XP newbie woes

[Anon]

Hi folks,

I've just been and bought a new machine pre-loaded with
XP Home Edition. I am currently resident in Spain and
managed to get myself a machine with XP in Spanish.

I have two problems. Firstly, I do not seem to be able to
change to English. From what little I've been able to
find out so far (see problem 2) it would seem that I have
to go out and *buy* an English copy of XP if I want to be
able to read anything and then do a completely clean
reinstall. Is that right? It seems a bit bloody drastic
to me that I have to pay for something twice just because
I live in another country.

Problem 2: I had a similar problem to this on my old
machine with Telefonica installation software which, most
kindly, thought that I wanted to have all my menu options
(in any program) in Spanish. I cured it by downloading
the latest version of IE.

Ok, thinks I, let's try the same thing again. Go through
the MS download and it tells me that I have to uninstall
the original IE because the language is different. Uhh?

Ok, I do that and continue with the install. Bong! A few
bytes later I get a message telling me that the version
of IE on my machine (which, of course, isn't there any
more) is newer than the version I'm getting from
Micro$oft! Now I'm stuffed either way. I've tried to
reinstall IE from the CD but it doesn't come back.
(Should I send a copy of the CD to MS so they have the
latest version available??? ;-) )

Any advice will be gratefully received.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Windows XP is written in specific language versions, therefore one
cannot change it from one language version to another. You'll need
to purchase a "Full Version" of Windows XP in the language version
you desire, reformat your drive and install it "clean".

Or if you have an available empty drive or partition, you can install
another "Full Version" of Windows XP in a different language version
and create a dual-boot configuration.

Cannot Upgrade or Install a Different Language Version of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;282089

Welcome to WorldLanguage.com!
http://www.worldlanguage.com/

A good third-party partitioning program is Partition Magic 8.
http://www.powerquest.com/partitionmagic/

Clean Install Windows XP
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html


--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

---------------------------------------------------------------------


| Hi folks,
|
| I've just been and bought a new machine pre-loaded with
| XP Home Edition. I am currently resident in Spain and
| managed to get myself a machine with XP in Spanish.
|
| I have two problems. Firstly, I do not seem to be able to
| change to English. From what little I've been able to
| find out so far (see problem 2) it would seem that I have
| to go out and *buy* an English copy of XP if I want to be
| able to read anything and then do a completely clean
| reinstall. Is that right? It seems a bit bloody drastic
| to me that I have to pay for something twice just because
| I live in another country.
|
| Problem 2: I had a similar problem to this on my old
| machine with Telefonica installation software which, most
| kindly, thought that I wanted to have all my menu options
| (in any program) in Spanish. I cured it by downloading
| the latest version of IE.
|
| Ok, thinks I, let's try the same thing again. Go through
| the MS download and it tells me that I have to uninstall
| the original IE because the language is different. Uhh?
|
| Ok, I do that and continue with the install. Bong! A few
| bytes later I get a message telling me that the version
| of IE on my machine (which, of course, isn't there any
| more) is newer than the version I'm getting from
| Micro$oft! Now I'm stuffed either way. I've tried to
| reinstall IE from the CD but it doesn't come back.
| (Should I send a copy of the CD to MS so they have the
| latest version available??? ;-) )
|
| Any advice will be gratefully received.
|
|

 

[Guest]

-----Original Message-----

Hi Carey,

Thanks for your response. That was quick. Were you
waiting for me?

You'll need

to purchase a "Full Version" of Windows XP in the language version
you desire,

And, of course, Microsoft will give me a full refund for
the one I've *already* paid for! Apart from the more-than-
slight inconvenience of having to order a copy from the
UK and have it sent over and not being able to use the
machine for at least two weeks while the new XP crawls
its way through the Spanish postal system.

reformat your drive and install it "clean".

Oh goody. I can lose all the other stuff that's knocking
around as well.

Or if you have an available empty drive or partition, you can install
another "Full Version" of Windows XP in a different language version
and create a dual-boot configuration.

I wish I'd never bothered and just got my Linux box out
of storage.

Clean Install Windows XP
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

Thanks again for that. Most kind of you. Yet another way
for MS to make yet another pile from its users, huh?
That's a rhetorical question BTW. I wish I'd known
that MS stuffed its customers like this; I'd have ordered
the machine from the UK.

