INTL/Localized XP installation

[Guest]

I am a software developer and have recently found out my software does not
work on non-US versions of windows XP. I have done everything I can think of
to get an install of windows that matches my customer's installations short
of having one of them purchase a computer and send it to me (which might not
be legal).

The problems arise when a customer has a version of windows where the
directory structure is not in english. For example: C:\archive de Programas\
is the C:\Program Files\ directory on a spanish/portugese install of windows
(im not sure if its spanish or portugese).

I have tried the international XP download from my MSDN subscription but all
it installed was english XP with a language pack (from what I can tell, the
same exact result is obtained from installing a language pack onto a US
version of XP.

So, the question I need answered is "How do I get the same version of
windows that my customers are using?"... I dont need help with the actual
development. I just need to know where I can get the same copy of windows.



TIA

 

[Guest]

As I said in my initial post, I don't need help with development. I need to
know howto get an "real" international version of XP that I can install.
Installing the language packs is simply not enough. I need this for support
purposes as well as testing. Where can I purchase it?

This doesn't seem to me like it should be a very hard question to get
answered but it is proving exceedingly difficult.

kinar,

Your question is more for the programmer's newsgroups; but I think, you
ought to use not the fixed names of the system folders, but read them
from the Registry, from the keys:

[HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders]
and
[HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders]

or as minimum -- use the system variables instead (you can see their
names by: Start -- Run... Cmd /k set).

I don't think you need in [not too cheap] MSDN International
subscription, with all the localized versions of MS products -- but if
the programming is your profession, then probably -- yes.

--
Mikhail Zhilin
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)
http://www.aha.ru/~mwz
Sorry, no technical support by e-mail.
Please reply to the newsgroups only.
======

I am a software developer and have recently found out my software does not
work on non-US versions of windows XP. I have done everything I can think of
to get an install of windows that matches my customer's installations short
of having one of them purchase a computer and send it to me (which might not
be legal).

The problems arise when a customer has a version of windows where the
directory structure is not in english. For example: C:\archive de Programas\
is the C:\Program Files\ directory on a spanish/portugese install of windows
(im not sure if its spanish or portugese).

I have tried the international XP download from my MSDN subscription but all
it installed was english XP with a language pack (from what I can tell, the
same exact result is obtained from installing a language pack onto a US
version of XP.

So, the question I need answered is "How do I get the same version of
windows that my customers are using?"... I dont need help with the actual
development. I just need to know where I can get the same copy of windows.



TIA

 

[Mikhail Zhilin]

kinar,

Your question is more for the programmer's newsgroups; but I think, you
ought to use not the fixed names of the system folders, but read them
from the Registry, from the keys:

[HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders]
and
[HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders]

or as minimum -- use the system variables instead (you can see their
names by: Start -- Run... Cmd /k set).

I don't think you need in [not too cheap] MSDN International
subscription, with all the localized versions of MS products -- but if
the programming is your profession, then probably -- yes.

--
Mikhail Zhilin
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)
http://www.aha.ru/~mwz
Sorry, no technical support by e-mail.
Please reply to the newsgroups only.
======

 

[Mikhail Zhilin]

There is no ""real" international version of XP" -- but only the
separate localized versions, like Russian, German, Spanish etc (24
total).

See http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/DrIntl/faqs/winxp.mspx

So you have to purchase Windows XP of the language version most
essential for you, or install it from MSDN CDs if your subscription is
international one.

Only FYI (I understand it is not your question): English version can be
used as an international one using MUI, some other localizations are
supported by LIPs (see the link above, too). But in the both these cases
the names of the specific system folders of the base system are remain
unchanged.

And I supposed already, why your programs do not work with the other
language version(s), and gave the possible solution.

C:\Program Files\
C:\archive de Programas\
C:\Program\

are for the _different_ language versions, and, say,

C:\Documents and Settings\<user_name>\íÏÉ ÄÏËÕÍÅÎÔÙ
C:\Documents and Settings\<user_name>\çÌÁ×ÎÏÅ ÍÅÎÀ
for Russian version, where

C:\Documents and Settings\<user_name>\My Documents
C:\Documents and Settings\<user_name>\Start Menu
for English

(and the similar language-specific names for the other _localized_
versions). All these strings can be read from the _same_ keys of the
Registry of any language version.

Besides that, the language-specific names of files and folders in CMD
(DOS prompt) or any console (cmd-like) window may use the different code
page than in GUI (say, in Russian -- cp 866 in CMD, but cp 1251 in GUI),
what can create the additional problems.

--
Mikhail Zhilin
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)

Russia, Moscow
http://www.aha.ru/~mwz
Sorry, no technical support by e-mail.
Please reply to the newsgroups only.
======

As I said in my initial post, I don't need help with development. I need to
know howto get an "real" international version of XP that I can install.
Installing the language packs is simply not enough. I need this for support
purposes as well as testing. Where can I purchase it?

This doesn't seem to me like it should be a very hard question to get
answered but it is proving exceedingly difficult.

kinar,

Your question is more for the programmer's newsgroups; but I think, you
ought to use not the fixed names of the system folders, but read them
from the Registry, from the keys:

[HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders]
and
[HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders]

or as minimum -- use the system variables instead (you can see their
names by: Start -- Run... Cmd /k set).

I don't think you need in [not too cheap] MSDN International
subscription, with all the localized versions of MS products -- but if
the programming is your profession, then probably -- yes.

