XP license / disc Q

XP Media Centre Acer laptop 9301 came with free upgrade to Vista, its crap
so I wanted to regress (I don't use Windows for much being a Linux bod by
deafult).

Recovery disc has a sodding great scratch on it and the Vista upgrade
'breaks' the software that can read the partition and burn new disks. ( I
can still see all the stuff on the hidden partition from Linux but can't
burn new disks from it) Acer support keep saying I can't get new discs
from teh partition anymore and want £50 for new discs.

I borrowed a disc of MPMC from a friend who is a MSDN subscriber and it
installs but when I log in it tells me I have to activate before I can use
it. Only problem is that it doesn't generate an Install ID so Microsoft
tell me I can't activate it and I need to buy a new copy. I have teh Media
centre license sticker on the bottom of the laptop and don't want to
resort to a dodgy copy but at this rate its sounding a damn site easier
than doing it legit.

Anyone any ideas how I can either brn new discs or sort out the activation
stuff?


TIA

 

Anyone any ideas how I can either brn new discs or sort out the activation

You just need an OEM CD with XPMCE on it, try the torrent sites first or
failing that if some kind soul here has a copy they could burn for you (for
backup purposes naturally) Sorry I don't have a copy to duplicate for
you; normal plain vanilla Home and Pro I can do but not MCE.

Chris