How to convert Windows XP in your native language?

 

[ Author : Ankit ]
[ Tutorial No: 1 ]
[ Release Date : July 29th, 2003 ]
[ Last updated on : August 29th, 2004 ]

[ Web : http://www.freewebs.com/ankitasdeveloper/ ]

 

 

Hi friends this is my first tutorial in this world. I am very glad to represent this for you.

 

You can convert your existing Windows XP in your native language, without any new installation or any other tool, and give surprise to your friends. Actually the basic idea behind this tutorial and the technique used lies on the existence of Unicode.

 

 

What is Unicode?

It is the unification of dozens of character sets such Latin, Greek, Arabic, etc; The Unicode contains most of the languages all over the world including Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, etc. For this purpose it requires 2 bytes (2*8 bits). There are no negative characters. More information about Unicode can be found at www.unicode.org.

 

This Unicode is not supported by Windows 95 & 98, Windows 2000 partially handle it.

But WindowsXP completely supports Unicode.

 

The following tools you will require. (I know you have all these on your system)

 

Registry editor

Character Map

Explorer Window

 

The following things you won’t require.
 

Any Download

Your Mind
(B’coz I have explained each and every thing)

 

 

That was background now coming to main point how to make Window XP in your native language. For simplicity and better understanding I have divided the entire process into three steps. Let’s explore them as well as Unicode Magic.

 

Before you go for any of the following mentioned process you need to do some modification to your system which are as follows.

  1. Go to Control Panel>Regional and Language Options. Click on Language tab and check the option named "Install files for complex script and right to left languages". Depending upon your requirement you can also go for "Install files for East Asia languages." Click OK and provide the Windows XP setup CD and restart the system.

  2. After restarting once again go to Control Panel>Regional and Language Options. In Regional Options tab select your language ( e.g. Hindi ) and click on Customize... .Here in Numbers > Standard Digits select your digit set and in Digit substitution select National. You can also go for some other settings in this window.

 

[The First Process]

If there is discussion of Windows operating system, Registry matters.

 

  1. Type “regedit” in run and you will have registry editor
  2. In registry editor locate the following location "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\MUICache"
  3. Here you will see some string key and a screen will look like this. This is your first working area.
  4. Now start Character Map and select "Mangal" font for Hindi, "Shruti" for Gujarati, “Latha” for Tamil, “Tunga” for Kannada, “Raavi” for Gurumukhi and some other for other languages. (This is the only place in the tutorial where you need to use, sorrrry………, you don’t need to use your mind. Explore yourself)
  5. Character Map can be found at
    Programs>Accessories>System Tools>Character Map
    If it is not there then install it from
    Control Panel>Add or Remove Programs>Windows Components>Accessories and Utilities>Accessories>Character Map
  6. Make some setting in combo and list boxes to find your character set.
    Select               ->        Advanced view
    Character Set   ->        Unicode
    Group by          ->        All
  7. Create words of your language by selecting characters from it. If you have done then copy these character. and paste it at the value of specific key in above specified location in RE.
    (In the “Mangal” font select any character. You can see its integer code in status bar. This code is of 16 bit. E.g. U+0915: Devanagari Letter Ka. That’s why you can’t enter it directly from keyboard.)
  8. Now come back to Registry editor (at the above specified location “H..\S..\M..”).  Go down your memory lane and remember that you have seen any of this string values some where in Explorer. Yes, double click on key you want to modify and paste those words (copied in Character Map) here. And you have done it.
  9. For example in Explorer you have seen text “Wave Sound” for files of ‘wav’ extension.
    So find “@E:\WINDOWS\inf\unregmp2.exe,-9908” in Registry editor, double click on key, modify it by pasting those words.
  10. In the same manner you can modify tool tip of Recycle Bin, My Computer, etc.
  11. Do the same steps (Step7 & 8) to modify other values.
  12. You don’t need to restart the computer. Just close the explorer windows (if opened) and open it again and see the MAGIC.

[ Note : For accessibility you can add the required language from
"Control Panel>Regional and Language Options>Languages>Details". Now you can use keyboard to enter your language. Use "Left Alt + Shift" to switch between languages.]

 

To send feedback click here : ankitjain
AnkitAsDeveloper or Ankit Jain : Computer Engineer

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