Problem installing Windows XP on foreign Linux hard drive...

JohnnyxXxD · 12-30-2006, 03:31 AM

I got a hard drive from my work that has Linux for an operating system, and I'm trying to install Windows XP Proffesional. So when I put the disc in and I boot the system, I press a button to boot from disc, and then it says setup is checking my computers hardware, but then the screen goes blank and after about 5 minutes the cd-rom stops spinning the disc...so does it just take a long time and something will eventuall pop up? I read over the web all about having to do something like partitioning the disc to install windows over linux.....any help greatly appreciated!

by the way i'm unable to start linux up at all...

PC eye · 12-30-2006, 04:15 AM

The XP installer "will not" be able to remove Linux VFat12 partitions. One great tool for both creating and removing partitions for Windows and Linux alike is the Gnome Partition Editor. If you have a program for burning iso disk images onto bootable cd-rs the free tool can be downloaded from http://sourceforge.net/projects/gparted/ A full definition is seen at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GParted

First you will need a program that can burn iso images to cd-rs if you have a cd writer available. BurnOn has a free to try-free to keep version found at http://www.burnworld.com/burnoncddvd/

If and when you are able to burn GParted and boot from the disk you simply keep pressing the enter at every prompt until reaching the main program screen. Note at the right you will see a small tab that shows HDa1. The split screen will also see a hda1 that you highlight and choose the delete button to totally remove the current Linux installation.

katulu50 · 12-30-2006, 03:10 PM

Hi, I had the same problem couple weeks ago, so let my explain you some of the things I've done.

SOLUTION #1: Using Windows
Would be great if you have another computer with any version of Windows because you could plug the HD to that machine as a slave disk and then use PartitionMagic 8.0 to see all the partitions of that "slave" disk. It's a program easy to use and will let you format the disk and change it back to NTFS system. That program it's not free but you could download a FREE-DEMO or Trial... It would be work I'm sure it will

SOLUTION #2: Using Linux
Another solution it's to get a Linux Installation disk, it would recognize your new HD and it could change it to NTFS system through the first step of the installation (you would not install Linux, just use it's installation disk to format the HD). Then you cancel the installation, reset the machine with your Windows XP disk and it's all done.

Let my tell you that these aren't professional solutions but they would be work on your computer. Post a Reply for any doubt.

PC eye · 01-01-2007, 02:03 AM

The Gnome Partition Editor is a Linux tool that will also create NTFS and Fat32 type partitions. It's a good tool to have onhand when crossing over between the different OSs. The installer for the intended OS will then be used to format the one or more partitions you create. The Linux cfdisk tool will remove the Linux partition as well with the XP installer being the source for creating the new NTFS primary. The links posted are for free of charge, free to keep programs.

12-30-2006, 03:31 AM	#1 (permalink)
JohnnyxXxD New Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 15	Problem installing Windows XP on foreign Linux hard drive... I got a hard drive from my work that has Linux for an operating system, and I'm trying to install Windows XP Proffesional. So when I put the disc in and I boot the system, I press a button to boot from disc, and then it says setup is checking my computers hardware, but then the screen goes blank and after about 5 minutes the cd-rom stops spinning the disc...so does it just take a long time and something will eventuall pop up? I read over the web all about having to do something like partitioning the disc to install windows over linux.....any help greatly appreciated! by the way i'm unable to start linux up at all... Last edited by JohnnyxXxD; 12-30-2006 at 03:37 AM.

12-30-2006, 03:10 PM	#3 (permalink)
katulu50 Bronze Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Age: 22 Posts: 65	Same problem Hi, I had the same problem couple weeks ago, so let my explain you some of the things I've done. SOLUTION #1: Using Windows Would be great if you have another computer with any version of Windows because you could plug the HD to that machine as a slave disk and then use PartitionMagic 8.0 to see all the partitions of that "slave" disk. It's a program easy to use and will let you format the disk and change it back to NTFS system. That program it's not free but you could download a FREE-DEMO or Trial... It would be work I'm sure it will SOLUTION #2: Using Linux Another solution it's to get a Linux Installation disk, it would recognize your new HD and it could change it to NTFS system through the first step of the installation (you would not install Linux, just use it's installation disk to format the HD). Then you cancel the installation, reset the machine with your Windows XP disk and it's all done. Let my tell you that these aren't professional solutions but they would be work on your computer. Post a Reply for any doubt.

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12-30-2006, 04:15 AM	#2 (permalink)
PC eye Diamond Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inside a pc Posts: 19,005	The XP installer "will not" be able to remove Linux VFat12 partitions. One great tool for both creating and removing partitions for Windows and Linux alike is the Gnome Partition Editor. If you have a program for burning iso disk images onto bootable cd-rs the free tool can be downloaded from http://sourceforge.net/projects/gparted/ A full definition is seen at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GParted First you will need a program that can burn iso images to cd-rs if you have a cd writer available. BurnOn has a free to try-free to keep version found at http://www.burnworld.com/burnoncddvd/ If and when you are able to burn GParted and boot from the disk you simply keep pressing the enter at every prompt until reaching the main program screen. Note at the right you will see a small tab that shows HDa1. The split screen will also see a hda1 that you highlight and choose the delete button to totally remove the current Linux installation.

01-01-2007, 02:03 AM	#4 (permalink)
PC eye Diamond Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inside a pc Posts: 19,005	The Gnome Partition Editor is a Linux tool that will also create NTFS and Fat32 type partitions. It's a good tool to have onhand when crossing over between the different OSs. The installer for the intended OS will then be used to format the one or more partitions you create. The Linux cfdisk tool will remove the Linux partition as well with the XP installer being the source for creating the new NTFS primary. The links posted are for free of charge, free to keep programs.