Trying to reformat to NTFS so that I may re-load windows 7

[shinzolaray]

this is on a HP pavilion dv7-3160us please help iv been trying for one week now. cant run the programs i need on ubuntu or in virtual box.:(

[ericzb]

You can reload back to Windows 7 with installation DVD and it will promote for hard disk format. There's no need to pre-format before Windows installation.

It will be more helpful if you can provide the program name you have been trying to run in Ubuntu.

[Sxooter]

If you want to repartition ahead of time, you can use fdisk (disks smaller than 4G I think) or parted. fdisk is simpler, parted is the new supported standard. I've had windows installers flake out on partition setups they didn't grok.

If you really want to format a partition NTFS, use mkfs.ntfs if your distro has it. With an ubuntu live CD you should have all three. But you don't really need to format it NTFS, windows should be able to do at least that for you.

[debguy]

Since this thread is about installing Windows, it belongs to the Windows subforum.

[Telkwa]

Reformatting to NTFS is easy. Google gparted. Download the latest stable version of the gParted LiveCD. Once you've finished the d/l, you need to convert the data to a bootable CD. On a Linux box, Brasero will automagically see that it's an .iso and burn a bootable CD. On Windows, you can download ImgBurn to convert the download to a bootable CD. Boot from the CD. Generally you can just click Enter to the three or four steps, but every once in a while I've had to start over and click on the Safe Graphics mode or whatever it is they call it.
A gParted LiveCD is a great addition to anyone's toolbox.

[pjc123]

Because I am constantly experimenting with various flavors of Linux (and occasionally Windows), the installers on both these operating systems sometimes get confused about unknown partitions, MBRs, or partition tables from previously installed operating systems, and refuse to install.

There is a fantastic Live CD called "Parted Magic" that has every tool that was mentioned here so far (fdisk, parted, Gparted), plus many, many more tools (Partition Tools, File System Tools, Boot Loader Tools, and Misc. Tools).

I highly recommend Gparted because its delete function cleans out everything, every time for me before I reload a new operating system, or if required it will partition or format to most filesystem types. It is a bootable CD, and Gparted is a very intuitive graphical program.


PARTED MAGIC:
http://partedmagic.com