Cheers

Ian

 

[Wislu Plethora]

-----Original Message-----


Hi Carey,

Thanks for your response. That was quick. Were you
waiting for me?

You'll need

And, of course, Microsoft will give me a full refund for
the one I've *already* paid for! Apart from the more-than-
slight inconvenience of having to order a copy from the
UK and have it sent over and not being able to use the
machine for at least two weeks while the new XP crawls
its way through the Spanish postal system.


Oh goody. I can lose all the other stuff that's knocking
around as well.


I wish I'd never bothered and just got my Linux box out
of storage.


Thanks again for that. Most kind of you. Yet another way
for MS to make yet another pile from its users, huh?
That's a rhetorical question BTW. I wish I'd known
that MS stuffed its customers like this; I'd have ordered
the machine from the UK.

Cheers

Ian
.

You're a bleedin'idiot. You buy Windows XP in Spain and
you're surprised that it's in Spanish. Then when you
recognize the blunder you're miffed when you can't
magically change it to English or get MS to pay for YOUR
moronic fumbling. Excellent!

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

Excuse me, in your initial post, you say you "Bought a new machine
pre-loaded with XP Home Edition." It didn't occur to you that a PC
purchased in Spain would likely have a Spanish version of Windows installed?
It didn't occur to you to specifically ask the vendor or manufacturer if
hardware with an English version was available or if, in your purchase you
could substitute an English version for a Spanish version?

Second, this is an OEM issue, not Microsoft's issue. Microsoft didn't
supply the OS to you, it supplied it to the PC manufacturer and they
supplied it to you. If you paid anyone for it, you paid the OEM and it is
with them you must deal if you want relief on this issue. If you buy a car
with a Bose radio installed, you don't contact Bose for service if something
goes wrong, you go to the dealer. And since Microsoft sold this product to
the OEM, how exactly do you suggest Microsoft divine the information that
your claim is legit. The manufacturer has a proof of sale and a warranty
period. I don't know about Spain but in the United States there's something
called a guarantee of "merchantability." Essentially, that means the
product is guaranteed to be usable by the buyer. Perhaps you should explore
this option with the people from whom you purchased the PC.

 

[Guest]

Excuse me, in your initial post, you say you "Bought a
new machine

pre-loaded with XP Home Edition." It didn't occur to you that a PC
purchased in Spain would likely have a Spanish version of

Windows installed?

It occurred to me that all multi-language software that
I've ever written is selectable as to required language! I
don't recall having too much of a problem with a copy of
Linux I bought in Amsterdam - or perhaps I was lucky.

It didn't occur to you to specifically ask the vendor or manufacturer if
hardware with an English version was available or if, in your purchase you
could substitute an English version for a Spanish version?

Why should I when it's usually a matter of a multi-
language resources?

Second, this is an OEM issue, not Microsoft's issue. Microsoft didn't
supply the OS to you, it supplied it to the PC manufacturer and they
supplied it to you. If you paid anyone for it, you paid the OEM and it is
with them you must deal if you want relief on this issue. If you buy a car
with a Bose radio installed, you don't contact Bose for service if something
goes wrong, you go to the dealer.

And when I bought my car here in Spain, with a Spanish
handbook, I didn't expect to have to go to England to buy
another car to get an English handbook.

I don't know about Spain but in the United States there's something
called a guarantee of "merchantability."

'Fit for purpose' in the UK. The goods *are* fit for
purpose, but not *my* purpose. That 'fitness' I expect in
the product, as does the reseller.

Cheers

 

[Wislu Plethora]

-----Original Message-----
Excuse me, in your initial post, you say you "Bought a new machine
pre-loaded with XP Home Edition." It didn't occur to you that a PC
purchased in Spain would likely have a Spanish version of Windows installed?
It didn't occur to you to specifically ask the vendor or manufacturer if
hardware with an English version was available or if, in your purchase you
could substitute an English version for a Spanish version?

Second, this is an OEM issue, not Microsoft's issue. Microsoft didn't
supply the OS to you, it supplied it to the PC manufacturer and they
supplied it to you. If you paid anyone for it, you paid the OEM and it is
with them you must deal if you want relief on this issue. If you buy a car
with a Bose radio installed, you don't contact Bose for service if something
goes wrong, you go to the dealer. And since Microsoft sold this product to
the OEM, how exactly do you suggest Microsoft divine the information that
your claim is legit. The manufacturer has a proof of sale and a warranty
period. I don't know about Spain but in the United States there's something
called a guarantee of "merchantability." Essentially, that means the
product is guaranteed to be usable by the buyer. Perhaps you should explore
this option with the people from whom you purchased the PC.

