Solved Different distro language doesn't allow in-place upgrade keeping personal files and apps

WindR said:

If windows Fully localized language

Code:

dism /online /get-intl


Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 10.0.22621.1

Image Version: 10.0.22621.1848

Reporting online international settings.

Default system UI language : ru-RU
The UI language fallback is : en-US
System locale : ru-RU
Default time zone : Russian Standard Time
Active keyboard(s) : 0409:00000409, 0419:00000419
Keyboard layered driver : PC/AT Enhanced Keyboard (101/102-Key)

Installed language(s): en-US
  Type : Fully localized language.
Installed language(s): ru-RU
  Type : Partially localized language, MUI type.
  Fallback Languages en-US

differs from the language of target image

Code:

WIM Information:
----------------
Path:           D:\sources\install.esd
GUID:           0xfe75207ec17c6f48aaaee3e44544802e
Version:        3584
Image Count:    3
Compression:    LZMS
Chunk Size:     131072 bytes
Part Number:    1/1
Boot Index:     0
Size:           3016907646 bytes
Attributes:     Relative path junction

Available Images:
-----------------
Index:                  1
Name:                   Windows 11 Home
Description:            Windows 11 Home
Display Name:           Windows 11 Home
Display Description:    Windows 11 Home
Directory Count:        29462
File Count:             115525
Total Bytes:            17036840607
Hard Link Bytes:        7779694599
Creation Time:          Sat May 07 11:29:17 2022 UTC
Last Modification Time: Fri Jun 30 07:38:55 2023 UTC
Architecture:           x86_64
Product Name:             Microsoftо Windowsо
Edition ID:             Core
Installation Type:      Client
Product Type:           WinNT
Product Suite:          Terminal Server
Languages:              en-US ru-RU
Default Language:       ru-RU
System Root:            WINDOWS
Major Version:          10
Minor Version:          0
Build:                  22631
Service Pack Build:     1972
Service Pack Level:     0
Flags:                  Core
WIMBoot compatible:     no

A choice to keep personal files and apps is unavailable.
An old registry tweak of changing HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Nls\Language\InstallLanguage doesn't work since 20h1.

Anyone has a clue how to fix this issue?

Click to expand...

I think your only choice is to update in ENG-US and then switch back to RU. There's no problem when only a Language pack is available e.g isl there's no native install of Windows in isl.

Another possibility is to look at the locale setting when you run bcdedit on the boot loader. You can then change that.

Cheers
jimbo

Repair iA choice to keep personal files and apps is unavailable.

• WindR said:

  An old registry tweak of changing HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Nls\Language\InstallLanguage doesn't work since 20h1.
  
  Anyone has a clue how to fix this issue?

  Click to expand...

  Repair install requirements:
  • You will only be able to perform a repair install of Windows 11 from within Windows 11. You will not be able to perform a repair install at boot or in Safe Mode.
  • The Windows 11 installation media (ISO or USB) must be the same edition, same version, and same or higher build as the currently installed Windows 11.
  • The Windows 11 installation media (ISO or USB) must be for the same language as your currently installed Windows 11.

Otherwise, you can't keep personal files and apps

This is a known issue. You must download the ISO in the installed (original) language not that of the language pack. In your case this is "English" for US English. Beware "International English" is UK English which doesn't match the US English. I learnt that the hard way... After the upgrade you just reinstall the language pack to change the display language.

MDL forum member Stripakulina offered the working solution.
The key moment is to /Set-SKUIntlDefaults to match the target image language.

Reviving this post, this is the exact problem I am having trying to update a PC to win11Pro that has win10 home. If this is still impossible then I will have to stop trying to do this. The options I can see if to do a complete new install of win11pro or just leave it on Win7. The problem being that the PC has 4 user accounts and a lot of user installed programs/apps. The clock in the BIOS screen shows as the US style, (mm/dd/yyyy) but we are in the UK and it was updated from Win7 to Win10 by myself a few years ago.

"The key moment is to /Set-SKUIntlDefaults to match the target image language."
How would I use this if I wanted to try?

If anyone has updated info about this, please post it, Thanks.

Open a PowerShell window and execute this code:

[CultureInfo]::InstalledUICulture

You should see this result if you have US English:

LCID Name DisplayName
---- ---- -----------
1033 en-US English (United States)

Otherwise you will see your installed language. Download English version for US English or International English version for UK English. Accordingly for other languages.

PS: Open the built-in PowerShell of Windows 11. I tried running the same command in PowerShell 7 and it responded I run Greek which is wrong. Why?

LordOfKent said:

I am having trying to update a PC to win11Pro that has win10 home

Click to expand...

@Bree recently worked out a procedure for running a Repair install to achieve a different flavour of English.
Just get the ISO for the same Windows version that you currently have but in the language you desire and it will let you run it without any losses.
Afterwards, you'll be in the language of that ISO and can go on to update to whatever you want.
Convert en-US to en-GB in a Repair install - Bree post #34 - ElevenForum
Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade - TenForumsTutorials
Repair Install Windows 11 with an In-place Upgrade - ElevenForumTutorials

LordOfKent said:

The clock in the BIOS screen shows as the US style, (mm/dd/yyyy)

Click to expand...

Don't worry about that.
Bioses display dates in whatever format they have been written to display them in.
It is not a relevant factor in your deliberations.


Denis

@LordOfKent:

You must download the Windows 11 ISO in the PC’s original installed language, not the language pack. If no language pack is installed and you’ve used the correct language ISO, yet the ‘Keep personal files and apps’ option is still grayed out, then the cause lies elsewhere.

Celery said:

@LordOfKent:

You must download the Windows 11 ISO in the PC’s original installed language, not the language pack. If no language pack is installed and you’ve used the correct language ISO, yet the ‘Keep personal files and apps’ option is still grayed out, then the cause lies elsewhere.

Click to expand...

If you are 100% sure that the original language is US English, for example, you downloaded the US English ISO and still won't let you do a full upgrade (keep both your data and apps), then usually you have an incompatible version, such as trying to upgrade Windows 11 Enterprise with the standard ISO that doesn't include this version. However, I am sure you just have the wrong language. Use the command I gave you in my previous post to confirm which language you have and download the respective ISO.

PS: I find nothing wrong using the US version of Windows in UK or other English speaking areas. The kids are not going to be confused by the "wrong" US spelling. Besides there are million other sources to see the US spelling, they are not going to be any better if you use the UK Windows version! Think about it.