• Installation
• Arabic Support
• Application compatibility
• Administration
• Services
• More information

Installation

Both Arabic version of Windows XP home and professional edition, have the same hardware requirements as the English versions. English version of Windows XP professional edition with multilingual interface with Arabic interface pack, will require more space for adding the Arabic language interface, it is recommended to have 115 MB in the hard disk.

Arabic versions of Windows XP hardware compatibility list are similar to the English version. Please visit the Windows catalog web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/catalog/catalogshell/shell.asp?subid=22

Note: you can find the Windows catalog link in the start menu of Windows XP.

The following table describes the upgrading scenarios of Arabic language support of Windows XP home and professional:

Please note the following:

1. Cross language support is not supported.
2. Windows XP does not support 16 or DOS Arabic applications as its predecessor Windows 2000.
3.  You need to add the Arabic language support for most of the Arabic applications running over the previous versions of Windows XP.

Arabic support

Windows XP versions and Arabic support

Microsoft Windows XP Professional and home editions are word-ready operating systems, both version support Arabic language out of the box. From its initial design, Microsoft Windows NT® operating system incorporated international support through the Unicode character encoding system.

Arabic language support is over all releases of Windows XP language versions including French , German and other Windows XP language in addition of the English core version of Windows XP.

Levels of Arabic language support in Arabic language Windows XP:

1. English/French or any Non-Arabic interface version of Windows XP with Arabic language support.

This means that the interface is not Arabic but Windows XP supports the Arabic language and can host Windows applications in Arabic language. As an example it is easy to run Microsoft Office XP with Arabic language interface over Windows XP French version.

2. Arabic version of Windows XP.

This means that the operating system interface is in Arabic language, Windows XP supports Arabic with Arabic interface.

Arabic version of Windows XP has exactly the same international features set as the English version , From the feature and architecture point of view, localized versions of Windows XP are the same as English Windows XP. However, the differences between them are:

In the Arabic localized version of Windows XP:

• The User Interface resources are fully localized into Arabic language.

• The Windows Setup information, such as system locale, user locale, keyboard layout, etc, is customized for Arabic language and for specific Arab country. This is a policy setting with the Multilingual User Interface Pack

• Support is included for upgrades from Arabic localized versions of Windows 9.X "In addition of Windows ME" or Windows 2000. The Multilingual User Interface Pack only supports upgrades from English versions.

3. Windows XP Multilingual User Interface.

This is only available with Windows XP Professional edition, it is a special version of English Windows XP called "English version with the multilingual user interface pack". Users can switch the interface from English to Arabic.
There are no binary differences between the English version and the English version with the Multilingual User Interface Pack.  The English Windows XP is built with support for the Multilingual User Interface mechanism in its final form.

Arabic support in this version of Windows XP professional is the same as the English version of Windows XP.

Arabic is available in the CD number two.

For more information about the international support over Windows XP please read the document visit our web site, the internationalization section.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/default.mspx 

Adding Arabic language support

To add the Arabic language support in English version of Windows you need to install the complex script language option from the regional settings.

To install complex script languages:

1. Click on “Start”.
2. Choose “Control Panel”
3. Select “Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options” category.
4. Choose “Regional and Language option”.
5. Click on “Language” tab.
6. Enable option “Install files for complex script and right-to-left language”.
7. Click “Apply” button to complete installation.

Note

This is the same status in the French version of Windows XP if you need to add Arabic language, follow the same steps with the French interface.

Setting the standard and format for specific Arab country

Users can set the date, time, currency and number format from regional options, to set the standards and formats:

1. Click on “Start”.
2. Choose “Control Panel”
3. Select “Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options” applet.
4. Choose “Regional and Language option”.
5. Click on “Regional Option” tab.
6. Select from the list the required Language and Country.

To set the Hijri/Gregorian date and Number formats

For the Hirji and Gregorian calendars:

1. Click on “Start”.
2. Choose “Control Panel”
3. Select “Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options” category.
4. Choose “Regional and Language option”.
5. Click on “Regional Option” tab.
6. Select an Arab country.
7. Click on Customize.
8. Select Date tab.
9. Select the calendar date format.

For the number format

1. Click on “Start”.
2. Choose “Control Panel”
3. Select “Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options” category.
4. Choose “Regional and Language option”.
5. Click on “Regional Option” tab.
6. Select an Arab country.
7. Click on Customize.
8. Select Number tab.
9. Chose the appropriate number format from Standard digits:

Application compatibility

Running Non Unicode Arabic programs

Windows XP as Windows 2000 does not support Arabic DOS programs or 16-bit Arabic programs.

