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Office cannot verify the license for this product #

After cloning a Windows install to a new drive, the following error appeared when launching Word, Excel, or PowerPoint:
Microsoft Office Home and Student 2010 cannot verify the license for this product. You should repair the Office program by using Control Panel.

Microsoft's own "Microsoft Office cannot verify the license for this product" error when you start an Office app suggests disabling compatibility mode - no change.

Help Desk Geek's Fix MS Office "Cannot Verify License" Error Message offers four methods:

  1. Change time & reactivate
  2. System Restore
  3. Delete or rename C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\OfficeSoftwareProtectionPlatform\tokens.dat
  4. Uninstall & reinstall Office

none of which worked initially, as the Activation Wizard unhelpfully offered:

Telephone Activation is no longer supported for your product.

Happily, Microsoft published a new number: +1-866-421-7141. Used with method 4 above to resolve.

/windows | Jul 13, 2018

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