Microsoft KB Archive/293194

= HOW TO: Activate a Product Trial Program License in Office XP Programs =

PSS ID Number: 293194

Article Last Modified on 5/23/2003

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Office XP Professional
 * Microsoft FrontPage 2002
 * Microsoft Publisher 2002

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This article was previously published under Q293194



IN THIS TASK

 * SUMMARY
 * ** How to Activate Office XP
 * How to Skip Activation
 * How to Determine the Trial Expiration Date
 * How to Continue Using Office
 * REFERENCES



SUMMARY
This article describes how to activate the Product Trial Program version of Microsoft Office XP. You can use the same procedure for any stand-alone version of Microsoft FrontPage 2002 or Microsoft Publisher 2002.

The 30-Day Trial program version has a finite subscription period. The subscription period begins when you activate your product and continues for one month. When the license expires, you must uninstall the product and install a new copy of the product.

The Product Trial Program version is included in the following:

Microsoft Office XP Professional

Microsoft FrontPage 2002 stand-alone

Microsoft Publisher 2002 stand-alone

The 30-Day Trial Microsoft Office XP Professional product includes an Auto Demo CD-ROM and a 30-Day Trial CD-ROM. You do not need to activate the Auto Demo CD-ROM.

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How to Activate Office XP
When you start any of the Office programs for the first time after you install Office, the Microsoft Office Activation Wizard automatically runs. You are presented with one activation option, or you can choose to active Office at a later time:

Activate by using the Internet

NOTE: The only activation option for the Office XP 30-Day Trial is by using the Internet.

When you select the Activate by using the Internet option, the Office Activation Wizard automatically contacts the Microsoft licensing servers through your Internet connection. If you are using a valid product key that has not been used previously, your product is activated immediately.

After you activate your product, you have a license to use Office for a period of 30 days on a single computer.

You can run Office up to five times without activating it. If you fail to activate the product, the programs will begin running in reduced-functionality mode. In reduced-functionality mode, you cannot save modifications to documents or create a new document, and additional functionality may be reduced.

No existing Office files or documents will be harmed, and you can easily change Office out of reduced-functionality mode by following the instructions that are outlined in the screens presented.

To activate your product by using the Internet, follow these steps:
 * 1) Start any of the Office programs.
 * 2) In the Office Activation Wizard, select the Activate by using the Internet option, and then click Next.
 * 3) Read the Microsoft Office Privacy Policy page, and then click Next.
 * 4) On the Customer Information page, type your personal information. The only field that you are required to complete is the Country/Region option. Select the appropriate country from the list, type any other information that you want, and then click Next.
 * 5) On the Special Offers page, you have three choices for obtaining information and offers from Microsoft. None of these options is selected by default. If you want to receive the information or offers from Microsoft, select the options that you want, type your e-mail address, and then click Submit.

When you click Submit, your information is sent to the Microsoft licensing servers. When your information is validated, the Activation Complete page appears, and you can use the Office programs until the date specified on this page.
 * 1) Click Finish.

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How to Skip Activation
If you do not want to activate your copy of Office, you can click Activate Later on any page of the Office Activation Wizard. The wizard warns you that you have a specified number of times (the maximum is five) to run the product before you are required to activate it. Click Exit to close the wizard.

NOTE: If you decide to activate your license at a later time, the activation counter decrements each time that you start an Office program. If the counter reaches zero, the Office programs begin running in reduced-functionality mode.

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How to Determine the Trial Expiration Date
To find out when your version expires, start any Office program, and then click Activate Product on the Help menu. The expiration notice appears.

Code that runs every time that you start an Office program is built into Office XP. This code detects when your product license expires and automatically provides reminders about pending expiration dates, well in advance of expiration. As the expiration date approaches, the reminders increase in frequency. The following table shows the frequency of the reminders for the Product Trial Program version.

  Length of time until expiration          Reminder appears 10 days                                 Once 7 days                                  Once Between 5 and 2 days                    Daily 2 days before expiration                Every time you start an                                             Office program If you wait for your license to expire, you can start Office programs a total of five times before they begin running in reduced-functionality mode.

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How to Continue Using Office
The license for the Product Trial Program version of Office is not renewable or extendable. If you want to continue to use Office XP after your Product Trial Program copy expires, you must uninstall the Product Trial Program copy, and then install a new version of Office.

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