Have a Gateway that I cannot load Windows XP on, but loads Linux Mint 7 with no problem. This confuses me. The XP program is good, can load on other PCs, but not this Gateway. This is my brothers computer, and he prefers XP. Is there a way I can piggy back XP to Linux so XP is running for him ? I'm sorry if this is a dumb question, but stupid is as stupid does. Does anyone have an idea why it excepts one O/S and not the other ? Well, at least I know the PC is okay, but I need some guidance from somebody who knows more about this than me. Cool, I hope ya'll help. Thanks.

That's a sticky wicket. Windows can be finicky. It might be easier to install an open source OS before installing Windows if you still want to. I have limited experience installing an OS on an Acer D257. I accidently erased WIndows while trying to dual boot Mint. I like Mint 16 better anyway because it doesn't have all the lost time of Windows installing updates and system repair stalls because the battery ran out don't happen etc. Mint is cool and free online for download.

Linux Ubuntu is also free and very easy to install. If you install Mint first then install Ubuntu it is fairly simple to dual boot and have two operating systems.

It is possible to dual boot Windows 7 of course, yet Linux is free online so if you botch it another try doesn't cost anything, while if you lose Windows 7 or Windows 7 Starter and lose the product key it can cost quite a bit to replace it. In some future Universe Windows might make its O.S. available free for home versions and charge a low price annually for using it and receiving upgrades etc. That would make it easier to dual boot with other systems. Mint 16 has everything Windows offers essentially except for the Windows Movie maker. I had a lot of trouble getting the free app movie makers to work in Mint for some reason.

http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=157

Mint has a lot of free apps that accomplish everything Windows has.

If it Has Windows 8 or 8.1 you might need a new Hard Drive to do this. Windows 8 and 8.1 are encrypted so you can't use Linux of any type. If it has Windows XP try Linux Mint 13 "Maya", the replacement for win xp, If Windows 7 64 bit: Try Linux Mint 17.1 *Rebecca"

It looks like Linux Mint is not a supported OS.

Buffalo Americas

Only the following are supported:
Windows 8 (32-bit/64-bit), Windows 7 (32-bit/64-bit), Windows Vista (32-bit/64-bit), Windows XP, Mac OS X 10.5 or later

The Linux Mint Dev Team may be working on a solution, but this is not something Buffalo will help you with.

This is a little confusing, because BOOTMGR is not part of XP. Vista or better only. Use Win 7 OS disc and choose the Repair option.

Your first step will be backup your important files. Don't write anything to your disk, before you do that. Every file is not deleted, it has just replace first letter with special sign (mark for deleted). If you don't write to disk, special programs can recover it (You need undelete tool program). To backup your important files, you can use live-linux DVD (Mint-linux is good). Write iso image from Mint web page with burning software to DVD, put into DVD and start computer. After that you can put memory stick and backup files from disk to stick. After that you can try to recover Windows (press F8 button when computer start, and going to "Safe mode with networking") You can go to ESET (Nod32) and download off-line tools for viruses cleaning. If you are sure that you have not viruses, you can try to recover Windows. When you are press F8, you have solution for choose previous state of Windows. Be careful, it is last step, and it will change Windows to before state. Windows will be like in the time when you install first time. If this is not good enough, you can only reinstall Windows. From Mint DVD, you can install Mint linux like backup multiboot solution. It will not have viruses problem. I suggest Mint, because I have Musical studio on that OS, and it look like Windows (It is based on Ubuntu linux). Good luck! If you need more information, just ask... I write lot of possibility because your short question.

It depend about your hardware...
If you have new computer (memory, big HDD, good procesor) Windows 7 is good for it.
Windows XP Home has problem with changing languages and it is limited for some network stuff. Windows XP Professional with all update and with AWG or Avira antivirus (free for home use) can be good enough with old hardware.
If you need safe surfing, Linux Mint (based on Ubuntu and Debian) can be the good choice.

I would try re-installing the operating system. Try out Windows 7 or Windows XP if you want a windows machine or Linux Mint if your prefer Linux. Linux Mint is free here http://www.linuxmint.com/

Hi,

The Grub bootloader that Linux uses may be conflicting with the install program for Windows.
I suggest formatting the partition you had Ubuntu installed on if your intent is to replace it.
This should make the partition available to Windows 7.

If you wanting to dual boot then i'm sorry you can't at the moment because of compatibility issues between wubi/mint4win and grub2, Linux Mint 8 comes without a Windows installer. The development team is working on the issue and new ISOs will be published when it is resolved.

Keep your eye on the Mint 8 website for the latest ISO with the windows installer included.


Regards.

Get Linux (Mint 7 is AWESOME!). Easy to use (anyone whom I have asked say it is easier than Vista/WinBlows 7). Another common distro people use to switch from the virus (Wind0ze) to freedom (Linux, duh) is Ubuntu. I recommend Intrepid (Ubuntu 8), as 9 is unstable (still considered beta).

A lot of peoples' main concern is availability/compatibility of/with programs. There are programs available for everything I need, and I use a LOT (Office, terminal emulators, photo/movie players/adjustment programs, etc.), and they are FREE (so are cracked Wind0z3 progs, but, well...you know...), and actually have GREAT support!

As far as your problem goes---it should offer to add an exception, or to install anyway. Seems in your case it did not, so maybe Program Control needs to be shut off so that everything can be run as roo...I mean administrator...WHEW! That was close!

HTH

TIMMAY!