Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

how do I find the iWork 09/Pages serial number?

History: 2 years ago I bought a vintage iMac that came with iWork 09. It has been functioning fine. The hardware limits my updating, so I can't do Yosemite, but that's not a big deal for me. Last week the iMac started running slow so I installed a virus protection (Sophos), cleared my Cache & Browser History and downloaded a supposedly free MacKeeper - but MacKeeper wasn't free without purchasing stuff, so it "corrected" 500+ things and said it had 1200+ left to do if I bought the program. I did not buy.


Problem: Now when I try to work in Pages, I get this error message: You can't save, print or export documents until the iWork 09 30-day trial has been activated. Click Learn More to purchase iWork'09 or activate the 30-day trial. Then a screen pops up with buy or try and asks for a serial number.


What I've tried: I downloaded the most recent update possible successfully (no error message) so I'm thinking it restored my iWork program - NOPE, same error message appears.


My guesses: MacKeeper screwed it all up. It did not download fully, so I cannot uninstall it since it just did a minor/partial "cleaning" and I think it corrupted my iWork software. If that's the case, the iWork 09 update wouldn't have downloaded successfully (there had to be intact software to update or it wouldn't have updated).


What do I do now? Is there some way to find the serial number since my iWork software was installed by the seller and there is no disc? Or is there something else I can do?

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.5), iWork & Pages Problem

Posted on Feb 28, 2015 9:14 AM

Reply
11 replies

Feb 28, 2015 9:41 AM in response to 8borzoi

An iWork '09 trial is useless because Apple no longer sells it, and there are no activation servers to receive any license info. If you want a fully functional iWork '09, you will need to purchase it at Amazon, and then if you are running OS X 10.7.5 or later, update it with the Apple iWork 9.3 updater. If you are running a version of OS X between OS X 10.6.8 and 10.7.4, you will need the Apple iWork 9.1 updater.


By running MacKeeper, you have just set the stage to reinstall your operating system, as it does many detrimental things to System and User files. Since you do not know what specifically it has tampered with, it is sound wisdom to reinstall OS X. Read this post.


If you never downloaded from the OS X App Store, the version of OS X presently running on your iMac, you will have to purchase it from the Apple Online Store. Snow Leopard, Lion, and Mountain Lion are availabe for $20USD. You cannot install a version of OS X older than what shipped originally on your iMac. If it shipped with Snow Leopard (10.6), you may have the original installation disks from which to reinstall, and then perform software updates to 10.6.8. The Lion and Mountain Lion purchases provide a redemption code that you can use from the OS X App Store to download the OS X installer.


You do not need any anti-virus running on your Mac as it already provides this (hidden) protection, in addition to other security measures. If you wanted to slow your older iMac down further, running an anti-virus tool is a certain way to do so.

Feb 28, 2015 9:58 AM in response to 8borzoi

8borzoi wrote:


My guesses: MacKeeper screwed it all up.


Your guess is correct.


Sophos can't do anything beneficial either. Don't use such things.


It's probably small comfort, or none, but the seller didn't do you any favors by selling you a Mac in that condition. The only way to transfer ownership is to follow Apple's instructions, linked below. Since having used MacKeeper your Mac is likely to be messed up beyond hope, so you might as well do that now.

The proper way to transfer ownership of iWork would have required giving you its original installation media (discs).



To correctly sell or transfer ownership of a Mac, even to someone in your family, you should follow these instructions.


Disregard anything you are unable to accomplish.


Refer to What to do before selling or giving away your Mac


  1. If you enabled FileVault, disable it in System Preferences > Security & Privacy.
  2. "Deauthorize" your iTunes account. Same for Audible if you have one.
  3. System Preferences > iCloud > de-select "Back to My Mac" and "Find my Mac".
  4. Sign out of iCloud. Select "Delete from Mac" when it appears.


Next: Remove all your personal information by completely erasing the Mac's internal storage.

  1. If your Mac shipped with a grey System Install DVD, start your Mac with that disc inserted in the optical drive while holding the c key to boot from it instead of its internal volume, which should be erased before selling it.
  2. If your Mac did not ship with discs, boot OS X Internet Recovery:
    • using three fingers press and hold the following keys: (command), option, and R.
    • With a fourth finger press the power button to turn on the Mac.
    • Keep the other three fingers where they are until you see the "spinning globe" icon.
    • This method forces the Mac to download its originally installed OS from Apple's servers, which will not require an Apple ID to install.
  3. Remove any Open Firmware password if you created one: select Firmware Password Utility from the Utilities menu and remove it.
  4. Select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu.
  5. Remove any partitions you may have created.
  6. Select the Mac's hard disk icon, then select the "Erase" tab.
  7. Select the "Security Options" button and erase the disk.
    • The more "securely" you erase the disk, the longer it will take.
    • The fastest method is sufficient since all but the most expensive techniques and equipment will be able to recover securely erased data.
  8. When it finishes, quit Disk Utility.
  9. Select Install Mac OS X from the Utilities menu.
    • An Apple ID will not be required. If a prompt for an Apple ID appears, return to Step 5.
    • Do not create any user accounts.
  10. When it finishes, shut down the computer.
  11. If you want to install the bundled apps that were included with your Mac, restart by using your Applications DVD if one was included, and install the bundled apps.

