Completely formatting Linux
 

First of all, I'm not sure whether this is the right place to post this question, but here goes:

I installed Linux but now want to go back to windows 7 for compatibility reasons, as my computer currently doesn't work with the software I'm obliged to use at my university.
I don't want to dual boot, and I don't wan't to use wine or virtualbox or something like that. I want windows on my computer, but when I try to install it it says that it won't work because it needs NTFS or something.
Can i install windows if I completely format my hard drive, and if so then how do I do that?

Hope you can help me

Hello chr2507,

Windows should give you an option to partition and format the disk at the beginning of the installation, i.e. after booting the installation-medium.

Markus

Welcome to LQ

If the windows CD gives you problems installing,
you could use a live CD, and use gparted to reformat your drive.
http://gparted.sourceforge.net/

Kind regards

It is unfortunate that you cannot use Linux system, which is far better than windows.
Anyway you insert your windows CD and boot from CD. After that windows will ask you to reformat your drive. Say yes and proceed with NTFS format.
Then windows will start install.
By the way you can search the community of the particular distro you are using. May be there is some solution for your problem?

if it is xp you are reinstalling this is a VERY common bug WITH THE XP install cd

install win 7 it should be able to find the disk and repartition it
if not use the live gparted cd as stated above and format to ntfs
so the dumb MS installer can see it

Had this bug sometimes on customer boxes. If you can still boot into linux, type as root in a terminal , where sdX is replaced with your actual device. You can also do this using a live-cd. After this procedure Windows will recognize your drive as new and will not have problems during partitioning/formatting.