doing it with them, insist the details are written down (or write them down for them), emphasise the details are important so they should be written into their address book or somewhere. I'm sure that, for residential clients, you don't get paid enough to be responsible for their passwords (unless you sell them an MSP contract).

I assume the deactivation of inactive accounts only occurs for Microsoft email accounts (outlook.com, hotmail) but not if someone registers their non-microsoft email address (gmail.com, isp.com) as a microsoft account.

Unfortunately, in the past I've found that some customers struggle grasping the concept of their, say, gmail account having a seperate password for microsoft. Sometimes I've suggested that getting a new outlook.com email address just for microsoft account management might be easier. Maybe not such a good idea if those accounts get deactivated for inactivity...

 

[britechguy]

. . . in the past I've found that some customers struggle grasping the concept of their, say, gmail account having a seperate password for microsoft...

It took me a long time to wrap my head around this when it first started being allowed, and even though I understand it perfectly I still think it is an entirely bone-headed system for the very reason that it's guaranteed to generate chaos.

I'd far rather that any user has to establish a user name of their choosing *other than* an e-mail address for whatever account they're opening (when we're not talking about setting up a new e-mail account, which is a thing of its own and where you can't use another e-mail address as your username there, ever).

Trying to get people to understand that changing their password on a Microsoft account will cause that to propagate down to the Windows 10 user account that's linked to it is a joy, too. It's actually something I love, since the reset password process is pretty well understood by most people, but they still don't get that a Microsoft account linked Windows 10 user account shares that password.

I don't even try to tell end users that their Windows 10 password for a Microsoft linked account is also stored separately, locally (and encrypted, of course), so that logins can occur if there's no internet service. That is also what gets checked first, and the "down propagation" will not occur with a changed MS account password until the first time you enter it locally, at which time it won't match the locally stored password, the cloud password will be checked, found to match, then propagated down.

 

[Sky-Knight]

App passwords don't address the real problem either. It's still single factor signon, and the viruses can pull that saved password right out of Outlook. So we've gained nothing other than confusion.

 

[coffee]

Dont forget also that the office registration code is not stored locally since Office 2013.

Unless its absolutely needed, I just install LibreOffice and tell MS to Suc* it.

 

[Markverhyden]

We found that if you have the original email sent out when you registered the account, clicking the link to download the software from this email, is enough to reactivate the account, that Microsoft themselves have told us can never be reactivated. This has enabled us to reinstall the office software the company has paid for.

Hope this helps someone else.

Original email? LOL!!! That's a miracle right up there with computers being 100% reliable. The good news is that almost all email systems from majors ISP's have been IMAP for close to 10 years. So unless the EU is a neat freak, deleting the email when it's no longer needed, chances of finding that are fair.

 

[britechguy]

Original email? LOL!!! That's a miracle right up there with computers being 100% reliable. The good news is that almost all email systems from majors ISP's have been IMAP for close to 10 years. So unless the EU is a neat freak, deleting the email when it's no longer needed, chances of finding that are fair.

I guess it depends on your client(s). My problem with many is that they never delete *anything*! (Or at least so it seems).

I, myself, "file" messages from major purchases, whether software or otherwise, and given the search capabilities of either webmail or e-mail clients, can find them pretty quickly.

I'm far from "overly tidy" in terms of deleting e-mail messages, but I make a point of not keeping *everything*. Some people are electronic hoarders, too many, actually.

 

[bdoggman]

Use standalone installer. Input product key and make sure you The unit is off-line. NEVER create a Microsoft account. Activate via phone system. Your welcome

 

[Phillip Manning]

I assume the deactivation of inactive accounts only occurs for Microsoft email accounts (outlook.com, hotmail) but not if someone registers their non-microsoft email address (gmail.com, isp.com) as a microsoft account.

These are Microsoft accounts using non Microsoft email addresses that get deactivated

The reason we create a Microsoft account for customers who by office outright from us, is that they will always come back to us to get it moved to a new computer, or after they have totaled their computer and need it reinstalling. Customers do not like it when we say we cannot install your office because you changed the password for your Microsoft account and have then forgotten it, if we can just install office with no information needed from the customer, it makes life so much easier for us.

 

[Diggs]

Unless its absolutely needed, I just install LibreOffice and tell MS to Suc* it.

I have some customers that are absolutely thrilled when I show them LibreOffice and others that do nothing but whine and moan that it's not exactly like Word or Excel......

 

[coffee]

I have some customers that are absolutely thrilled when I show them LibreOffice and others that do nothing but whine and moan that it's not exactly like Word or Excel......

I have them too. Its amazing that some customers will pay the blood money to MS for Office just because they feel they have to have Office. Doesnt make sense to me. Sometimes I have clients that get documents with really outlandish macros in them and LO doesnt like it. Its rare though.

thanx

 

[Sky-Knight]

I won't bother chasing these because of LibreOffice. If the user has their account, I use it to replace office. If they don't, I explain to them how they can find their account themselves. They don't want to do that, they can buy a new copy. Office 365 Home is $100 / year, covers 6 family members, done. I'll give them an Amazon link to Home and Student, as well as Home and Business depending on the apps they want.

