please help i need to reformat my linux hard drive

[chris01]

i need help with re formating mi linux harddrive .... i dont even know where to start, i would like to put windows xp back on my pc.

please help

i thank all who reply

[LondoJowo]

Just boot from the WinXP disk, delete all partitions, create new partition, and install. You may have to go into the BIOS and set the CD as the first boot device.

[chris01]

but i tryed that and it came to a point where it is just about to install and then says that i do not have the win xp cd-rom in the cd drive .... have you anny suggestions???

[LondoJowo]

Is this a OEM (Dell, Gateway,...) restore disk or an actual WinXP disk? If it's a OEM restore disk you need to follow their instructions for installing.

[krow14]

i've been using a hard drive soley dedicated to my ubuntu os. is there a way i can reformat the drive, or at least clear linux off for teh time being, within the ubuntu os? if not, how would i go about clearing this hard drive.

[devils casper]

i've been using a hard drive soley dedicated to my ubuntu os. is there a way i can reformat the drive, or at least clear linux off for teh time being, within the ubuntu os? if not, how would i go about clearing this hard drive.

hi krow14 !

Welcome to the LinuxForums !
boot up Ubuntu and execute this code in Terminal.

sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda bs=521 count=1

be careful !!! this code will wipe your harddisk.






Casper

[krow14]

thnx man!
ok, next problem. i log in as the owner, run the code, and it says "hda is a read only file system" or something to that effect. i try to change that setting, but it keeps automatically changing it back. ne suggestions?? as u can see, im not quite rdy for linux... lol.

[devils casper]

do you have SATA harddisk? replace hda with sda in the 'dd' code.
in case it doesn't work, execute 'fdisk -l' command in terminal/konsole and post output here. you must be logged in as root for executing 'dd' or 'fdisk' commands OR execute 'su -' to gain root privileges.





Casper

[krow14]

its an internal IDE, my slave drive. i cant switch my hard drives or remove my master or anything, or the boot doesnt work properly. :-/
and i was logging in as root, but it kept resetting the settings on me. it wasnt like it was restricting my access or anything. thats what confuses me the most right now...

[devils casper]

what is in the Primary Disk? as i asked earlier, execute 'fdisk -l' in terminal and post output here.






Casper