From Ubuntu to Vista? O.o

[Zenchi]

My mother just got her first laptop. Though it came in Ubuntu, and no she doesnt know the first thing about computers. so I tried to wipe it, cause she has her vista key on the bottom. But to be honest, I myself have never dealt with ubuntu either. I can't get it to use the windows disc at start up. Nor can I atleast find a way to wipe all the other owners stuff. Let alone gain access to the HDs which wont hold more. If someone could point me to a place that can tell me how to wipe Ubuntu off so she can have her vista , it'd be very helpful. (Im not downing Ubuntu, but I cant be there ta learn something when someone is looking over my shoulder and having to explain it, neither can my sister cause shes just as lost as us. lol) many thanks.

[mikewhatever]

Do consult the laptop manual on how to access the BIOS and change the boot order to boot from cdrom. Ubuntu doesn't prevent users from installing other OSs or deleting partitions. If you have trouble figuring that out, get a technician to deal with it.
Best of luck.

[Fafler]

Wiping Ubuntu is really easy, but you would only want to do that with the Windows installer. Otherwise you have a completely useless laptop. The only way to install Vista is to boot from the CD drive. Or create a bootable flash drive, but i don't think it's trivial to do so with Vista.

To create a new user, go to System -> Administration -> Users and Groups. Click the key icon and type in your current password. Then click the Add User icon and fill in the information. After that, you should be able to login as the new user and remove the old one.

[Mark Phelps]

If, as you say, the laptop came with Ubuntu preinstalled, where are you getting the Vista product key?

If you're going to reuse the key from another machine (one that came preinstalled with Vista) -- that won't work. Those kinds of keys can't be reused because the license is locked to the original machine.

[coffeecat]

A laptop pre-installed with Ubuntu and with a Vista key on the bottom? :-s Was it new? Where did it come from? What model is it? Did it come with a manufacturer's restore DVD, or were you intending to do an install from a Microsoft Vista DVD? (They are different things.) And if you intend to install from a Microsoft DVD, I must warn you that are going to have - ahem - fun installing all the special drivers and bits and bobs that you'll need for a laptop to run Vista properly.

Perhaps you need to post some more information.

[akand074]

For most computers, hold Esc on startup (or repeatedly click it to insure you didn't click it too early you should click it just as the BIOS startup) and it should take you to a menu with a few options, there should be an option called "boot from" or "boot order" or something about boot I can't remember really and just choose your cd/dvd drive.

[Slim Odds]

My mother just got her first laptop. Though it came in Ubuntu, and no she doesnt know the first thing about computers. so I tried to wipe it, cause she has her vista key on the bottom. But to be honest, I myself have never dealt with ubuntu either. I can't get it to use the windows disc at start up. Nor can I atleast find a way to wipe all the other owners stuff. Let alone gain access to the HDs which wont hold more. If someone could point me to a place that can tell me how to wipe Ubuntu off so she can have her vista , it'd be very helpful. (Im not downing Ubuntu, but I cant be there ta learn something when someone is looking over my shoulder and having to explain it, neither can my sister cause shes just as lost as us. lol) many thanks.

I'm always amused when folks come to an Ubuntu forum to ask how to get rid of Ubuntu.

I think that you should go to a Windows forum for this kind of help.

[Zenchi]

ok not new but used, the vista key is on the bottom. Also I've tried to boot from cdrom. But I'll try again. As for the person who said I should go to a windows forum. It doesn't have windows now does it? It has Ubuntu :p

[jocko]

ok not new but used, the vista key is on the bottom. Also I've tried to boot from cdrom. But I'll try again. As for the person who said I should go to a windows forum. It doesn't have windows now does it? It has Ubuntu :p
Yes, but the question you asked has NOTHING to do with ubuntu. What you need to know is how to boot the laptop from a cd, which is not in any way affected by which os happens to be installed on the hard drive. That's purely a function of the laptop's bios, so you'll have to find the relevant instructions for setting the boot order in the laptop's manual or on google.

How to wipe the hard drive and install windows you will probably understand from the instructions you get from the windows installer, once you have booted from the cd. If not, you'll need to look in a windows support forum.

[mikewhatever]

Yes, but the question you asked has NOTHING to do with ubuntu. What you need to know is how to boot the laptop from a cd, which is not in any way affected by which os happens to be installed on the hard drive. That's purely a function of the laptop's bios, so you'll have to find the relevant instructions for setting the boot order in the laptop's manual or on google.

How to wipe the hard drive and install windows you will probably understand from the instructions you get from the windows installer, once you have booted from the cd. If not, you'll need to look in a windows support forum.

Quite true. It's probably more productive to ask about installing Windows at a Windows forum.

[Mark Phelps]

If the laptop has a Vista sticker on it, it probably originally had Vista installed -- which means it came with an OEM version installed by the laptop supplier.

If whomever installed Ubuntu did not wipe out the "recovery partition", Google the laptop model number for boot options. There is generally a function key you can press during boot that will give you a menu screen, one item of which allows you to restore the Vista OS from the "recovery partition".

If they DID wipe out the "recovery partition" on the hard drive, unless you have Vista DVDs capable of completely restoring Vista (which you probably don't), you have no way of putting Vista back on the laptop short of buying a fresh copy.

[kleskjr]

funny thread :)
I would give a try to Ubuntu, maybe its the hand of the destiny

[Rasa1111]

:lol:

ohh the humanity!

yes, funny thread.
kinda sad to.

[Mark Phelps]

funny thread :)
I would give a try to Ubuntu, maybe its the hand of the destiny

Yeah, very funny. Ha. Ha.

Guess you missed the part where the OP said
so she can have her vista Huh?