Member Avatar for Tony Leeson

I have been given a HP Compaq DC7100 with the SFF case. This PC is fitted with a SATA hard disk drive. The previous owner installed Fedora Linux and the PC boots and works just fine.

My problem is that I want to run Windows XP on it. I have tried to install WinXP by inserting the CD into the CD drive and re-booting the PC. The CD Drive runs and I get the message that Windows is examining my Computer configuration - but then everything just stops and the CD drive stops running.

I have also tried booting from a BartPE CD - same thing. After a few seconds it just stops running.

The CD drive is fine. Any Linux application runs OK. The PC still boots into Linux just fine.

How do I get Linux off the PC and Windows XP onto it?

Help please!

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by gerbil
Member Avatar for Tony Leeson

As nobody replied with any suggestions, but 381 people viewed this thread, I thought someone may be interested in the way it was solved.

Fedora Linux seems to prevent the PC from booting from the Windows XP Installation CD or any other Windows bootable CD.

Open the PC case and disconnect the hard disk on which Linux is installed.
Change the jumper on this drive to make it a Slave.

Connect any other suitable hard disk which is blank, and make it the Master

Now insert the Windows Installation CD and reboot.

Install Windows XP as normal on the new drive.

Switch off and reconnect the old drive with Linux on it.

Reboot the PC. It will boot into Windows.

Reformat the drive which had Linux on it.
This drive can then be removed or used in the PC, whichever you want.

Member Avatar for gerbil

Glad you sorted that out, and I know you managed it two years ago... :)
Anyway, another method to keep in mind is Darik's Boot n Nuke - you load it to a floppy or USB flashdrive, or burn the iso. Because it makes a bootable medium from which you then restart your sys it doesn't care what OS is on the hdd. It just wipes it.
Cheers.

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