Unfortunately, your windows CD will not recognize a hdd or partition
formatted for Linux.  You will have to do 1 of 2 things, depending.  If
the Linux install program permits you to format the drive separate from
the installation process itself, format it for fat32 or ntfs, depending
on the flavor of windows you are installing.  After this, fdisk and
format under windows using your Windows boot floppy or installation CD.
If you cannot do this, download the disk utility from the hdd
manufacturer that will format your hdd(I think all hdd manufacturers
will have that available for download)for use with Windows.  If all of
this fails or you are uncertain about the process, ask your friend to
restore your hdd for use under Windows.

On Fri, 2004-11-26 at 10:05 -0600, Dean Kukral wrote:
> I think that to do what you want to do, you need to go into the bios
> during booting and tell it to boot from the cd.  Then it will boot
> from your Windows installation CD and you can reload Windows.  You may
> have to reformat your drive (I don't know what Linux does, but that is
> one way of wiping the drive clean).  If you do, you will lose anything
> that you have on the hard drive.  (If your computer is very old, it
> may not be able to boot from the cd, but most motherboards of the last
> ten years or so will let you do that.)
>
> After installing Windows, you may have to change the boot drive back
> to your hard drive again.
>
> If you have never gone into the bios, see if you have a manual or come
> to here for more help.
>
> I suspect that most people who play with Linux have a dual-boot set up
> somehow.  This lets them go into Windows or Linux as they choose.
>
> I am confident that you can fix this yourself.  Good luck.
>
> Dean Kukral
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Marc Reinbold
> Sent: Thursday, November 25, 2004 11:19 AM
> Subject: [PCBUILD] Linux/Windows Problem
>
>
> Hi, well, to tell the truth I am not much of a computer genius, at
> least not at the moment. And a friend of mine talked me into putting
> linux on my computer. However, I don't have any clue how to use it, it
> is not like he said, backwards compatible, and I want to re-install
> windows. Now, I put in the startup disk and CD and it doesn't work. I
> use the floppy in DOS and do the little autoexec and then it tells me
> that it installed the drivers but that there is a problem with
> Harddrive space. Then it says that I am missing Command and readme.
> Now, I was wondering if there is a way I can wipe my harddrives and
> start over again. Or if there is an even easier way, that would be
> great as well. Thanks, and someone please get back to me asap.
>
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--
david richards <[log in to unmask]>

              The NOSPIN Group is now offering Free PC Tech
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