Every one of the dozens of Windows XP installations I have ever performed, including Windows XP Professional 64-bit Edition, has come on a single CD-ROM. The initial install is about 1.5 GB, uncompressed."
MMMMM, then you're not using CD, you're using a DVD since CD's max storage is 640MB.
Since we're getting into typos about MB, GB etc.
I think what's so funny about people saying they spent $1,500 on a 10, 20, 40 MB hard drive mis-typing GB is that the technology cam so far, so fast that we can't believe a hard drive was really only 40 MB about 12 years ago.
Hell, we download stuff now that's hundreds of MB and yes, I've even done a couple of GB downloads.
Now, how long would that take on a 300 baud accoustic coupler???
Umm... Yeah, which is why I specified "uncompressed". The distribution CD has all the source material compressed. Once it's installed--uncompressed--on the HDD, it's larger.