from ubuntu to windows

i had ubuntu 11.04 for a while just to see whats its like and im trying to put windows on now.

i have a win7 pro upgrade dvd so i need XP on it first.

i booted the XP disc which then said the only partition was 8GB. this was i believe the 'swap' file i allocated for linux.

i decided to carry on and get it installed then go from there. it converted the space to NTFS then i got a blue screen error. I started again and got the XP splash screen followed by the blue screen. I tried to install again but it says no hard drive is installed.

i am currently writing this from ubuntu so the hard drive is there and is communicating.

I tried to plug the drive into my brother pc with win7 on it via a USB wotsit.
windows did recognise something was plugged in and the drive details appeared in device manager. there was no autoplay and the drive didnt appear in my computer.

so it appears windows cannot recognise my drive??

could this be because i have 2 different formats on the drive, NTFS from the windows install and the rest (FAT)? from linux?

Anyway, how can i completely wipe the drive? i really just want to format it in NTFS and then boot the XP disc. I was wondering if there might be a magic software that sees the drive regardless of whats on it and does a format.

only other option is to plug in directly to my bros pc via the sata cables.

cheers

 

1. With existing drive...use factory restore disc to load XP. It says to original specs or something. (Option 1)( Overwrite existing data.)
2. If you choose to dual boot: When XP is loaded and updated load Ubuntu and let the Ubuntu loader do the partioning.

I've done this in excess of 10 times and it the fastest smoothest way FOR ME.

If you want to use Ubuntu to re-partition for some reason here's a link https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HowtoPartition/PartitioningBasics

Good luck.

Jeff

 

I dont have the original disc so cant use that method.

Is there any reason why windows and the windows XP install disc cannot see the drive?

 

just booted up with the windows disk via USB again and it still said no hard drive. So i removed it and checked the connection. Started it up again then starting getting a message saying no operating system found.

tried windows again. still 'no hard drive'
Restarting and now im running ubuntu.

Maybe i should just buy a new hard drive

 

It doesn't see the drive because it's looking for NTSF.

Check out Gparted in Ubuntu. Alright I loaded gparted and the recommended files. Take a look and no NTSF.
You will need to read a little and figure out gparted as I don't use it much.

code:

gparted partition editor will be in [system][administration]

Good luck. Give us a report. I wouldn't scrap that disk just yet.

 

I'm getting this no operating system detected with and without the hard drive plugged in so I'm thinking it MAY be a physical issue rather than software??

Anyway, I tried to get gparted on my USB to boot it but then my USB stopped working so I think it's just a week for everything to break.

Next step is my bro is plugging my hdd into his computer to see if he can see it and format it.

I ran gparted earlier on ubuntu (when it was working), and I saw no NTFS partitions

 

Told you I didn't know anything about it.

And I know less about parted magic. Ubuntu Forums

The one thing I see is that the partitioning is done from a cd as the hd must be un-mounted at the time.

You might also look at kdepartition manager. Just type ntfs in Ubuntu Software Center.

Jeff

 

I'm downloading parted magic as we speak. Further info as I get it.

Now I have a little work to do.

Jeff

 

annoying. my bro plugged the drive into his computer and although it was visable in device manager in wasnt showing in my computer so he couldnt format it.

i took the motherboard battery out for a bit to reset the bios. put it all back together and it asked me to go through the setup and do the time and date.

it restarted and i got the same error message. except this time the 'no operating system detected' didnt appear and ubuntu ran.

I have no idea whats going on.

 

parted magic is interesting but I didn't find what I needed.

You might check this out. Ubuntu Tricks – How to mount your Windows partition and make it read/writable with NTFS-3G|ArsGeek

Also fdisk comes up a lot. Check it out.

Good luck.

Jeff

 

Use the Win 7 disc to format and partition the HDD. Even though you have an upgrade disc you can boot from it and install Win 7. Usually a Win 7 upgrade disc will clean install and activate with no problems. Sometimes you need to upgrade over the clean install.

What model Toughbook are you working on?

 

that didnt find an NTFS partition.

