removing Suse linux and install windows xp HELP

[moneyslap]

Hi i am trying to install windows xp on my laptop it came with suse linux 10.1 (gnome desktop) theres no existing windows xp partion on the laptop im a complete noob, i have a windows xp cd but when i put it in the drive nothing happens i need help i want to remove suse and install windows

[oz]

Welcome to the forums!

You'll need to remove GRUB from the master boot record (MBR). The SuperGRUB LiveCD should take care of that easily enough. It's a small download and quick burn to CD and is good to keep on hand for dealing with GRUB, LILO, and Windows bootloaders.

You can remove the Linux partitions with the PartedMagic LiveCD. It's another small download and quick burn, and is good for working with Windows and Linux partitions, and it's very easy to use.

After removing GRUB and the partitions, your Windows CD should work again. If that doesn't work for some reason, let us know and we'll go at it another way.

[moneyslap]

can i just put the iso in cd or do i have to extract iso then move files

[gogalthorp]

You must burn an ISO image to the CD to make it bootable.

You should not have to use Supergrub.

After you put the XP CD in the drive did you reboot?? XP should have no problem installing over Linux.

[oz]

Here's a HowTo you can use to burn the ISOs to the disks if you are unfamiliar with the process:

http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/ins...nstall-cd.html

I've seen many cases where certain machines will no longer boot the Windows installation CD once GRUB has taken over the MBR, or maybe it has to do with the Linux partitions. Either way, I'm not sure why this happens, and I don't know if your machine is one of those, or not, but hopefully you won't need the SuperGRUB CD.

Let us know how it goes.

[moneyslap]

i still didnt do first post reply 2nd reply i did yours and it booted back to suse linux

[devils casper]

Is SuSe booting up? Do you want wipe harddisk for Windows OS installation?

[moneyslap]

yes suse is still booting any other ideas to get winxp working

[devils casper]

Boot up SuSe, log in as root and execute this

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

Reboot machine.

::Note:: Above command will *wipe* your Harddisk. No data, no partitions and your Hard Disk will be blank as new. Windows Installation CD will work after that.


In case, Windows Installation CD doesn't work SuSe boots up on reboot, login as root user again and replace hda with sda in dd command.

dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda bs=521 count=1

[oz]

If you don't happen to know the Suse root password, you should be able to use your newly created PartedMagic LiveCD to do the same by booting with it, and then going to a terminal and entering Casper's command(s) to wipe the drive.

Let us know how it goes.