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Install Windows 7 Language Packs In All Editions

The option to install different language packs in Windows 7 is only available in the top of the line editions Windows 7 Ultimate and Enterprise. That’s a bummer if you just bought a laptop overseas only to find out that you cannot switch the language to your native one. Could also be a problem if you live in a multi-person household were different languages are spoken.

What can you do to remedy the situation? You could upgrade to Ultimate using the Windows 7 Anytime upgrade. But there is another option, one that does not cost money: Vistalizator.

The software was initially designed to provide Windows Vista users with the option to install additional language packs but has since been updated to support the Windows 7 operating system as well.

windows 7 language packs

Vistalizator displays the installed languages of the operating system upon startup. It displays the name of the language, the type (MUI or LIP) and the mode. The official Microsoft Windows 7 language packs are supported by the program. The developer links to all of them from the website.

The difference between MUI and LIP language packs is the following. MUI, which stands for Multilingual User Interface Packs, offer complete translation while LIP, Language Interface Packs, only partial translation. MUI language packs can only be installed in Ultimate or Enterprise while LIP language packs are usually available for all editions of the operating system (they do require one MUI language for the parts that are not translated).

Vistalizator basically overrides the MUI language installation protection that Microsoft added to the Windows operating system. Windows Ultimate or Enterprise users can simply download the language packs from Windows Update.

Windows users who are thinking about installing an additional language pack using Vistalizator should consider backing up their operating system first to be able to restore it if something goes wrong in the process.

The process of installing a new Windows 7 language pack is simple. All that needs to be done is to click on the Add languages button in the program’s interface to pick and install another MUI pack. The software supports two installation modes: internal and express.

Internal installation mode is experimental at this point. It is however the only mode that will update the full operating system. Express mode is safer as it does not overwrite system files but does not update the complete operating system with the new language. It will install faster but is not compatible with Windows Updates.

Windows users who want to give Vistalizator a try can download the application and the language packs from the developer’s website. It is compatible with 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Windows Vista and Windows 7.

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Related Articles:

Download Unofficial Windows 8 Language Packs
Change the Language in Windows Vista
Windows 7 Family Packs And Upgrade Editions In Europe
Windows Vista Multi-User Language Interface Hacker
Internet Explorer 8 Language Packs



About the Author:Martin Brinkmann is a journalist from Germany who founded Ghacks Technology News Back in 2005. He is passionate about all things tech and knows the Internet and computers like the back of his hand. You can follow Martin on Facebook or Twitter.

Author: , Friday April 30, 2010 -
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Responses so far:

  1. Troels says:

    But W7 will not be genuine after this.

  2. Anti-Troels says:

    Still passes the WGA-check, so it’s still genuine.

  3. QRISS says:

    thank you for this work please send me downoald lip

  4. atanok says:

    >But W7 will not be genuine after this.

    Error: message could not be parsed.
    Please remove the Ballmer-shaped appendage from mouth and try again.

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