One Drive is Microsoft’s Cloud storage. I’m not sure about OneDrive’s rules but if files are saved on the computer as you say, they can only be deleted by you. Do you keep back-ups of your files? If not, best to plug a USB stick into your computer and copy the files onto it. Safely remove the USB stick when done and keep it somewhere safe.
Then, even though this problem isn’t resolved, you’ll know your files are safely backed up whatever happens.
If they are in the Cloud, that may be true. If you are on a subscription service and the subscription runs out, files may eventually be deleted. Read here to find out more, especially under the heading ‘What happens after my subscription expires?’
You would normally get plenty of notice after the subscription ends to download and back-up your files. However, if the files are stored on your hard drive, it won’t matter if the subscription runs out. You’d still have your files stored on the computer while deciding what else to do, especially if you have them backed up as well.
I’m not aware that Microsoft does a lifetime licence for Office 365 but if you buy the Home and Student version (around £90) or Office Home & Business version (around £250), the licences on these continue to be valid forever.
https://products.office.com/en-gb/buy/office
If you don’t have either of these, then the subscription expires when the year is up and the above period of time to retrieve files from the Cloud is set in motion …but you already have the files on your computer?
Edit: Another thought. Why don’t you take the computer to a more local and trusted independent small repair shop and explain what is going on. There are some pretty clever people out there who can check out the state of things. There’s sometimes no substitute for someone actually being there who is able to see and get their hands on the computer.
As I understand it M$ Office 2016 was the last version that could be bought on a disk. All versions since then have to be downloaded but they are still a one off purchase as opposed to Office 365 which is a rental product.
My limited experience with the later versions of Office, 2016 on, is that apart from a few minor cosmetic changes and added commands in Excel they are all much the same.
The only change I really don’t like is the way they handle templates.
In previous editions Office stored all templates in the %userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates folder but now they default to holding them in the cloud. You have to add a shortcut icon to Word to get at the templates in the old folder, in Excel getting to them is more of a problem. I really dislike this. I believe there are add ins that get round this though I have no experience of them personally.
Either way your files are at risk. If you go on the cloud then I totally agree that’s a con. I mean who actually owns the data ? If they can delete it then it’s not us.
But if you keep files locally then there is the risk that eventually the systems are obsolete and you won’t be able to access them no matter how backed up. The external hard drives may be obsolete after a while because they deliberately change technology to create new markets.
MS office are trying to force us to abandon local networks and data storage and move to the cloud. An example is how excel no longer has a default option to file share across a LAN. You now have to search for that button and it’s being called “legacy”. legacy-schmegacy I can think of rude words for what they are doing by stealth.
It’s impossible to know where to keep things securely unless you print it and stick it in a fire proof safe!
The big difference is the emphasis on pushing everyone towards the cloud whether they like it or not, but they have also made it so much harder to find anything on the menu (2010). So today I was looking for the option to set a password before you open some HR sensitive files. I could not for the life of me find it and it’s another darned google to find something I used to have at the tip of my finger in the menu.
They are making the programmes more confusing for long term users and deliberately dumbing down for new users who won’t know what they are missing. I find it infuriating that I have go to add new menu options when I’m really busy with something.
I have open office on an older laptop and it was pretty good. It’s more basic than MS word and excel but you can view older files and really who needs all the fancy features that nobody ever uses?
I used to like it in the old days when you could easily view word code. I remember using wordperfect in the 90s which was so easy to edit in. You could just click and see any rogue invisible characters that were causing formatting errors.
That version of Open Office is just an older version of LibreOffice. Open Office is still around but LibreOffice has had greater development since Apache took over Open Office.
As I have said before I need M$ Office for VBA because it is M$'s proprietary system.
That is still the case with both Word and LibreOffice, it is only a click away, personally I have Word set up so all formatting marks are visible all the time.
To be fair the cloud can be very useful as a back up for documents. I back up all my files at home of two NASs but the cloud, Google’s Drive in this case, is used to back up all my senior’s club files.
