Windows 10: OEM Win10 licence & system language question.

Hey guys. Should be a quick one.

So, today, my mom purchased herself a brand new Dell laptop with Windows 10 pre-installed. However, Windows 10 is English and she mostly speak French. Now, I plan to purchase an SSD and switch out the 1TB spinner HDD so, I'll be performing a clean install after I switch out the drives. So, I have a few questions...

1. Can I install Windows 10 Home in French instead of English and will it still activate?
2. I imagine that, upon re-installing, I will skip the product key and it'll activate itself. Right?

I know that there are language packs and all that but that would only be dandy if I didn't have to re-install Windows to begin with.
This is the laptop: Inspiron 15 5000 Series Laptop Details | Dell Canada

Thanks guys.

:)

 

OEM Win10 licence & system language question

You are telling me that each build pass 10240 have their own activation process? Shady.

Also, why is a phone call to the activation center risky? I have used it to activate PCs ranging from WinXP to Win7 for it in the past and had no issues. Unless it changed dramatically with Windows 8 that I'm unaware of (I skipped it).

I'm not trying to defy what you are saying, I'm just trying to make sense of what you are trying to tell me.

 

OEM Win10 licence & system language question

Too many variables to know. There are different versions, languages, and builds. I would not trust a phone call to the activation center but it is your risk to take.

 

Why not just clone the installed hard drive to the SSD using Macrium Reflect Free?

Also, I would make sure to make the actual computer specific restore disk/USB before doing anything.

If I were going to just put the blank SSD in, I would make the factory specific restore disk/USB and use that to restore the factory software to the SSD. If you plan on using the 1TB disk as a second disk, leave it uninstalled until you get the SSD booting and running.

 

The computer is ordered but we don't have it yet. Anyway. Cloning the drive isn't a bad idea. However, I... I don't have an external adapter for that. For the restore disk, it's also a good idea but I don't have a USB drive large enough or enough blank DVDs for that matter... :\

 

Then I would suggest buying a USB stick that is big enough. You can usually find a 16gb for less than $15 on sale and probably an 8gb is big enough.

Also, how big of an SSD are you planning on getting? Without a factory backup and without the 1 TB hard drive she will likely lose two things - all the manufacturer's software (which some people actually like to have on their computers - not me) and a whole bunch of storage space.

 

I have a 16GB USB stick but I doubt that the manufacturer image will fit on that. I'll need AT LEAST 32GB. And I don't have cash for that.

120GB. She mainly does Facebook, email, save some pictures and play some small little games (online & offline). For her, the most important factor is that the PC isn't sluggish like her old tower was. And I'm pretty sure she wouldn't even touch the manufacturer software anyway. That's why a clean install was my idea in the first place. ANd, since the software will be in English, she'll probably say "find a way to put that in French". ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

EDIT

I already have a Win10 Home x64 French DVD I made when I thought I'd be upgrading my PC... That's what I was going to use to clean install.

 

Well, to be honest, I don't know 100% for certain if an install of French Windows 10 will activate on a system that was originally with English. I also know there are Windows 10 Single Language Editions as well. I think the first step I would do is run showkey on the new computer and that will tell you exactly which version of Windows 10 the product key in Bios is for. Make sure you have the install media and/or ISO for exactly the same version. And I would guess the language won't matter - but can't guarantee it. During clean install, if you are asked for a product key, do NOT enter one. Click skip. It should activate by itself based either on the Windows 10 product key stored in Bios or the previous activation stored on Microsoft activation servers. You can always enter the Windows 10 product key stored in Bios after it is installed, but I don't think you will have to.

Come back and let us know how it goes!

 

From what MS have stated a Drive is not a major change, I think the only thing to worry about are Mainboard swaps. To be honest I have no idea why you would want to swap out the drive for the few seconds boot speed you are going to gain.

 

Yeah, I'll have to check with Showkey. Good idea. I'll keep you posted. I guess I could ask Microsoft communities about it...

Swapping the HDD for a SSD wasn't the issue. I knew that it's legal to do so with an OEM licence.

And, What? It isn't only boot speed, it's also for overall system performance/snappiness! Every computer enthusiast knows that an SSD is an amazing upgrade over a spinner anytime!

 

So your mom is a PC enthusiast.

 

No. Like I said, she doesn't want her PC to run like crap anytime soon and an SSD is a good upgrade to further prolonguate that state. That's it, that's all.