Solved How to change OS language?

[FlorinSabin]

Hello everyone. I have Windows 7 Home Premium installed on my laptop (which is my first pc) and it's language is Portuguese. I would like to change it to English or Romanian. Is it possible? Do i need to buy other Windows 7 in one of my desired languages? I'm asking this here because all i found in CP regarding language changing had to do with keyboard or non unicode programs or Windows Live language settings. Other than that i couldn't find anything else. I feel like i should mention i'm totally noob (only 9 months since i have this laptop)

 

[Brink]

Hello FlorinSabin,

Sorry, but only the Windows 7 Ultimate and Enterprise editions allow you to change the display language from the original language it was installed as.

 

[SIW2]

You could get a Home Premium installation dvd that is already in your chosen language - you can install that using the product key stickered on your machine.

Snag is - you may need to install some drivers specific to your machine - you can get them from the manufacturer website.

You will also need to download and install a bunch of updates, and install all your programs.

 

[FlorinSabin]

So I'm stuck up with Portuguese language. Anyway i was thinking, is it possible to put my current Windows on a USB stick? I would like to try to re-install my Windows. But when i bought my laptop, it didn't came up with any installation CD. When i first turned it on it took me trough installation steps.

 

[seavixen32]

You already have a legitimate OEM product key, so you could download a Windows 7 ISO (English) and use that, as this excellent tutorial explains.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html#post1839164

In your case you need the Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit ISO - it's most important you choose the one that is the same version as your curreny system i.e. Home Premium 64-bit.

Just make sure you backup your personal data, you at least have a driver for your network adapter backed up, and that you have backup discs for any applications you have installed.

I would also create a set of factory recovery discs so that you can put your computer back to its factory state should the need arise. You need to do this before you do anything else. Your computer documentation or support site should have information on how to create your recovery discs.

 

[FlorinSabin]

at least have a driver for your network adapter backed up, and that you have backup discs for any applications you have installed.

I would also create a set of factory recovery discs so that you can put your computer back to its factory state should the need arise.

Wow. That is a lot of things i have never heard or did before

 

[seavixen32]

at least have a driver for your network adapter backed up, and that you have backup discs for any applications you have installed.

I would also create a set of factory recovery discs so that you can put your computer back to its factory state should the need arise.

Wow. That is a lot of things i have never heard or did before

We're here to help.

If there's anything you're not sure of, just ask.

 

[FlorinSabin]

Ok. First I'm gonna try to understand what exactly the terms mean and how everything is done.

 

[seavixen32]

OK.

Read through the tutorial, take notes and if you look on the right of you screen when you have the tutorial open, you should see a link for the print version that you can print off it it helps.

Anything you're not sure of, just ask.

 

[iTRiP]

...

 

[Dwarf]

That is bad advice. Besides the risk of potentially turning your computer into an expensive doorstop should the flashing process fail, changing the BIOS language would only affect the language you see when making changes to the CMOS and the POST screen. It will make no difference whatsoever to the language of the OS, as this is selected when the OS is installed (if your version of the OS permits you to do so).

 

[seavixen32]

Yes! ... but there is a better solution.... u can flash the computer's bios ...and use a bios language to suit the user, opt to apply a same bios version or a newer bios version for the computer and if possible overide the whole system with the preferred language of the new bios... iT would be quite trouble~some, (this is a good idea if u plan to be able to read and have everything on the computer the same language or else some things will still be in the manufacturing language right^> but it wont cost anything besides time and some help on how to do a 100% problem free bios flash.

This is the best way to do a language swap!... somebody here might want to try it and see how a installed version of Windows 7 32bit reacts to this major system change and then report back... many of us want to do this...some more input is needed...>

This is not good advice.

By the OP's own admission, he is a new computer user and for that reason alone, I'd advise against flashing the BIOS as you can soon render your computer unbootable.

Yes, a reinstall is more time-consuming, but there's far less risk attached to it.

Do you have a source for this so-called BIOS fix?

 

[iTRiP]

...

 

[FlorinSabin]

By the OP's own admission, he is a new computer user and for that reason alone, I'd advise against flashing the BIOS as you can soon render your computer unbootable.

Yes, a reinstall is more time-consuming, but there's far less risk attached to it.

Thumbs up. So let's take it step by step. When you say network adapter you refer to device i use to connect my laptop to internet? Just in case, i attached my USB and the card it use to connect to internet Do i need to do a backup for it?

 

[seavixen32]

I'm not familiar with the dongle you've posted, but in any event you'll need drivers for the USB port you plug it into.

Some computers use a wired (ethernet) network adapter, which is connected to the router with an ethernet cable.

Others (mainly laptops) use a wireless adapter.

Some even have both.

If you use either a wired or a wireless adapter you need drivers for it.

It'll probably pay you to download and save all your drivers anyway, which you can get from your manufacturer's website. You need them for the chipset, graphics, audio etc. although Windows 7 may provide drivers anyway.

 

[FlorinSabin]

So how do i do a backup for my network adapter? Also, can i save backups on my laptop or can i save on a memory stick?

 

[seavixen32]

When you download any software you should see a download bar at the bottom of your screen.

Click the down arrow on the right and choose Save As, then choose the location where you want to save it.

As for backups, it's best to have an external drive for them. If you try and save the backup to your internal drive you'll lose everything if the drive fails.

 

[FlorinSabin]

Ok. This week i should receive the last salary from where i last worked. So I was thinking to buy 2 memory sticks, 16GB each (16 euro each). That should be enough, right? I was thinking in buying memory cards (MicroSD) but after i lost all my data from one i quit. Also Cd's are not a option. Both CD and Memory Cards require special attention

 

[seavixen32]

If you want to carry out a system image backup you really need an external hard drive for that.

As for personal data, it depends how muh you've got, but you can use an external hard drive, flash drives, card reader drives or blank discs. The choice is yours.

 

[FlorinSabin]

As we talk about it, it gets more confusing. What kind of backup do i need to do, so i can restore my system in case i fail to install new OS, or something goes wrong? Backing up just the files would not be enough? Do i need to make system image backup so i could restore my OS? I just had a look in CP and only option is to make an image backup, and as you said it suggest that i use an external disc to save it. Until this moment i never backed up my pc. The only back ups where made automatic by OS before installing new updates. And by Norton 360.