Hey I currently have Ubuntu installed on one of my PC's, and it's the only operating system on the PC, and was wondering how do I take off Ubuntu and install Windows XP to it? Whenever I try to install Windows XP it gives me some error that it can't find the right volume drive on my hard drive or something, so I'm guessing since the hard drive is set up for Linux or whatever Windows can't recognize it. If anyone can help me on removing Ubuntu and installing Windows XP I'd appreciate it.
Anpippin
0
Junior Poster
Recommended Answers
Jump to PostWhen you uninstall Ubuntu you don't take off the grub. http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/linux-how-to-uninstall-grub/ has some examples.
AFAIK, you just need use a Windows XP CD, put in repair mode and use fixboot e fixmbr commands, …
Jump to PostYou can run
fdisk /mbrfrom the XP installation CD and remove the partitions and master boot record as Asafe was mentioning. There is no need to pull your hard drive unless you want to.
Jump to PostIf I only have Ubuntu on my computer and nothing else does that mean I even have a partition? Because I've never resized the hard drive or partitioned the hard drive or anything like that on that computer.
Of course you have a partition. You installed Ubuntu into one or …
All 12 Replies
Asafe
0
Newbie Poster
When you uninstall Ubuntu you don't take off the grub. http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/linux-how-to-uninstall-grub/ has some examples.
AFAIK, you just need use a Windows XP CD, put in repair mode and use fixboot e fixmbr commands, if I do remember very well.
husainaftab
0
Newbie Poster
remove your harddisk and connect another computer with usb and go on manage and format or delete partion then remove your harddisk from that computer and connect your own computer and format with window xp
sknake
1,622
Senior Poster
Featured Poster
You can run fdisk /mbr from the XP installation CD and remove the partitions and master boot record as Asafe was mentioning. There is no need to pull your hard drive unless you want to.
Anpippin
0
Junior Poster
If I only have Ubuntu on my computer and nothing else does that mean I even have a partition? Because I've never resized the hard drive or partitioned the hard drive or anything like that on that computer.
necrolin
94
Posting Whiz in Training
If I only have Ubuntu on my computer and nothing else does that mean I even have a partition? Because I've never resized the hard drive or partitioned the hard drive or anything like that on that computer.
Of course you have a partition. You installed Ubuntu into one or more partitions... actually, probably more because Linux usually also creates a swap partition.
I love to mess with different operating systems and I happen to have an extra computer to mess around with. On this computer I've installed, reinstalled all kinds of systems over each other (dozens of times) including installing Windows XP over Linux and vice versa. I have never, ever, had to do anything like formatting the mbr or removing the hard drive. If you're getting an error then you are most likely doing something wrong.
1) Throw the Windows XP CD into the drive.
2) Delete all the partitions that Windows displays.
3) Create a new partition on for Windows, you can use the entire disk if you want.
4) Format with NTFS and let Windows install.
There's nothing more to it.
luckystar09
0
Newbie Poster
I'm very interested! I would love to find out more.
SNIP
Anpippin
0
Junior Poster
Of course you have a partition. You installed Ubuntu into one or more partitions... actually, probably more because Linux usually also creates a swap partition.
I love to mess with different operating systems and I happen to have an extra computer to mess around with. On this computer I've installed, reinstalled all kinds of systems over each other (dozens of times) including installing Windows XP over Linux and vice versa. I have never, ever, had to do anything like formatting the mbr or removing the hard drive. If you're getting an error then you are most likely doing something wrong.
1) Throw the Windows XP CD into the drive.
2) Delete all the partitions that Windows displays.
3) Create a new partition on for Windows, you can use the entire disk if you want.
4) Format with NTFS and let Windows install.There's nothing more to it.
It can't find any partitions or whatever, because it can't find the right volume mount drive or something when trying to install Windows XP. So when I try to install Windows XP it will set up the files to install it and then it can't finish because there is an error that doesn't let it finish.
hughv
104
Veteran Poster
What necrolin said.
Delete all the partitions before installing.
Anpippin
0
Junior Poster
Ok I think I just fixed my problem! Right now I'm installing Windows 7, because my Windows XP disk wouldn't go to the partition screen. I put my Windows 7 disk in and then deleted the partitions and right now it is installing Windows 7. Once it is finished with that I will try and get Windows XP on it.
caperjack
875
I hate 20 Questions
Team Colleague
is it a SATA hard drive perhaps! xp will need sata drivers install first to see drive partition ,as it has none of it own
Anpippin
0
Junior Poster
is it a SATA hard drive perhaps! xp will need sata drivers install first to see drive partition ,as it has none of it own
Yes it is a SATA hard drive
caperjack
875
I hate 20 Questions
Team Colleague
Yes it is a SATA hard drive
knew it , xp will not see the drive unless you hit f6 when booting to winxp cd and install sata drivers ,some say you can set it to vga mode or something in the bios to get by with out sata drivers.
not all bios have this option but if your dose you can get by with out the f6 option.
set BIOS sata settings to not AHCI, but to IDE emulation.
google and found this .
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/242992-32-hard-disk-error-install-sata
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