Windows 7 multi language

[disae]

Will Windows 7 support multi language like Apple Mac? I mean will it be possible to buy Windows 7 in eg Japan and change the operating system from Japanese to English?

 

[Cookieman]

You can change the keyboard and language settings within Windows via the control panel.

Quote from the windows help file....

Install or change a display language

You can change the language Windows uses to display text in wizards, dialog boxes, menus, and other items in the user interface. Some display languages are installed by default, while others require you to install additional language files.
Before you can install a display language, you need access to the language files. These files can be found on your computer, a computer in your network, or your Windows DVD. They can also be downloaded from the web. For more information, see How do I get additional display languages?

1. To install a Language Interface Pack (LIP), double-click the file to open the setup program. To install a Multilingual User Interface Pack (MUI), follow these steps:
2. Click to open Region and Language.
3. Click the Keyboards and Languages tab.
4. Under Display language, click Install/uninstall languages, and then follow the steps.
   
   If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
   Note
   • The Display language section will only be visible if you have already installed an LIP or if your edition of Windows supports an MUI. MUIs are only available in Windows 7 Ultimate and Windows 7 Enterprise.

1. When you change the display language, the text in menus and dialog boxes for some programs might not be in the language that you want. This happens because the program might not support Unicode. For more information about changing the text in menus and dialog boxes for programs that don't support Unicode, see Change the system locale.
   If you want to set the display language for multiple users or for the Welcome screen, see Apply regional and language settings to reserved accounts.
2. Click to open Region and Language.
3. Click the Keyboards and Languages tab.
4. Under Display language, choose a language from the list, and then click OK.
   Note
   • If you don't see the list of display languages, you need to install additional language files.

Hope this helps with your query

 

[disae]

Languages

Thank you this is really helpful. Can I ask a follow up? I was thinking of int stalling Windows 7 Japanese version because I have a Japanese version of Vista installed. But I wonder if i can simply install the English version of Windows 7 over the op of Vista? I assume this would have to be a complete version install rather than an upgrade?

 

[Kougar]

Thank you this is really helpful. Can I ask a follow up? I was thinking of int stalling Windows 7 Japanese version because I have a Japanese version of Vista installed. But I wonder if i can simply install the English version of Windows 7 over the op of Vista? I assume this would have to be a complete version install rather than an upgrade?

Yes, you should be asked what language you wish to install before the setup process begins. I am less sure if you do an upgrade instead of a new install, it might simply default to Japanese. But as Cookieman said, you can later change that from within Windows.

 

[Sycthus]

I though only Ultimate supported language changes? I might be wrong, but I just thought I ask.