Calling all geeks

[Eagle]

I have a couple of old notebook computers that are surplus. I've been hanging onto them mostly for sentimental reasons (one was my late wife's last computer, s it's one more tie to her memory -- not that I need one). I may be relocating, so it's time (actually well past time) to start cleaning out unneeded and unused "stuff." The oldest of these notebooks has a licensed copy of Microsoft Office Pro 2013 on it. I'm not going to let that go -- I'd like to transfer it to one of the newer notebooks or the Surface tablet.

 

How do I do that? I believe Office 2013 was the first version where Microsoft hides the application key so key finder software doesn't work. I'll sell or donate the computer with Libre Office on it, so there will be a full office suite -- just not my MS Office license. Without an activation key, how do I install the program on a different computer?

 

Related question: I'm pretty much a recluse and I don't like having strangers come to my house. In the past, when I have sold notebook computers I've met the buyer at a mutually convenient McDonald's where the buyer could fire it up and use McD's free WiFi to try out the computer. Thanks to COVID-19, we can't do that. Is it worth trying to find some other way to sell these things, or should I just give them away?

 

Both are Toshiba Satellites. The oldest dates to the end of XP -- it has a sticker on it that says Windows Vista, but it shipped with XP installed from Toshiba. The other is also a Toshiba Satellite, and I think that one dates to around the end of Vista/start of Windows 7. Both have been upgraded to Windows 10 and have had additional RAM installed.

[Torq_Shep]

Can you post model numbers? My guess is that they are not worth much.

 

Office 2013 is a tricky one as it depends on what version of the license you have. If you have retail license (bought from a store or online) you should be able to recover the license key with a microsoft account assuming you used a microsoft account to activate the license. If it came with the PC or was purchased as a product key only then that install of Office is tied to that computer and cannot be transferred. 

 

If I was in your shoes, I would probably just wipe or remove the hard drives and give them to charity or dispose of them at E-waste sites. If you have time and are bored/really need the $50 that you might get from the PC and have to deal with setting up the PC for the next person and removing your data, then that is the other route. 

[Eagle]

3 hours ago, Torq_Shep said:

Can you post model numbers? My guess is that they are not worth much.

 

Office 2013 is a tricky one as it depends on what version of the license you have. If you have retail license (bought from a store or online) you should be able to recover the license key with a microsoft account assuming you used a microsoft account to activate the license. If it came with the PC or was purchased as a product key only then that install of Office is tied to that computer and cannot be transferred. 

 

If I was in your shoes, I would probably just wipe or remove the hard drives and give them to charity or dispose of them at E-waste sites. If you have time and are bored/really need the $50 that you might get from the PC and have to deal with setting up the PC for the next person and removing your data, then that is the other route. 

 

They have both already been updated to Windows 10. And I know they aren't worth much, so I will probably donate them. They work, so it goes against the grain to just toss them in the trash. I'll probably do what I have done in the past -- go through the pastor at my church and let him find some family  that needs a computer and can't afford one. With schools looking more and more at remote learning, there are sure to be some families that can use them.

 

I know how to prep them for donation. I erase my data, then run a DoD wipe utility to ensure that my deleted files can't be recovered. My concern is salvaging my license for Office 2013.

[Dzimm]

Yeah if they are vista era they aren't going to sell unless someone desperately needs computing power.  Even original XP machines are hard to offload unless someone wants an XP license for certain software.  Upgraded to windows 10 means nothing as the hardware isn't meant to run such new software.  They will struggle to keep up if they can at all.

 

As for Office 2013, as suggested its only recoverable in certain circumstances.  In all honesty it's not worth the time as there are free options such as OpenOffice that can work with Office files and has features that rival or surpass those of Office 13.

 

Best bet is either give them to someone you know or donate.  Could post them on eBay if you really want to make some money on them.  Otherwise Best Buy will also take them to recycle at the customer service desk free of charge.

[Money_Pits]

Based on the era they're from, I'm going to assume they come with Intel Core 2 Duos for their processor. If so they should still be capable of doing schoolwork, but they may not be able to do this online learning thing due to having slow internet connectivity, and limited ram (I hate modern browsers for needing so much of it).

 

If you registered your copy of office 2013, you might be able to login to  your microsoft account and see if they saved the product key that way, or if they will allow you to install without it.