Foreign Computers: Power Supply and Keyboard Differences?

[FulhamFan3]

Is foreign hardware different from american hardware or is the only real difference that the power supply is adapted to 220V instead of 110V and the keyboard layout is changed?

When I was in france last time and I was working on a friend's computer and I went into the BIOS it went to US keyboard layout instead of the french one I was using. This was really annoying. Luckily I used to USA keyboard layout enough to guess my way out. This led me to believe that the BIOS and software components are exactly the same and that the hardware should be the same too.

I mainly want to know if I can buy hardware here and use it in computers in europe.

 

[Pfft]

I have spent most of my life overseas, and have lived in France for the past few years. I can't say that there is any difference in hardware. Yes, there are variations in software to accommodate the differenct keyboads and languages. Yes, they have 240 ovlts over here.

By the way, many countries do not have strict lightning protection on the power and telephone line. No matter the country, I run my equipment at 115 volts and use a 240/115 volt isolation transformer. I have blown transformers during lightning storms (UK), but no harm to the computers.

If you need any further information, just let me know.

Pfft

 

[FulhamFan3]

thanks for the answer. I just wanted to know if the difference between computers was at the OS level or if it went deeper.