Solved Help, switching from Ubuntu to win7

[Steve438]

Hi everyone
Thanks for letting me into your forum, this then would be my first post.

I recently purchased a high perfomance computer which is running on Ubuntu.
I have tried it but honestly can say that I am so conditioned to the windows platform that i find Ubuntu absolutely horrendous.

Anyway, I bought win7 Ultimate (contained both 32 and 64 bit versions). I want to install the 64bit version onto the gaming Pc I have bought as a present for my son.

I have also bought a new 2tb hard drive and installed it into the PC along with the existing 260gb HD which contains the Ubuntu.

Using Ubuntu disk manager i tried to format the 2TB hd but when I tried to format it it returned a message that the hd was 512kb out of line.

If I alter the bios to boot from the 2tb hd, it just tells me that it is a non bootable system disk.

Could you good people tell me the procedure for formatting a new HD ready to accept win7 using ubuntu.

I also have a copy of winxp sp1, could i install that first to facilitate the the install procedure for win7?.

By the way, it is the 64bit version I want to install and i dont mind losing Ubuntu at all, in fact, the sooner the better.

Thanks in anticipation

regards

steve

 

[OldMX]

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/52129-disk-clean-clean-all-diskpart-command.html

Clean the disk at windows setup, hit shift+F10 and run diskpart on the command prompt, follow tutorial.

 

[Steve438]

Hi

Thanks for the speedy reply.
When you say "Clean the disk at setup", do you mean the 260gb hd with ubuntu on it or the new 2tb hd?

Afraid you will have to treat me like a complete novice as it probably best describes my ability. Lol.

If you mean the new 2tb hd, when do I press the shift+F10 ?, is it when the bootup gets to the point where at the botton of the screen it says "Press Esc for boot menu and Del for setup" ? because after that page, the pc lists the IRQ devices and then prompts the message "Non bootable disk"

cheers

 

[theog]

All Linux code must be deleted using the CLEAN ALL command.As you have had linux on the HD you need do a Clean all & full format.

1) Boot DVD & Press Shift+F10 (for command prompt)
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/119713-diskpart-pc-startup.html
or
2) Boot DVD, & http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/682-command-prompt-startup.html
(for command prompt)

Type in command line
DISKPART
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK # (win HD)
CLEAN ALL
CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY
SELECT PARTITION 1
ACTIVE
FORMAT fs=NTFS
ASSIGN
EXIT
EXIT


http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html


For better help with problems, Can you post your specs.
http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/22550-filling-out-system-specs.html

 

[gregrocker]

You shouldn't have to clean a brand new HD, just unplug the Ubuntu HD, boot the Win7 DVD, select Custom install, create a partition around 100gb, ignore the 100mb System Reserved partition it creates for you, then select the target partition to format and click Next. Illustrated steps here: Clean Install Windows 7

Only if it fails may you need to wipe the HD with Diskpart Clean command to clear the boot sector of any Linux code. I'm not sure why you would involve Ubuntu in a Win7 install.

After install you can plug back in the Ubuntu HD and when you want to boot it use the one-time BIOS Boot Menu key given on first boot screen. No need to use GRUB at all as you have separate HD's which is the cleanest and safest way to avoid GRUB corruption of Win7.

 

[Mark Phelps]

I would agree with NOT installing GRUB to your Win7 drive.

However if you want a non-BIOS way of switching boot between Win7 and Ubuntu, consider downloading and installing EasyBCD v2.1.2 from NeoSmart Technologies. It has a GUI for adding entries to the BCD and will handle Linux OSs. I use an older Ubuntu version on a laptop and access it through the BCD, through an entry added with EasyBCD -- because I didn't want to mess with the MBR on the laptop's drive.

 

[Steve438]

Thanks for the replies.

First of all, as requested, I will post the system specs.

Athlon 64 3200+cpu
2x512 mb memmory
Pny geoforce 6600 graphics
DFI lanparty UT nf3-250gb motherboard
6x sata ports
Raid capability
2xIDE ports
IEEE 1394
8 channel realtek audio
1GB network socket
1x 260 gb HD containing Ubuntu
1x 2TB HD new
Koolance tower with liquid cooling system

Ok, I tried to boot from CD with no success. When I pressed "esc" at the first screen to get to the select "Boot from" screen, the CD/DVD was not listed though the flopy disk was.

