microsoft office already installed on laptop BUT ...

[nappyaddict]

... when io try to use it it keeps asking me for a product key but as i don't have a CD or anything i'm a bit unsure what to do.

mmm - we had the same thing on our laptop, but it happened after we'd had the laptop for exactly one year, so we assumed that we'd have to pay for the software. We bought ours from PC world. I'd call whoever you bought the laptop from.

my laptop has windows XP on it though i always thought powerpoint etc were included with XP?

Lots of computers now come with Microsoft Works which is a kind of MS Office lite. They may have a demo version of Office, which works for a limited time (on my DS's laptop it was 3 months) then you have to buy the full version, either online or from a retailer.

okay thankyou ... no idea how my sister's computer has microsoft word and powerpoint then cos i am pretty sure she didn't buy it.

Depends where she got it from - some sellers still do include the 'real thing'

Your sister's PC may have come with those installed. At various times MS have given OEMs sweet deal, so it might not have cost much.

But at the year stage, it might be because you're applying an update, and it wants reassurance.

pc world but she got it a couple of years ago

what are oems?

Original Equipment Manufacturer