Factory Image Restore and Microsoft Office key

Win7   Studio 1558 Factory Image Restore (boot +   ...) restores the computer to the exact image as it was received as a new computer. I assume this means including the Office 2010 Student edition that was included?  Creating System Recovery Media (SRM) creates essentially the same "image" of everything that was in the factory image, plus any data files present (but not added applications/drivers etc.) when the System Recovery Media were created and the SRM can be used to recover via boot + ... Q:  The OEM Microsoft Office 2010 Home/Student Edn. product key card is included (but no OEM discs), but why is this required if the Factory Image restore (and SRM) include this version of office?  Does Office 2010  need to be "reactivated" requiring entry of the key-code if a restore is required?

Hi

The factory image does not include any office versions. What it does include is an office setup file, we need to enter the product key in order to install the required version on the system. Depending on the type of product key that product will be installed on the system. If you enter Office Pro 2010 product key then office Pro version will be installed,

Yes, office like any other application when a clean installation is done needs to be re-activated.

Note: The Product key card is very important, if you have lost the same before going for a factory reset please get in touch with Microsoft to retrieve the key. If you do a factory reset and you have lost the product key card, you have lost your software.

Thanks for the quick reply.  If I do need to do a restore, are the "office setup files" plus the product key enough to reinstal office? or do the setup files need to access any extra Office download? ? My distribution didn't include any OEM distribution CDs but as I said has the office product key (Office 2010 Home and Student Edn.) My original question was for "factory image" recovery.  However, I have DataSafe Local BackUp Prof. and I have also done full backups.  If I restore to one of these full backups, again do I need to reinstall Office 2010 (along with entering the product key again) if I restore form the full backup? Thanks,

Yes the Office product needs to be reactivated. Even if you lose the office setup files, one can download office H&S trial from the microsoft website and activated it to full version using that product key.

Bottom line, as long as you have the product key you dont have to worry. Even if you restore from a full backup, the activation is required.