XP Pro from VPC 7 (Office 2004 Pro) use it on a PC?

[Racer X]

I have an unused Office 2004 Pro that has VPC 7 and XP Pro as part of it.

Anyone know if it is possible to use that license and install stuff to load XP on a PC I have? Anyone do it, and want to share how it can be done?

It is a legal license that isn't being used, but did M$ make it impossible, even though it should be legal?

[elmo3]

I forget--did they ship a standard XP disc and license number, in addition to the VPC installer itself (which installs a copy of Windows for you)?

If it's the standard XP disc, you're golden.

[Racer X]

Office 2004 has its own disks, and VPC 7 is 3 CDs, with an XP installer it looks like. XP isn't on its own disks labeled as a stand alone XP install as far as I can tell.

But the VPC7 case has the VPC 7 ser# and an XP ser# listed separately

I suppose I could borrow a friends XP retail disks, and use my ser#?

What I have is a legal and legit#.

I just don't know much about the whole XP activation BS to know if it would work.

I ask because M$ owes me 2 software titles, and one could be an XP Pro set, but if I can use the ser# from my office 2004 Pro sets that I already own, then I could get something else useful. (I consult with M$ maybe once or twice a year, and I get software as payment. I wish I could hold out for Office 2007 or whatever is up next for either the PC or the Mac)

[elmo3]

Yes, the install disc itself doesn't matter--it's the XP serial number that matters. You're fine.

(Keep in mind that some versions of XP, notably those sold to corporate entities, don't require activation...)

[Racer X]

cool. I have a good friend who has the retail version of XP Pro I can borrow.

Any way to duplicate it, so i can have a "back up" of my install disks?

I have a PC with burning software, and Toast 5 on OS 9, and Toast 5 and 7 on X.

[JEBB]

You can duplicate the disks on your Mac.

[elmo3]

yep, duplicate away.

[Racer X]

cool!