HELP! Windows 7 config screens are in FRENCH!!!

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David W. Richardson

Chapelgrove Films
Ordered an ASUS computer from Newegg.

Got it today. Turned it on. The first configuration screen for Windows 7 Home Premium comes up, and all of the text is in FRENCH.

I don't speak no French. :-)

Fired off an email to Newegg. Their automated response says someone should contact me in 24 hours.

Not good.

Fired off an email to ASUS. Their automated response says someone should contact me in 48 hours.

Much more not good!

That first config screen involves language settings. I managed to figure out that "etats-unis" was "United States". Set that, and set the other language options to "etats-unis". Clicked the "Continue" (in French) button, but everything on the next screen is still in French.

VERY not good!

Anybody know how to fix this??? Getting desperate here!
 
You should download the English Language Pack, which would obviously change the display language.

From this article, you should:

  • Pour ouvrir Région et langue, cliquez sur le bouton Démarrer
    4f6cbd09-148c-4dd8-b1f2-48f232a2fd33_818.jpg
    , sur Panneau de configuration sur Horloge, langue et région, puis sur Région et langue.
  • Cliquez sur l’onglet Claviers et langues.
  • Sous Afficher la langue, choisissez une langue dans la liste, puis cliquez sur OK.

    English version:
    • Open Region and Language by clicking the Start button
      4f6cbd09-148c-4dd8-b1f2-48f232a2fd33_818.jpg
      , clicking Control Panel, clicking Clock, Language, and Region, and then clicking Region and Language.
    • Click the Keyboards and Languages tab.
    • Under Display language, choose a language from the list, and then click OK.

      That's from Microsoft directly.
Or you can go via the Windows Updates, in the optional updates:
 
Two problems with this.

First, I would have to already have Windows 7 setup before I could go into Control Panel and do this.

Second, from what I've read this language pack is only available for Windows 7 Ultimate and Enterprise versions, not for the Home Premium version -- unless that has changed.

EDIT: Apparently that hasn't changed. I followed the Microsoft link you gave, and discovered it's only for Ultimate and Enterprise versions. But as I said, I can't even get the initial new user configuration done because it's all in French.
 
David W. Richardson said:
First, I would have to already have Windows 7 setup before I could go into Control Panel and do this.
Click to expand...

You need to complete the initial setup? (choose the name of the computer, make a password, and pick a little picture that u use for you login?)

Not sure it it won't work on HOME, but here's the link of the Languages Packs in case you'd need it:
32bits: http://download.windowsupdate.com/m..._22ee3397a02372681b375ddabf6ffa33662fd500.exe
64bits: http://download.windowsupdate.com/m..._483a3e51038f1a369bc5b5cdf5fc32df3ea4ad27.exe

From the website I've found these links:
If you own Windows 7 Professional or Windows 7 Home premium, you have probably discovered that you are unable to download and install another language pack from Windows Update site.
First you will have to download the language pack for Windows 7. Since Windows 7 language packs are available via Windows Update as an optional update for Windows 7 Enterprise and Ultimate editions only, here is the list of 32-bit and 64-bit language packs available from Microsoft for manual download.
Click to expand...

EDIT: If you can follow this video from a mobile or another computre, start at 3:50 and follow up everything, it's in english. Should be quite easy to follow:
 
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There's more to setting up Windows than just choosing a computer name and creating a password.

Plus, I'm reluctant to do all of that if I'm ultimately going to have to ship the computer back. They may not want to take it back if the Windows install has been registered and configured. And I don't want to be stuck with a French version of Windows.

I'm a bit dubious of downloading and installing anything from a webpage that contains grammatical and spelling errors -- like "to" instead of "too", or "It is recommended only the language pack you plan to use..." Little things like this worry me. And if I do anything to damage or corrupt this Windows install, I'll have a bad time returning the computer.
 
