Windows 7 Ultimate: Changed Boot Locale but No Change on Runtime

D

darkarn

Member
Hi, I am using a dual boot config (Win 7 Ultimate and Win XP Pro, one physical HDD, two OS partitions and one data partition). I created three entries:
Code: 
1. Windows 7
2. Windows XP
3. Windows 7 (Japanese)

Entries 1 and 2 are created during the setup of the dual boot config (and they work fine thankfully). I created Entry 3 using the same partition that has Windows 7, but changed its locale to Japanese. I have also installed the Japanese language pack.

What I don't understand is why would Entry 3 also load English Windows 7 rather than a Japanese one? During bootup, the words "Loading Windows" are in Japanese but thereafter, Windows 7 works like in Entry 1, which is not what I had intended (I was expecting no changes needed to the "non-Unicode" programs section; an OS with Japanese locale would have ran any Japanese programs well without mojibake).

The only thing I can think of is that I need to have a third OS partition, install Windows 7 on it but set it to Japanese locale, then direct Entry 3 to this new partition. But this would have mean that I need another copy of Windows 7.

Any other ideas? Thanks!
 
Hello darkarn,

It doesn't work like that.

1) EasyBCD only sets the locale for the boot time
2) If you want two different-language partitions, you'll need to install two copies of Windows

However, you will NOT need two licenses for Windows. One will suffice.
 
Computer Guru said:
Hello darkarn,

It doesn't work like that.

1) EasyBCD only sets the locale for the boot time
2) If you want two different-language partitions, you'll need to install two copies of Windows

However, you will NOT need two licenses for Windows. One will suffice.
Click to expand...

Thanks! Guess my hunch about this is correct. But how am I going to do this with a copy of Windows? I do hear people having problems with getting one license work on two partitions (one license is for one partition, rather than one HDD)
 
You just create a new partition and install.

There are no restrictions on this. One license is for one *machine* in MS speak. Virtual machines are something else.
 
If you want to know the precise terms for your particular OS, read C:\Windows\System32\en-US\licenses\Default(or OEM)\your OS type
For most EULAs the wording is one copy in one partition.
But since the install process can't tell the difference between you reinstalling the OS to the same HDD on the same PC, and installing another copy on the same HDD, one of which MS says is legal and the other not, there's nothing to stop you but your conscience.
Personally, I have 4 Windows on this PC, with 3 licences (XP/Vista/W7) and one which is a free developers demo (W8), so I'm 100% kosher, and I don't have any requirement for multiple copies of one OS.
If I did though, I'd regard the MS EULA in this particular case to be oppressively restrictive. The object is to prevent multiple copies of an OS being used simultaneously by multiple users thus depriving MS of legitimate income, but what you are proposing means that only one user can use a single system at any moment. There is no way for two people or two PCs to share the licence simultaneously.
One user, one PC, one license, one fee seems equitable to both parties, MS and the end-user in my opinion, but I wouldn't care to lose my house in lawyers fees arguing the point in court against the MS legal department.
The way I read it, Installing English W7 and using it, then reinstalling Japanese W7 and using it is perfectly fine, (over and over again), but not if they both exist at the same moment even if they can only be used serially, just as in the first scenario.
I'll leave it to your judgement whether that's fair or logical.
 
Last edited:
I'll defer to Terry's opinion.

Addendum:

This is a legal problem that's begging for a technical solution. I'm intrigued.
 
Last edited:
Terry60 said:
If you want to know the precise terms for your particular OS, read C:\Windows\System32\en-US\licenses\Default(or OEM)\your OS type
For most EULAs the wording is one copy in one partition.
But since the install process can't tell the difference between you reinstalling the OS to the same HDD on the same PC, and installing another copy on the same HDD, one of which MS says is legal and the other not, there's nothing to stop you but your conscience.
Personally, I have 4 Windows on this PC, with 3 licences (XP/Vista/W7) and one which is a free developers demo (W8), so I'm 100% kosher, and I don't have any requirement for multiple copies of one OS.
If I did though, I'd regard the MS EULA in this particular case to be oppressively restrictive. The object is to prevent multiple copies of an OS being used simultaneously by multiple users thus depriving MS of legitimate income, but what you are proposing means that only one user can use a single system at any moment. There is no way for two people or two PCs to share the licence simultaneously.
One user, one PC, one license, one fee seems equitable to both parties, MS and the end-user in my opinion, but I wouldn't care to lose my house in lawyers fees arguing the point in court against the MS legal department.
The way I read it, Installing English W7 and using it, then reinstalling Japanese W7 and using it is perfectly fine, (over and over again), but not if they both exist at the same moment even if they can only be used serially, just as in the first scenario.
I'll leave it to your judgement whether that's fair or logical.
Click to expand...

