How to open a Windows Vista or Office 2007 box

I nearly cut my hand while opening my copy of Office, and my brother just sent me a string of angry emails after banging on his Vista box for 5 minutes trying to get it open. So to prevent further pain, I present this guide about how to open your Windows or Office box.

First, rip off all the little plastic seals from the sides (This step updated 4/2/07 with a picture sent in by Erin (thanks!)):

Next, you need to cut the circular sticker across the top using your trusty Swiss Army knife. Note: don't try ripping this sticker off, or else it will probably rip the 'certificate of authenticity' off the box as well. Pic:

You might have to cut the sticker on both the front and the back if it covers both sides.

At this point you might be tempted to push in the tab things on the side of the box and pull it open:

Don't do this, however, because these tab things are actually supposed to hold the box shut, so if you grab them you prevent the box opening at all. The trick is to leave the tabs alone and find the little recessed grip thing on the top of the box and pull on it:

The center of the box slides outward radially, so you actually have to pull up on it, which might not be what you expect. Once you do that the box pops open:

Alternatively, you could also read the little visual diagram of how to do this that's on the first little plastic thing you rip off, but that would be too easy .