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I'm on Ubuntu 14.04 and I am using an HP Pavilion Notebook PC. I downloaded Ubuntu by booting from USB and replaced Vista with Ubuntu. I found out about Playonlinux but I was just left unsatisfied by it's performance. I have decided to do a factory reset and use Vista (factory OS) as my gaming platform and Ubuntu as the platform for everything else.

The problem is that when I boot, I press F11 (the key for recovery) and nothing at all happens. It works for the other keys like F9 (BIOS) and F10 (other settings), but not on F11. It then goes straight to grub.

I would like to go back to my factory settings, any help would be highly appreciated.

Braiam
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UbuntuGuy007
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    You've deleted Vista, so the only way to install it again will be to use the DVD you burned when you bought the PC. You'll also have to re-activate it with the code that's on the sticker below your laptop. – MrVaykadji May 25 '14 at 13:01
  • Thanks for the answer but I have done a factory reset before Ubuntu using HP Recovery Manager and that worked fine using F11 at startup. – UbuntuGuy007 May 25 '14 at 13:05
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    Yeah, but now you've erased all of it with Ubuntu. – MrVaykadji May 25 '14 at 13:43
  • The partition containing the factory reset module was formatted when you chose Ubuntu to replace Windows. – Drew Stewart May 25 '14 at 18:16

2 Answers2

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If you did one of the automatic installations of Ubuntu, you most likely deleted all of the earlier partitions on your hard disk. You will need to request from HP the source CDs for reinstalling all of the software. Cost is about $19, was my experience, for a pavilion running windows 7.

You mention poor performance under Ubuntu - there are a couple of things to try while you wait for your disks to arrive from HP (takes about a week).

  • Install compiz configuration manager (compizconfig on the Ubuntu software center), and use it to turn of the animations in gnome. My wife's pavilion was almost unusable until I finally did that.
  • Try some of the recommendations for improving performace in systems with perhaps limited resources

How can I improve Ubuntu overall system performance?

http://www.techdrivein.com/2013/03/4-simple-tweaks-to-improve-unity-performance-ubuntu.html

Community
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Charles Green
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  • Thanks for the answer, already downloading Windows 7. I did not report any problem regarding Ubuntu except the complicated situation of playing games. – UbuntuGuy007 May 25 '14 at 17:10
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If you installed Ubuntu removing Windows, you have to reinstall it. If you wish to keep Ubuntu as is and install Windows alongside, you have to boot Ubuntu from DVD/USB and select "Try Ubuntu", then use GParted to resize Ubuntu and create a new partition. After reinstalling Windows you need to use Boot-Repair to get Ubuntu working again.

If you want to install everything from scratch, install Windows first using the DVD you should have burnt when it was installed then install Ubuntu.

If you didn't burn the disc, you have to download it from the Internet. It is not illegal if you use the product key printed in the OEM sticker in your PC.

nastys
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