    Apps bundled with newer Macs that shipped without discs cannot be transferred. Its new owner must purchase them from the Mac App Store using his or her own Apple ID.


If the Mac is being sold to someone outside the family consider the following additional information:


  1. System Install DVDs that came with your Mac should remain with it forever, and must be included with the sale.
  2. Consider including your AppleCare certificate if you bought it, printed documentation, even the box if you still have it.

    AppleCare stays with the equipment and is transferable.

  3. Execute a bill of sale showing the Mac's serial number.
  4. Once no longer in your possession, remove the Mac from your devices in My Support Profile.

Feb 28, 2015 12:36 PM in response to 8borzoi

There is a proliferation of MacKeeper on websites because the developers may offer an affiliate income to those sites that host the advertisement. There will always be those that place financial gain above any other practical consideration, including ultimate mayhem from the software. And any positive reviews about MacKeeper are likely posted by the owners of the software, or otherwise subsidized to cloud the truth.

Feb 28, 2015 4:14 PM in response to 8borzoi

There are no "websites" reporting anything, that is all MacKeeper doing it with a bit of adware.


It is one huge scam.


Hope you have learnt your lesson about reading things at face value just because they pop up on your screen. Anyone can make any message appear, doesn't mean it is true. Do you believe it when it tells you your version of "Windows" is doing something?


Peter

Jul 2, 2015 2:59 PM in response to VikingOSX

Thanks for the link to the 9.3 updater. I have a question that I'm hoping you can answer. I've had all of the various incarnations of iWork since starting out with Keynote 1. I don't recall the exact sequence of events for upgrading from iWork '08 to iWork '09, but however I got there, online upgrade or a disc that got left at my last employer, I don't seem to have a code in my records for '09.


When the new Pages came out, I tried it out and realized how overrode Pages '09, which is critical for me, so I removed the "upgrade". Oddly, this put iWork '09 back into Demo mode (Apple - learn from FileMaker how to allow multiple versions to co-exist!). Since I didn't have a license number, I had to muck around in Time Machine to find iWork-related preference and support files to reinstall until it finally worked again.


Fast forward to last week, and I was thinking about how I will eventually want to test the new Pages to see if it has come anywhere close to the functionality of '09, but I can't risk losing '09 given the thousands of dp documents I've created over the years, and I don't trust myself to find those support files again. So, as you suggested here, I ordered a new copy from Amazon to get a license number. What I was sent was not a full retail box - just a "Full Version" disc in a sleeve. No license number included.


Was the license number for '09 only required to move from Demo to Full, and not required if you had the Full version to begin with? That might explain why I don't have a record of my '09 license. The purchase that was supposed to give me peace of mind has left me still unsure that I'm safe.

Jul 2, 2015 3:21 PM in response to johnthesquirrel

The DVD version of iWork '09 has no serial number, but before you install it you will have to trash all the Trial Version and all its .plist files in the System library.


Make sure that after you reinstall the DVD version you upgrade that to iWork '09 v4.3:


iWork 9.3


You must have deleted something in the previous installation to have thrown it it into Trial mode, it wouldn't do it on its own, unless you freshly installed a Trial version.


You can safely run both Pages 5.5.3 and Pages '09 on the same System, just be sure to open the right files with the right versions.


Peter

Jul 2, 2015 3:33 PM in response to PeterBreis0807

Thanks, Peter! That's a huge help. It was over a year ago, but now that you mention it, I may have used something like CleanMyMac to do the uninstall of Pages 5 to make sure that it was completely gone, which may have taken a Pages 4 .plist file with it.


When you say that it's safe to run both 4 and 5 on the same system, does that mean that Apple now allows you to set .pages documents to "Always open with..." Pages 4? Back when Pages 5 first launched, OSX would ignore any attempt to set a .pages document to open with Pages 4, which got very annoying very fast when I could no longer double-click files to open them without fear of saving a mucked up version. If that's been corrected, I'll probably re-download Pages 5 and check it out.


Thanks, again!

how do I find the iWork 09/Pages serial number?

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.