New X201 with wrong language setup received from Lenovo

[dsavard]

Hi,

I just received my new X201 Thinkpad right from Lenovo and I did bought the Windows 7 Pro French edition but it came with the English edition installed. How can I change the Language? There is not Display Language option in the Region/... Panel. What am I supposed to do to have it in French?

TIA,

Daniel

[topmahof Community Moderator]

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/downloads/languages

          about the only thing you can do with 7 pro is to download a language interface pack.  but that won't change everything. your parent language will still be in english.  the parent language has to be installed with the OS.  7 ultimate comes with language packs that you can get with windows update.  but you can't do that with 7 pro.  so, if you want the entire OS to be in french, then i would probably make a phone call to lenovo. coz the OS will have to be reinstalled in french.  

[topmahof Community Moderator]

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd744336(WS.10).aspx

here's a better link that explains it in more detail.

[dsavard]

So, the conclusion is Lenovo has not installed the right OS and there is no way to switch language in Windows 7 Pro. Nice! When these Windows guys will learn you cannot have people paying hundred bucks just to get the language flexibility? Big waste of time and hassle.

Very disatisfyied with this kind of errors and mistakes.

[lead_org Microsoft MVP Contributor]

do you have an external usb dvd reader or the ultrabase with the ultrabay slim drives?

You can request Lenovo to send you out the Recovery Media for your system, these discs contain different languages OS installation files. Basically, you can use this install the French version of the Win 7 Pro.

FYI, the French MUI systems for Windows 7 Pro English Edition is not as good as the Native French Windows 7 Pro version.

[dsavard]

I have an external DVD drive and can install everything Lenovo will send me. I already contacted them and awaiting for a reply.

I am a regular Linux user and I usually keep the Windows copy on my computers for the maintenance (drivers and hardware patchs from Lenovo), this X201 is not mine, it's my friend's Laptop. I always wonder why Microsoft haven't solve this language problem after so many decades. And worst, they managed to add extra charges for the Ultimate Edition for the MUI which you are saying are not as good as the native ones. That's incredible!

[lead_org Microsoft MVP Contributor]

with the MUI installed, the OS original language would still come through in certain areas, it is much better than before, but improvements are still needed.