Thursday 6 February 2020

Windows 10 v1909 and language packs - my experience


I've been working with Windows 10 v1909 and language packs for the first time this week. This used to be pretty easy with 1809 and Microsoft Endpoint Manager (formerly ConfigMgr or SCCM) but it's not so easy any more.

  • Download the ISO matching the Windows version
  • Extract the CAB files
  • Install the one you want in the task sequence (dism.exe /norestart /online /add-package /packagepath:xxxx.cab)
  • Apply regional settings with an xml file (e.e. rundll32.exe shell32,Control_RunDLL intl.cpl,,/f:"English_UK.xml")
What do we do now with v1909? I can see that 1909 has nothing new so we use the 1903 media, but which one? As well as the LXP files we can still download the .cab files as before. They are included in the Windows 10 version 1903 Language Packs (released May 2019) 32/64 MultiLanguage ISO (5852MB).




Tip: choose MultiLanguage as the language using the drop down menu.


I downloaded this ISO, extracted the cab files and organized them in folders (in the same way I had done for 1809, making sure that the files had the same name). Then I created packages (without programs) using these folders as source files. I "figured" that I just had to replace these packages in my existing 1809 task sequence and all would be good.

However it wasn't. In my testing, this breaks the search function and messes up some dialog on the regional settings


The search bar wouldn't work at all. I couldn't even type in it. That was a showstopper straight away. 


Also the regional settings contained a lot of garbage.

I did some research and others seemed to be having similar problems with no real resolution. 

Eventually I got this working by adding a step in the task sequence to install the January 2020 CU for 1909 before installing the language pack. 

KB4528760


Search bar now working......


....and this is how the Regional settings should look.

I hope this helps you if you encounter the same problem. Until next time.....



6 comments:

  1. I was doing the same thing but noticed another issue. Are you able to change the display language for a user without admin rights? You can change the display drop down but it won't ask to log off nor will it stick.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm not changing anything in the context of the operating system. It's all done during the task sequence.

      Delete
  2. HI Gerry,
    Would you mind sharing your lang pack layout? Tried to follow your steps last week but still getting the same bugs after applying the Jan Cu during the TS

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The language pack package is nothing special. It's a package containing the .cab file with no program.

      Delete
  3. Just fyi:

    It doesn't matter which LCU is installed afterwards. We are using the most recent Image from VLSC and service it with the latest patches (June 2020). Afterwards we re-apply the latest LCU (in this case KB4560960) during Feature Upgrade just to resolve these issues.

    According to Microsoft this is Works-as-designed as every alteration of the language on an image must be followed by a LCU, which may also be the reason why the implemented these Language Experiecne Packages (appx).

    ReplyDelete
  4. Gerry , I extracted the ISO and there is only appx and license no cab file, any suggestions

    ReplyDelete