Re: Laptops
 

Why would you use this disk when it cannot change the language.

It's designed to solve Windows Boot Problems and just contains a set of tools that most good I.T Engineers have anyway.

The only way to change the language is reinstall or download the language pack if you have the ultimate version of Vista / 7.

I bought a Compaq Laptop for a client about 6 months ago and it gave you the choice of language to install the first time you booted it up.

Why do people have a problem with Spanish Keyboards?

Re: Laptops
 

[QUOTE=Neil29649;9339885]Why would you use this disk when it cannot change the language.

It's designed to solve Windows Boot Problems and just contains a set of tools that most good I.T Engineers have anyway.

The only way to change the language is reinstall or download the language pack if you have the ultimate version of Vista / 7.

I bought a Compaq Laptop for a client about 6 months ago and it gave you the choice of language to install the first time you booted it up.

Why do people have a problem with Spanish Keyboards?[/QUOTE]


To get @ \ # you need to use AltGr. £ is impossible to find. : and ; are upper case. There are lots more but these are the most common problems.

I have been using computers since 1966, keyboards since the 1970s. I am used to a UK keyboard.

Re: Laptops
 

[QUOTE=Mama_Carol;9340504]

Re: Laptops
 

Using an English keyboard is intuitive, using a Spanish or even an American one is like learning to type all over again......life is too short to spend it doing that!:ohmy:

Re: Laptops
 

Hi

A word of caution; I bought a Spanish laptop from El Corte Ingles. They said you can´t swap it to English. As I have a Windows 7 Ultimate disk (legal) I thought "Oh yes you can" as I have 35 years experience in computers.

Windows 7 Home edition (Spanish) would NOT update to Windows 7 ultimate because the languages were different.

The answer was to copy the drivers for everything to a pen drive, reinstall Windows 7 Ultimate from scratch, reinstall the drivers.

I have added the English keyboard configuration in case I want a pound sign. The "problem" is that the special characters above the numbers are all one place out!

But it works for me

Davexf

Re: Laptops
 

Froggie can.

Re: Laptops
 

I purchased an acer from el corte ingles. Now some machines came with language options depending on what version of windows was installed. This came in Spanish but over the Internet you can find the language converter to run. The operating system in now English although some software is in Spanish and of course it has a Spanish keyboard.

However I cope with it all very well so it worked out well for me.

One thing that is a good idea is to make sure you install some anti-theft software like Snuko Anti Theft just in case you have it stolen when traveling around.

Hope that all helps :)

Re: Laptops
 

Try looking in a Englisg language paper for where you are, of take a trip to a local town with a lot of expats, there is usually at least one around that will do as you want. We bought two laptops when we were living there, one with a UK keyboard and one with a Spanish one, but both had English operating systems

Re: Laptops
 

If you have a Spanish keyboard and you're used to the layout of an English keyboard -- and you're using Windows -- you can change the keyboard layout. The labels on the keys will obviously not change, but the character that appears when you press each key will.

See here for how to change the keyboard layout: http://erickeyboard.home.comcast.net/

Note that this page gives instructions to add a Spanish layout, but the procedure is the same to add an English (or any other language) layout. Just choose the language you want when you get the language list.

- Eric S.

Re: Laptops
 

I had two keyboard layout set up on mine, the Spanish it came woth and English. I only ever used the English to get the £ sign. I found it difficult to get used to an English keyboard when I bought my current one in England.

Re: Laptops
 

mine has a little icon doobry - if I click it I can switch from Spanish to English

it came as standard on my HP mini

as did a choice of operating language on initial set up

Re: Laptops
 

Thanks all for the info and help and advise.

I think the problem has been solved; friends that are going back to UK and will be returning within a couple of weeks will purchase in UK and bring back with them on their return.

For the posters that suggested to have an IT expert to change the set-up, I would not consider that as the IT experts that I know here are not IT "experts" but wishing to be. Obviously I do not know the REAL experts.

Also not all PC's allow for language change although our main computer does but this is not advisable as programmes tend to get corrupted - this is what happened to my current laptop, hence the need to renew. I know the second language on that was Mandarin and I was bombarded with loads of pop-ups and then .....zilch!

Anyway, this has been a learning curve and I truly thank all for your help.

Re: Laptops
 

Changing the language does not corrupt programs or bombard you with pop-ups, it's far more likely that you had a virus or a worm.

Re: Laptops
 

Buying in the UK may cause a problem with the warranty if you have to send it back, could cost a lot to get a free repair..

Re: Laptops
 

If you are buying from UK, then why not buy online from, say, Amazon with free postage. You can email them with any questions about keyboards, languages, warranties etc.

I even think the warranty should be OK given you bought it online.