If I select DVD as boot priority in the Bios, then it tries to reboot but I get the message that it has a non system disk or non bootable disk or it gets hung up at "Checking DNI Pool" (i think thats what it said)

Both of these hard drives are not listed as "Primary and secondary internal drives", they are listed as external drives as, I believe, they are sata drives connected via data cable to the motherboard but not via the old double bank multi pin plugs of the early 3.5 inch drives. (does that make sense?).

 

[whs]

Before you do any installation, think about the ramifications.

You say that this is a high performance PC. And you want to install Win7 on the sloooow 2TB drive. I don't think that will do this system justice.

Invest another $100 for a 60GB SSD (just for the OS) and you will really ge a high performance system. The access time to the SSD is 150 times faster than to your sloooow HDD - and that's what will make the difference.

If you need more info - ask. We will be glad to advise and guide you.

 

[pparks1]

There should be nothing you have to do. You simply boot from the Windows DVD, and when you install, you have the option to create and format your drives.

Sounds to me like the CD drive is having some type of issue and won't let you boot from it. Do you have any other bootable DVD/CD's you could try, just to rule out the possibility that it's your Windows DVD itself.

 

[Steve438]

I have also tried my Win XP sp1 disc and it has the same trouble.

I thought there was something wrong when the "DVD" option did not appear in the one time boot list however, it does appear in the bios.

 

[pparks1]

Do you happen to have a free 4GB USB key lying around? You could use another computer and make that a bootable USB key and install Windows from that. Makes for a faster install anyway.

 

[gregrocker]

Did you unplug all but the target HD, and wipe it with Diskpart Clean Command? It doesn't sound like it since you discuss the HD boot order.

I would also physcially remove the floppy drive then make sure it's listing is gone from BIOS Boot order. Set DVD drive first to boot, unless you're trying flash stick install as also suggested.

 

[Steve438]

Hi pparks

I did think about that but unfortunately USB is not an option in the "Boot from" menu.

Hi gregrocker

Yes, I even tried removing all HD's and put a spare 40gb HD that I have into there, but still the same problem, although you can specify to "Boot from DVD" in the bios setup, DVD is not listed in the "One Time Boot" option.

It reminds me of the old windows 3.1 and Dos when you had to have a CD/DVD driver as the first installed software otherwise you could do nothing without it.

 

[gregrocker]

Did you wipe the HD? Yes or No? Wipe the HD with Clean command then try booting installer.

Did you remove Floppy Drive which can interfere with booting DVD? Please reply to steps given so we don't have to repeat them if you want help here. The skipped step is often the one which fixes things.

Next extract the ISO using ImgBurn then write to stick using Universal USB Installer with Win7 in dropdown menu which is the easiest method. USB should show up after you format and plug in the stick for Win7 install

If this fails, test your HD using maker's HD Diagnostic extended CD scan, then test RAM - Test with Memtest86+ CD test.

 

[Steve438]

Hi Again

Ok, I disconnected the FDD and rebooted with only the 2TB drive connected. The system immediately recognised the DVD and booted from there, so it appears, as suggested, that the FDD was preventing the boot from recognising the DVD.

I am installing win xp sp1 as I do not have the win7 installer programme which I believe I would need to put win7 onto a new HDD. I know that I can install win7 onto a winxp drive as I did it last week on my laptop.

Just one more question if I may. Once I have win7 installed and I reconnect the Ubuntu HD, how do I set the boot screen to give me the option of starting either of the two operating systems?

 

[gregrocker]

Since you have two HD's set Win7 to boot first in BIOS setup, after DVD drive.

THen when you plug back in Ubuntu boot it using one-time BIOS Boot Menu key to avoid the use of GRUB bootloader which can corrupt Win7.

This is a lot cleaner method of Dual Booting.

If this doesn't work as you like, install EasyBCD to Win7 to add Linux from its tab

 

[Wareus]

If you want to dual boot, you can use GRUB 2.0 start up ubuntu and if you have any windows OS(if it is installed) make sure to open up a terminal(in ubuntu) and sudo update-grub and reboot, you should now have a list of different OS'es.You can also format your HDD in ubuntu with GParted to set it up for a windows installation, delete/format the HDD and be sure to set the format to NTFS. If Ubuntu is on the HDD that you want to wipe, run a LiveCD/USB and be sure to enable USB/CD/DVD startup in the BIOS menu and follow the above step.P.S

 

[Steve438]

Thanks everyone, that was all very helpfull and much appreciated.
Will now mark this topic as "Solved"