Cannot install windows had to install LINUX insted

[Stewie]

Hi.I'm new to these kind of sites and don't know really where my post should go.I had Windows Vista installed a short while ago. But then I wanted to Install Windows 7 as I bought it for cheap on ebay.

But as there was only one partition I tried to re seize it and create another one with partition magic,so I wouldn't loose all my files when installing Windows 7. After reboot I was prompted to boot from hard drive or repair windows Vista. I couldn't boot from hard drive as nothing happened when I did. Neither could I repair as I didn't have any backups.

Since nothing worked I got one of those repair cds off ebay(yeah I found out they're free on the web but that was after buying one...). This cd had a mini windows xp on it with all sorts of system tools.

At least now I could save all my data to an external media. I was advised to format my hard drive and reinstall windows. I do not have a windows vista cd as vista came pre installed with my computer when i bought it.

I started Installation from an old Windows xp cd I have. Windows xp loads all the files and copy them to my hard drive and at 51 minutes remaining just restart and show me the NTLDR is missing message.

If I started the setup from the mini windows xp version it would copy all the files for setup and then terminate (Windows 7 wouldn't even attempt to start installing).

Because nothing worked I installed linux mint a couple of days ago but when i attempt Windows XP setup from there it gives me the error message : NO VALID SYSTEM PARTITIONS FOUND.SETUP IS UNABLE TO CONTINUE. I have reformatted the partition I destined for windows with NTFS and FAT32 and set it as "Boot" "active", nothing works.

Linux is great but I can't get any of my games or programs to work even though I have wine and play on Linux installed.

please help someone I'm going crazy

 

thanks for reading and answering...

Stewie

 

ps I have a dell inspiron 530 with 2 gig of RAM... And can someone please tell me why setup terminates after copying the files???

[Dalo Harkin]

You need to completely format the drive, it seems that you have either:-

Formatted the section of the drive that had the Vista OS backup on it.

 

If you use the tools CD that you got from ebay it should have somekind of drive wipe utility on it from the manufacturer of the HDD (Hitachi, Seagate etc) use that and then when you start installing the OS where it asks where you want to put the OS make OS format the disk as one whole partition and install the OS to that (dont choose quick format choose full)

[Plastic Nev]

I must warn you that the old copy of Windows XP you have, if that has already been installed to another computer previously, it is not legal if that copy is an OEM version. It will not validate either.

I would first follow Dalo's advice and completely reformat the drive, then obtain a copy of Windows, I would go for W7 myself, your choice, but a fully legal new copy via an authorised dealer and start again.

Nev.