Don't get me wrong -- I DO appreciate the help. I'm just wary of taking steps that might leave me stuck with a computer I can't return, with a French version of Windows on it. I was hoping there was just some simple step -- within the normal Windows setup -- that I was missing, that would correct this. But apparently there isn't.
 
I didn't know some versions of Windows locked you into certain languages...lame.

A quick search also shows that even if you manage to change the language, you will lose its license validation.

The "proper" way to do it is to upgrade Windows (to Ultimate or Enterprise) or wait for Newegg to provide the fix.
 
David W. Richardson said:
Don't get me wrong -- I DO appreciate the help.
Click to expand...
No problem! I would have love to help more than this. Good luck with your return.
Newegg is quite easy to return item. Once returned a Western Digital 1.0TB and they sent me a 1.5TB instead because the model was replaced by the time. Nice deal in the end.
 
Don't know about Asus but try hitting ESC or F11 at boot up and choose from there.

//There's also a little language tab (looks like a keyboard icon) in the lower right bottom tab area. Click that and it will change your language. (in Windows 7)
 
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C'est peut-être le bon moment pour apprendre le français mon ami !

Just joking, although this situation is rather funny from a french POV...
 
Gord.T said:
Don't know about Asus but try hitting ESC or F11 at boot up and choose from there.

//There's also a little language tab (looks like a keyboard icon) in the lower right bottom tab area. Click that and it will change your language. (in Windows 7)
Click to expand...

I assume you mean to go into BIOS setup, right? For an ASUS, the key to hit is DEL. I don't remember ever seeing a language setting in BIOS on any other computer, but maybe I just missed it. Worth a try!

I think I clicked on that keyboard icon, but I'll double-check. Thanks!
 
Yeah, I could get through the setup, even in French My worry is that then I'd be stuck with ALL of the Windows stuff being in French, and having no way to change it. If I complete the setup, I probably can't return the computer for replacement or refund.
 
Okay, a couple of new wrinkles...

First, there's no language setting in BIOS.

Next, I noticed when I boot up, the text 'Starting Windows' is in English. Then I get something like 'Preparing your computer for first time use...' -- also in English. It's only when I get to the first configuration screen that the language changes.

And here's the real kicker. For some reason, this morning it's in GERMAN.

Now the computer has started making disturbing clicking and beeping sounds. So I think it's going to have to go back.

Newegg has told me they will either refund my money or replace the PC. My question to them was -- replace it with one in ENGLISH? Or another one in French/German? Waiting on their answer.
 
I may as well tell you, there was another problem.

This is a 'refurbished' ASUS computer. Whoever refurbed it did a lousy job. When I took it out of the box, I heard a LOT of stuff rattling around inside. Opened it up and found 3 screws and a metal plate rolling around loose in there. Took them out, of course. If I'd powered it up with all that metal in there, I'm sure it would've shorted something out.

I also noticed this morning that the data cable to the internal DVD drive wasn't connected. Shoddy! I expected better of ASUS.
 
Needless to say, this "refurb" ASUS computer is going back. However, I found a NEW HP computer on Newegg for only $50 more. In some ways it's not quite as good. Mainly, it only has a 6-core processor, where the ASUS has an 8-core processor. And instead of 12GB of RAM, it only has 10GB.

BUT......the RAM is expandable to 32GB -- on the ASUS it's only expandable to 16GB.

And the HP has a 2GB video card, while the ASUS only had 1GB of video RAM.

The HP comes with built-in wireless networking, including a wireless keyboard and mouse. Not so with the ASUS.

AND......while both computers have a 2TB hard drive, the HP also has a 16GB SSD that's used as a cache drive. That should speed things up a bit.

And the HP is NEW, not refurb.

The other specs are pretty much the same between the two. Wait....that's not quite true. The ASUS comes with Windows 7, but the HP has Windows 8.

So for only $50 more, I think the HP is a much better deal. The ASUS goes back! And the HP is already ordered.

Thanks for all the help, guys. I do appreciate it.
 
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