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Office 2013: how to get the x64 version using the (Dell) OEM License...

Feb 24

Written by:
2/24/2015 12:28 AM  RssIcon

Yes, I know, I'm just a little crazy to try to use Office 2013, and the  x64 version, but....

I've changed recently my computer, getting a new Dell Precision, delivered with a Windows 8.1 x64 OS. I bought a license of Office 2013 Pro too. No DVD was provided in the package, only the product key, and a download from the Microsoft download center has to be done. When using the retrieved setup.exe, the user does not have the hand on the way to install it: the only choices that can be done are the selection of the country and the language. For example, there is no option to install only some components and not all, this will, for instance, install Publisher and so on. The destination folder cannot be changed too. The installation using this process is done in the Program Files folder.

That's why I believed that the Office provided with my x64 OS was a x64 version. Unfortunately, that was not the case. I've spent one night with the MS support, in order to know how to download the x64 version. The guy was unable to explain it to me.

Finally, I've found the solution myself. The license paid to get the Office 2013 does not restrict to a x86 version, there is also no legal limitation to get a x64 one. This post will explain how to download the x64 version from the Microsoft download center.

If you already installed a x86 version, you should uninstall it before. By chance, the configuration  will be kept, like the Outlook account settings for example

The beginning is the same as the usual way. Since I got a MS product key, I've had to input it  on https://officesetup.getmicrosoftkey.com/. If you already input your product key, you just have to connect to your Microsoft account and go to https://downloadoffice.getmicrosoftkey.com/Account/Index. You should have a download page like this one (the product key is missing :)):

 

Right-click on the green "Download Now" button, and select the "Copy Link Location" menu item. Open a new tab, copy the link, but before input ENTER, modify the URL. You should have something like that:

https://c2rsetup.officeapps.live.com/c2r/download.aspx?ProductreleaseID=ProfessionalRetail&language=en-US&platform=x86&token=

Replace platform=x86 by platform=x64.  Input ENTER, the x64 installer should be then downloaded. Its name should be look like this one: Setup.x64.en-US_ProfessionalRetail_ .exe .

Continue as for the x86 installation. Like the x86 installer, this gives not the choice neither on the components selection nor on the destination folder, but at least the x64 version will be installed!

Once installed, the version can be verified by using SysInternals Process Explorer for example, and by adding the Image Type column. On Outlook, I've verified that the Antivirus plugins are enabled!

The next post will explain how to install the x64 QuantLib on Excel 2013 :)

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