But that O365 sub almost always sells because I explain OneDrive to them, and how it integrates with Windows to provide crypto protection. Not to mention the ability to share documents and images with family quickly, securely and easily. A ton of people like it, buy it and move on.

They don't want to do that, I install LibreOffice, explain that to them, and they're either happy or they aren't, but either way the unit is out of my office. I'm not wasting my time tracking down software licenses for people.

 

[britechguy]

Personally, I prefer SoftMaker's Free Office over LibreOffice if someone's looking for a "look and feel" that's as close to MS Office as you can get without being there. There is a paid version, too, with more bells and whistles but the free version is free for home and business use and has a word processor, spreadsheet program, and presentation program.

 

[HCHTech]

Obviously in hindsight that was your mistake.

Well, obviously, but I'm glad the OP shared the experience as it highlights another job to keep track of. We often create the outlook.com address specifically for this purpose because we're setting up the computer in the shop and it's just easier that way. Yes, we print the details and tell the customer about it, but I'm sure they forget about it 15 minutes later never to be thought of again.

For commercial customers, we record this in our records, but not residential customers. I'm sure since we installed it initially, they will blame us if they are ever in this corner.

 

[britechguy]

I'm sure since we installed it initially, they will blame us if they are ever in this corner.

Which is why my "tell them about it mechanism" always includes in writing (typically e-mail, with an attachment to said e-mail including the information for download and filing).

When you can present that document at a later time it can shut down the blame game, and even more so if you have kept the original e-mail message you sent (which I do).

"Lack of fulfilling your obligations for 'care and feeding' does not constitute a lack of fulfilling mine."

 

[Diggs]

someone's looking for a "look and feel" that's as close to MS Office as you can get without being there.

I used to recommend WPS Office if that were the case but now it has advertising in the free version and some don't like its Chinese origins. This is the first I'm aware of Softmaker's version. Thanks @britechguy . I'll have to check it out even though I do wave the LibreOffice flag.

 

[alluseridsrejected]

Doesn't their policy say they will NOT delete these accounts? So why is this an issue? The first item listed under exceptions sounds like it covers these:

Microsoft account activity policy: Under the MSA, you must use your Microsoft account to keep it “active.” Microsoft reserves the right to close all “inactive” Microsoft accounts. Please see section (4)(a)(iv)(2) of the MSA for the consequences of a closed Microsoft account. Except as provided below, you must sign in to your Microsoft account at least once in a two-year period to keep your account active. If you don’t sign in during this time, Microsoft will consider your account to be inactive.

Exceptions: The activities below are exceptions that will result in Microsoft extending your account’s active status, even if you have not otherwise signed in to your Microsoft account within a two-year period.

• Purchases. If you have used your Microsoft account to purchase, or to redeem or access a purchase of, a current Microsoft product or service, your Microsoft account will remain active and Microsoft will not close your account due to inactivity. Note, this does not apply to gift cards, certifications or subscription-based purchases or services.
• Subscriptions. Your Microsoft account will continue to remain active for so long as you have an active Microsoft subscription associated with your Microsoft account. Following the expiration or termination of the subscription, you must sign in to your Microsoft account at least once in a two-year period to keep your account active.
• Publishing to the Microsoft Store. If you have used your Microsoft account to publish applications or games (including game DLCs) to the Microsoft Store or to register for a Microsoft Partner Center account, your Microsoft account will remain active and Microsoft will not close your account due to inactivity.
• Certifications. If you earn a certification from Microsoft using your Microsoft account, your Microsoft account will remain active and Microsoft will not close your account due to inactivity.
• Account Balance. Your Microsoft account will continue to remain active for so long as you have an unspent balance in your Microsoft account (e.g. from a Microsoft gift card or a credit from Microsoft). If you live in a jurisdiction where gift cards are considered “unclaimed property,” Microsoft will, pursuant to local law, escheat the unspent balance associated with your Microsoft gift card.
• Accounts Payable. Your Microsoft account will continue to remain active for so long as there is an amount owed to you by Microsoft associated with your Microsoft account (e.g. amounts due to you from Microsoft Payment Central).
• Family Accounts. If you have an inactive Microsoft account that has granted consent for an active Microsoft account belonging to a minor, Microsoft will not close your Microsoft account due to your inactivity. Your inactive Microsoft account will be kept open by Microsoft until the minor’s account (i) is deemed inactive and closed by Microsoft, (ii) is closed by you, or (iii) transitions into a standard Microsoft account when the minor reaches the requisite age of majority in their region.
• Legal Requirements or as otherwise provided by Microsoft. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Microsoft reserves the right to maintain your account status as active, or not to close an inactive account, as required by applicable law or regulation, or as otherwise provided by Microsoft to you.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4511051/microsoft-account-activity-policy

 

[fincoder]

Your Microsoft account will continue to remain active for so long as you have an active Microsoft subscription associated with your Microsoft account. Following the expiration or termination of the subscription, you must sign in to your Microsoft account at least once in a two-year period to keep your account active.

I was starting to wonder why I hadn't come across the problem of a deactivated account. Looks like from this clause it shouldn't happen unless the account isn't used for 2 years after the expirition of Office 365.