Thanks for the thoughts, interesting that Conan thinks it illegal but fjjp think its a recognised process. And yes daysleeper i was advised that if i needed the discs i could go and buy it. It does worry me slightly that I couldn't actually build this box for the price I paid for the complete item, including the software.
I did wonder about the need to perhaps report the vendor to some such body as trading standards, on the basis that the software was illegally distributed. after all office comes in at best £150 and xp home £50 which means i got the hardware free!!! Whilst keen to encourage enterprise, not keen to condone blatant fraud.
rickity