Reinstall OS

[Daolas]

HI all

My hard drive crashed about a month ago. I installed Ubuntu on it. I really loved that, but I couldn't run most of the software I need for my job. WINE would not run most of it properly.... so I'm trying to get back to windows vista

I received the CDs that I need to return the computer to the factory state in the mail today. Everything ran pretty well until I got to a message that said

"Your computer will not boot for the first time" or something similar.

The PC restarted, I got the windows splash screen and then a black screen. I let it run for some time(over an hour) on that black screen thinking that it may be doing something in the background. I never got anything else.

I tried rebooting and got the splash screen and then the same black screen.


Any of you computer guys have any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

D

 

[BertrandRussell]

Change jobs.

 

[BertrandRussell]

Actually, if you really like your job despite the fact that they make you use windows... my first guess is that there is some leftover file from some older version of windows still on the disk.
If I were doing this, I'd use two physical disks, one to book off of, and one for your new OS. Wipe the second one completely by formatting it before you load the OS.

 

[Daolas]

Actually, if you really like your job despite the fact that they make you use windows... my first guess is that there is some leftover file from some older version of windows still on the disk.
If I were doing this, I'd use two physical disks, one to book off of, and one for your new OS. Wipe the second one completely by formatting it before you load the OS.

I was thinking something like that. I just wiped my HD and am installing the Windows stuff.... IF i can get this to work, I think I'm gonna dual boot it. Windows for work stuff and Linux for everything else.

 

[fgarvb1]

I had some trouble with the "factory disk" for my XP Pro last may.
about the same thing you are describing.

Gets to one place loading up and stops with a black screen showing.

Took it and paid to have it installed.

Some of the drivers on the restore disk did not work.

The man said he went in and suppressed them and finished loading up windows.

Windows then either took them off the disk or the Microsoft web site he said he wasn't sure which one but it did fast.

yeah, I said a few choice words.

I paid good money for those disks!

 

[nakedphriend]

this does sound like a driver issue. you sound pretty savvy, do you have another windows machine you can run nlite on and burn a custom windows install disc? you can slipstream the drivers you need onto the windows install (as well as do some unattend options) and create a new bootable cd. BTW windows vista is terrible, if you arent going to use XP at least get windows 7.

Alternatively, you could run windows XP as a virtual machine on your ubuntu OS.

 

[sunandshadow]

Do you have 64 bit discs or 32 bit? Are you absolutely sure it's what was on the machine before?

It does sound like a driver problem though, or possibly bios.

 

[SubNebGuy]

Why bother with Vista? Microsoft has already replaced it. I tried Vista, and have to run tests at work with Vista (and all Windows OS's from XP thru 7, including 2003 and 2008 Server).

Do yourself a huge favor...if you want to go back to windows, get windows 7. buy the upgrade license and you just have to plug in your vista CD key. Start from a freshly formatted NTFS partition.

Windows 7 runs faster than XP did on the same hardware, while Vista was sluggish (and crashed all the time).

I know its an investment to get a license, but win7 is really worth it. I'm running 64-bit premium and have yet to run into problems even with old games and hardware. It even had the 'impossible to find' drivers for the onboard NIC for my ASUS motherboard.

 

[Daolas]

Thanks for all your input guys,

I got it worked out this afternoon. For some reason the OEM vista disk was corrupted. I downloaded a copy of Vista and it installed with no problem.

I know vista bites. I tried to can it when i bought this PC. Drivers for XP were not available for my machine at the time. I won't spend the cash to upgrade to Windows 7... I think Bill Gates has enough money already

There are only a few things I do on Windows anyways. I tried running a virtual windows machine to handle what i need but there were too many laggy graphics issues.

So anyways, now i'm running a dual boot system UBUNTU and Vista.

Thanks again all

D