# How do I change my computer back to English?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-change-my-computer-back-to-english/303429>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 11, 2005, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-change-my-computer-back-to-english/303429 "2005-05-11T18:03:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\
**Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-change-my-computer-back-to-english/303429/1 "2005-05-11T18:03:55Z")

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I reformatted my hard-drive with the intent to use my Compaq QuickRestore disks to do so. Unfortunately, they were in French. Misguidedly, I hoped that they would somehow give me an English setup. Of course, they didn’t; everything is now in French. I have a copy of the Windows 98 SE CD, but the only boot disk I can create is in French. This doesn’t help, because I can’t get any of the commands.

Is there any way to change my settings to English without re-reformatting my drive?

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**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\
**Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-change-my-computer-back-to-english/303429/2 "2005-05-11T18:32:03Z")

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Considérez ceci une bosse.

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**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\
**Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-change-my-computer-back-to-english/303429/3 "2005-05-11T18:55:05Z")

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Alright, I actually have a new problem, now. When I try to install Windows from the CD, it keeps telling me I need to have… Microsoft Windows.

What the hell?

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**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-change-my-computer-back-to-english/303429/4 "2005-05-12T05:28:45Z")

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If you need a bootdisk, try something like [this site](http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm).

As for installing Windows, what program are you running? What’s probably happening is that you’re launching the wrong program – something that’s not the actual installer and wasn’t meant to be run by you.

Did you try SETUP.EXE under the WIN98 dir on your CD?