Korean Job Discussion Forums

[the saint]

I have a laptop running WinXP in Japanese. I want to wipe this and install English XP over the top. However, when I insert the disk it tells me that because the new disk language doesn't match the original OEM language, upgrades will be unavailable. I presume it means Windows upgrades like SP2.

I'm happy with a simple SP1 version as the laptop rarely goes on the web so doesn't need to be ultra secure, but, surely, this stinks. Why on earth can I not simply install over the top and then upgrade away?

[Demophobe]

Did you insert the cd while in Windows? You need to go into the BIOS for the notebook and set it to boot from the CD...should be under "Boot" in the BIOS. Putting the CD i nwhile in Windows will give the language error thing, but booting from the CD won't.

That should do it.

You have all the drivers, etc... right? Don't want to turn your laptop into an English paper-weight.

[Draven]

I don't believe this refers to your ability to update your Windows, but rather that you can't do an "Upgrade" install (ie, from one version of Windows to another - as opposed to a fresh install). Meaning you can't retain your settings and will likely lose all your data if you install this new version. As it sounds like you were planning to reformat anyway, it's not a concern.

[Demophobe]

Sorry saint...to be clear....

You want to erase the exising info/OS right? Well, assuming you've backed it all up and have nothing to lose, you will need to format the hard drive to get rid of the Japanese installation of Windows, and then install the English.

Booting from the CD will enable you to do these things. When you boot from the CD, you can format and install. The BIOS doesn't know (or care) what language the OS is in, so booting from the CD cuts the existing installation (in Japanese) out of the equation. The CD will just treat the hard drive as if the installation that is on there now as it would an English one...just ask you what you want to do....where to install Windows and if you want to format.

Follow the same procedure we did on your desktop when we put in the new hard drive.

[the saint]

yep that's it Demo and thanks also Draven. Yes, I do need to boot from the CD and that will solve the issue

Thanks for the heads up re the drivers though I've shot myself in that foot before so once bitten...

[Sage Monkey]

[Demophobe]

[Sage Monkey]

Sweet, I just make the changeover later, when I get home from work. I have had a lot of problems with my ATI Radeon drivers, to the point that my video card got fried last year. I still get the occasional blue screen of death which I am quite sure is being caused by them as well. I just didn't know of the alternatives.

[the saint]

Done it. No problems. Didn't need a single driver from the original disks. XP filled in allt he gaps. Sweet. Only problem was I had two worms and a trojan in a tiny 8Mb partition which I didn't format the first time. Forced me to redo it. Had no idea that they were there!

[Sage Monkey]

Isn't that 8mb partition there for the setup files? How did you find out that there were infections there? I wonder if I should find this partition as well and format it since I just fresh installed XP due to screw ups caused by a trojan.

[the saint]