I have a laptop with Windows 7 in French and I want to CONVERT it to English language. I have purchased a retail copy of Windows 7 (English version) and intend to install it. Can I just install it over the French version or do I have to do a clean install? It would SAVE an awful lot of hassle if it would just overwrite the existing OS. Does anybody know?Well, I guess you can try an "Inplace Upgrade" and see what happens. Worst case is it won't WORK and you'll have to do a clean install.

NOTE: I've never run ACROSS this particular question before, so I'm just throwing out an option - but it's as much informed guesswork as not.For the benefit of anybody who has this problem in the future, I just tried this and it will not allow me to install (Upgrade) Windows 7 with a language different to that which is already on the computer. Bummer!Yeah, thought that might be the case. Sorry - and thanks for letting US know. Quote from: rbanne on January 06, 2011, 12:27:26 PM

For the benefit of anybody who has this problem in the future, I just tried this and it will not allow me to install (Upgrade) Windows 7 with a language different to that which is already on the computer. Bummer!

At the point you are doing the Upgrade install did you choose to delete and recreate the existing partition ? ?
If not thats why it did not work.