Windows XP supports 32 bit Arabic programs both Non-Unicode and Unicode programs. However, to be able to run the non-Unicode Arabic programs you need to set the system settings to be enabled for the Arabic language.

To select a language for Non-Unicode programs:

1. Click on “Start”.
2. Choose “Control Panel”
3. Select “Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options” category.
4. Choose “Regional and Language option”.
5. Click on “Advanced” tab.
6. Select from the list the required language and its country.

Note:

-          Most f the available programs in the market are still non-Unicode.

-          This system setting enables non-Unicode programs to display menus and dialogs in their native language.  It does not affect Unicode programs, but it does apply to all users of current computer.

-          Select any Arabic country as appropriate.

Running Arabic programs in compatibility mode

Arabic Applications that worked on earlier versions of Windows may fail to function properly on Windows XP for a variety of reasons. An application may expect older formats of Windows data, or it may expect user information, such as that in personal and temporary folders, to be in specific locations or formats. Problems such as these mostly apply to Arabic applications written for Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me, but some applications written for Windows NT or Windows 2000 may also be affected.

To solve this problem and so enabling a better user experience with legacy applications, Microsoft has integrated application compatibility technologies into Windows XP that come into play whenever an application is installed on the operating system, whether in the course of a system upgrade or during regular operations. This is the same for the Arabic applications; however, there is no support for DOS and 16-bit Arabic applications under Windows XP even with the compatibility mode.

Microsoft has included two application compatibility tools within Windows XP user interface; the Program Compatibility Wizard and the compatibility shell extension. Users can easily access and use these tools to adjust their applications compatibility settings. These two tools can be used for Arabic application as well.

The program compatibility wizards

To run the Program Compatibility Wizard:

1. Click “Start”
2. Choose “All Programs”
3. Select “Accessories”
4. Choose “Program compatibility wizard”

The compatibility shell extension

To set the compatibility properties for a program:

1. Right-click on the executable file of the application.
2. Click the Compatibility tab.
3. Change the compatibility settings for your program as required.

IF you have problem running Arabic applications over Windows XP

If the programs still does not work with the compatibility mode please contact the vendor of the application.

You can inform Microsoft about the program problem by contacting the email alias below, please send in details the program name, version and the problem description:

arasat@microsoft.com .

For more information

Please visit the web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/plan/default.mspx

Administration

The base operating system, as well as all included programs, including file names, objects names, strings in registry, and any other internal strings used by Windows XP, is Unicode based and thus has a format that is language independent. With international support built in, Windows XP is a truly global operating system that adapts hundreds of languages.

All the components of Windows XP are Unicode Based, which means supporting Arabic language every where. For example, you can have Arabic file names, folder names.

Windows XP supports having Arabic Client Machine Name, you can have an Arabic Client machine name, although that this name is in non-standard characters. Using a non-standard name might affect the ability to interoperate with other computers, unless the network is using Microsoft DNS Server. Using find tool with AD you can search for Arabic Clients machines name. In addition, Arabic passwords are fully supported.

Creating Arabic printer and Arabic shared folder is fully supported with windows 2000. User can also explore Arabic shared folder over the network.

Services

Windows Update

Windows Update offers device driver support that supplements the extensive library of drivers available on the installation CD. Windows Update is an online extension of Windows XP, providing a central location for product enhancements, such as service packs, device drivers, and system security updates.

Windows update services is available for the Arabic version of Windows XP, and Windows update available in Arabic language.

Note:

- Windows update automatically detects the version of Windows XP.

- You can change the interface of Windows update site by selecting the language you prefer from IE, however, the interface will not affect the updates available for the Arabic Windows XP.

To select your language of interface for Windows update:

1. Open Internet explorer.
2. From the main menu select Tools.
3. From the drop down menu select Internet Options.
4. Select General Tab.
5. Click on Languages.
6. If the Arabic language does not exist add it.
7. Make sure that the Arabic language is the first one in the list of available languages.

Windows catalog.

Windows catalog is on line service to provide you with the latest update list of the compatible software and hardware with Windows XP.

It is also available in Arabic language; you need to select the Arabic language in Internet explorer as mentioned above to have the site in Arabic language.

More Information

The Middle East site:
http://www.microsoft.com/middleeast/windows/

Microsoft Arab developers web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/middleeast/msdn/

The Arabic support site:
http://support.microsoft.com/?ln=en-me

The software development site:
http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/