How do I remove Linux?

[N Gauge Bob]

My daughter had a new laptop with Windows Vista (YUK!)
She allowed a friend to borrow the laptop for a while and when it came back she had changed the operating system to Linux. Needless to say that friendship ended!!
Since Linux was installed half the functions have not worked properly. Now when the laptop is turned on all we get is the start up Asus screen with options for pop up screen on esc or F2 for Bios. Then it comes up with..

mount: mounting /dev/disk/by-uuid/f2dc8edb-o3e2-4e69-9632-83b39b327812 on /rootfailed :invalid argument
Mount:mounting /dev on /root/dev failed :no such file or directory
Then miles of this garbage ending with No init found.

Can someone please tell me in simple terms how I can by-pass all this rubbish so I can delete Linux from the computer, or how I can reset factory options so I can re-install Vista which is what she wants....I do not want to pay PC World over £120 just to reset the computer to factory.

Any help appreciated
Cheers
Bob

[Malc]

Hi Bob,

Did the Lappy come with a manufacturers install disk? If so, go into the bios with F2 and change the boot option to CD Rom. Stick the disk in and reboot.

Malc

[N Gauge Bob]

Hi Bob,

Did the Lappy come with a manufacturers install disk? If so, go into the bios with F2 and change the boot option to CD Rom. Stick the disk in and reboot.

Malc

Hi Malc
Thanks for that. Sadly no it didn't come with discs, or if it did they have been lost at some point.
I shall have to see if I can download one from somewhere.
Cheers
Bob

[Trev]

To cut costs, many manufactures have opted to set up a part of the hard drive which has the full factory restore files.
This sometimes shows up in "My Computer" as a seperate small hard disk that you can't access in the normal way.
If your laptop has this, going throught the "All Programs" list from the start bar should have the access program.

Have you been onto the manufactures website?  There is normally plenty of help and support for doing the factory restore and some companies even allow you to download the full restore files.

[longbridge]

Another thing you could do is get someone to download a Linux Mint 13 file, burn the ISO file to a DVD, then load it into the DVD drive on the Laptop, press f12 on the Asus splash page and follow the instructions to load Mint onto the laptop, during the loading of Linux Mint you will see where it tells you what operating systems are already partitioned on the HDD, if Vista doesn't show up all you can do is finish loadng Mint.

MInt works well with the vast majority of computers, I had it working 100% on an Asus Notebook, some Linux OS are not compatible.

[Malc]

As Longbridge says, Mint works well with most Pcs. I use it as well as Windows 7 as a dual boot PC. If the Vista on your PC has been overwritten, then you will need to install it again. When you see the startup options (press F2 etc) see if there is another option saying Setup? Sometimes F12 does this. This would do as Trev says and enter the manufacturer's area of the disk which could help.
Having said all that, best of luck.

[AndyGif]

bob, if you want vista back on there, and you still have the cd key sticker on the pc.
I think i've still got an OEM Vista install disk i could copy for you, but you will need the cd product key.
You'll probably need to reformat the hard disk and the Master Boot Record to expunge linux off the lap top completley.

[Oldman]

If you get Vista to launch try here
GO to "programs"  Folder is the tech guys and that seems to be where the original windows files are stored on my Laptop.  Other thing to note is if you had office installed etc. when you reset every thing to factory defaults all other added software will be deleted. Enjoy hours of updates from  Microsoft

[N Gauge Bob]

To cut costs, many manufactures have opted to set up a part of the hard drive which has the full factory restore files.
This sometimes shows up in "My Computer" as a seperate small hard disk that you can't access in the normal way.
If your laptop has this, going throught the "All Programs" list from the start bar should have the access program.

Have you been onto the manufactures website?  There is normally plenty of help and support for doing the factory restore and some companies even allow you to download the full restore files.

The ability to get to the start bar would solve all my problems, but afraid I can't access it.
Cheers
Bob

[EtchedPixels]

bob, if you want vista back on there, and you still have the cd key sticker on the pc.
I think i've still got an OEM Vista install disk i could copy for you, but you will need the cd product key.
You'll probably need to reformat the hard disk and the Master Boot Record to expunge linux off the lap top completley.

| mount: mounting /dev/disk/by-uuid/f2dc8edb-|o3e2-4e69-9632-83b39b327812 on /rootfailed :invalid argument
| Mount:mounting /dev on /root/dev failed :no such file or directory
| Then miles of this garbage ending with No init found.