However you don’t have to use it even if programs like M$ Office direct you toward it.
Oh I see, I hadn’t heard of the change of name but I’m glad they are still around as it’s a nice little package. I wouldn’t mind paying for it as it has integrity and I hope it doesn’t get pushed aside by the giants.
Bruce you must tell me how to set word up in this way. I’m sure it’s just a case of ticking or un-ticking a box in advanced options but I have no idea which. I usually work out where the problem lies but it’s a lot easier if you can see the dratted code.
I agree that the cloud is a great idea in theory as your data is automatically backed so if your laptop dies you have it all there. But there are huge risks in long term use. There are data governance issues which I don’t believe many people understand or care about, but which governments should be addressing.
It depends on which version of Word you have but if it has the ‘Ribbon’ then look for the box with this symbol in it - ¶ Its a toggle.
It’s in the Paragraph section on the ribbon in Word 2010
To make it default I just tick “Show all Formatting Marks” in Options > Display (the above toggle still works) and I also tick “show text boundaries” in Advanced Options also in Options
A number of people I know dislike this as they reckon it makes the screen too cluttered but I like it and have it on permanently.
If you use Office 365, you have to go into it knowing or reading about the rules. As well as the use of the program, space in the Cloud is being virtually rented to the user as I see it. Stop the subscription and the program stops working. After that, it looks like 90 days notice is given to do something about downloading and storing your files elsewhere before the Cloud space is taken back.
That should be plenty of time in theory. Hopefully, Muddy’s problems can be sorted out within that period or sooner. Having gained access to the Cloud storage (if that’s where the files are), files can be downloaded and stored locally or somewhere else.
I take the point about no file format being reliable forever but changes tend to happen gradually. A Microsoft document can be opened in an older format for quite a while and then saved in a newer format, so perpetuating the ability to safely store MS Office files locally. External USB drives probably aren’t going to go suddenly obsolete. There’s likely to be time involved and adaptor leads/devices available even if this were to happen.
I believe I have as good a system as any (though I stand to be corrected!).
Routinely, whenever I save a new or modified file I copy it to both OneDrive and Dropbox (two places on ‘the cloud’). Belt and braces; if one goes down for any reason, there is the other one.
They are my backup for only a few weeks, though, because then I copy all of those files to both of my external hard drives. Again, belt and braces!
So at any time all of my files are in three different places, so if one is attacked by an American drone (sorry, just watching the news!) I still have two.
This is something I’d recommend.
The cloud storage places have never failed and the two external hard drives are only a few quid (well, around £30 or so) each.
It’s all about peace of mind.
After a totally sleepless night I have been crawling around in the attic found the computer box and the licence yippee !
Now I need to have it put back in so am taking it into the shop and hopefully they will do it for me .
I hope you have a much better day with more success than yesterday. 
That’s about as much as you can do to store files safely digitally. The only drawback being an unlikely (hopefully) complete and long-term failure of world-wide electricity supplies. Then we might wish our documents were all printed out and locked away in a waterproof/fireproof safe. I actually have one of those.
Actually, I’m alright there. I expect such a thing to happen and so I have a donkey on a treadmill-generator in my garage!
In common with a few others on this forum, I bought a ‘reintroduced’ activation key - keys that were put back into the public domain as the corporate computers they were on originally were scrapped or replaced. They were available from Amazon for around 12 quid if memory serves. Once purchased, you download the MS Office suite from Microsoft, install it, and then used the activation key.
I’ve used my copy of Office Pro 2016 for a good while now with no problems. I needed the suite for Access, and Outlook but Word and Excel work well too. All the required updates and security patches are installed from time to time also.
Hi Muddy, I always use Google Documents. They have more or less the same as word, spreadsheets etc, and it’s free to use.
I really don’t see the problem.
Just spend £7 for a new download and key.
Simples
That’s good. I bet you are relieved after all that.
