So you netted yourself a gem of Japanese technology after a stroll through Akihabara, ignoring the fact that your command of Nihongo (that's Japanese, friend) is, at best, worse than a four-year-old's reading level. Now, you can either succumb to buyer's remorse, or you can take these steps to hack your Japanese laptop to work in English.
These instructions are applicable to Windows XP, specifically for the VAIO C1-MSX Picturebook, but should still be applicable to Windows laptops with Japanese keyboards.
The following steps need to be done after a fresh install of the English version of Windows XP (covered more fully in a separate upcoming article). If you don't take these steps, you'll notice because of the non-American English layout of the Japanese keyboard that some of the English letters produce different letters, and some characters will produce different symbols!
How to Fix Key Mapping for Keyboard to "Japanese PS/2 Keyboard (106/109)":
a. Click right on "My Computer" -> then Click "Manage"
b. Once "Computer Management" comes up, click on "Device Manager"
c. Next, click on "Keyboards" on right span on the screen
d. Now, click right on "Standard 101/102 Keyboard" -> then click "Update Driver"
e. Choose "Advanced" option then click "Next"
f. Choose "Don't search" option then click "Next"
g. Uncheck the box "Show compatible hardware"
h. From the list below choose "(Standard Keyboard)" on "Manufacturer" Column and then choose "Japanese PS/2 Keyboard (106/109)" keyboard from "Model" column
i. Click "Next" and "Finish"
This next step lets you take advantage of Windows XP's internationalization to type out Japanese characters when you're feeling a little more adventurous.
How To Configure Keymapping for Japanese IME:
a. Click "Start" -> "Control Panel"
b. Click on "Language, Regional Option"
c. Click on "Regional & Language Option"
d. Click on "Languages" tab from new box that popped up.
e. Make sure that checkbox for "Install files for East Asian Languages" then click "Apply"
f. Click on "Details" button.
g. Click "Add" -> then choose "Japanese" from the list of options then click "OK"
h. Now, From the drop down box on top, click on "Japanese IME" as your "Default input language"
i. Click "OK" then reboot.
That's job done for the keyboard, but now that you've done a fresh reinstall of English Windows XP, you will probably find some of your devices are no longer working! Not to worry, the fix is coming in the next post. Hang in there!
These instructions are applicable to Windows XP, specifically for the VAIO C1-MSX Picturebook, but should still be applicable to Windows laptops with Japanese keyboards.
The following steps need to be done after a fresh install of the English version of Windows XP (covered more fully in a separate upcoming article). If you don't take these steps, you'll notice because of the non-American English layout of the Japanese keyboard that some of the English letters produce different letters, and some characters will produce different symbols!
How to Fix Key Mapping for Keyboard to "Japanese PS/2 Keyboard (106/109)":
a. Click right on "My Computer" -> then Click "Manage"
b. Once "Computer Management" comes up, click on "Device Manager"
c. Next, click on "Keyboards" on right span on the screen
d. Now, click right on "Standard 101/102 Keyboard" -> then click "Update Driver"
e. Choose "Advanced" option then click "Next"
f. Choose "Don't search" option then click "Next"
g. Uncheck the box "Show compatible hardware"
h. From the list below choose "(Standard Keyboard)" on "Manufacturer" Column and then choose "Japanese PS/2 Keyboard (106/109)" keyboard from "Model" column
i. Click "Next" and "Finish"
This next step lets you take advantage of Windows XP's internationalization to type out Japanese characters when you're feeling a little more adventurous.
How To Configure Keymapping for Japanese IME:
a. Click "Start" -> "Control Panel"
b. Click on "Language, Regional Option"
c. Click on "Regional & Language Option"
d. Click on "Languages" tab from new box that popped up.
e. Make sure that checkbox for "Install files for East Asian Languages" then click "Apply"
f. Click on "Details" button.
g. Click "Add" -> then choose "Japanese" from the list of options then click "OK"
h. Now, From the drop down box on top, click on "Japanese IME" as your "Default input language"
i. Click "OK" then reboot.
That's job done for the keyboard, but now that you've done a fresh reinstall of English Windows XP, you will probably find some of your devices are no longer working! Not to worry, the fix is coming in the next post. Hang in there!
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