Re-add Language Pack after removal?

[tired-it]

I may have been overzealous with my removal of language packs and related components from a Windows 11 24H2 ISO. A client needs a different keyboard and the option to use it is missing because the associated language was removed. The client re-added the language pack, but the keyboard did not come with it? So... how big of a goof if this?

This specifically refers to a request to have the language bar open on the taskbar in order to quickly swap between the two keyboards. All the appropriate settings are changed to have the language bar show up sans the fact that there is only one keyboard installed and the rest are gone. I can get physical access to the PC if I need to re-image it, but I do have remote access software too.

Various forums and searches have not worked so far and I'm posting here because I made the image through NTLite and I recall clearing out most languages from the ISO prior to finalization. Of course I won't do that again for the future, it was a remnant of a super slim preset I was experimenting with, but alas, hindsight is 20/20. So, is there a way to re-add the extra language keyboard components?

 

[garlin]

Language Packs only cover features like translating fixed Windows text strings, and different input/output methods like handwriting, text-to-speech, or speech-to-text. Keyboard support is not included in the Language Pack CAB's.

That's because MS assumes you won't remove the keyboard layout files, or the base language components. If you overzealously removed them, they can only be restored through some form of re-install.

1. Host refresh on a local system (but you will have to burn a NTLite activation on your client's PC).

2. Create a near-duplicate preset of what you installed on the client's PC, except that it's updated to the latest KB's (Windows build is equal or higher than the installed image) and with the restored keyboard and language components.

Boot from the "corrected" ISO, and do a repair install. If the image is nearly identical except for the restored components, your client shouldn't see much change.

3. Just do a clean re-install with a corrected ISO. And apologize to the client that removing keyboard and base language components didn't really save you that much recovered space. Chocolates might help.

 

[tired-it]

Language Packs only cover features like translating fixed Windows text strings, and different input/output methods like handwriting, text-to-speech, or speech-to-text. Keyboard support is not included in the Language Pack CAB's.

That's because MS assumes you won't remove the keyboard layout files, or the base language components. If you overzealously removed them, they can only be restored through some form of re-install.

1. Host refresh on a local system (but you will have to burn a NTLite activation on your client's PC).

2. Create a near-duplicate preset of what you installed on the client's PC, except that it's updated to the latest KB's (Windows build is equal or higher than the installed image) and with the restored keyboard and language components.

Boot from the "corrected" ISO, and do a repair install. If the image is nearly identical except for the restored components, your client shouldn't see much change.

3. Just do a clean re-install with a corrected ISO. And apologize to the client that removing keyboard and base language components didn't really save you that much recovered space. Chocolates might help.

Dang, not even the keyboards can be restored without a full reinstall? Crazy. Thanks for the info.

 

[garlin]

Language Packs are provided as optional Features on Demand.

But not keyboards, since they take up relatively little space in the image/live system. It's easier if you were to remove entire regions, ie. Middle Eastern or Asian keyboards the next time. It's like drivers, everyone thinks they don't need them until the day they get a new device.

 

[sigrsteinn]

In case anyone else is interested, the attached image is from of un-checking all keyboard layouts (except the recommended 3 US layouts). The system is Windows 10 22H2, obtained with Garlin's MCTWrapper.bat script. It's also not clear to me which languages require which keyboard layouts. IIRC, I tested removing every keyboard layout except the US and all Chinese layouts, but the Taiwanese zhuyin/bopomofo input did not work. For me, the time waiting re-creating the ISO is not worth the disk space saved. In the localization section, removing languages and fonts yields more savings, but some of the fonts are re-installed with Microsoft Office.

 

[garlin]

East Asian languages require the IME (because you need an input device for handwriting, or it takes multiple key combinations to express a single character).

 

[sigrsteinn]

Yes, I did not touch the IME. I attach the relevant .xml file here. I left several languages and their related keyboard layouts in the ISO for comparison, shown in the attached images (ignore Amharic and Tamil, their removal seems to be tied to another component). Using VMWare, I mounted the ISO, installed the OS, and did some tests. Here are the results

• English (US): OK
• Japanese: OK
• Korean: OK
• Greek: OK
• Hebrew: OK
• Chinese (Simplified, China): OK
• Chinese (Traditional, Taiwan)
  • Bopomofo (a.k.a. Zhuyin): not working, this is what I want to use
  • ChangJie: not working
  • Quick: not working
  • Array: OK
  • DaYi: OK

 

[garlin]

This is an English (US) ISO, and you have not added any Language Packs for Chinese (Traditional).

 

[sigrsteinn]

I added it after installation in the VM. Settings > Time & Language > Language > Preferred Languages > Add a language.
Edit: I forgot to say I only need the typing, is not downloading the full language pack the culprit?

 

[garlin]

I'm not fluent in Chinese, but normally you're expected to install the zh-TW Language Pack.

 

[sigrsteinn]

I tried adding the language pack:

1. using Settings: Zhuyin still doesn't work
2. following your 2022 guide: Zhuyin still doesn't work

In both cases, I installed all packages related to the language: basic features (presumably the basic typing and supplemental fonts shown in the Settings UI), the language pack, and other optional packages (handwriting, OCR, speech recognition, text-to-speech).

You were correct when you said Microsoft does not expect the keyboard layouts to be missing. Whatever keyboard layout the Zhuyin input needs, it was not any of the clearly labeled Traditional Chinese options and did not came back with any of the language packages. If I don't remove any keyboard layouts, then Zhuyin typing works even without installing the language pack and the optional packages (i.e., adding the language in Settings, then un-checking every option). Overall, I conclude that the 3 MB saved by removing keyboard layouts is not worth the hassle it may bring.