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Well, I decided to give Ubuntu 12.10 a try but really isn't for me, mostly because I'm a gamer at heart and the game selection on Linux is very limited. :P

I want to revert back to Windows 7 but I can't seem to be able to access the recovery partition on my Desktop. It's an Acer, so the Alt + F10 combo should trigger the recovery management during the boot, but for some reason it doesn't: the PC goes straight into Ubuntu.

I've tried reinstalling Windows from a DVD but it looks like the computer is ignoring whatever boot command I give it. I changed the boot order inside the BIOS, I tried to directly tell the PC (with the built in function) to boot from the DVD but nothing: the PC won't boot anything but Ubuntu.

I can tell the recovery partition is still there because the disk management says that out of my 1TB, 60GB are already occupied by stuff, and I don't think Ubuntu takes that much space. So, something must have screwed up the boot system.

Any ideas on how could I fix this? Thanks in advance.

edit: I should have added that Ubuntu 12.10 is the only OS installed on the HDD at the moment. I'd like to reinstall Windows from either the recovery partition or the DVD but they just won't boot up! The PC goes straight into Ubuntu, regardless of what I do/click.

kagemitsu
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  • Try holding down one (or both) shift keys during boot. This should tell GRUB (the Linux boot manager) to display a list of operating systems that it has detected. You should be able to access Windows from there. For changing GRUB's settings, see this excellent tutorial on How-to Geek about using Grub Customizer to modify how GRUB works. If you do get back Windows, please consider keeping Ubuntu installed on your computer for day-to-day tasks, such as surfing the web. – fouric Dec 25 '12 at 01:32
  • Actually, Ubuntu is the only OS installed on my computer at the moment, so there is nothing else to boot on the HDD. I just want to be able to get access to my old recovery partition OR start a fresh Windows installation, and I can't do neither. :( Thanks for the reply anyway. – kagemitsu Dec 25 '12 at 11:43

3 Answers3

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a) Option 1:



Setps.....

1) Insert the Windows 7 DVD into the CDROM.
2) Shut down the computer. (DO NOT RESTART)
3) Start the computer, & immediately after that start tapping on F12 which will give you boot options. Select CD/DVD ROM Over there.
4) Windows 7 should start the installation Process.


b) Option 2:



Steps......

1) boot the system normally using Ubuntu installation that is there on Hard Drive.
2) Once you reach Ubuntu Desktop, insert Windows 7 DVD in DVD ROM Drive.
3) Ubuntu will automatically give you pop-up of the Windows 7 DVD & Start the Default auto-run program of Windows 7 DVD.
4) Click on the option to install Windows 7 from that pop-up menu.
System may restart Automatically After step no. 4
5) Windows 7 will start the installation.



Let me know if u have any further queries.

Hrish
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  • Thanks for the reply. Option A won't work, because the computer is ignoring every boot instruction I'm giving it. I can get to the boot manager, but even if I choose to boot from CD, the computer ignores it and goes back to Ubuntu. Dunno how to go about option B. The Windows CD has .exe's in it, should I install Wine or something to read it? – kagemitsu Dec 25 '12 at 15:59
  • @kagemitsu Hey don't install wine, as it is not required. :) Boot in ubuntu and then insert the Win CD it should give u a popup automatically try that and then let me know. will tell u what to do if that does not work by tomorrow. :) – Hrish Dec 25 '12 at 16:05
  • Do you have any reason to believe that this Windows installation utility works properly from wine? – Jordan Uggla Dec 25 '12 at 23:15
  • @kagemitsu it does not works on wine, for sure. – Hrish Dec 26 '12 at 08:33
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I don't know what the problem was, but I managed to reinstall Windows using the procedure found here: http://www.webupd8.org/2010/10/create-bootable-windows-7-usb-drive.html

I borrowed a copy of Windows 8 from a friend and it worked the same using the procedure described in the link. That way I managed to completely format my HDD (and sadly losing the precious recovery partition) and install Windows 8 without any problems.

Thanks to everyone who helped in solving this matter. :)

kagemitsu
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-1

Ubuntu doesn't see Windows loader if its installed first (Before Windows).

You should just remove Ubuntu using Ubuntu installation disk and then you could regain control over the boot.

If you want to use just Windows, just remove all Linux partitions after removing Ubuntu.

If you want to keep using Ubuntu after that as a second OS choice, just leave some free disk space and install Ubuntu after you install Windows.

Eliah Kagan
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maljukan
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  • Hey, thanks for the quick reply, but how would I exactly do that? I installed Ubuntu from an USB drive, and if I boot from USB (which does actually boot, miracle!) just asks me if I want to install or try Ubuntu, no uninstall option. Am I missing something? – kagemitsu Dec 25 '12 at 01:06
  • Just choose Install Ubuntu and you will get Install menu, just follow installation scenario link until you get to step where you get to step 'Installation Type'. Choose 'Something else' option where you will get advanced installation menu where you can remove existing installation and configure partitions. – maljukan Dec 25 '12 at 02:43
  • Even if kagemitsu had Windows installed, removing the Ubuntu partition without restoring the Windows bootloader would simply break grub, making it so that they couldn't boot Ubuntu or Windows. As Ubuntu in their case is the only OS they have on the hard drive, removing Ubuntu's partitions would literally leave them with no OS, and at least apparently no way to install a new OS as they are having problems booting from their Windows install DVD. I highly recommend against that. – Jordan Uggla Dec 25 '12 at 23:13
  • No way to install a new OS after removing Ubuntu partitions? Are you actually saying there is no way to install OS on free (unpartitioned) space and that it would be caused by solution that i provided. Tell me you are joking! – maljukan Dec 26 '12 at 02:06
  • "Are you actually saying there is no way to install OS on free (unpartitioned) space and that it would be caused by solution that i provided." I said that if you have a computer which for whatever reason is having problems booting from external media, as the OP said "I've tried reinstalling Windows from a DVD but it looks like the computer is ignoring whatever boot command I give it.", then it is probably a bad idea to remove the only operating system that they have installed on the internal drive which they can boot from. I think that's a fair statement to make. – Jordan Uggla Dec 26 '12 at 09:20
  • Yes but that implies some hardware problems or BIOS configuration settings. If it's hardware related issue i don't understand why do you think he should keep Ubuntu on malformed hardware, if it was to be BIOS configuration problem... i must admit my mistake cause i didn't ask about that. Thus i agree with -1, only not with your arguments, cheers. – maljukan Dec 26 '12 at 17:03