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Topic: Rewrite ubuntu 14.4 gparted Help

toshiba x64 (originally win7)
pentium core
6gb ram
720 hdd

need to uninstall ubuntu and install windows 10 (full version, on disc with key)
windows install disk wouldnt run because not free partition.
made gp live disc
run it
created a new partition table
created a new partition - Cleared
checked it
applied all
reboot pc with windows 10 disk in
it sits there in dos after the toshiba splash blinking while it reads the disk, the _ stays solid for about a minute then the drive stops spinning and it just sits there blinking waiting for a reboot.

any help is greatly appreciated

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Re: Rewrite ubuntu 14.4 gparted Help

It is usually easier to leave windows to partition the hard drive as it likes. For this, you can just delete the partition table by creating a new one (I understand that you don't need to keep anything from the old Ubuntu installation), however I'm not sure if you have to make a GUID partition table instead of legacy msdos type.

Furthermore, I would suggest to check any BIOS settings (for instance legacy BIOS boot or UEFI boot), as well as hardware specification (graphics card compatibility).

Your way to proceed would be right for old windows versions like xp but I'm not sure that is valid for 10 too. The late windows versions seem to be more and more restrictive on the computer resources.

You could have better replies on these topics in any windows-oriented forum, I think.

*** It is highly recommended to backup any important files before doing resize/move operations. ***

3 (edited by UbuntuKatt 2016-03-16 15:41:49)

Re: Rewrite ubuntu 14.4 gparted Help

Thanks so much for the speedy reply,

class413 wrote:

I'm not sure if you have to make a GUID partition table instead of legacy msdos type.

can I create both GUID and legacy tables using GParted or will I have to seek another software?

class413 wrote:

Furthermore, I would suggest to check any BIOS settings... as well as hardware specification

Could you tell me what I'm actually checking for? I'm computer literate but have never partitioned a drive before tongue
Also I cant see anything under the boot screens about partitions and the mem check x86 thing on the live CD shows no errors.

class413 wrote:

Your way to proceed would be right for old windows versions like xp but I'm not sure that is valid for 10 too. The late windows versions seem to be more and more restrictive on the computer resources.

Is what you mean by this, that I should install a previous version of windows and then upgrade to 10?
Or were you saying that the method I used is right for older machines but not for win 10?

I Created a new blank partition and rebooted with win10 disc in drive and #1 on boot list (obv.)
Instead of sitting there for hours with no response what I'm presented with now is a message from Realtek and Intel?

{still on Dos}

Dos wrote:

Intel UNDI, PXE-2.1 (build 083)
Copyright (c) 97-'00 Intel
This product is covered by patents blah blah

Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller Series v1.25
PXE-E61: Media Test Failure, check cable

PXE-M0F: Exiting PXE ROM
Reboot and select proper boot device
or insert boot media in selected boot device and press a key

Surely the boot media is the disc and the device is the dvd drive?
pressing a key just repeats the message

So sorry for all the questions,
Thank you for your help

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Re: Rewrite ubuntu 14.4 gparted Help

PXE is an acronym most often used with diskless worktations that boot over a network.

Is the BIOS/UEFI properly configured to boot from DVD/CD-ROM?

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Re: Rewrite ubuntu 14.4 gparted Help

can I create both GUID and legacy tables using GParted or will I have to seek another software?

GParted supports both GPT and legacy partition tables.

Also I cant see anything under the boot screens about partitions and the mem check x86 thing on the live CD shows no errors.

Perhaps your screen is covered by a Toshiba pattern. You have to go into BIOS setup. This is usually done by pressing a specific key during power up, often the F2 key (or DEL, on older systems). There, you can deactivate that Toshiba screen to see what the system displays on screen during POST (abbreviation for "power-on self test").
Partitions aren't shown there, but it's there you have to select several important parameters, like the Boot options, as Gedakc asks just above.
The exact menu structure of the BIOS setup isn't the same for every computer. Please, look in the documentation of the computer (I think you can find it in pdf format from the Toshiba support web page).

Is what you mean by this, that I should install a previous version of windows and then upgrade to 10?
Or were you saying that the method I used is right for older machines but not for win 10?

I mean the second one. All those parameters and settings like Safe boot, UEFI boot, legacy boot or CSM, GPT - GUID partition table etc didn't exist at the time.

*** It is highly recommended to backup any important files before doing resize/move operations. ***

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Re: Rewrite ubuntu 14.4 gparted Help

Okidoki, Reporting back;

So a GPT table instead of a Dos one doesn't seem to change anything, I'm still getting the shpeel from Intel about PXE and PCI.

Entering setup and boot menu (f2 & f12) The boot order is 1 ODD 2 USB 3 NETWORK and 4 HDD just to be on the safe side.
It appears I can disable the Toshiba splash by turning on fast boot BUT this forces it to boot directly from the HDD and I cant seem to bypass it.
There is also no single option to disable the splash.
I've also scoured my manual and the toshiba website and I can't find anything for this model about turning off the logo.

