Language options on preinstalled WinXP limited?

[yukit]

I noticed that my T40p's WinXP Pro does not offer an option in the Regional and Language Control Panel to change the system locale (for non-unicode apps).

The drop-down combo is empty. More over the code page tables are empty as well. However I can switch the UI to other language after installing the multi-language pack.

I was just thinking whether the Thinkpad OEM version of WinXP Pro is somehow limited or crippled.

On my desktop with a retail version of WinXP Pro, I have the full options to pick & choose the locale & laguages.

[selvan777]

I also have the retail version of XP Pro and it too has the options so I would have to also assume that IBM's customized version must be lacking it.

[yukit]

I use my Thinkpad for software development, one of the feature is localization. It is kind of hard to do that with the current locale settings.

I am temped to try the retail WinXP install, but maybe that is not a great idea given the previous attemp. http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=3769

[selvan777]

On my X20, shortly after XP was released and after downloading and extracting all applicable drivers and files from IBM, I created a full backup on CD's. I then proceeded with formatting by writing zeros and installed the retail version along with all the ThinkPad needed. Everything went smoothly.

The way I see it is Mr Bill's OS is already limited out of the box so why settle for an even more crippled one from another vendor.

I think your biggest concern would be to ensure that all drivers and files are still available, whether from IBM or another. I recall appreciating having the backup cause IBM no longer had a particular driver or two I needed...I think it had something to do with the on-screen display.

Before all, maybe you want to try doing a repair install. Get a retail XP CD, insert it and proceed into the setup (skipping the 1st repair option), then select r when prompted for the repair.

P.S. never plug/unplug anything & always use A/C while performing major tasks.