Windows 7 Deleted ! Please Help

[JESSEjj]

My nephews friend gave him a OS software disk (ubuntu). Today I noticed he installed it on my computer, but Windows 7 has been completely deleted from the Hard Drive.. I check to see if their were any partitions but it only shows ubuntu as the only OS. I tried using the recovery disk, but it didnt boot. Please Help me fix it, the laptop is for work.

 

[richc46]

See if you can boot to the repair options
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.htm

The main problem may be that your computer came with a repair partition, that may have been deleted
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/668-system-recovery-options.html

If your partition has been deleted and you did not get a DVD with the computer, it may be tough to get back to the OS.

 

[lorddenis]

if he deleted windows 7 then you have to re-instal window 7.

now you have 2 choices:
1. you delete ubunto and re-instal windows 7
or
2 you keep ubunto in instal windows 7 and have a dual boot

 

[JESSEjj]

if he deleted windows 7 then you have to re-instal window 7.

now you have 2 choices:
1. you delete ubunto and re-instal windows 7
or
2 you keep ubunto in instal windows 7 and have a dual boot

I wish I could, but I don't have an Installation CD,just the recovery Disk ( which you need Win7 for it to work)

 

[JESSEjj]

See if you can boot to the repair options
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.htm

The main problem may be that your computer came with a repair partition, that may have been deleted
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/668-system-recovery-options.html

If your partition has been deleted and you did not get a DVD with the computer, it may be tough to get back to the OS.

Tried them, but none of them work. I need win7 for it to work

 

[richc46]

How did you get Windows 7, preinstalled?

 

[JESSEjj]

How did you get Windows 7, preinstalled?

It came with laptop (preinstalled) when I bought It..

 

[richc46]

OK This is the best thing to do..
Contact the store that sold you the computer and/or the Manufacturer. Tell them the story, for cost, they should give you an install CD.
IN the past all companies gave one with the computer.

 

[JESSEjj]

OK This is the best thing to do..
Contact the store that sold you the computer and/or the Manufacturer. Tell them the story, for cost, they should give you an install CD.
IN the past all companies gave one with the computer.

Thanks I sure

 

[bobkn]

Microsoft requires that every Windows PC be sold with a means of restoring the operating system. Unfortunately, a lot of makers choose the cheapest way - a hidden partition on the hard drive. (If the hard drive dies, it's of no use.)

What make is the laptop? There's usually a hotkey that'll launch the system restore at startup. There are two bits of bad news, though:

If it works, the laptop will be restored to its initial condition. All of your files and programs installed since then will be gone.

It's possible that the Ubuntu installation has rendered the recovery partition unusable, anyway.

You say that the laptop is "for work". Does your company have an IT department? You may have violated company policy by letting your nephew play with the machine, but it may be better to accept the embarrasment and let a pro fix things for you.

 

[gregrocker]

You may not be able to see the separate Recovery partition because it is hidden when you look in Ubuntu.

Boot free Partition Wizard bootable CD to look at the true partitioning as it now exists. If there is a Recov partition, explore to see it is populated. If you find what might have been the Win7 partition (on the chance it wasn't overwritten) then you can use the tools there to Recover Partition . Paragon Rescue CD can do this too as well as rescue data from unbootable partition. http://www.partitionwizard.com/download.html
http://www.paragon-software.com/home/rk-express/

If you see Recovery, reboot computer and try tapping key given on first boot screen to run Recovery. You can read the exact steps/key in the Manual for you computer model at manufacturer's Support Downloads webpage or post back the model and we will look it up.

If your IT department was on the ball they would have had an unremovable password for you to access Win7, so telling them your nephew messed it up shouldn't fall entirely on you.

 

[JESSEjj]

Microsoft requires that every Windows PC be sold with a means of restoring the operating system. Unfortunately, a lot of makers choose the cheapest way - a hidden partition on the hard drive. (If the hard drive dies, it's of no use.)

What make is the laptop? There's usually a hotkey that'll launch the system restore at startup. There are two bits of bad news, though:

If it works, the laptop will be restored to its initial condition. All of your files and programs installed since then will be gone.

It's possible that the Ubuntu installation has rendered the recovery partition unusable, anyway.

You say that the laptop is "for work". Does your company have an IT department? You may have violated company policy by letting your nephew play with the machine, but it may be better to accept the embarrasment and let a pro fix things for you.

Thanks for replying. The Laptop is a VAIO VPCEF22FX. The Ubuntu installation did override the recovery partition with its own recovery partition. The IT department's duties is primary maintaining the servers and the CRM datebase. Would Sony have any restoration disks they can ship ?

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

They should have a set of disks for that PC that they will ship to you for a nominal cost, usually just shipping charges; have you contacted them?

 

[bobkn]

It's also possible to find regular (non-warez) copies of the retail .iso files online. mydigitallife has live links to digital river, which is a distributor for Microsoft.

You may have to make the installer generic by eliminating ei.cfg in order to use your OEM license key. (You can extract the .iso with 7Zip, freeware/open source.) You may as well do it from a USB key drive:

Use a USB Key to Install Windows 7

(It's also faster than installing from a DVD.)

I doubt that Microsoft would bless any of the above, but the end result is a normal installation, with activation using your own WIn7 license. The main reason for doing that is to save time. It could also avoid any crapware that Sony might provide with their custom restore disks.

If you take the download route, make sure to download drivers for the laptop before hand:

Sony eSupport - VPCEF22FX - Software Updates & Drivers

(This assumes that you're in the USA.) Windows 7 has many device drivers built-in, but you can't count on that, especially with newer hardware. The network driver alone may be sufficient to get you started, with Windows Update supplying some of the others.

Good luck.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Microsoft requires that every Windows PC be sold with a means of restoring the operating system. Unfortunately, a lot of makers choose the cheapest way - a hidden partition on the hard drive. (If the hard drive dies, it's of no use.)

What make is the laptop? There's usually a hotkey that'll launch the system restore at startup. There are two bits of bad news, though:

If it works, the laptop will be restored to its initial condition. All of your files and programs installed since then will be gone.

It's possible that the Ubuntu installation has rendered the recovery partition unusable, anyway.

You say that the laptop is "for work". Does your company have an IT department? You may have violated company policy by letting your nephew play with the machine, but it may be better to accept the embarrasment and let a pro fix things for you.

There is this tutorial at the link below.

Windows 7 Universal Installation Disc - Create