I've also triple checked the specs confirming that they meet the win 10 minimum criteria.
I'm honestly stumped, I have no idea what to try next

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Re: Rewrite ubuntu 14.4 gparted Help

If you wish to run GNU/Linux then fastboot must be disabled in the BIOS/UEFI.

Perhaps you could check the boot order in the BIOS/UEFI.  If the startup is getting through to PXE network boot, then there must be a reason why all the options higher in the list are not booting.

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Re: Rewrite ubuntu 14.4 gparted Help

I think we may be getting our wires crossed. I'll try to explain;

gedakc wrote:

If you wish to run GNU/Linux then fastboot must be disabled in the BIOS/UEFI.

I didn't enable fastboot, im just trying to find a way to disable the toshiba splash so I can see the SPOT data.
I also don't wish to run any linux/GNU programmes, Ubuntu should be completely erased by this point. The LiveCD works fine, I just need to install windows which is the problem.
The install CD wont run for some reason (its brand new, the discs been checked on another pc)

gedakc wrote:

Perhaps you could check the boot order in the BIOS/UEFI.  If the startup is getting through to PXE network boot, then there must be a reason why all the options higher in the list are not booting.

Okay well 1 is now ODD, 2 is HDD, 3 is USB and 4 is network.
Running from the ODD is the problem, with the live CD it boots fine, with win CD it doesn't.
Running from the HDD won't work because its completely blank
Running from USB won't boot it becaue there isn't one in
Running from network is not something I can do.

So back to the drawing board. Why wont the Win 10 CD install?

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Re: Rewrite ubuntu 14.4 gparted Help

Will the Win 10 CD boot in another computer?

If not then there might be a problem with the Win 10 CD.

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Re: Rewrite ubuntu 14.4 gparted Help

UbuntuKatt wrote:

(its brand new, the discs been checked on another pc)

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Re: Rewrite ubuntu 14.4 gparted Help

If there is no data on the drive that you need, you might try overwriting the initial part (1 MiB) of the drive with zeroes.

WARNING:  Be sure that you choose the correct device path because this will wipe out data and the partition table!

sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdX count=2048 bs=512

Where /dev/sdX is the path to the disk device you wish to overwrite.
Replace the X with the letter of your drive.

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Re: Rewrite ubuntu 14.4 gparted Help

will the device path be the standard C/D/E drive whatever or do I need to put something else in?
Just before I do this (incase its irrepairable) let me check with you;
1. boot from live disc
2. select the start gparted w/ console thing
3. enter sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdC:\ count=2048 bs=512

or

1. boot live cd
2. start gparted normally
3 run console
4. enter sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdC:\ count=2048 bs=512

also should it be C, C:, C;\, or C:\\?

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Re: Rewrite ubuntu 14.4 gparted Help

UbuntuKatt wrote:

will the device path be the standard C/D/E drive whatever or do I need to put something else in?

No.  Windows drive letters are not the same as partition paths.

For example on an old Window98 installation that used the entire disk drive of a single disk drive computer, the Windows drive letter would be "C:", but the Linux device path would be "/dev/sda".

You can check beforehand using GParted to make sure that you identify the correct drive that contains the partition table you wish to wipe out.

I highly recommend you back up all of your data first so that you can recover in case anything goes wrong.

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Re: Rewrite ubuntu 14.4 gparted Help

Gotcha.
when you say back up, bearing in mind theres nothing on the drive, do you mean back up the current partition table? if so how?
Thanks again

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Re: Rewrite ubuntu 14.4 gparted Help

the console returned:
2048+0 records in
2048+0 records out
1048576 bytes (1.0mb , 1.0mb) copied, 0.50871 s, 2.1 mb/s


Windows disc is still failing to do anything -_-

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Re: Rewrite ubuntu 14.4 gparted Help

when you say back up, bearing in mind theres nothing on the drive, do you mean back up the current partition table? if so how?

Backup, in case you want to keep anything from the drive. If you don't want to keep any files, you don't have to take any backup.
Did you try to erase the initial part (1 MiB) of the drive, as shown above?
The recovery console works on a windows installation (good or somehow damaged to repair). If there is nothing on the drive, you need to select the system installation procedure.

*** It is highly recommended to backup any important files before doing resize/move operations. ***

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Re: Rewrite ubuntu 14.4 gparted Help

yes after entering it the console returns;

UbuntuKatt wrote:

t:
2048+0 records in
2048+0 records out
1048576 bytes (1.0mb , 1.0mb) copied, 0.50871 s, 2.1 mb/s

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Re: Rewrite ubuntu 14.4 gparted Help

Now that you've zeroed out the first 1 MiB of the drive, there is no partition table on the drive.

You can now try installing Windows on the drive.  If you are using Windows 10 then create a GUID Partition Table (GPT).  The Windows installer should help you do this in addition to creating initial partitions.