Is there anything that can force the drive to format, it not coming up in my computer on windows but is there in device manager so it can be read.

 

FYI- The "upgrade" DVD works like a standard disc. If you use the drive utilities in the windows setup program, it will recognize a non-NTFS/non-windows partion. Unless you really want dual boot, wipe the ENTIRE drive using 7's setup, and go from there. Worked wonders on my gateway 7811FX when I ran the GENTOO distro.

 

I just used western digital lifeguard diagnostic tool and done the scans and 'wrote zeros' (erase), tried XP but same issue with 'no hard drive detected'.

I didn't even consider trying the win7 install because it's an upgrade. Trying now. Fingers crossed

 

Amazing!!! It sees the drive. All unallocated space. Hopefully will work. Cheers for the suggestion.

By the way. That WD lifeguard tool. It saw the drive was connected via USB but windows still didn't??

Also I'm using a CF-19C. Resetting my bios seemed to give me better battery life. No other changes though.

 

It's just going round in circles. Install win7, restart, then going back to the start of the install.

 

Remove the Win 7 disc while it restarts or change to boot from HDD first.

 

I had the same problem last week with my CF-18 and one of the problems was I did not put the caddy back together right. I thought the two tabs on the cover was there to hold the ribbon cable but its not. Check the picture and see if yours is the same as that. My cable was not going into the laptop far enough because the tabs were over the ribbon and that was wrong....they need to be in back of the ribbon like pictures

 

Yeah I worked out the problem with the install. I had the install on USB so I removed that and restarted the laptop.

I'll check the caddy thing tomorrow too. Cheers

 

I have windows installed now and have done the whole process of installing everything as per the guide on here.

Last few things I need to sort out.
-the installation key didn't work during the initial install
-the error message at the start is for the realtek 8139? Ethernet controller. It says something PXE not found and check cable. I haven't plugged it in yet so don't know if it works.

 

well i just tried to put in my windows product key. because ive installed it as a 'fresh install' rather than an upgrade, it says my key is invalid.

why give me the option if i cant use?

so now it looks like ill have to install XP and then upgrade. The thing i couldnt do in the first place. Hopefully with window on here and working now it might actually work.

 

Why beat your head against the wall, Steve?

Get the factory Panasonic Product Recovery CD-ROM set from Heartland Services Inc., then use the Win7 Pro upgrade (if you just have to have Windows 7th Attempt ).

BTW: you really should post your Toughbook's full Model Number (such as: CF-##xxxxxxx) when you request assistance with any problems.

 

There is a way to do a fresh install from an upgrade disk. I know because I did that very thing with my CF-30. Personally, I never upgrade an operating system- I do a fresh install. The Windows installer used to just check to make sure you had the disk for the previous version, but now Microsoft does not seem interested in continuing this proceedure. Despite the fact that I can legally buy and use the upgrade version, I am supposed to believe that I am only allowed do it their way or buy the full version. Being the inquisitive sort, I investigated my options fully before shelling out more money or installing XP just to turn around and upgrade it.

It seems a bit too far out on thin ice for this forum to print the instructions to "work around" Microsoft's new install strategy. It is not a hack or violation of the EULA as far as I can see, but it does involve forcing the installer to do something that it is apparently not intended to do. Sooooo if you interpret Microsoft's licensing in a similar fashion, I will personally guarantee that my uncle Google will lead you in the correct direction if you ask the right questions. He didn't let me down. If all else fails, PM me and I can give you a better hint.

 

I think we know a better place to post this...incoming PM

 

its just what im used to. Linux was good but it was too difficult to find info that i needed. I was happy to learn about it in order to sort the problems out myself but couldnt even get a good recommendation of where to start or what to read so though id use windows like im used to and play with linux on an old laptop if i want to.

Toughbook model is-

CF19CHB06BE

 

That's a UK Model Number, so you may want to visit Panasonic Toughbook Support UK about a Product Recovery DVD Set. With that used to place the original factory-installed hard drive image to the drive, the Win7Pro upgrade from Vista should go w/o a hitch (fingers crossed ).

 

I have it sorted now. Thanks for everyones input.