S.o.s

[kiddd02]

Hi everyone !

So it goes like this.I have a Sony Vaio VGN-FW56M and had 2 partitions : C:/ for Windows 7 and D:/ for personal files . I wanted to experiment with linux ( fedora ) but I've had some problems.Unfortunately I installed linux over Windows.Now I want to reinstall Windows 7 and get rid of linux.

The main problem is that when I boot from the Windows CD it tells me that I have no CD/DVD drivers ( I think ) and cannot continue with the installation process.I've never had such issue before so I guess this must have happened because of linux.

I tried to download the SATA Controller from the vaio website but all it's got is an .exe and .bat file , so even if I put them on a flash stick or whatever it does not know what to do with them.

Any help will be most apreciated.Thanks !

 

[Shadowjk]

Do you have a Recovery Disk?

If not using another Computer Make a recovery Disk and then boot into the Disk

See http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2083-system-repair-disc-create.html For More Information

After that Boot Into the Disk and then Attempt a Startup Repair if that Fails then please open Command Prompt and enter the Following:

bootrec.exe /fixboot

And then press enter after that enter

bootrec.exe /fixmbr

Hope This Helps,
Josh

 

[Maguscreed]

If shadowjk's method doesn't help
Try using the following method, you may be looking at the loss of some personal files if you don't have a way to backup the data on the drive though.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

I'm guessing linux did something to the boot sector that windows doesn't like and that is resulting in the bad drivers error.

 

[Shadowjk]

When you install Linux you Install a Bootloader - This overwrites the Windows Boot Loader meaning if the Linux Partition is Deleted you cannot boot into Windows without Restoring the Master Boot Record

Hope This Helps,
Josh

 

[kiddd02]

Thank you for replying.

As I said I am running Fedora so i cannot acces command prompt to run the actions you've told me about.My C:\ partition is formated so Fedora is running from a different invisible partition ( as I saw running Mini Xp using Drive Management ). So let me repeat that I do no not intend to leave Linux intact , I want to get rid of it and install again Windows 7 ; either way I cannot do this because when the bootable Windows Cd is running it tells me that no CD DVD drive was found and cannot continue process unless I provide such drivers from a floppy disk ( which I do not have ) or a flash drive.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello kiddd02.



The best way is to do a complete, partition-specific wipe (secure erase) of the Linux partition using the bootable Partition Wizard program, then you can do a clean install of Windows 7 to that partition; have a look at Option Three of this tutorial at the link below and be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.


Partition Wizard : Use the Bootable CD

 

[kiddd02]

Ok so I used partition wizard and still didn't get me anywhere.

I downloaded the SATA drivers from the vaio website , run the .exe application and see if this would "unzip" the .exe file in the Temp folder. It did ! I then made a copy of the files on a USB memory stick , boot again from the Win7 Cd and see if it recognizes those files as driver files and use them to continue with the installation.So it can see these files as the needed ones BUT STILL does not let me continue installation for some reason.

I tried to run Hiren's CD and use Active Kill Disk to get a fresh start with my HDD and see it afterwords I will be able to Install Windows.Not even Active Kill Disk ( or any other tool fron Hiren's CD ) could find those drivers ! Nothing .

What I am going to try next is get the HDD out of the laptop , connect it to a computer and erase the entire disk this way.I really hope it will work.

The strange thing is that if I power my laptop whith it's HDD as primary boot device it gets me some sort of "grub command prompt" , which is wierd as there are no files left whatsoever on the HDD.

Comments ? Ideas ?

Thank you !

 

[theog]

All Linux code must be deleted.As you have had linux on the HD you need do a Clean all & full format.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/52129-disk-clean-clean-all-diskpart-command.html

Do a full clean & full format in command prompt.
1) Boot DVD & Press Shift+F10 (for command prompt)
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/119713-diskpart-pc-startup.html
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