Some inquiries about buying and setting up Windows 11, currently?
Some inquiries about buying and setting up Windows 11, currently?
Hello, I intend to buy new parts and build a fresh PC. I plan to run Windows 11 Pro on it. Since it has been some time since I bought a new Windows license, I have a few questions.
Can I get Windows 10 Pro in English even if I’m from a non-English speaking country? I just looked at the purchase pages on Microsoft’s site and they only let me choose official languages in my country. I can stay on the US site, but I expect that further down the line the site will tell me it can’t sell this way and that I have to go to a specific country’s website.
I usually do all my computer work in English. I know you can install software in any language and change settings later, but first of all, I had software that would literally crash at startup if the Windows region parameters didn’t match the language settings. Also, I think I’ve seen some programs guessing my language based on my keyboard. Recently, at work I’ve noticed Windows 11 (Pro?) mixing languages constantly, and at home my Office also switches languages. This is because I installed a foreign language dictionary for spelling and grammar, which now implies a full “language pack,” not just a dictionary.
Maybe buying with a VPN could help? (But if I have to use my account, they probably know my country too.)
Could it be possible after that I actually download the installation in any language? (But from what I can see so far, I can’t confirm.)
Is there an advantage if I already had an unused Windows 10 Pro license key? (That would be the license for the PC that came with the new one, but since the PCs will be different, it might be different.)
Was someone suggesting using Rufus for this? I think it could also help with point one. Is it safe to use?
You should be able to pick English during the setup, as the Single Language option (not available in the Pro version) is fixed. I experienced issues when Windows 10 region settings didn't align with language settings, and it was unclear which software caused that problem. Upgrading to Windows 11 via internal upgrade would work with the same license but would limit you to one system. For more details, see the link provided.
Here is your rewritten text:
Well, thank you. I was looking for some guidance because I'm unsure about the constraints that will appear further along in the process. When you mention "able to select English," do you mean it will be treated as the native operating system language? Or would the system still recognize the purchase language as its native one and simply set the "Language" setting to English? That would likely result in a mix of OS messages and menus in different languages, software installations choosing incorrect language settings, etc.? I would appreciate more clarity on this.
2) If I install Windows 10 Pro on my new computer (I need to locate its key again, working on it) and upgrade from Windows 10, would I receive a fresh Windows 11 Pro key? Or would the Windows 10 Pro key transform into a Windows 11 Pro key? Additionally, part of my concern is whether the upgrade price is lower than the initial purchase cost, as some software offers. (If not, I see no advantage in going through another Windows 10 Pro installation and changing the license version... which could result in having just one Windows 11 key instead of keeping my original Windows 10 key and getting a new one.)
3) Would this also be possible if I disconnect the internet during the installation? I have a faint recollection of such a procedure.
4) I'm familiar with Windows Media Creation Tools and have used them frequently. However, I was informed that Rufus provides more options, including one that allows using a local account—something I might recognize from answer #3. So, it seems it could include language settings as well. Some time ago: Vegas Pro came with a specific plug-in suite. (I'm trying to recall the name of that suite, which was sold along with the Vegas bundle... It ended with Ignite Pro, though I think it was originally called HitFilm plugins or something similar.) I can't verify this directly, but I would expect software to select regional settings based on language instead of regional preferences. This might cause issues like using a period (English) instead of a comma (from my regional settings) for decimals, or vice versa.
Now that I've navigated through much of the new computer setup, I can address some of my earlier concerns:
1. The language-linked purchase items I found on Microsoft's site were actually the options for buying-on-USB. When selecting the "download" option, it wasn't tied to a specific language.
2.
(I might have asked detailed questions in separate threads about this issue.)
I was hoping to upgrade my Win 10 Pro license for free, which itself was an upgrade from a retail Windows 7 Ultimate license. The Windows 7 Ultimate key enabled me to install Windows 11 Pro, but the activation status then showed an error code (something like #nnnn, indicating no valid key). Ultimately, I had to buy a new Windows 11 Pro license.
3. On Microsoft's website, I couldn't purchase without logging into a Microsoft Account. I haven't tried other methods to obtain the keys.
During this process, I was quite let down by several points:
- The installation process now requires an internet connection to function properly.
- During the Windows 8 era, while I still used Windows 7 Ultimate Pro, I could reinstall my system and most software within 2 to 4 hours. Now, with additional login requirements for both software and features, plus extra internet checks, I estimate a re-installation time of at least two working days. It has turned into a significant challenge... (perhaps I use more tools, but not excessively).
Regarding other discussions we had about this topic, I wanted to install using a local account, but didn't pursue any workarounds. I was required to log in with a Microsoft account during installation and then created a local account for regular use.
It seems possible to delete the computer's Microsoft account user using the local account, but I'm unsure what the consequences would be. Has anyone else tried this before? What were their experiences?