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-   -   Troubles installing windows off of a computer with Linux. (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-newbie-8/troubles-installing-windows-off-of-a-computer-with-linux-4175560358/)

shredbanger 12-01-2015 09:47 PM
Troubles installing windows off of a computer with Linux.
 
Hey guys. My cousin has given me a laptop that had linux on it. He re formatted the drive so I could install Windows 7 on it. Problem is. The disk drive doesn't work. so I threw the windows files on a formatted USB hoping that GRUB would detect it and I could boot windows 7. No luck. can anyone help me here?
Inb4 "Try this open source OS called nest egg or something fucked like that"
Thank you guys

astrogeek 12-01-2015 10:25 PM
First, please read the LQ rules, especially the part about use of offensive language. The forum has members of all ages and backgrounds.

Next, I am not a user of M$ software so my answer is not definitive, but as restrictive as they are about people actually using their stuff, I doubt that you can just boot it off a USB drive. Grub should really have nothing to do with that. And if your friend reformatted the drive then grub is gone anyway.

You must set the computer's BIOS to recognize the USB device as bootable, then visit an M$ forum or website to find out what their requirements are for running from that device. GNU/Linux is no longer in that picture.

berndbausch 12-01-2015 11:01 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by shredbanger (Post 5458320)
Hey guys. My cousin has given me a laptop that had linux on it. He re formatted the drive so I could install Windows 7 on it. Problem is. The disk drive doesn't work.
Can you elaborate on that? You boot from the Windows 7 installation DVD, then what happens?
Quote:
Originally Posted by shredbanger (Post 5458320)
so I threw the windows files on a formatted USB hoping that GRUB would detect it and I could boot windows 7. No luck. can anyone help me here?
I don't think that works. You need to properly install Windows. Apart from that, if the main drive is formatted, how do you know there is still grub?

frieza 12-01-2015 11:16 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by shredbanger (Post 5458320)
so I threw the windows files on a formatted USB hoping that GRUB would detect it and I could boot windows 7. No luck. can anyone help me here?
Thank you guys
that's not how it works, you need to have the files, as well as the boot loader, which is not something you can just copy, you'd be better off just getting a windows install disc and booting off that.

yancek 12-02-2015 08:18 AM
You could have booted and installed windows from a USB using the method described in the link below. That is, if you had done it be formatting the disk which deleted all the Grub files so there is no way Grub can boot it.

http://onetransistor.blogspot.ch/201...om-ubuntu.html

debguy 12-02-2015 10:20 AM
NO. PAY US.

you purchased Windows 7. it comes with a disk AND INSTRUcTIONS suitable to format a drive and install windows

call Microsoft they are ALREADY paid to answer: we are not

we are not slaves of microsoft profiding free support while they are in mc'mansions K?


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