OEM MS Office asking for new activation key after changing RAM

[trents]

On my wife's computer OEM MS Office 2013 thinks I tried to install it on a different computer when the only hardware change I made was changing the RAM to higher frequency modules. The amount of RAM remained the same. I'm a little surprised at this. Anyone else run into something like this?

It still works but she gets a nag window about purchasing another product key whenever she tries to use Office.

This same thing happened to me recently when I transitioned from Intel to AMD (see Sig for current specs). I wasn't surprised because that was a major upgrade. I have ignored the nag and the app seems to be fully functional though I seldom use it because I actually prefer LibreOffice. Microsoft tech support says if a new product key isn't purchased and installed that over time one "might" see some loss of functionality. Office updates are still being installed with Windows 10 update. Is there any real substance to the tech's assertion about loss of functionality? Has anyone else actually experienced this?

 

[RollingThunder]

Trents,

Call them and explain, they won't bite your head off.

 

[EarthDog]

Yeah, what did they say when you told them you just changed RAM not the motherboard/CPU, etc (which is what Windows uses, the mobo IIRC)? They should just re-enable it or something.

 

[trents]

Yeah, what did they say when you told them you just changed RAM not the motherboard/CPU, etc (which is what Windows uses, the mobo IIRC)? They should just re-enable it or something.

Actually, my thread title is incorrect. Supposedly, this was a two license retail product, not OEM.

I haven't talked to them about the activation issue on my wife's computer. When I talked to them that was for my own rig a couple of months ago when I changed the main board and all. According to the ebay advert and the packaging it was a retail version two license product and one went on my rig and the other on the wife's rig. Of course, coming from ebay it could have been a forgery. Came in a box with disc and all. Microsoft support didn't come out and say that it was but they implied it.

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I might call them for my wife's activation issue but I'm also considering updating to a newer version from Kinguin.net. My wife uses it a lot more than I do.

 

[EarthDog]

I enjoyed the jump from 13 to 16... it was easy to figure out on this end.

 

[Alaric]

I'm going from memory here, but Windows OS uses seven components to determine whether or not it's the same computer. If several of the other minor changes were made over time (with no complaints from Windows), that last change could have tripped the alert. Just a possibility from the peanut gallery.