Vista language and Ultimate vs. Business

Dear everybody,

I will be purchasing my laptop (HP8510p) in Austria and probably i can't easily get an english Vista on that laptop. Furthermore, it's a Business version.
I talked to a friend and he said with Vista Ultimate you can easily choose the language. So my idea was to purchase the laptop with Business and upgrade to Ultimate and then change the language, also because anyway i'd prefer Ultimate. How much does that cost, and does it really work in this way?

Thank you very much!
Simone

 

This is what you want...

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/pr...orupgrade/windowsanytimeupgrade/overview.mspx

A pricey option IMHO, but your money is your money

 

hm.....here it says something like more than 200$, but i read somewhere about 139$ if i do that from the pc windows anytime upgrader? Does someone know more? And additionally: does it work with a HP pre-installed 8510p laptop or do i need a REAL Vista CD?

 

According to MS you need a disk with the "Anytime Upgrade" logo on it. I don't know if HP's disks have that logo or not. My Dell DVD doesn't, but I also haven't tried using it for that purpose. You can buy a disk from MS for a few bucks if you don't have an anytime upgrade disk though....

The pricing could vary by region and even license type I'm sure... I'd recommend you step through the Vista Anytime upgrade checker and see what it says.

 

You could always try an OEM version. They usually cost a lot less, but still have the same features and functions as the retail version.

 

The ONLY issue with an OEM version is it can only be registered to one machine EVER. If you latter build yourself a new machine the OEM version cannot be activated on the new machine.

Gary

 

Thank you for all your help! I bought the notebook now, so I'll just try to purchase that anytime upgrade.

Have a very nice day and thanks again!

 

Hi all!

I have basicaly the same issues, or - how can I say - same questions as Simone.

I intend to buy a HP 8510p notebook in Spain, with spanish keyboard (pretty much the same as the english one, no problem here) but also with Windows Vista Business in spanish. And I want it in english.

Until I will have it on my hands, I google the issue and read some forums, like this, which is on top of my list.

Indeed, I have read that with Windows Vista Ultimate you can easily change the language of the operating system, with so caled MUI (Multilingual User Interfaces). As Vista is a language independed OS, the MUI and the Language Packs could be easily added. But the ability to use the MUIs only resides in the Ultimate version.

But... it may be another solution, aside that to upgrade to Ultimate, which seems too expensive for me. I have a good friend who has bought a HP notebook (nx7300, but I think it doesn´t matter) from Spain, presented as with Vista Home Basic and spanish localization. And at the first boot, he was asked to press F11 and to configure his system. Then the option to choose the language came. And from that moment on, it ran the Vista installer, until he had a brand new Vista all in English.

The hard disk have now three partitions: the system one, one called HP_TOOLS of 1,2 GB and one hidden (not accesible from Vista) called HP_RECOVERY, of 8 GB.

As he didn't receive a Vista DVD, he made (with the HP Backup and Recovery tool) a set of Recovery Disks. And I presume that at a moment when he'll decide he want to reinstall Vista, he could use those disks and choose again the language.

Keep in touch,
Take care,
Claudiu

 

+1 for the OEM version. Just approximate your future usage and see if the OS is to be installed indefinitely.

Since your buying situation this time is unique, and given that the next machine you purchase will probably be pre-loaded with an OS, OEM is not such a bad option.

It really only is a problem for system builders, where hardware upgrades are inevitable during the course of the OS, and that their "systems" aren't usually shipped with an OS.

Just my thoughts.

Regards,
Paolo

 

Here you go an even cheaper alternative. Windows Vista Ultimate OEM for $179.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116213

 

Hi all!

I have just received an answer from HP Support (Spain) by mail. I quote their answer below (my translation from spanish to english):

"We inform you that all the [HP] notebooks, when they boot for the 1st time, allows you to select between the English and Spanish language. If you format the equipment and boot from the CD/DVD [Recovery CD], it will allow the selection again."

So the language "problem" was solved from the begining.

Have a nice day,
Claudiu

 

Hello everybody,

I have received my laptop now. It is true what Claudiu is saying, i could choose between 4 options:
* Vista 64-bit German
* Vista 32-bit German
* Vista 64-bit English
* Vista 32-bit English



Have a nice day!
Simone

 

OEM versions are nontransferrable, and also you can not get support for them.