Switching OS?

[boston_019]

Hi
My computer is jacked.
HP Pavilion running XP Home 32 bit.
I tried to reinstall Windows by running winnt32.exe but I don't have an i386 folder... those you-know-whats at HP didn't include it. I don't have a recovery disc, and the computer is drowning in malware.

Can I get rid of Windows and switch to Linux? If so, what's the procedure?

[boston_019]

Ok, I found i386 and Winnt32, they're in the D drive.

New problem: To run the recovery drive stuff that HP put in, I need something called "PC Help & Tools", which is not on my Start Menu>All Programs as it's supposed to be.

[pwillener]

Do you have a hidden recovery partition on your system (check with Disk Management)?

P.S. see also http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...roduct=3686678

[sexyandy81]

If you are wanting to completely come off windows and go to linux you cand download ubuntu off the internet and put it on to a disc and the load for the disc that will completely overwrite windows completely.

If you want to dual boot the 2 you have to create a partition on the hard drive and install on to new partition and then active it then you should get a dual boot menu when you boot up the computer.

hope this helps

[boston_019]

I was trying to avoid making recovery cds, but I may as well. Ubuntu when the semester is over... I'm so excited to be moving away from Windows. Thanks all!

[LMHmedchem]

Originally Posted by boston_019

I was trying to avoid making recovery cds, but I may as well. Ubuntu when the semester is over... I'm so excited to be moving away from Windows. Thanks all!

Normally with a newer laptop, you reinstall by re-starting the computer and pressing a key during boot up that will start a recovery console. This will repair or re-install from the files that are on your recovery partition. Laptops almost never include OS CDs anymore but have the OS backup in the recovery partition. You might need to go the the HP website/forums to see how to get into the recovery console on your model.

Make sure you back up all of your files first, since the disk will be overwritten. For many users, this includes your emails, address books, and your web bookmarks, so don't forget that stuff. If you are not sure how to back up that material, post back and ask questions.

Ubuntu is a fine OS for things like web browsing and email. It is not bad with multimedia, depending on the format. I find open office to be not as nice as MS office. Ubuntu has tons of free software, but I generally find it to not work as well as the windows counterparts. It is free and has nice help forums as well.

If you want to stay with windows, you can keep your computer clean by using some free or low cost firewall and anti-malware software. I also always advise the use of OS images, which can be used to do a complete re-install in about 5 minutes, including all of your configured software.

LMHmedchem

[boston_019]

So I finally got CDs to do this. I hit F10 to go into recovery. It then asks me which Windows installation I want to log onto- d:\>Minint.exe, d:\>i386, or c:\>windows. I'm thinking this is windows, right? Regardless of my choice, it then takes me to that directory and awaits a command. What command do I need here?