The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Linux took over my system

    Discussion in 'Linux Compatibility and Software' started by stq, Sep 23, 2008.

  1. stq

    stq Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    hello everyone,
    i am not very good with computers , so i decided that i would try and load linux onto my new laptop, an acer aspire 5920g ,while loading i must have done something wrong but now the computer only starts with linux , i fiddled around with it quite a bit but i could not manage to get it to start in windows. i managed to get the boot menu in which it asks me in which operating system i would like to go in but when i click windows nothing seems to happen. It seems that i have managed to delete the windows vista home premium off my computer completely. i have no idea what i am doing . i dont like linux as i cant get any of my computers hardware to work on it properly such as the wifi card and now even my mouse isnt working. i really want to have my vista operating system back. i am thinking of sending it back to acer to reinstall vista but i was also thinking maybe i should buy a vista cd myself and install it but would all the differnt acer buttons work if i install it myself??
    sending it back and reinstalling it myself costs about the same, what should i do??
     
    stq, Sep 23, 2008
    #1
  2. Bog

    Bog Losing it...

    Reputations:
    4,018
    Messages:
    6,046
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    206
    When you installed Ubuntu, did you choose the option to use the entire volume, or did you choose to install on a separate partition from Windows?
     
    Bog, Sep 23, 2008
    #2
  3. stq

    stq Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    i installed mandriva and i think i did install a partition
     
    stq, Sep 23, 2008
    #3
  4. Bog

    Bog Losing it...

    Reputations:
    4,018
    Messages:
    6,046
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    206
    If you want to get rid of Linux altogether, you will have to delete the Linux partition and expand the Windows partition to reclaim the space left by the Linux partition. This can be done using Gparted.

    Getting rid of GRUB or LILO is easy. Simply follow these instructions:

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927392
     
    Bog, Sep 23, 2008
    #4
  5. v1k1ng1001

    v1k1ng1001 Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    239
    Messages:
    738
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    If vista is wiped out you should be able to reinstall it quickly. You have to install it and then go to Acer support and find all the drivers for your particular model, download them and install them. It sucks to pay for windows twice but at least then you don't have to wait and you own the license.

    But yeah, see if it is gone in the first place. I would guess that it is given what you've said.

    Also, you can give Ubuntu a shot in the meantime. I would guess that there are ways to make your hardware work. You can install it and tell us what's not working and we can help you.
     
    v1k1ng1001, Sep 23, 2008
    #5
  6. Ayle

    Ayle Trailblazer

    Reputations:
    877
    Messages:
    3,707
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    106
    Doesn't acer usually have a recovery partition?
     
    Ayle, Sep 24, 2008
    #6
  7. v1k1ng1001

    v1k1ng1001 Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    239
    Messages:
    738
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    The recovery partition would likely be nuked along with the Vista partition.
     
    v1k1ng1001, Sep 24, 2008
    #7
  8. pixelot

    pixelot Notebook Acolyte

    Reputations:
    3,732
    Messages:
    6,833
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    205
    Did you look in the Partition Manager to see if the partitions are still there, and if there's anything on them?
     
    pixelot, Sep 24, 2008
    #8
  9. srunni

    srunni Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    96
    Messages:
    854
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I doubt Vista is gone, as Ubuntu defaults to resizing the Winduz partition and then installing itself on a partition in the freed up space.
     
    srunni, Sep 25, 2008
    #9
  10. LIVEFRMNYC

    LIVEFRMNYC Blah Blah Blah!!!

    Reputations:
    3,741
    Messages:
    2,382
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    I also doubt Vista is gone because if you install Linux over the whole drive, the Windows options wouldn't even show up on Grub. Unless Grub already existed before install from previous Linux installs.

    I would try to get my hands on a Vista Disc(not recovery) so you can try to do a repair.
     
    LIVEFRMNYC, Sep 25, 2008
    #10
  11. mauser1891

    mauser1891 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    11
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Hello,

    Reboot with Vista DVD...
    Follow Vista install instructions...

    Just as you did basically with your linux install.
     
    mauser1891, Oct 3, 2008
    #11