Hey people,
I'm an architecture student. I have an ACER 5542G laptop with 3 GB RAM, 320 GB HDD and AMD Turion Processor.
Up until a few weeks ago, I had windows 7 working on my laptop and it was working perfectly fine then I upgraded to Windows 8 consumer preview which meant that I couldn't work on AUTOCAD easily so i decided to uninstall that and reinstall windows 7 but I ended up installing Ubuntu 12.04 because I really liked the GUI and i thought if i didn't like that, i could always uninstall that and install windows 7 instead. Oh boy, how wrong was I?

I had virtual box but it wasn't fast enough and my computer kept overheating anyways,I tried using a Live Windows 7 DVD which didn't work then I tried the Live USB which also didn't work, then I read somewhere so I got GParted and i partitioned my HDD to give 100 GB in NTFS but the Live DVDs and USBs still dint work then I read somewhere that I need to clean my HDD which I did using GParted but even now, it doesn't recognize the live DVDs or USB, which by the way, all work as I tried them on another computer. I have access to a MAC and a PC. PLEASE HELP ASAP, I HAVE MY DEADLINES IN 2 WEEKS

1) Did you check the BIOS? Is it set to boot from the CD-Rom/USB first?

2) You can't simply created an NTFS partition and expect Windows to go into it. Windows is greedy and will want to take over the whole disk. Windows is better when it is installed first.

1) I did check the BIOS and it is set to the booting media first when I use it

2) I want windows on the whole disk but I don't know how to get it done now.

THANKS FOR THE QUICK REPLY

ami.nigam , you should have kept your recovery. Windows 7 should install and work from any ntfs partition even if it is 1, 2, 3, 0r 4 or even extended partition or on a second drive. Try leaving 120Gb unformated at the beginning then create an extended partition to create other partitions to dabble with linux or storage at later time. unless it is UEFI boot, then you need different setup.

did you try to use fdisk to create a blank dos partition to disk?

I would try to boot with a live cd to get a terminal. I like the gentoo live cd but any will do.

Then check your /dev/ to see what your hdd is listed as.

Its probably /dev/sda

after that run:
use command then:
I think this will make the disk readable by the windows installer

after that use your cd to install Windows.

I "messed up" one of my drives with arch linux a few years ago and fdisk let me reinstall windows vista.

I used GParted to format my HDD on NTFS
1) How do i get to terminal if the computer doesnt recognize the live cd?
2) how do i check /dev/ ?

please explain not recognizing.

Does it try to load the cd and stop with some error or does it just say no os or give you a blank screen?

Did you try to start from cd drive at boot? I think its F-11 or F-12.

if it is trying to load and stop it may be that the live cd you are using doesnt have the kernel drivers you need loaded for your cd drive.

hello

first if you just want only a windows system on your laptop, best option is to use windows installer which will either ask you format your hard or in expert mode may ask you to define partitions.

Have you tried it.!!!

and ***warning*** any data on your disk which might be important may be erased while formatting disk so back it up before trying it.

Cmg

when i load the cd/usb in and set the boot parameters to boot from the cd/usb, it just shows me a cursor which keeps blinking without saying anything. i tried the same cd/usb on another computer and it said press key to boot

---------- Post added 05-01-12 at 04:52 PM ----------

how do i install the windows installer on dvd/usb?

i am getting a feeling that your boot priority for cd/usb-hdd is somewhat after your harddisk. have tried pressing f8 and setting up boot priority for your devices after starting up with usb/cd hooked up to your laptop

yeah, when i plug in my usb, it's first on the boot priority and when i have the dvd in, thats the 1st on the list