Linux took over my system

hello everyone,
i am not very good with computers , so i decided that i would try and load linux onto my new laptop, an acer aspire 5920g ,while loading i must have done something wrong but now the computer only starts with linux , i fiddled around with it quite a bit but i could not manage to get it to start in windows. i managed to get the boot menu in which it asks me in which operating system i would like to go in but when i click windows nothing seems to happen. It seems that i have managed to delete the windows vista home premium off my computer completely. i have no idea what i am doing . i dont like linux as i cant get any of my computers hardware to work on it properly such as the wifi card and now even my mouse isnt working. i really want to have my vista operating system back. i am thinking of sending it back to acer to reinstall vista but i was also thinking maybe i should buy a vista cd myself and install it but would all the differnt acer buttons work if i install it myself??
sending it back and reinstalling it myself costs about the same, what should i do??

 

When you installed Ubuntu, did you choose the option to use the entire volume, or did you choose to install on a separate partition from Windows?

 

i installed mandriva and i think i did install a partition

 

If you want to get rid of Linux altogether, you will have to delete the Linux partition and expand the Windows partition to reclaim the space left by the Linux partition. This can be done using Gparted.

Getting rid of GRUB or LILO is easy. Simply follow these instructions:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927392

 

If vista is wiped out you should be able to reinstall it quickly. You have to install it and then go to Acer support and find all the drivers for your particular model, download them and install them. It sucks to pay for windows twice but at least then you don't have to wait and you own the license.

But yeah, see if it is gone in the first place. I would guess that it is given what you've said.

Also, you can give Ubuntu a shot in the meantime. I would guess that there are ways to make your hardware work. You can install it and tell us what's not working and we can help you.

 

Doesn't acer usually have a recovery partition?

 

The recovery partition would likely be nuked along with the Vista partition.

 

Did you look in the Partition Manager to see if the partitions are still there, and if there's anything on them?

 

I doubt Vista is gone, as Ubuntu defaults to resizing the Winduz partition and then installing itself on a partition in the freed up space.

 

I also doubt Vista is gone because if you install Linux over the whole drive, the Windows options wouldn't even show up on Grub. Unless Grub already existed before install from previous Linux installs.

I would try to get my hands on a Vista Disc(not recovery) so you can try to do a repair.

 

Hello,

Reboot with Vista DVD...
Follow Vista install instructions...

Just as you did basically with your linux install.