How many uses do windows 7 and ms office installers/disks have?

Tomha · 09 Jul 2011

I am looking at reformatting my computer, the only thing holding me back is a matter of software. I have a windows 7 professional 64-bit disk which came under the OEM licence, and I purchased Microsoft office 2010 on-line (I have an installer and a disk I had shipped to me). Would reformatting my computer and reinstalling windows require me to use one of my uses of either of the mentioned pieces of software? And where could I find how many uses I have (if it is indeed limited).

Thanks.

JaidynM · 09 Jul 2011

Hi Tomha,

Unfortunately, OEM license keys can only be used once. Of course, you may be able to use it on another computer but this would most likely be without updates or support. I don't recommend and it is generally frowned upon. I'm quite sure though you can reinstall it on the same computer. Take a look at the second post in the thread I link below. It was posted by an MVP so it's safe to assume that it's reliable.

Can I reuse Windows 7 Professional key? - Microsoft Answers

Hi

The Windows 7 Product Key (License) is perpetual, it never expires. You can reuse the key as many times as you wish, as long as the operating system is only installed on one computer at a time.

The Student version of Windows 7 is the Retail, Upgrade version. You will need to perform the installation the same way you did when you originally installed it.

The product key that you used to activate the first installation is kept on the Activation Servers at Microsoft. After you reinstall, you may need to perform a manual activation, which means that you may need to use the telephone option when you activate. Here are the instructions for a manual activation.
1. From the desktop, press the Windows Logo Key+R. This will bring up the Run dialog box.

2. In the Open: box, type slui 4 and press OK. This will start the manual activation wizard.

3. Select your Country in the drop down menu and click Next.

4. The wizard will display a Toll Free phone number. Leave the wizard open on the computer and call that phone number.

You will be given some recorded options. Select the option to talk to a live representative.

The representative will manually activate that system for you.

Let us know if you have any more problems

^^ That is more or less what he said.

Hope this helps,
Jaidyn

Bill2 · 09 Jul 2011

Win7 OEM license is tied to the first motherboard its installed on, so unless you significantly swap hardware such as the mobo or a combination of smaller components such as hard disk, ram, cd drive etc., you'll be fine. On the same hardware it can be reinstalled limitless times.

Office 2010 will be good for one install at a given point of time, though if you upgrade machines, you're free to junk the older install and use it on the new one. Only condition being one computer at a time. The only exception is the Home & Student Edition, each license of which is good for upto 3 installs at any time.

Tomha · 09 Jul 2011

So...if I reformat my hard drive then that would be the same as uninstalling office on my computer and I would be free to reinstall it? If it changes anything its Office Professional Plus edition.

JaidynM · 09 Jul 2011

No, it shouldn't change anything. Office should be able to be re-installed once you format your hard drive.

Bill2 · 09 Jul 2011

Tomha said:

So...if I reformat my hard drive then that would be the same as uninstalling office on my computer and I would be free to reinstall it? If it changes anything its Office Professional Plus edition.

Yes, you're free to reinstall it.

As a general advice, we come across a lot of activation issues here and the best way IMO to preserve activation (windows, office, all software) is to image the windows drive using a free program like macrium or any other of choice. Everytime you need to reinstall, just restore the image and you're good to go in a few minutes. No reinstallation and reactivation hassles.

Tomha · 09 Jul 2011

As in, reformat, install windows, and office then clone that hard drive? If so would it help the situation also if I partitioned my hard drive into a 50Gb partition for the OS then used the remaining 900 or so for files on a separate partition?

Bill2 · 09 Jul 2011

Correct. The 50gb (or 60 or whatever size suits you depending on how many programs and games you have installed) partition should be used only for the OS and programs, user data should be kept on a separate partition so that it is not affected by OS corruption. And naturally imaging a smaller partition takes less time. User files can be backed up to an external hard drive or dvd by copy paste, no need to image.

Tomha · 09 Jul 2011

Ok. Now about corruption, (I believe my OS is partially corrupt hence the reformat), if my movies and music...and all that is all on the same drive, could a corrupt OS have damaged these files and present a risk of further corruption on a new drive? Where possible I will use fresh installs but obviously its not so easy to get clean copies of 300gb of movies and the likes.

Bill2 · 09 Jul 2011

Thats a matter of luck. OS corruption is not contagious, it wont "spread" to user files, of course if theres malware, it could be a different story. Copy of your music and video to the other partition or external, then once you've reformatted and installed windows afresh, you can check them.