Office 2013 can't connect to Office.com

[JohnM]

I've been using Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013, 15.0.4631.1004 for the last six months, with no real problems.

Specifically, while using Excel 2013; I can press F1 or click the ? icon, and use the online Help... Until now



I'm working on something in Excel, I try to access Help, and get



This condition then persists until I reboot the computer; the same/similar message appears for the other Office components.

Please note: other programs do not have any problem connecting to the Internet. I'm experiencing the problem even as I type this in IE. Office is the only one having trouble with connecting... I have some URLs in a spreadsheet, and they still work fine
My computer has a wired connection to my modem-router on a simple home network. I am using Microsoft Security Essentials, Malwarebytes and Microsoft Firewall. All Windows Updates have been installed. Turning off the firewall does not help.

A few weeks ago I had a problem with a malicious toolbar. Malwarbytes quarantined a number of files having to do with Linkey, and MySearchDial, and the problem seemed to be solved.

Any help with Help would be appreciated...

 

[Ranger4]

Welcome Windows Seven Forums.

Have you tried an Office repair. To do that open Control Panel, select Programs & Features, scroll down to Microsoft Office 2013, Right Click on it & select Change. This will open a panel with a couple of repair options to try.

 

[JohnM]

Ranger4: Thanks for the reply... Tried the Office Repair idea. Turns out that this caused a total re-download of Office 2013. I'm now being nagged for my 25-character authorization code. Excel looks different, since all my options from the last six months have been reset. And now even the offline help has disappeared. The new error message I get when I press F1, or the ? icon is now:



and this appears even when pressing the ? icon on any Wizard in Excel.

Any efforts to get this fixed failed because, of course, the program couldn't connect.

Actually talked to someone at Microsoft Support. Their position was that I should fire up IE and go on-line to get all the videos and tutorials I could ever want.

 

[Ranger4]

Have you been able to reactivate your Office 2013 after the reinstall.

This website has a possible solution, but it is for Office 2010. However, it deals with a Firewall issue that can cause the blocking of connection to Office.com. Have a read through it & see if it helps you.

Office 2010: User's Can't Access Office.com - Deployment Field Notes - Site Home - TechNet Blogs

 

[JohnM]

Ranger4: Thanks; I saw that article, but, as I mentioned, turning off Microsoft Firewall didn't help...

In any event, as above, the situation has escalated to no Help of any type, on-line or off-line, when I press F1 in Excel 2013; just the cheery advice in the image in my Message #3 above...