Thats not a Linux install - thats some random bits of Linux left over, as if perhaps they've tried to put Windows back and got it wrong. It may also mean they've simply messed up on the default boot in which case if you can get the boot menu before the Linux stuff you may well find you can choose Windows from the menu and then fix it up.

(and I assume you've checked for dumb things like a bootable SD card left in a slot or similar ?)

If the laptop has had windows wiped then you need the install disks you received with the machine, and install media - in many laptop cases *matching* install media, and you need the install keys which should be on the bottom of the machine. Before you do that however it would be worth taking a look at what is actually on the system. If Windows is still there you should be able to boot it in the rescue mode from Windows install media and just tell it to repair itself.

Quite honestly however if you've got a machine back from somewhere and you don't trust whoever had it you should *always* wipe and re-install because even if it came back with Windows on it you've no idea what it may have caught on its outing.

Alan

[N Gauge Bob]

bob, if you want vista back on there, and you still have the cd key sticker on the pc.
I think i've still got an OEM Vista install disk i could copy for you, but you will need the cd product key.
You'll probably need to reformat the hard disk and the Master Boot Record to expunge linux off the lap top completley.

| mount: mounting /dev/disk/by-uuid/f2dc8edb-|o3e2-4e69-9632-83b39b327812 on /rootfailed :invalid argument
| Mount:mounting /dev on /root/dev failed :no such file or directory
| Then miles of this garbage ending with No init found.

Thats not a Linux install - thats some random bits of Linux left over, as if perhaps they've tried to put Windows back and got it wrong. It may also mean they've simply messed up on the default boot in which case if you can get the boot menu before the Linux stuff you may well find you can choose Windows from the menu and then fix it up.

No I can't get anywhere as previously described. I can get to the boot menu thru Bios but that only gives me choice of boot not Windows...wish it did.

(and I assume you've checked for dumb things like a bootable SD card left in a slot or similar ?)

Yes

If the laptop has had windows wiped then you need the install disks you received with the machine, and install media - in many laptop cases *matching* install media, and you need the install keys which should be on the bottom of the machine. Before you do that however it would be worth taking a look at what is actually on the system. If Windows is still there you should be able to boot it in the rescue mode from Windows install media and just tell it to repair itself.

No idea if Windows is on there on not. We couldn't find it before. The computer has certainly been running on Linux so something must have happened to change that.

Quite honestly however if you've got a machine back from somewhere and you don't trust whoever had it you should *always* wipe and re-install because even if it came back with Windows on it you've no idea what it may have caught on its outing.

Alan

Thanks Alan.
Cheers
Bob

[N Gauge Bob]

bob, if you want vista back on there, and you still have the cd key sticker on the pc.
I think i've still got an OEM Vista install disk i could copy for you, but you will need the cd product key.
You'll probably need to reformat the hard disk and the Master Boot Record to expunge linux off the lap top completley.

Thanks Andy, just what I need. Yes, all the stickers are in tact underneath. Just a shame no discs came with the computer when it was new....typical Currys.
I'll come back to you on a copy if I may, I just want to see if I can download a copy onto discs direct from Microsoft and load it that way.
Cheers
Bob

[Geoff]

With some makes of laptops you can hit a F key and that puts you into recovery mode for windows, on start up it will state which F key is for bios and which F key is for recovery, if you go to your manufacturers web site there will be information on there how to get your laptop to boot in recovery mode.

[Bikeracer]

Hi Bob,

Give Martin at Belshaws computers a ring,he's very reasonably priced and very helpful.

http://www.yell.com/biz/belshaw-s-computer-shop-newark-7335886/

Allan

[EtchedPixels]

Its often F11 or ctrl-F11 during the boot to get to the repair menu - worth a try.
(Dell, HP, IBM, Lenovo all seem to follow the same keys). Some Dell are F8 just to wind you up.

Acer is alt-f10
Sony is F10
Asus is F9
Toshiba is typically F8

(would be far too simple for Microsoft to standardise it .. )

Alan