--
Michael Solomon MS-MVP
Windows Shell/User
Backup is a PC User's Best Friend
DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/

All points well taken, except that a warranty of
merchantability means that the seller warrants that the
thing sold will perform as intended and designed, and in
this case, that means in Spanish (i.e., in order for
there to be a fitness-for-use claim, the computer would
have to be advertised or be *reasonably expected* to be
equipped with an English-language OS).

 

[Guest]

You're a bleedin'idiot.

How to win friends and influence people. There's always
one out there, isn't there?

You buy Windows XP in Spain and

you're surprised that it's in Spanish.

No, I'm surprised it's *only* in Spanish. It's supposed to
be an international OS, not a local app.

Then when you

recognize the blunder you're miffed when you can't
magically change it to English or get MS to pay for YOUR
moronic fumbling. Excellent!

There's not actually a whole passel of magic in having
multi-language resources, but then I doubt that you would
know about that.

[plonk]

[plonk]

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

I see, so you just came here trolling for an argument!

Have a good day, sir!

 

[WIslu PLethora]

-----Original Message-----

You're a bleedin'idiot.

How to win friends and influence people. There's always
one out there, isn't there?

You buy Windows XP in Spain and

you're surprised that it's in Spanish.

No, I'm surprised it's *only* in Spanish. It's supposed to
be an international OS, not a local app.

Then when you

recognize the blunder you're miffed when you can't
magically change it to English or get MS to pay for YOUR
moronic fumbling. Excellent!

There's not actually a whole passel of magic in having
multi-language resources, but then I doubt that you would
know about that.

[plonk]

[plonk]

Wow. I think this may be the first time I was ever double-
plonked.

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

LOL, well, that's true about merchantability. I was only suggesting the
user try that possibility, claiming it isn't usable to him in its current
form. You never know, some vendors might just respond.

Hmm, now I must contemplate the implications of an "International OS." Can
you imagine the disk necessary to house all available language versions
world wide? It would make the initial software received from MSDN on
initial subscription when they were still placing it all on CDs as opposed
to DVDs seem rather small!

 

[Parley]

Learn Spanish.

LOL, well, that's true about merchantability. I was only suggesting the
user try that possibility, claiming it isn't usable to him in its current
form. You never know, some vendors might just respond.

Hmm, now I must contemplate the implications of an "International OS." Can
you imagine the disk necessary to house all available language versions
world wide? It would make the initial software received from MSDN on
initial subscription when they were still placing it all on CDs as opposed
to DVDs seem rather small!

--
Michael Solomon MS-MVP
Windows Shell/User
Backup is a PC User's Best Friend
DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/

 

[Crusty \(-: Old B@stard :-\)]

If I went to Japan, and purchased a machine there, I would fully expect that
the operating system would be in Japanese! Why would it be otherwise? Now,
if I specified that I wanted a U.S. English O/S, that is what I would expect
to get.

What is your real problem? Lack of common sense? Take it up with the store
where you bought it!

--
Regards:

Richard Urban

aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard

 

[Crusty \(-: Old B@stard :-\)]

I hope you realize how stupid you are making yourself look to complete
strangers!

C***ist! The O/S is already a full CD and that is only in one language. How
many CD's do you think you should get with your PC, one for every language
on earth, in case you want to use another one?

Get a life - and then get lost!

--
Regards:

Richard Urban

aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard

 

[JustMee]

Suggestion: Is your new machine a major brand name? If so, you may
well be able to contact their tech support and order/obtain a set of
english language XP "restore" disks.. I should think that it should be
no problem for them to provide them in any requested language; This
should be considerably less costly than buying a copy of XP retail,
and should not create the licensing problems, becuse they are just a
disk image, created expressly for your computer, and therefore cannot
be installed on another computer...


However, a "restore" of this type will wipe out all information on the
computer, and restore it to "as purchased" condition.. you will need
to back up any user files beore "restoring" .


hth,

JM

 

[Miss Perspicacia Tick]

If I went to Japan, and purchased a machine there, I would fully
expect that the operating system would be in Japanese! Why would it
be otherwise? Now, if I specified that I wanted a U.S. English O/S,
that is what I would expect to get.

