My Computer Broke

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

Randy, you might try typing "change display language" in the Chinese search field. If the english doesn't work, try: 更改显示语言

[Randy W]

Randy, you might try typing "change display language" in the Chinese search field. If the english doesn't work, try: 更改显示语言

 

The problem is that even that goes directly to Chinese results. In fact, it looks like it's just showing me Small, Medium, and Large.

 

I don't see anything that even LOOKS like a Control Panel. If I can get a Chinese-speaking, computer savvy person (even if they don't speak English) out here to look over my shoulder, I can point them to the "Add or change language packs" screen in Internet Explorer (in Chinese) , and they should be able to download (if necessary), install, and change to English for me.

 

If the girl from the store can come out here tonight, we should be able to do that.

 

Otherwise, I'm just picking and poking at who knows what.

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

Go to http://mdbg.loqu8.com/ and download the Chinese to English reader. It's free, but after you register you can download it. Then, it enables you to point to any Chinese character to see the English meaning.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8VFym1D05k

Edited January 5, 2014 by GuangDongExpat (see edit history)

[Randy W]

Go to http://mdbg.loqu8.com/ and download the Chinese to English reader. It's free, but after you register you can download it. Then, it enables you to point to any Chinese character to see the English meaning.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8VFym1D05k

 

That looks like a real life-saver there, Jesse! Thanks! (still downloading)

 

The correct link is http://mdbg.loqu8.com for anyone else that may want to take a look

Edited January 5, 2014 by Randy W
I see you fixed it, too - lol (see edit history)

[Randy W]

Whew! Got it! I was able to download, install, and select the English language MUI through Windows Update, thanks to the MDBG software

 

Thanks for the rescue, Jesse!

 

I still need to figure out what to do about the 32GB system partition (I would want at least 100GB there) - that's next on the agenda

[credzba]

windows file manager will let you expand partitions.

 

control panel -> administrative tools

computer management

storage

disk management

 

 

Then right click on partition that has extra area and you can expand it

[Randy W]

We must be in

 

windows file manager will let you expand partitions.

 

control panel -> administrative tools

computer management

storage

disk management

 

 

Then right click on partition that has extra area and you can expand it

 

 

OK - that may be worth a try. I'll probably have to delete the D: partitions first, then expand my C: drive into the space.

 

Maybe no, though - it's actually got 50GB, and my libraries, documents, and favorites are on D;, so I may be able to live with that.

 

Thanks

[dnoblett]

Randy, you can rework the partition sizes using a very useful too called Parted Magic.

 

Just do not touch the 100meg one at the start of the disk or move C: You can resize it just don't move it, the others can be resized and moved around using parted magic.

Find it here: http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/parted_magic.html (the last free one) Or: https://partedmagic.com/ (Paid)

You will need an ISO burning tool, I use this one: http://alexfeinman.com/isorecorder.htm (Also Free)

[Randy W]

I think I'll leave well enough alone, there. the C: drive is my system drive, so I'd rather not play around with it too much - I deleted the other partitions, but it would not let me expand C

 

So now I've got C: at 50GB, and D: and E: at 906GB each. With still 2 other disks to hook up.

 

I'll just be careful about what I put on C:.

[Randy W]

I'm getting MUCH better performance from CFL now - everything seems to actually WORK. Looks like I can recover everything from the old harddrives, so it'll just be a matter of installing everything to get back to where I was.

 

Next I need to get back to some of the duties I was performing on the old computer, like shoveling money at the wife. The IRS also wants a cut this month (quarterly payment), so I'll need to get to that tomorrow.

[Randy W]

A few words about buying things in China, since my own experience has been so 180º the polar opposite of what Jesse describes.

Vendors in China, in my own experience, will unpackage the merchandise to show you what you are getting, and even plug electrical items in to show you that it works. Even street vendors do this. I've never had any degree of uneasiness about getting counterfeit goods. Not that it doesn't happen - just that, in my own experience, it seems easy enough to avoid.

When Vendor B tells you that Vendor A is selling counterfeits, it usually just means that Vendor B can't match the price.

Yes, avoid Chinese electronics. The computer store (a large building with many smallish shops) we go to sells almost exclusively products from Japan, Taiwan, and the U.S. I HAVE bought computer enclosures, power supplies, keyboards, and mice that were Chinese made, and very satisfactory. My audio system is a Chinese make (Seignior), also very good. We have two Chinese TV DVD players that are crap. Everything else is import - Samsung, Sony, Panasonic, Siemens, etc. Prices are pretty much at or slightly below what I would expect to pay in the states. Warranty service and repairs have also been satisfactory.

On the imported goods, there will usually be an option to change the interface language to English which is usually, but not always, easy to spot from the Chinese-language (default) menus. English language manuals can usually be found online, although there are sometimes differences for the Chinese market that aren't covered in the English version

On my TPLink router, I had to download and flash an English interface. Our car is a Toyota model (Reiz/Mark X) not sold in any English speaking country, so I had to hunt through manuals for other Toyotas and Lexuses until I found what I needed. The car itself is 100% English language, but the manuals are 100% Chinese or Japanese.

[NickF]

Whew! Got it! I was able to download, install, and select the English language MUI through Windows Update, thanks to the MDBG software

 

Thanks for the rescue, Jesse!

 

I still need to figure out what to do about the 32GB system partition (I would want at least 100GB there) - that's next on the agenda

Windows 7 creates that 32 MB partition only to store specific system files. Your actual C: drive is elsewhere in a larger partition. Don't mess with that 32 MB partition.

[Randy W]

 

Whew! Got it! I was able to download, install, and select the English language MUI through Windows Update, thanks to the MDBG software

 

Thanks for the rescue, Jesse!

 

I still need to figure out what to do about the 32GB system partition (I would want at least 100GB there) - that's next on the agenda

Windows 7 creates that 32 MB partition only to store specific system files. Your actual C: drive is elsewhere in a larger partition. Don't mess with that 32 MB partition.

 

 

 

Not in China - they set up your disk with a program called 'WindowsGhost' or something like that - the C: partition IS the System drive, with no spare point of restoration.

[Randy W]

The Windows 7 that came on the hard drive has an OEM serial number, and is, to all outward appearances (including to Microsoft) completely legitimate. And like the girl told us, "No one in China pays for Windows". It's not clear how that works, but it'll do for me.

 

The installed O/S is pre-configured to automatically log in to the Admin account (with no password), and automatic updates and firewall are turned 'Off' (easy enough to change, of course).

 

MUCH improved performance (not sure why, but ESPECIALLY here on Candle) - I'm a happy camper, although I'm dreading having to re-install everything to get back to where I was.

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

The Windows 7 that came on the hard drive has an OEM serial number, and is, to all outward appearances (including to Microsoft) completely legitimate. And like the girl told us, "No one in China pays for Windows". It's not clear how that works, but it'll do for me.

 

The installed O/S is pre-configured to automatically log in to the Admin account (with no password), and automatic updates and firewall are turned 'Off' (easy enough to change, of course).

 

MUCH improved performance (not sure why, but ESPECIALLY here on Candle) - I'm a happy camper, although I'm dreading having to re-install everything to get back to where I was.

 

 

 

It's not a fun thing to reinstall apps, but we still live in the stone age of computers. You're on the high road now.

Edited January 7, 2014 by GuangDongExpat (see edit history)