Help pls ready to toss my laptop out the window
 

I am a very first time user of Ubuntu. Here's the issue: Last week my Dell Studio 1735 laptop somehow was missing the windows registry files. Then it corrupted my cd rom.:( The type of cd rom that is in my laptop is not replaceable I was told A friend cleared my HD and installed Ubuntu using 240GB out of 250GB. I just am not able to function on Ubuntu. How can I remove Ubuntu and install Windows Vista 32-bit version from the original disk using either usb or external cd rom? I am so lost and I use this laptop for work and the programs that the company I work for uses are all windows type programs so I really need to get Vista back pls help!!!!!

Normally, if you've got the orig MS media, you just insert it in CD drive and reboot.
You may have to tell the HW (specifically the BIOS) to try to boot from the CD Drive before trying the hard drive.
If, when you reboot it ignores the CD and goes straight to the HD, you'll have to reboot again and hold down a key to get into the BIOS.
Usually when it boots it tells you what key to use and you get about 5s(?) before it continues.
iirc, its usually the Esc or Del or F2 key.
You may be able to google it.

BTW, you can't 'corrupt' a CD-ROM; the media is read only, hence the name. It may (!) have corrupted the SW driver, but you should be able to update from the net.

However, now you'll have to do the re-install...

This being LinuxQuestions and all, you'd probably get more mileage asking questions about the Ubuntu application/Windows applications compatibility issues you're having. You won't be the first person to have such teething problems and you won't be the last. I'm quite sure just about every member here has had to do a little research at some point or another to allow them to open and use some stupid proprietary format file they've been sent. I'm equally sure the same is true of your friendly Ubuntu installer. It'd probably be your best bet to go back to them for some assistance.

I presumed the OP no longer has a functioning CD drive at all.
Google found a USB creator tool for Win7 and Vista - needs to be run from either of those systems. The OP could use it at work say to create a boot USB key if s/he has the original Vista disk.
However, Windoze installers generally won't boot if the target disk is Linux formatted.
If that is the case. dd'ing the start of the disk would work from Ubuntu, but will make the laptop unusable until the Vista re-install is done.

We can explain all that if the OP wants to go that way.

Whoever told you that is wrong. Its not a quick or easy job though-

http://www.insidemylaptop.com/disass...ing-dvd-drive/

I wouldnt be suprised if your laptop has more problems than just a 'corrupted' CD drive.

It may be that the replacement parts are not available at the OP's location or from his preferred computer shop.

An external USB CD/DVD optical drive might work. I used one to install Ubuntu 10.04 on my netbook.

Since the computer is a Dell, it likely displays a "Press F# to select boot device" during POST. My experience with those Dell menus is that they are usually pretty thorough.