I stuffed up
 

I stuffed up. I had Linux mint on my netbook in dual boot with windows 7.
I wanted to re-install mint 17 as I had some probs after some one borrowed my netbook.
So I did.... but afterwards, windows was gone. Oh dear. :-( Not that I use it, but it is handy to have in this case as my family is still using windows.
I am a total convert to Linux Mint.
I managed to make a Live windows 7 usb (WinUSB), but now I think I need to start all over again. Drat!
Can I just format the netbook, so there is nothing on it and then install windows7 and afterwards my linux mint 17mate distro next to it?
How do I format it?
Thank you in advance! With kind regards, Johanna

Before you do anything, let's see this (use [code] tags).

what does that mean?
I put it in the terminal and it came back with this:

lsblk: unknown column: +SIZE

Hmmm - a shortcoming in Mint. That comand is just to check you really have lost your NTFS partition(s). Try this instead

johanna@johanna-Aspire-one ~ $ sudo parted -l
[sudo] password for johanna:
Model: ATA TOSHIBA MK2555GS (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 250GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 1049kB 249GB 249GB primary ext4 boot
2 249GB 250GB 1062MB extended
5 249GB 250GB 1062MB logical linux-swap(v1)


Model: Generic- Multi-Card (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 7948MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 4194kB 7948MB 7944MB primary fat32

Just re install them. Give W7 as much as you want, then use the rest for your Mint installation. :)

You'll need to delete all those partitions - use fdisk, or parted or gparted if you prefer a GUI. Win7 will probably take the entire disk. You'll need to resize it to install Mint again.

Thank you all for your help. So it appears that I really have stuffed up.
I blame it on my old age.....
So I will need to format first, (how do I do this?) Can I just delete linux mint on G-Parted? and then install windows?

You can just load the Windows disk and as part of its setup you will be able to reformat the disk at that time. You can delete all the Mint partitions through the windows installer and just go ahead from there and reinstall windows.

What I usually have done in the past after the windows is finished is go in, run its updates and such and when it is all set with that do a compact and cleanup of files. Then, while in windows use its partition tool to shrink windows. Then you can install Mint on the new partitions.

Be careful when you go to install Mint, make sure you pick the "something else" option when asked where/how to install. That gives you more fine tuned control.

Thank you!! I will give it a go tomorrow. Bed time here in New Zealand now.
With kind regards, Johanna

You can run gparted and create the partitions in the sizes you want, and mark one as NTFS. This will save you the (little bit) of hassle of installing Windows, then resizing the partition. I hate resizing partitions, stuff can go wrong. Start out with the right size to begin with, and there's little to no risk.

If you go the route of resizing the partition, I always recommend one use the Windows tool for resizing if possible. I have never had issues using the native tool, but have destroyed filesystems using some third party partitioners in the (admittedly distant) past.