--
Mikhail Zhilin
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)
http://www.aha.ru/~mwz
Sorry, no technical support by e-mail.
Please reply to the newsgroups only.
======

I am a software developer and have recently found out my software does not
work on non-US versions of windows XP. I have done everything I can think of
to get an install of windows that matches my customer's installations short
of having one of them purchase a computer and send it to me (which might not
be legal).

The problems arise when a customer has a version of windows where the
directory structure is not in english. For example: C:\archive de Programas\
is the C:\Program Files\ directory on a spanish/portugese install of windows
(im not sure if its spanish or portugese).

I have tried the international XP download from my MSDN subscription but all
it installed was english XP with a language pack (from what I can tell, the
same exact result is obtained from installing a language pack onto a US
version of XP.

So, the question I need answered is "How do I get the same version of
windows that my customers are using?"... I dont need help with the actual
development. I just need to know where I can get the same copy of windows.



TIA

 

[Guest]

TY Mikhail for your response but it still has not actually answered my
question.

You wrote: " So you have to purchase Windows XP of the language version most

essential for you, or install it from MSDN CDs if your subscription is
international one."

My question was "Where can I purchase it"?...I downloaded an "International"
version of XP from MSDN, but as I said in my initial post, it simply
installed a language pack with a regular XP. Perhaps I didn't install it
correctly but I do not see any other options during the install than what I
have already tried. Is there something special needed during the install?
Has Microsoft perhaps somehow disabled these installs on hardware that were
not purchased in foreign countries?

In response to your other things, I am already using the registry to read
the special folders location. The problem with our software is NOT pathing.
There is something else different about these installs with the localized
installs that is messing up our software.

You say "There is no ""real" international version of XP" -- but only the

separate localized versions, like Russian, German, Spanish etc (24
total)."

Localized/"real" international....only semantics...the fact remains that
there are differences between these versions and the traditional US XP
install.

all in all, this thread is not entirely lost...You have pointed me to what
will hopefully give me some more information about this whole thing here:
http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/reference/muizone.mspx

Thank you for your time. Any idea where I can purchase a "real" localized
version of XP?

There is no ""real" international version of XP" -- but only the
separate localized versions, like Russian, German, Spanish etc (24
total).

See http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/DrIntl/faqs/winxp.mspx

So you have to purchase Windows XP of the language version most
essential for you, or install it from MSDN CDs if your subscription is
international one.

Only FYI (I understand it is not your question): English version can be
used as an international one using MUI, some other localizations are
supported by LIPs (see the link above, too). But in the both these cases
the names of the specific system folders of the base system are remain
unchanged.

And I supposed already, why your programs do not work with the other
language version(s), and gave the possible solution.

C:\Program Files\
C:\archive de Programas\
C:\Program\

are for the _different_ language versions, and, say,

C:\Documents and Settings\<user_name>\Мои документы
C:\Documents and Settings\<user_name>\Главное меню
for Russian version, where

C:\Documents and Settings\<user_name>\My Documents
C:\Documents and Settings\<user_name>\Start Menu
for English

(and the similar language-specific names for the other _localized_
versions). All these strings can be read from the _same_ keys of the
Registry of any language version.

Besides that, the language-specific names of files and folders in CMD
(DOS prompt) or any console (cmd-like) window may use the different code
page than in GUI (say, in Russian -- cp 866 in CMD, but cp 1251 in GUI),
what can create the additional problems.

--
Mikhail Zhilin
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)

Russia, Moscow
http://www.aha.ru/~mwz
Sorry, no technical support by e-mail.
Please reply to the newsgroups only.
======

As I said in my initial post, I don't need help with development. I need to
know howto get an "real" international version of XP that I can install.
Installing the language packs is simply not enough. I need this for support
purposes as well as testing. Where can I purchase it?

This doesn't seem to me like it should be a very hard question to get
answered but it is proving exceedingly difficult.

kinar,

Your question is more for the programmer's newsgroups; but I think, you
ought to use not the fixed names of the system folders, but read them
from the Registry, from the keys:

[HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders]
and
[HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders]

or as minimum -- use the system variables instead (you can see their
names by: Start -- Run... Cmd /k set).

I don't think you need in [not too cheap] MSDN International
subscription, with all the localized versions of MS products -- but if
the programming is your profession, then probably -- yes.

--
Mikhail Zhilin
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)
http://www.aha.ru/~mwz
Sorry, no technical support by e-mail.
Please reply to the newsgroups only.
======
On Mon, 14 May 2007 06:26:02 -0700, kinar

I am a software developer and have recently found out my software does not
work on non-US versions of windows XP. I have done everything I can think of
to get an install of windows that matches my customer's installations short
of having one of them purchase a computer and send it to me (which might not
be legal).

The problems arise when a customer has a version of windows where the
directory structure is not in english. For example: C:\archive de Programas\
is the C:\Program Files\ directory on a spanish/portugese install of windows
(im not sure if its spanish or portugese).

I have tried the international XP download from my MSDN subscription but all
it installed was english XP with a language pack (from what I can tell, the
same exact result is obtained from installing a language pack onto a US
version of XP.

So, the question I need answered is "How do I get the same version of
windows that my customers are using?"... I dont need help with the actual
development. I just need to know where I can get the same copy of windows.



TIA

 

[Tim Slattery]

Thank you for your time. Any idea where I can purchase a "real" localized
version of XP?

Here's a web site that sells many localized versions of XP:
http://www.translation.net/microsoft_localized.html

I found it by doing a Google search on "localized windows XP"

 

[Guest]

Woot!

TYVM Tim!....exactly what I was looking for.

Thanks for everyone's help and putting up with me.

P.S. I swear that site was not in the google results 3 days ago...but then
again I could be wrong and just missed it.