Install new language.

[jdr]

Hi I live in Spain and bought my wife a laptop.
She is having trouble with the language and wants to change it to English, I
am a bit annoyed at having to buy an English copy of Vista.
Especially after watching an MS promotion video of how they are working to
cover the need of using multiple languages, why the step back in Vista then ?
It is an Acer laptop and also has programs pre-loaded and a backup restore
installed etc.
If I buy the English vista, do I have to do a clean install to get English
Vista on, or just load it as a repair, and will it need re-activating etc ?
If it does need a clean install then I will lose everything that has been
pre-installed and and will be an expensive experience.
TIA for any help.

 

[Mike Hall - MVP]

Hi I live in Spain and bought my wife a laptop.
She is having trouble with the language and wants to change it to English,
I
am a bit annoyed at having to buy an English copy of Vista.
Especially after watching an MS promotion video of how they are working to
cover the need of using multiple languages, why the step back in Vista
then ?
It is an Acer laptop and also has programs pre-loaded and a backup restore
installed etc.
If I buy the English vista, do I have to do a clean install to get English
Vista on, or just load it as a repair, and will it need re-activating etc
?
If it does need a clean install then I will lose everything that has been
pre-installed and and will be an expensive experience.
TIA for any help.

Vista Ultimate allows for the download of different language packs, but you
probably have Home Premium. You will have to purchase an English version,
and it will have to be clean installed.

Your recovery partition will be of no value to you unless you sell it in the
future, and I would imagine that all other software is in Spanish too, so
would be of little value either.

You could try asking Acer support for an English recovery set..

 

[Rick Rogers]

Hi,

In addition to Mike's advice, there is a third alternative: Upgrade to Vista
Ultimate using anytime upgrade. Once upgraded, and it may be cheaper than
buying a full English version (you really should've checked with the wife
first on that), you can download and install the language packs you observed
in the promotional video.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

 

[jdr]

Thanks for the replies Mike and Rick, I asked her about the language and she
thought it would be ok and if not able to change it to English, but that is
not the case.
What makes it more complicated is the abundance of popup verification
windows with 2 or 3 options in while working.
I will email Acer and see if I can get an English recovery set.
I think MS have lost a lot of friends though by stepping back and not having
a language option like XP.
Thanks for the help guys.
jdr

 

[Rick Rogers]

Hi,

Just a comment on this line:

I think MS have lost a lot of friends though by stepping back and not
having
a language option like XP.

XP's language options for the consumer were the ability to add keyboard
language support for other languages. Vista has this as well in all
versions, in the same location (control panel/regional and language
options/keyboards).

To use an MUI (language pack) to change the base OS language in XP, you had
to have XP Pro installed in English only (no exceptions), and be an
Enterprise-level volume license customer. This option was not available to
the consumer (home user) at all under any conditions. In Vista, you have to
have Ultimate installed in *any* language and simply be *anyone*, no
business/volume license required to download and install a language pack to
change the base OS language. I'd say that's a significant step in the
direction of the consumer.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

 

[jdr]

OK maybe you are right, but why doesn`t MS promote ultimate to be included as
OS instead of basic on products sold in foreign countries then giving the
option to change to any language if needed.
Is there much of a difference in the prices when pre-installed on a unit ?

 

[Mike Hall - MVP]

OK maybe you are right, but why doesn`t MS promote ultimate to be included
as
OS instead of basic on products sold in foreign countries then giving the
option to change to any language if needed.
Is there much of a difference in the prices when pre-installed on a unit ?

It comes down to machine spec and the pricing/marketing policy of the
computer manufacturer. MS don't have a say in that..