Anyone else using this? It's automatically updated itself to Office 365 and
remained stuck in non-activated mode (can't save or edit documents). Seems
subscribing to Office 365 is the only way out.

Perhaps remove, reinstall, and disable updates?

--
Cheers, Rob, Sheffield UK

On Mon, 22 Jan 2024 14:35:39 -0000 (UTC), RJH <patchmoney@gmx.com>
wrote:

>Anyone else using this? It's automatically updated itself to Office 365 and
>remained stuck in non-activated mode (can't save or edit documents). Seems
>subscribing to Office 365 is the only way out.
>
>Perhaps remove, reinstall, and disable updates?

You may need to clean your drive of anything related to Office before
doing the install or some settings might be carried over. Doing a find
on terms such as "office", "Microsoft" and whatever else you can think
of could find loose stuff scattered all over the place. Microsoft were
never very tidy.

Disabling "updates" is a wise move, yes. I'm still running a copy of
MSO 2007 which by now is possibly never going to be offered any
updates by Microsoft but I keep automatic updates firmly off just in
case they go nuts.

Not that I use the thing much any more. :)

Before doing the install, take your machine off of the Internet, kill
the wi-fi or switch off your router or both. Office *might* try to
update herself before you can tell it not to

J.

On 23 Jan 2024 at 07:51:57 GMT, "John" <Man@the.keyboard> wrote:

> On Mon, 22 Jan 2024 14:35:39 -0000 (UTC), RJH <patchmoney@gmx.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Anyone else using this? It's automatically updated itself to Office 365 and
>> remained stuck in non-activated mode (can't save or edit documents). Seems
>> subscribing to Office 365 is the only way out.
>>
>> Perhaps remove, reinstall, and disable updates?
>
> You may need to clean your drive of anything related to Office before
> doing the install or some settings might be carried over. Doing a find
> on terms such as "office", "Microsoft" and whatever else you can think
> of could find loose stuff scattered all over the place. Microsoft were
> never very tidy.
>
> Disabling "updates" is a wise move, yes. I'm still running a copy of
> MSO 2007 which by now is possibly never going to be offered any
> updates by Microsoft but I keep automatic updates firmly off just in
> case they go nuts.
>
> Not that I use the thing much any more. :)
>
> Before doing the install, take your machine off of the Internet, kill
> the wi-fi or switch off your router or both. Office *might* try to
> update herself before you can tell it not to
>
> J.

I find that App Cleaner does a pretty good job of cleaning stuff out. It tells
you what it's found and offers a default selection to delete, but it's up to
you to decide wht to keep and what to chuck in the end.

Old John.

--
An infinitely complex system can fail in an infinite number of ways.

On 23 Jan 2024 at 07:51:57 GMT, John wrote:

> On Mon, 22 Jan 2024 14:35:39 -0000 (UTC), RJH <patchmoney@gmx.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Anyone else using this? It's automatically updated itself to Office 365 and
>> remained stuck in non-activated mode (can't save or edit documents). Seems
>> subscribing to Office 365 is the only way out.
>>
>> Perhaps remove, reinstall, and disable updates?
>
> You may need to clean your drive of anything related to Office before
> doing the install or some settings might be carried over. Doing a find
> on terms such as "office", "Microsoft" and whatever else you can think
> of could find loose stuff scattered all over the place. Microsoft were
> never very tidy.
>

Yes, I followed 'uninstalling Office' guidance on the MS web site - a lot of
it didn't apply (files didn't exist) though.

> Disabling "updates" is a wise move, yes. I'm still running a copy of
> MSO 2007 which by now is possibly never going to be offered any
> updates by Microsoft but I keep automatic updates firmly off just in
> case they go nuts.
>

I got it working long enough to do what I needed to do by using the download
link that came with the original licence, and not updating.

> Not that I use the thing much any more. :)
>

Well, apart from Excel, which I like and use a lot, I'd happily consign it to
the bin were it not for the fact that I handle a lot of office files others
end me. So I have a possibility misplaced concern about security and
compatibility. Which led me to shelling out £40ish for a 2021 licence.

Office 2019 has just come out of 5 years support - 'support' just stops dead,
no security updates ever again. So this'll do me until 2026 . . .

> Before doing the install, take your machine off of the Internet, kill
> the wi-fi or switch off your router or both. Office *might* try to
> update herself before you can tell it not to
>

Good point - in the event, it didn't background update AFAICT.

--
Cheers, Rob, Sheffield UK

On Tue, 23 Jan 2024 08:53:25 -0000 (UTC), RJH <patchmoney@gmx.com>
wrote:

>On 23 Jan 2024 at 07:51:57 GMT, John wrote:
>
>> On Mon, 22 Jan 2024 14:35:39 -0000 (UTC), RJH <patchmoney@gmx.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Anyone else using this? It's automatically updated itself to Office 365 and
>>> remained stuck in non-activated mode (can't save or edit documents). Seems
>>> subscribing to Office 365 is the only way out.
>>>
>>> Perhaps remove, reinstall, and disable updates?
>>
>> You may need to clean your drive of anything related to Office before
>> doing the install or some settings might be carried over. Doing a find
>> on terms such as "office", "Microsoft" and whatever else you can think
>> of could find loose stuff scattered all over the place. Microsoft were
>> never very tidy.
>>
>
>Yes, I followed 'uninstalling Office' guidance on the MS web site - a lot of
>it didn't apply (files didn't exist) though.

They make MSO for millions and millions of different boxes, running
oodles of different OSes and used by users who like, use and install
different bits, as you probably know well, so the super-generic "you
gots to delete these" instructions are often vast overkill.

Still, better that than *under*-kill as I vaguely hand-waved at.

>
>> Disabling "updates" is a wise move, yes. I'm still running a copy of
>> MSO 2007 which by now is possibly never going to be offered any
>> updates by Microsoft but I keep automatic updates firmly off just in
>> case they go nuts.
>>
>
>I got it working long enough to do what I needed to do by using the download
>link that came with the original licence, and not updating.

Cool and good for you.

The last time I installed MSO, I used a silvery disc. It came with
licences for three unique computers but I only ever used one at a
time.

I've copied the software over from Win-95 to Win-7 through ME and XP
and it has worked fine all the way.

MSO2007 is quite robust software.

>
>> Not that I use the thing much any more. :)
>>
>
>Well, apart from Excel, which I like and use a lot, I'd happily consign it to
>the bin were it not for the fact that I handle a lot of office files others
>end me.

Ah. People stopped doing that when I gave up working many, many years
ago. Mostly. It still happens every so often but I'd guess at it being
less than once per year.

> So I have a possibility misplaced concern about security and
>compatibility. Which led me to shelling out £40ish for a 2021 licence.

That's quite cheap, isn't it? The last I looked, MSO was about £200
or so for a personal copy.

.......... Some webbing later ..........

Oh, MSO2007 doesn't seem to be available from their site. They do
have a linkie to it but the page just offers MSO365. I guess they,
too, think I'm obsolete. :)

>
>Office 2019 has just come out of 5 years support - 'support' just stops dead,
>no security updates ever again. So this'll do me until 2026 . . .

Yeah, well, my MSO2007 was out-of-support some decades ago. The page
tells us that security updates aren't offered so I suppose I *could*
turn updates back on. I don't think I will.

>
>
>> Before doing the install, take your machine off of the Internet, kill
>> the wi-fi or switch off your router or both. Office *might* try to
>> update herself before you can tell it not to
>>
>
>Good point - in the event, it didn't background update AFAICT.

Cool. I'm glad it worked for you.

Enjoy,
J.