"jbsealy" wrote in message
...
I was recently given two cps with Windows XP. These computers both have
installed Office 2003. I do not have them connected to the web. I get an
activation notice and of course don't have the original disk or more
importantly its package with necessary numbers.

For the record I do own Office 2003 from a computer I purchased several
years ago.

I would appreciate any help you might offer re this activation notice.

Thanks

If you were given the computers (as a gift not used as part of an employment
use in the home) and were not given the disks and COAs for the version of
Office installed, you do not have the right to use those versions of the
software. The giver should have stripped the computers and given you at
least the operating system disks for the systems.

As for the version that you had with the computer from several years ago...
If this is a retail version, you can install it onto the "given" computer.
If the disk label states for sale with a new computer, it is an OEM version
and "legally" can only be installed on the original computer it came with.

If you now own these computers I would highly recommend that you dump
anything on the hard drives for both computers and reinstall the operating
system using the key on the bottom or back plate of the computer (of course
without the operating system disk this will also be difficult.) Do you
really want to be burdened with the garbage that someone else may have
placed on the computer such as child porn, bomb making instructions or the
like(not that it does contain this garbage but do you want to take the
chance)?