What is your real problem? Lack of common sense? Take it up with the
store where you bought it!

You can /buy/ common-sense now?! Shame he didn't think to order any! ;o)
What a moron!

 

[Miss Perspicacia Tick]

Hi folks,

I've just been and bought a new machine pre-loaded with
XP Home Edition. I am currently resident in Spain and
managed to get myself a machine with XP in Spanish.

I have two problems. Firstly, I do not seem to be able to
change to English. From what little I've been able to
find out so far (see problem 2) it would seem that I have
to go out and *buy* an English copy of XP if I want to be
able to read anything and then do a completely clean
reinstall. Is that right? It seems a bit bloody drastic
to me that I have to pay for something twice just because
I live in another country.

You've only paid for it once. The OEM CD that comes with a new system
probably accounts for 1% or less of the purchase price (e.g. you pay £1000
for a system, then the OS has only cost you a tenner). That is 10% of the
purchase price of the full retail version. We've gotta love ****wits like
you - makes the rest of us seem intelligent! What you've received here is a
much needed whack around the head with a clue-by-four. Unfortunately for you
(not for us - it's fun!), it looks like your cranium's so thick you might
need a few more.

Problem 2: I had a similar problem to this on my old
machine with Telefonica installation software which, most
kindly, thought that I wanted to have all my menu options
(in any program) in Spanish. I cured it by downloading
the latest version of IE.

Well was you OS in Spanish that time?!

Ok, thinks I, let's try the same thing again. Go through
the MS download and it tells me that I have to uninstall
the original IE because the language is different. Uhh?

Well of course you do, moron! You're attempting to install an *ENGLISH*
browser on a *SPANISH* OS!! Where were you when the common-sense was being
handed out - in the can?!

Ok, I do that and continue with the install. Bong! A few
bytes later I get a message telling me that the version
of IE on my machine (which, of course, isn't there any
more) is newer than the version I'm getting from
Micro$oft! Now I'm stuffed either way. I've tried to
reinstall IE from the CD but it doesn't come back.
(Should I send a copy of the CD to MS so they have the
latest version available??? ;-) )

IE is an integral part of the OS, it cannot be uninstalled (yes, Netscape
took MS to court over this but MS cirumvented the ruling by allowing another
browser to be set as default).

Any advice will be gratefully received.

Oh you're way beyond any advice anyone here can give you!

You couldn't get a clue at the height of the clue mating season, if you
smeared yourself in clue musk, stood in a field of horny clues, making the
clue mating call whilst performing the clue mating dance.

Yes, I know it's and oldie...

Congratulations! You're the winner of the Moron of the Month Award for
June - I know it's only the 3rd, but I can't see we're going to find a more
deserving candidate...

 

[PCyr]

Miss Perspicacia Tick (a.k.a Amethyst, Cassandra, and many other aliases),
your posts are extremely rude, and counter-productive.

1) This is a Microsoft newsgroup designed to help people with questions
about Microsoft products.
2) People have a right to ask questions and make mistakes.
3) This is not English class.
4) Not everyone here speaks fluent English
5) If someone isn't following USENET etiquette, politely inform them of
their error if you expect them to listen. Calling them a moron is just
going to cause them to label you as a jacka**, and they will not listen.
6) This is a newsgroup to help
(http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=help) people, not criticise them
and be demeaning towards them.
7) If they post something off-topic, politely ask them to post in the
correct newsgroup.
8) If someone posts an incorrect solution, politely correct them.

-Being rude and demeaning as you are, only makes yourself appear
unintelligent, immature, insecure, and just plain isn't nice.

-If you are as intelligent as you try to appear to be, you would understand
that attacking people, is a very inferior thing to do. Are you so insecure
in life that you have to resort to attacking people about trivial things in
a Microsoft newsgroup? Are you so insecure that you can't stop and say to
yourself, "OK, this person just did something wrong. Why did they do it?
Was it on purpose?" and then respond politely. Are you so insecure that you
have to attack people who already are struggling with computer, and belittle
them even more, thus making yourself feel like some wolf that's establishing
its dominance? Are you so insecure that you have to act like some wild
animal, and belittle people, to make yourself feel dominant and superior?

Why do you feel the need to insult people? Nothing good comes of it. There
is no need for it. If you can think of a single reason for why we should
insult people, please tell us.