Another computer ? Re:Acer Aspire One

[andrea t]

Actually two questions.

1. If I purchased Microsoft Office for my desktop, can it be "transferred" to my laptop too, or do I have to buy it again. I have the cd's but the Acer doesn't have the cd drive.

2. Right now I'm using the trial office program. I had hoped I could print wireless, but now that the document is finished I can't find a print button! Gosh, I know that sounds really dumb, but HELP!

 

[Passepartout]

Look on the MS Office box. I think it will say how many machines your license is good for. I think there's a cable (maybe USB?) to connect between the machine with the disk reader and the one without. Then it's a matter of dragging and dropping. OTOH, there's the Geek Squad.

I don't know about wireless printing, but when I want to print from about anything, I just hit CTRL+p. Sure beats searching for a button.

Jim Ricks

 

[DaveNV]

If you do find a way to load your Office CDs on the Acer (get a USB CD drive. Works great with my Asus eeepc) you can activate it, but you'll likely need to do it over the phone with Microsoft. If you tell them you've changed computers, they'll give you an activation code that will work. It's a hassle, but if you want the program, that's your option.

A better alternative: Go to OpenOffice.org and download the Office workalike program. Lets you do anything Office can do, for free. Including Printing. It's fantastic on a small PC like the Acer you have. Check it out.

Dave

 

[Icarus]

I looked up the license for the version of office that I had, and as far as I could tell I was entitled to install it on one non-portable machine and one portable machine. I installed it on my Lenovo S10 (the 2nd install) and activated it with no problem and no phone call.

It depends on the version you have. Check the license.

I bought a portable usb dvd burner for my Lenovo S10, and that's how I installed it. BTW, my version of Office was a legal upgrade. I had to put the old office XP CD in the drive during the install, then remove it and put the new Office install DVD back in.

This is the portable USB dvd burner I bought, but they have others that are cheaper (and in stock) now:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136136

The others are around $80.

-David

 

[Icarus]

2. Right now I'm using the trial office program. I had hoped I could print wireless, but now that the document is finished I can't find a print button! Gosh, I know that sounds really dumb, but HELP!

Yeah, Office 2007 has a different look and feel to the menus. There should be a little round office logo button in the upper left corner. Click on that and you'll see the file, print, etc menu items. There's a shortcut for print also, but I never remember what it is.

You can also download a free office 2007 add-on that lets you save as PDF. (Though I have no idea if you can do that in the trial version or not.)

If you intend to use the document with an older version of Office, make sure you save the file in one of the older Office formats.

-David

 

[andrea t]

Thank you for your replies, as always! Really, I always think it is so generous of people to share their experience or expertice! I'll share mine as soon as I figure out what it is!

"If you intend to use the document with an older version of Office, make sure you save the file in one of the older Office formats."

Thank you...I actually discovered that one on my own!


A happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year to you all!

Andrea

 

[bogey21]

A better alternative: Go to OpenOffice.org and download the Office workalike program. Lets you do anything Office can do, for free. Including Printing. It's fantastic on a small PC like the Acer you have. Check it out.

I don't know if this is a better alternative, but it is what I did and I am happy with it

George

 

[isisdave]

How to load software from CD's on computers without CD drives

Get a USB thumb drive. 4Gb will be enough for anything, and 1Gb is big enough for anything that comes on CD (not DVD).

On a machine that does have a CD drive, insert the CD and the thumb drive. If the CD "autoplays" (starts up and offers to install), close it. In My Computer, right-click on the CD drive and select Open.

In another instance of My Computer, open the thumb drive.

Select all the files and folders at the top level of the CD drive, and drag them all to the thumb drive.

Now take the thumb drive to the netbook-without-CD and insert it. Go to My Computer. You might possibly get it to "autoplay" by double-clicking on it, but more likely you'll have to open it and run a file named "setup.exe" or "install.exe" or similar.

Check out the Aspire One forum www.aspireoneuser.com ... it's like TUG for Aspire One's.


I love my Aspire One.

 

[andrea t]

Thank you for the detailed instructions. And yes, I have now located the print button! :whoopie:

 

[ownsmany]

Get a USB thumb drive. 4Gb will be enough for anything, and 1Gb is big enough for anything that comes on CD (not DVD).

On a machine that does have a CD drive, insert the CD and the thumb drive. If the CD "autoplays" (starts up and offers to install), close it. In My Computer, right-click on the CD drive and select Open.

In another instance of My Computer, open the thumb drive.

Select all the files and folders at the top level of the CD drive, and drag them all to the thumb drive.

Now take the thumb drive to the netbook-without-CD and insert it. Go to My Computer. You might possibly get it to "autoplay" by double-clicking on it, but more likely you'll have to open it and run a file named "setup.exe" or "install.exe" or similar.

Check out the Aspire One forum www.aspireoneuser.com ... it's like TUG for Aspire One's.


I love my Aspire One.

can you do this for the movie DVD's? We have a ton of them that I'd like to load on the aspire one for trips.

 

[riverdees05]

Great question, I would be interested in the answer, too.