Plzz help me guys totally screwed!!!

[viking777]

As you have posted this message, you must have access to a working computer. You need to do one of two things, I would suggest you do the first.
1) Go here : http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-v ... -download/ grab a Vista recovery disk, burn it, boot from it and select something like 'Repair Boot' - I just cannot remember what it says exactly but it will be something like that. Or

2) Go here: http://www.supergrubdisk.org/index.php Download and burn Super Grub Disk and ask it to 'Fix Windows Boot' or something like that.

Formatting your Linux partition is absolutely the worst thing you could have done - but too late now.

One thing bothers me though and that is why you can't access your recovery partition? Have you overwritten it? How did you access it before?

Anyway recovery partitions are crap. The Vista recovery disk is what you need for now and in the future.

[AK Dave]

First we need to step into Mr Peabody's Wayback Machine and figure out what you did in the first place.

1. What reputable how-to guide did you follow when you installed linux onto a system already formatted with Vista?
- Did it work? Both Vista & Linux were working fine after the install, no problems, and then something happened later?
- It didn't work? You screwed up with the install, and now you need to fix Vista in a fit of desperation?

We need to know where you started and what you did to get to where you are.

2. What did you do to cause Vista to need to be repaired?
- Is this related to the linux install?
- Is this related to some l33t warez game you accidentally botnetted your vista system with?

3. You say you installed linux on a "seprate drive". You really need to provide some details.
- external USB drive, flash or platter?
- a slave internal on a laptop that supports dual internal drives?
- where did you put Grub?
- did you do some chicanery with BIOS settings to jigger up a "dual boot"?

Why did you get rid of linux when vista was the problem? I'm totally baffled!

[RichardH]

Please clarify: Do you have 6 physical hard disks installed in one box?
Or do you have 6 partitions on 1 physical hard disk? Makes a lot of difference.

[Edit: OK, I see your follow up post. Forget this. rh.]

[viking777]

The answer is still exactly the same. As you don't have a recovery CD you need one of those two disks I gave links to earlier, either one will fix the problem for you but if you intend to dump Linux in favour of Vista then the Vista disk would be better for you. When you have either of those disks you can then format your Linux partition and use the recovery or Super Grub Disk to fix the windows mbr and all will be well. It is Microsoft + your pc manufacturer that have put you in this postition by refusing to support their products fully (ie by not providing a proper recovery disk). You then have to rely on 'neosmart' to bail you out - why support a company as irresponsible as that?

Still - your choice.

[AK Dave]

When you installed linux you installed grub. When you installed grub, it linked to the MBR of your hard drive. You reformatted your linux partitions. You deleted grub. But your MBR is still pointing to grub. You need to download, burn, and use supergrub (see viking77's instructions) to remove grub. Very simple.

As for vista and viruses, well, thats your own fault. But you should know that if you took your place to some computer repair shop to fix the virus problem they wouldn't have reinstalled vista except as a last resort. Many times they would have chained your drive as a slave to a linux system and cleaned the virus problem from linux. Why? Because linux doesn't have 1/10000th the virus problem that windows has.

You really should have come here first. We could have told you how to boot linux and use it to clean the virus problem from vista, and then you could safely install Avast! on windows (download it with linux, put it on the windows drive, boot w/o internet active, install Avast!, and then connect to the internet safely).

But you didn't answer my first question.

[Nicki]

Sorry you have to leave Mint.

But here is how to do for you:
Log in to Vista and (I didn't remember where it is located, but) look for the inbuilt program for making a restore DVD. It could be up to 2 or 3 DVD.s. It will not take affect of installed Linux.
When you have done that, reboot from your DVD and select to "restore the computer as it was from the factory".
After this operation you have no trace after Linux or Mint in your computer.

[AK Dave]

sorry to bother u agian plz dont get irritated with me. i am just a linux dumb.
can ijust format linux drive and than boot with supergrub to restore my windows boot? or i have to boot with supergrub with mint installed on system and than format drives?

Its not a "linux drive" its a "linux partition". You said you have 6 partitions on this one hard drive. The linux partition is just one of the many, but its all one physical disc. You can format it back to FAT.

But before you do that, I need to know what you can actually boot RIGHT NOW. Does Vista boot fine, you just want linux gone? Easy enough. Vista can get rid of linux for you. Reformat that partition and run the Vista restore disc as per Nicki's instructions. Or run the supergrub disc as per Viking777's instructions and just eliminate grub's link to the MBR.

[Fred]

gyanish30,

My friend this is not a difficult problem to solve. Several have given you the solution. We are not getting upset with you. We are just having difficulty communicating it appears.

Maybe if you could tell us what you native language is someone can tell you in your native tongue. There are many here that speak several languages and many that are not native English speakers.

Fred

[Nicki]

It seems so strange. In one moment you want to remove Linux and in the next time you want to have it. In one moment you can't access Vista and next time you can. First you want to recover Vista and next time you won't. Are you sure you know what you want. We seriously want to help you but you must know what you want and not want.

[Nicki]

If you still want to remove Grub, this means that you have to remove Mint.
And as I wrote to you, follow thoose steps:
Log in to Vista and (I didn't remember where it is located, but) look for the inbuilt program for making a restore DVD. It could be up to 2 or 3 DVD.s. It will not take affect of installed Linux.
When you have done that, reboot from your DVD and select to "restore the computer as it was from the factory".
After this operation you have no trace after Linux or Mint in your computer.