Hmm... I am not sure, but I heard of the case where someone tried something similar (same language, 2 partitions) and had problems with the activation (only one can be activated at a time)

Computer Guru said:
I'll defer to Terry's opinion.


Addendum:


This is a legal problem that's begging for a technical solution. I'm intrigued.
Click to expand...

I did'nt know this will turn out to be a legal issue in the first place :S
 
Last edited:
Activation should occur automatically online if the serial number is the same and the hardware hasn't changed. That's what I meant by "the install process can't tell the difference between you reinstalling the OS to the same HDD on the same PC, and installing another copy on the same HDD"
MS doesn't attempt to stop you reinstalling an OS. In fact when you speak to their tech support, they positively recommend an occasional reinstall to clear out the garbage that inevitably collects in a working PC and gradually degrades performance (and even functionality. I had several small features of ME that didn't work for years till I was forced into a reinstall. That was in the days of dial-up modems so a reinstall of Windows plus 100 apps took several days to complete by the time all the online updates finished downloading, hence reluctance)
Activation may require a phone call if the OS mobo/graphics serial numbers hash is not consistent between installs, i.e. If your hardware is more than a certain percentage different, but MS will still validate it if you explain that you are moving the OS to a new or upgraded environment (as long as it isn't a OEM system builder's license). That validation would automatically invalidate the previous install to prevent you buying one OS and installing it on two PCs, but when the hash is identical (i.e. the hardware is identical) the new install doesn't invalidate the old because they have the same hash value and MS update cannot tell that it is not talking to the same OS.
(Unless the language is somehow included in the s/w hash, of which I admit to having no experience)
 
Terry60 said:
Activation should occur automatically online if the serial number is the same and the hardware hasn't changed. That's what I meant by "the install process can't tell the difference between you reinstalling the OS to the same HDD on the same PC, and installing another copy on the same HDD"
MS doesn't attempt to stop you reinstalling an OS. In fact when you speak to their tech support, they positively recommend an occasional reinstall to clear out the garbage that inevitably collects in a working PC and gradually degrades performance (and even functionality. I had several small features of ME that didn't work for years till I was forced into a reinstall. That was in the days of dial-up modems so a reinstall of Windows plus 100 apps took several days to complete by the time all the online updates finished downloading, hence reluctance)
Activation may require a phone call if the OS mobo/graphics serial numbers hash is not consistent between installs, i.e. If your hardware is more than a certain percentage different, but MS will still validate it if you explain that you are moving the OS to a new or upgraded environment (as long as it isn't a OEM system builder's license). That validation would automatically invalidate the previous install to prevent you buying one OS and installing it on two PCs, but when the hash is identical (i.e. the hardware is identical) the new install doesn't invalidate the old because they have the same hash value and MS update cannot tell that it is not talking to the same OS.
(Unless the language is somehow included in the s/w hash, of which I admit to having no experience)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the explanation!

Computer Guru said:
OK, I don't get why this is so hard.

You don't even need to reboot to change the language, darkarn. You just need to flip a single switch in the Control Panel, then log off and log back on:

Open Display Language Settings in Control Panel
Click to expand...

Terry60 said:
DUH !
Click to expand...

Thing is, this (and the "Non-Unicode" configurations) are not sufficient to run certain Japanese programs (some do work though). I knew someone who recommended me to do some registry hacks (of which I am not too sure what it will mean); hence I wanted to see if I can choose the Japanese locale when installing Windows 7 and avoid this.
 
I've configured many non-English PCs back in the day, and setting the language pack + non-unicode option was generally the only thing required?

Do you have a link to the registry hacks he recommended?
 
Computer Guru said:
I've configured many non-English PCs back in the day, and setting the language pack + non-unicode option was generally the only thing required?

Do you have a link to the registry hacks he recommended?
Click to expand...

No; have to wait until at least next week, where both of us will be more free (busy with schoolwork now).
 
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