installing Windows on a full partioned linux hdd
 

Hi, im quite new to linux and accidently used all my HDD space to install it. (using ubuntu)
Now i would like to go back to Windows and the windows installer wont detect the HDD. Probably because its all ubuntu partion on the HDD.
I read somewhere that you need a linux boot disk to remove the partion with fdisk.
But im currently on a laptop and got no floppy disk drive..... i also dont have any floppy disk (havent use those things in ages)

What are my solutions here to get back to Windows? =x

thx for the help

You have no disk-drive and no floppy, how are you hoping to reinstate winblows? Are you trying to do it from a recovery partition?

That doesn't sound like a mistake!

Now THAT sounds like a mistake!

You mean you have no CD drive?

You must have a disk drive or you couldn't run Windows.

If you don't have a CD or floppy drive you will have to do a network install. Not a big deal with Linux or BSD but maybe a big deal with Windows.

How did you install Ubuntu?

I don't know what you've been smoking but your post doesn't make very much sense ;)

Sry, i meant i got no " floopy"
I got a cd drive.

well, i might also make a partition to install windows and actually not remove ubuntu. =x

well to make it shot i got no idea how to get back to windows.



reason i wanted to go back : i got some wireless modem a huawei e220 and ive been reading on how to make it work, a bit complicated for me =x

Here you go: http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_l...lled_first.htm. If you make a fresh post regarding your wireless maybe someone can help you to get it going in Ubuntu.

thx for the link. i tried googling but was only getting the ones with Xp installed 1st.

Go to gparted and download the liveCD. Burn it as an image and boot from that - it's a GUI similar to PartitionMagic.
Extra good for manipulating partitions - Windoze included. Quite a small download.

Leave some unallocated/free space that can be used as a primary partition, and the 'doze installer should be happy. Get that working, and we can show you how to make a dual boot with your current Ubuntu; saves having to trash it completely

How about vista?? You neglected to mention which 'windows' version you have.

http://apcmag.com/how_to_dualboot_vi..._installed.htm

Vista was the 1st reason i removed windows.
Im going to install windows xp on ubuntu now.
Just need to get that live cd and hopefully all should be ok.

Hmmm i tried loading the ubuntu live cd with no success.

i got this message.
" Failed to start the x server (your graphical interface). It is likely that it is not set up correctly. Would you like to view the x (then i cant really read))
Ill post a pic later.

=/

Is there a tool for linux so that i can make a partition for windows?
without using the live cd?
for example i was using Partition magic in windows.

See post #7

I just tried the gparted.
I managed to shrink my partition and make a new space that will be used to windows.
But when i try to install windows it will just not detect my HDD. =/
I tried installing windows with
1/unpartitioned space
2/ntfs partition
and everytime windows will just not detect my hdd. =/

Could there be something wrong with my windows cd?
Or im doing something wrong?

Windows likes it's partition to be the first on the drive. If you just installed Ubuntu and haven't really tweaked it much, I would run GParted (as mentioned in a previous post) and create a FAT32 partition (hda1 for example) and leave the rest of the disk as "unallocated". Boot with your Windows CD (NOT a recovery CD...see below for that). Install windows to the FAT32 partition and make sure it's all good. Once it's good, run Ubuntu again and choose to use "Guided Partitioning" to use the available free space. Follow the defaults and you will have a nice dual-boot system.

If you only have a vendor recovery disc, run it and let it do it's thing. Once it's installed, run the Ubuntu disc and let it create space for you for Ubuntu. Again, you should have a nice dual-boot setup.

The reason I say FAT32 over NTFS is the ease of reading/writing to/from the Windows partition from Ubuntu. Another option (but a little more advanced) is to create a seperate partition that both Ubuntu and Windows can use for files. If you're just starting out, it may be easier just to have the Windows partition and the 2 automagically created Linux partitions.

HTH

Windows doesn't need to be the first partition, but it does have to be a primary. You might need a driver for your hard disk controller, or you may have a "problem" with the partition arrangement. From Linux terminal, run this and post (all of) the outputIf you are asked for a password, use your normal (login) password.

This is what i get after a sudo fdisk -l

You need to move that boot flag - should be able to do it from gparted, although I've never tried. Remove it from sda1 (Linux doesn't need/use it), and try the Windoze install again.
If that still fails, try adding the boot flag to sda3 and try again.

Just tried it. =/ didnt work.
First i removed the bot flag , and tried to install windows but it still wont detect my hdd.
then i tried putting the boot flag to sda3, but still, its the same. Windows wont detect my hdd.

:<

DO NOT use the 1995 fat32 disk format( for one thing there is a 3.999 Gig file size limit) .Ubuntu ,like all other Linux's can READ AND WRIGHT to ntfs .Just install ntsf-3g

Hmm my main problem is that the windows xp installer is not detecting my HDD =/
I just checked again in Gparted. I only see NTFS no :NTFS -3g

ntfs-3g is the program to read/wright to a ntfs file system
--------------------
and the win installer throughing an error when there is a NON microsoft file system/ os on the disk is a very well known microsoft installer cd problem.
this how to is for fedora but should work for Ubuntu
http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=167302

Nothing to do with this - ntfs-3g is a *Linux* userspace application. The OP is trying to get the Windows install disk to boot.

Best I can now suggest is to zero the boot record and partition table of the disk. You'll lose everything on the disk - the installer will see as an unused disk, and proceed to use it. After that you can re-try a Linux distro (dual boot) if you feel like it. From a Linux liveCD terminal (as root/sudo), do the following - this will effectively trash your disk...

So, the plan here is to format the HDD completely, using a linux live cd then going on the live-cd terminal to type the command.
Then next step to install windows.
then after installing windows re-install the linux distro with dual booting options.

Am i right? I just hope after trashing the HDD windows installer will do work and find my HDD. or else..... :<

Yes, do as instructed to zero your drive then proceed to install winblows first then GNU/Linux after.

To be precise, that command was specifically constructed to only zap 510 bytes - the (Linux) loader code and partition table as I mentioned. The disk id bytes and all the data was retained - as a last resort the partitions could be recreated, and the data retrieved. But only if the re-install fails - once that starts, all the data will be lost.
We're here to look after you .... :)

I regularly have to do this to my test disks - XP finds the disk(s) fine. The only issue you may have is if the XP disk needs driver(s) for the disk controller; you'll need to supply that separately. Unlikely.

Hmmm weird.
i did the and then tried to install windows xp and i was still getting the same error. T^T , cant detect my HDD.
Now i had to re-install ubuntu. =x

What could be wrong? =x

You are trying to install with a full XP cd and not some cutdown OEM version aren't you? Can you boot off the XP cd?

Yeah it was a full xp cd.


OK now i think i know whats was wrong.
I just read that XP wont recognise SATA HDD -___________-
and thats why it wont detect my HDD.
I am now making a new XP installer CD from my Friend's laptop.
Hopefully it will work.

lol, sry guys my bad.