buying a laptop in spain
Jun 4th 2009 | 7:19 am
#1
Thread Starter
CHIPPIE2
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 33
From: CASTALLA
buying a laptop in spain
I went into MediaMarkt to look at a laptop and was told that it would cost 200euros to convert it to English I 
thought this was a lot of money has anyone any idea where I can get this cheaper
thought this was a lot of money has anyone any idea where I can get this cheaper
Jun 4th 2009 | 7:21 am
#2
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,778
From: Leigh, Lancs. Ex Valencia!
Re: buying a laptop in spain
Why not buy one online from the UK? Probably cheaper too!
Jun 4th 2009 | 7:22 am
#3
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 991
From: Benalmadena Pueblo Spain
Re: buying a laptop in spain
I paid a 1/4 of that to have mine converted, I suggest you look around
Jun 4th 2009 | 7:27 am
#4
Senior Moment
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 20,459
From: On the edge
Re: buying a laptop in spain
I only paid £380 odd for my lappie in the UK, good spec. Ask Valencia Tim he knows where to look
Jun 4th 2009 | 8:09 am
#5
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 11,231
From: Granada Costa
Re: buying a laptop in spain
You can buy them online or by phone direct from Dell Spain and they will provide them with UK Windows/UK keyboards at no extra charge.
Buying in the UK and using in Spain can give warranty problems with some products.
Buying in the UK and using in Spain can give warranty problems with some products.
Jun 4th 2009 | 8:33 am
#6
RETIRED ;-))
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 20,156
From: Benalmadena Pueblo,Spain
Re: buying a laptop in spain
A little froggie can do it for free for you HERE, I put it on mine but changed back to Spanish as it helps with the language etc.
It works, but I lost the ability to get upgrades, there is a cure for this though, you have to delete one of Vistas upgrades probably put on to stop you doing it for free, although it may of been fixed by now.
It works, but I lost the ability to get upgrades, there is a cure for this though, you have to delete one of Vistas upgrades probably put on to stop you doing it for free, although it may of been fixed by now.
Jun 4th 2009 | 9:03 am
#7
Started off with nothing
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 4,987
Re: buying a laptop in spain
In windows you can easily set the language to English.
If you are not up to the task, take the lappy to any decent computer shop and they will do it for you for circa 20€.
If you order a DELL on line you can specify English install and documentation and they will deliver it to your door by courier. http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/de...s&s=gen&~ck=cr
Click to open Regional and Language Options.
Click the Keyboards and Languages tab.
Under Display language, choose a language from the list, and then click OK.
Note
If you don't see the list of display languages, you need to install additional language files first. For more information, see Install a display language.
Click the Keyboards and Languages tab.
Under Display language, choose a language from the list, and then click OK.
Note
If you don't see the list of display languages, you need to install additional language files first. For more information, see Install a display language.
If you are not up to the task, take the lappy to any decent computer shop and they will do it for you for circa 20€.
If you order a DELL on line you can specify English install and documentation and they will deliver it to your door by courier. http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/de...s&s=gen&~ck=cr
Last edited by missile; Jun 4th 2009 at 9:07 am.
Jun 4th 2009 | 9:08 am
#8
RETIRED ;-))
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 20,156
From: Benalmadena Pueblo,Spain
Re: buying a laptop in spain
In windows you can easily set the language to English.
If you are not up to the task, take the lappy to any decent computer shop and they will do it for you for circa 20€.
If you order a DELL on line you can specify English install and documentation and they will deliver it to your door by courier. http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/de...s&s=gen&~ck=cr
If you are not up to the task, take the lappy to any decent computer shop and they will do it for you for circa 20€.
If you order a DELL on line you can specify English install and documentation and they will deliver it to your door by courier. http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/de...s&s=gen&~ck=cr
Jun 4th 2009 | 9:29 am
#9
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 11,231
From: Granada Costa
Re: buying a laptop in spain
You can't normally. Changing the regional settings helps a bit but it doesn't give you a full English version.
The only way you can do it is if you have a copy of Vista Ultimate and then you can download language packs and run it in any language. I have and I can switch from English to Spanish or even Mandarin if I want to.
One tip I did read is that if you have a laptop with Spanish Windows and it has a recovery CD, sometimes, if you run it, you MAY have the option for English as sometimes various languages are on the recovery disk. Trouble is you won't find out until you try.
I just buy Dell PC's in Spain and specify English.
The only way you can do it is if you have a copy of Vista Ultimate and then you can download language packs and run it in any language. I have and I can switch from English to Spanish or even Mandarin if I want to.
One tip I did read is that if you have a laptop with Spanish Windows and it has a recovery CD, sometimes, if you run it, you MAY have the option for English as sometimes various languages are on the recovery disk. Trouble is you won't find out until you try.
I just buy Dell PC's in Spain and specify English.
Jun 4th 2009 | 9:36 am
#10
Started off with nothing
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 4,987
Re: buying a laptop in spain
Install a display language
You can change the language Windows uses to display text in wizards, dialog boxes, menus, and other items in the user interface. Some display languages are installed by default; others require you to install additional language files.
Before you can install a display language, you need access to the language files. These files can be on your computer, on a computer on your network, or on your Windows DVD; or they can be downloaded from the web. For more information, see How do I get additional language files?
To install a Language Interface Pack (LIP), double-click the file to open the setup program. To install a Multilingual User Interface Pack (MUI), follow these steps:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You can change the language Windows uses to display text in wizards, dialog boxes, menus, and other items in the user interface. Some display languages are installed by default; others require you to install additional language files.
Before you can install a display language, you need access to the language files. These files can be on your computer, on a computer on your network, or on your Windows DVD; or they can be downloaded from the web. For more information, see How do I get additional language files?
To install a Language Interface Pack (LIP), double-click the file to open the setup program. To install a Multilingual User Interface Pack (MUI), follow these steps:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
As Fred suggested the easiest option is to buy a DELL
Jun 4th 2009 | 9:39 am
#11
Started off with nothing
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 4,987
Re: buying a laptop in spain
I just bought a DELL Mini10 @ £299 for my OH which is more than adequate for her needs.
Jun 4th 2009 | 9:40 am
#12
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,389
From: up the mountain near Guadalest
Re: buying a laptop in spain
We bought ours from PC City in Alicante and they charged us €100 to convert from Spanish to English.
Jun 4th 2009 | 9:43 am
#13
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,778
From: Leigh, Lancs. Ex Valencia!
Re: buying a laptop in spain
Just buy one from the UK! The major brands have representation in Spain and warranties are not an issue, depending on the brand!
As always, you get what you pay for! There are brands to avoid, but I am not going to slag them off on an open forum!
As Fred has said, if you manage to buy one with Vista Ultimate, you can muck about with the languages, any other version and all you can change is the input language.
Bear in mind that Vista is "memory hungry" and really needs a minimum of 3 Gig to work happily. Lower priced laptops tend to have less memory, especially here in Spain.
As always, you get what you pay for! There are brands to avoid, but I am not going to slag them off on an open forum!
As Fred has said, if you manage to buy one with Vista Ultimate, you can muck about with the languages, any other version and all you can change is the input language.
Bear in mind that Vista is "memory hungry" and really needs a minimum of 3 Gig to work happily. Lower priced laptops tend to have less memory, especially here in Spain.
Jun 4th 2009 | 5:11 pm
#14
RETIRED ;-))
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 20,156
From: Benalmadena Pueblo,Spain
Re: buying a laptop in spain
I can read the Spanish, only Ultimate or the Froggie program changes it all.
