Windows 7 - Korean OS license convert to English but recognized as not genuine

Update:

I just made a clean install of a Home Premium English and used the microsoft product key on the sticker attached at the bottom of my laptop, and now it is already activated and all updates are working.

Hi all!

Forgive me if I posted at different folder or reposted same problem.

Just recently I purchased a Dell XPS 17 with Korean OS valid license (I guessed it's OEM). I asked the seller to change the system language to English. When I got home I update the system and to my surprise, I got the notification "Not Genuine". I went back to seller, he said that Microsoft can only recognize the system in Korean setting and since I changed it to English, hence it's fake.

My question would be, is there a way to have my ENglish setting be legally recognized by Microsoft? I am willing to pay additional fee for conversion, but my seller here in Korea can not speak in English well and so he just said I have to buy another English OS. I don't want to jsut throw my OEM Korean license away, I paid for this. Anyone has an idea?

Thank you so much in advance. Also, please do not get mad at me or shout at me if I have done wrong or violated some rules when posting.

Welcome to the windows 7 forums.

Who did you buy the Dell from? The license for the oem Korean is limited to the machine that it was installed on. The OEM license is not upgradeable to English so that means that you will have to purchase a full version of Windows English, if that is what you want.

Rich

Your version of Windows 7 is Home Premium 64 bit. Home premium does not support multiple languages. If it has come in Korean means you can not change the language to English.

How the seller has changed the language to English? Did he used the anytime upgrade to change Home Premium to Ultimate so that he can install English Language. It your version of windows still Home Premium or Ultimate?

If it is Ultimate may be the serial he has used to convert it to Ultimate is not genuine. That is the reason why the windows has become deactivated.

Or he might have used another method to install English which made your Window 7 deactivated.

Check if you switch back to Korean, the windows becomes activated again?

A genuine windows in Korean can not become non Genuine by just installing additional language like English. It seems he has done something else. The seller is bluffing that Microsoft is not recognizing the English language on a Korean Windows 7.

If you have purchased this laptop from a dealer, you have all the rights to return the laptop and get a genuine one.

Another way out for you is if you confirm that this is a brand new laptop, you can get hold of a Windows 7 Home Premium DVD in English, reinstall again using the serial no. on the COA sticker on the bottom of the laptop. For activation you may have to contact Microsoft on phone.

Thank you very much for the warm welcome and for the comprehensive explanation. i am very grateful for your time and effort in answering my problem.

I really don't know how they changed the language. But I went back to the store and they used the Korean language and update my OS (I guessed i was not mistaken) then the "not genuine" already gone. Also, they put this file in my drive "English x64", it is a language pack for english. Maybe they used this to convert my OS to English. And yes, I have the Home Premium Windows 7. Also, they have said that I can update the system using the Korean setting but not for English. And they also teached me how to shift quickly from Korean to English by using "Vistalizator". From this point, can you say that what they have done to my laptop is legal?

Now I understand how they have installed the English language using Vistalizer. This is not normal practice. I do not have any experience on Vistalizer.

May be one of our learned members should be able to help you in this issue.

But as long as the system is working, there is nothing to worry and it is legal to install Vistalizer and English language. It will not violate your licence.

Vistalizator is a crack that gets around the requirement to be using Ultimate to install Language packs - the machine WILL become non-genuine eventually (if it doesn't already show as that).

cab86074 can use (after uninstalling the language packs and removing the Vistalizator hack) Anytime Upgrade to get to Ultimate, and then install the English language pack legitimately.
Here's a good post on the Vistalizator issue...
Vistalizator, Multilingual users and Validation problems.

Thank you rraod for the help. I really appreciate it.

Thank you for another information Noel. I learned alot about this issue. I can not fully get support from Microsoft Korea because of communication issue. My question now after reading the articles you have provided is, if I am going to upgrade my OS to Ultimate, definite I can have an English language but i read another issue of geographical location. If I go back to Philippines and update my OS, will it give me another notification for "not genuine OS"? I appreciate your help and others help. By the way my OS version is Windows 7 Home Premium K which the letter K stands for Korean.

If you upgrade the OS in the phillipines it will be ok as long as you don't change the languge to TAGALOG ,But if you purchase a full copy instead of a OEM you are allowed to use multiple Languges

Just dump the current OS get a full copy legal and you won't have anymore issues

Windows 7 editions multilingual support summary

Please see the table with the above heading in the MSDN website (click on the above link) wherein the licensing limitations for Korean editions are explained.

The cheapest and best method to make Windows 7 Home Premium K compatible with all the languages (35 in all and No Tagalog!!! ) Microsoft offering is to convert the Home Premium K to Ultimate K. This can be done very easily by buying a Anytime Upgrade pack (containing only a serial no.) and applying the serial number while connected online. The process of upgradation to Ultimate K will take about 10 to 15 minutes. Once your windows is upgraded to Ultimate K all the limitations are removed.

There will be no problems in licensing once you go back to Philippines (or for that matter anywhere in the world).

You don't need to throw away this copy of window 7 and buy a new one and spending more money. Your OEM windows 7 is same as a Full retail windows 7.

The important thing to remember here is that an Anytime Upgrade properly activated is EXACTLY the same as a Retail installation.
You have the right, with an Ultimate Anytime Upgrade, to install ANY, or ALL of the language packs that MS provide, with no restrictions.

OEM installations do NOT provide the same rights as Retail ones - they are restricted in their support options, and in the fact that the motherboard cannot be upgraded except under warranty conditions (although MS can be fairly understanding on that point).