I am trying to get windows to see my linux hard dive so i can install windows and get rid of linux forever. (Or untill it is more user friendly)

PartitionMagic should see. But there's an easier way, if you have a cd(-rw if you want to re-use it then), download a LiveCD like Ubuntu 6.06 or Knoppix and boot from it; use either QTparted or gparted to remove the Linux partitions then. This works well, I've tried. Or you can simply download a diskette-size linux partition with Linux fstab in it, and use that to delete the partitions, which is a lot easier way.

BUT before you do this, get your MBR fixed if it's not (the Windows bootloader); if you're using XP, get the install cd, boot from it, enter the rescue mode (whatever) and run fixmbr and only after that remove the Linux partitions; otherwise you may not be able to boot at all.

EDIT: if you ask me, you probably can't find more userfriendly OS than Ubuntu Linux; it's far more user-friendly than XP is nowadays, and I don't believe Vista makes it better at all.

Put the Windows install disc in and reboot, it'll see the hard drive fine then just format it to NTFS. The installer will do all that for you.

try , it should see your hdd and all partitions even if it doesn't recognizes the filesystem. you should be able to delete / modify / do anything you want to do. also it would have been helpful to know what windows are you using. i know for sure xp provides the diskmgmt utility, i dunno abt others.

This is just the most agrivating thing i ever been in.

Linux wont pick up the usb cd burner.
Windows wont pick up the hard drive.
And im about to pick up the computer and throw it!

It only has linux and I want to go back to windows becuase in linux you have to reverse engineer anything to get it to work.

But yet windows install wont pick up the hd.
And linux decided it doesnt feel like seeing my cd burner anymore.

This is really confusing.

Edit Im thinking its something wierd with my hd cables that only linux can see and windows when its ntfs

It looks like you got nothing to loose. Give PcLinuxOS a try. I also was in your shoes. Almost reformated entire drive. Then I found PcLinuxOs. It works. Will post link on next line. Need three posts before this forum lets you place a link.

download PcLinux here Enjoy

Linux doesnt want to pick up my usb device.

In windows xp that never happened...

So how do I get so called amazing linux to start detecting my cd burner again?

Do I need to format my windows... i mean linux partition and reinstall Windows... ummm linux so i can burn like some cd?

linux wont detect your HDD? its probably SATA, and since windows xp pretty crap at most things, and doesnt have alot of newer drivers, check your mobowebsite/CD for SATA drivers.

As for your cd burner, what have you tried? what have you searched for and found information on?

The windows installer wont detect my hard drive.


Sorry but im new to linux, and it just wont even attempt to look at my cd burner on usb.

(even know it was working IN LINUX yesterday and it just stopped working)

EDIT: Thanks for the help guys, I unplugged the device from the power and now it works. But Im sure one day, linux will start to take over Windows like Firefox took over MSIE.