Converting Linux to Windows

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Microsoft Windows has issues fully erasing the master boot record. To compensate for this, you must manually erase some files while the computer still has Linux.


Microsoft acknowledges that XP is not capable of installing over Linux. Microsoft addresses this issue by booting from a Linux CD and removing files. The method Inveneo uses is slightly different and requires fewer steps but is just as effective.

If Linux is still installed on the Hard Drive

  1. Press the Delete key to enter the BIOS right after the computer turns on
  2. Change the boot order to first boot from a USB CD-ROM, second to boot from the Hard Drive (HDD-0).
  3. Once the computer fully loads Inveneo Desktop Linux, press Ctrl + Alt + F1 to enter a command line
  4. Login as 'default' with password '1nvene0' (or whatever your username and password are)
  5. issue this command:
    • > sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda count=1
  6. Then issue this command:
    • > sudo halt
  7. Once the computer turns off, plug in the USB CD-ROM and insert the Windows CD.
  8. Power on the computer, which should boot from the CD-ROM
  9. You will some warnings about erasing the boot record, this is good. Press "Y" whenever they appear.
  10. Install Windows normally.

If the Computer displays "Error Loading Operating System"

Error Loading Operating System will appear on the computer if a user tries to install XP without manually erasing the master boot record. During the installation, XP will not correctly erase and rewrite the master boot record, so the computer will not be able to find an operating system. During the installation of XP, the Linux OS will be deleted. However, the master boot record must be erased manually. To do this, you must boot off a Linux cd and remove the master boot record, then XP will correctly install.

  1. Download Puppy Linux (87MB). md5sum = 7bce88db3067c3200247ae81d13d4e7f. This is an ISO that will need to be burned to a CD.
  2. Boot from the Puppy Linux CD
  3. Select the keyboard layout as us qwerty (USA)
  4. Choose the Xvesa video driver using the Tab key > Enter
  5. Close the Xvesa Video Wizard window
  6. Click the console icon, which will open a terminal window.
  7. Type this command:
    • > sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda count=1

Now the master boot record is erased. XP will correctly install.


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