Will "Used" MS Software Install?

[freedom-lover]

Was looking for an inexpensive Visio install for my home computer and on Amazon they had 'open box' Visio 2003 for a reasonable price. Will the MS product key work if the s/w has already been installed by someone else?

[stix213]

Don't know anything about Visio specifically, but with MS product activations it depends on how many installs it has had, etc.

Though with any MS product you can always talk your way into getting it activated. Just activate by phone if by web doesn't work, tell them you just bought the software and don't know what the problem is, blah blah sad story, they give you your activation code, done. I've done it plenty of times (hundreds) when I used to work at a computer store and had to reinstall people's MS products they had already installed god knows how many times. Never been denied.

[pc_load_letter]

MS only started product activiation with their newer products, Windows vista (and newer) and Office 2010 and newer

You should be fine with Visio 2003. Shoot, I still install Office 2003 and 2007 on machines and all that it asks for is a valid license key. The machine could be completely off the internet. No validation for that generation.

[the86d]

If it has been about 3-6+ months since last activation, newer products may activate, but if they don't, just call and tell them you needed to replace your mainboard... ... ...

[watt79]

Not true, activation started with Windows XP and Office 2003.

[UnderADyingSun]

If it's OEM no, but you can contact MS and ask. Otherwise, it's tied to your board, you're fine as long as use remains exclusive to that PC.

[the86d]

If it's OEM no, but you can contact MS and ask. Otherwise, it's tied to your board, you're fine as long as use remains exclusive to that PC.

I have installed prior-used OEM keys when a board failed and had to be replaced by a different board because an orig.-board replacement was unavailable/discontinued (and had to reinstall the OS, as the drivers for the prior board started a boot-loop), then I stopped caring... as long as it activated.