Gary:
I've had a bit of this myself... Remember, activation is a different animal from validation.
Validation is MS's way of checking that the key used to register wasn't from a pirated copy... And this method use has taken a lot of heat for "false fails".
A Windows validation is different from an Office validation -- one can pass and the other fail. They are separate and distinct, just as activation and validation are as well... So you have several scenarios possible, as you can see.
Assuming your software IS valid, meaning not bought from one of the $79 for Office 2003 Pro, then you should gather up your receipts and call MS first, and, failing that, (50/50 chance there) you'll have to go back to your seller for restitution.
Sorry, but yes, it's a pain.
Regards, Chuck Billow |