Crivens200 Posted October 20, 2007 at 03:21 PM Report Share Posted October 20, 2007 at 03:21 PM Has anyone bought a computer in China and had Windows installed in English on it? In my local computer market they are willing to install English but can't get me a legit version of windows with it and a dodgy copy of windows is no use for updates. I've seen an HP laptop that I want to buy and the HP shop also say they can't install a legit English veriosn of windows on it. Can get to Shanghai easily - anyone any ideas? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roddy Posted October 20, 2007 at 03:46 PM Report Share Posted October 20, 2007 at 03:46 PM Dell, last time I looked at their website, gave you the option of an English OS. I certainly had a Dell desktop with a legit English XP install, although it was second hand to me. If the extra expense is acceptable, you can also install a dodgy copy, then attempt to go through the Microsoft validation process - it'll tell you it's dodgy, but give you the option of downloading the files necessary to make it legit for whatever price, and (if I remember correctly) switch between home and pro. I've only done this from the UK, not sure if it's possible from China. Cost in the region of GBP100, I think, so the cost isn't negligible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senzhi Posted October 20, 2007 at 03:55 PM Report Share Posted October 20, 2007 at 03:55 PM If you go for Vista Ultimate (and Ultimate only!) you'll have the license to download all OS language packs for free. However, Vista Ultimate is not cheap. It'll be very difficult but not impossible to find legal versions of XP in English. As I'm in Shantou, I contacted IBM in Hong Kong for my T60. No problem with them, as long as I was willing to pay the price (which wasn't cheap either). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crivens200 Posted October 20, 2007 at 03:55 PM Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2007 at 03:55 PM Yeah noticed that with Dell - been trying to see if HP do a similar thing. Don't particularly want to shell out GBP100 for a copy of windows when the laptop itself is only about GBP500. My local computer shop has a legitimate copy of english windows xp but it's rmb1700 and the key-code is visible through the packet so I'm assuming it's already been used 1000 times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pengyou Posted October 20, 2007 at 04:51 PM Report Share Posted October 20, 2007 at 04:51 PM I usually buy my software in the U.S. and have someone send me the keycode by email. Then I go down to the local pirated software shop and pick the software up for the 5 or 6rmb they want...and when I install it I use the serial number from the legit copy I bought at home. Just a thought... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roddy Posted October 21, 2007 at 08:11 AM Report Share Posted October 21, 2007 at 08:11 AM Here's an example of an HP laptop with Linux listed as OS. Assuming that makes it cheaper than the equivalent Windows version it might go some of the way towards covering the cost of a legit version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Battosai Posted October 21, 2007 at 10:10 AM Report Share Posted October 21, 2007 at 10:10 AM Has anyone bought a computer in China and had Windows installed in English on it? In my local computer market they are willing to install English but can't get me a legit version of windows with it and a dodgy copy of windows is no use for updates. A pirated XP gets the same updates as a legit one, In poor countries (like China) most people cannot afford any Microsoft products, if Microsoft was really strict ,most people in the 3rd world would switch to a free operating system. Although officially against piracy, until now Microsoft has never dared to do something drastic that would make pirated XP users even consider switching. Having said that, I would not recommend using a pirated XP because there are plenty of free alternatives. You can download and install Linux for free. Probably the friendliest is Ubuntu , it comes with an Open Office suite, an IM client, an email client and thousands of free programmes. It is also virus and malware free. Installing Linux is easier than Windows (because most drivers are usually included in the installation media) Linux can do anything that XP does and a lot that XP doesn't. However it has its limitations , the one that most people complain about is that very few games run on Linux in comparison with Windows, the other is that the Skype version doesn't support video (but you can get video chat with aMSN as well as other clients) You can easily switch languages in Linux. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdn_in_bj Posted October 21, 2007 at 10:22 AM Report Share Posted October 21, 2007 at 10:22 AM A pirated XP gets the same updates as a legit one Windows Live Update (or whatever it's called) will not work with blacklisted key codes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Battosai Posted October 21, 2007 at 01:15 PM Report Share Posted October 21, 2007 at 01:15 PM Windows Live Update (or whatever it's called) will not work with blacklisted key codes. I think that the pirated versions here are much more advanced, they regularly pass the WGA tests Anyway , I don't support piracy. As a free operating system (when pirated) Windows is okay , but I hope that high price and the mediocrity of the software will drive more people to experience with alternative OSs. (interesting related article "windows is free") Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwmccabe Posted October 21, 2007 at 02:28 PM Report Share Posted October 21, 2007 at 02:28 PM If anyone is considering getting a pirated Win OS in China, here's a few vocabulary words to be familiar with first. Pirated software in China is notoriously packed with these. Trojan Spyware Backdoor Just know what you're risking when you buy pirated software... I too would suggest checking out Ubuntu Linux. But I would caution you to check it out only if you don't mind tinkering with your system sometimes. Although Ubuntu has made huge strides recently, there are still some configurations and occasional trouble shooting that computer-phobics wouldn't want to deal with. Sorry. Off subject. Back to the OP's topic... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crivens200 Posted October 22, 2007 at 04:09 AM Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2007 at 04:09 AM Thanks for the advice everyone. Actually, I still need to have windows - not really interested in using linux. For all the stick it gets, for near on 100% of users, Windows really is the most approriate system to have installed. It just works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ipsi() Posted October 22, 2007 at 05:05 AM Report Share Posted October 22, 2007 at 05:05 AM I'd also recommend Ubuntu. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roddy Posted October 22, 2007 at 05:10 AM Report Share Posted October 22, 2007 at 05:10 AM Best thing about Windows is that the people who use it aren't constantly trying to persuade people who don't to switch OS, even when they've specifically said they don't want to . Feel free to start a Windows vs Linux topic though. Are you looking for XP or Vista? In the UK I think you can get legit OEM versions of XP for 50-60 pounds. As for viruses, etc, from pirated OS and software, I've never had any problems despite running quite a bit of dodgy software and an 'official Shanghai Government edition' version of XP in the past. Probably pays to be careful though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imron Posted October 22, 2007 at 05:16 AM Report Share Posted October 22, 2007 at 05:16 AM Best thing about Windows is that the people who use it aren't constantly trying to persuade people who don't to switchWell, that's obviously because it's not worth switching too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roddy Posted October 22, 2007 at 05:20 AM Report Share Posted October 22, 2007 at 05:20 AM Imron and his pesky logic XP Home, English for about 600Y here. OEM again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renzhe Posted October 22, 2007 at 02:47 PM Report Share Posted October 22, 2007 at 02:47 PM For all the stick it gets, for near on 100% of users, Windows really is the most approriate system to have installed. It just works. Unless you want to change a language. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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