Windows 7 French->English


WizardStan

Mega GP Mania
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May 24, 2008
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So I recently bought up a few laptops at auction for really cheap. The problem is they have Windows 7 (Home Premium) French version installed by default. They've all got their own sticker license key thingies though, so I'm wondering if anyone knows if I could buy a single English copy of Windows 7 and use their existing license keys to install, or if it is tied to the language as well as the version. I remember a similar problem way back with Windows 2000 and it worked then, but I don't know if they've made any changes to their install process in the last few years.
 
I think you should be able to install the English language packs. I'd say it'd be best to check the MS website and they'll likely have a walkthrough thing for it. I don't think it'd require a fresh install of the OS.
 
my parents are looking for a laptop, so if youre looking to sell one of these laptops for a dirt cheap price, let it be known
 
You can get the packs in windows update, without going to the cluttered MS website, too :)
 
I thought you could only do that with Ultimate?
Almost. Downloading any of the major Windows 7 language packs (of which English is one) is only possible when using the Windows 7 Ultimate or Windows 7 Enterprise Edition.


I don't remember right now if it's technically possible to install a Windows 7 version by using a Windows 7 OEM license key from another major language, but I do remember that Microsoft calls using a Windows 7 OEM key to install any other Windows other than that which came with the computer something like a "non-allowed mixing of license components" (I only know the exact German language Microsoft slang description, which would be "Unerlaubte Vermischung von Lizenzbestandteilen"). In other words, Microsoft does not want you to do this, which might be important to you since you seem to care about what's legal and what isn't (though what Microsoft wants must not necessarily be what's legal either).
 
I thought you could only do that with Ultimate?
Almost. Downloading any of the major Windows 7 language packs (of which English is one) is only possible when using the Windows 7 Ultimate or Windows 7 Enterprise Edition.


I don't remember right now if it's technically possible to install a Windows 7 version by using a Windows 7 OEM license key from another major language, but I do remember that Microsoft calls using a Windows 7 OEM key to install any other Windows other than that which came with the computer something like a "non-allowed mixing of license components" (I only know the exact German language Microsoft slang description, which would be "Unerlaubte Vermischung von Lizenzbestandteilen"). In other words, Microsoft does not want you to do this, which might be important to you since you seem to care about what's legal and what isn't (though what Microsoft wants must not necessarily be what's legal either).

God, that's such a joke. I hate microsoft... -_-
 
That actually looks perfect! Thanks, I'll give it a try as soon as I can.


And sorry to say, but finding homes for them is not going to be a problem. :)


Two of them are going to my parents, one I'll probably sell to my sister, one is only partially functional and I'll probably just sell it for parts on ebay, and the last one I'm hoping to sell at reasonable profit.
 
Glad it worked for you!


I had this very same problem when I bought my current netbook from Chile.


It came loaded with Windows 7 in Spanish and I tried to use that program to switch the language to English... the process hung partway through and I got fed up and just put Ubuntu on here...


I was originally planning to dual boot, then I just thought "Fuck you MS"
 
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