Trying to replace my friend's OS

[Spikes]

My friend has Windows XP Home or PRo on his comp now, I told him I'd copy his files to a thumb drive and put a new OS on a partition. I've tried openSUSE, Ubuntu 8.10, Ubuntu 9, Xubuntu, all just wont install. SUSE gives me colored lines all over the screen after it "installs". Ubuntu and Xubuntu loads me with failures and errors on installation. I'd put XP back on but I wanted to start fresh so I'm not using the recovery stuff, and I have a couple windows keys but even using government CD keys, they don't work. They always say invalid CD key.

Any ideas?

[Hoarach]

Reformat HD?

[Spikes]

That was what I was thinking but it's a 50/50 chance if it will 1.) get rid of the errors when installing the linux based OS's, but if it doesn't then I can't install windows either...so he'll be OS'less.

[Ghosth]

Repartition  to a Fat32 and I think your linux errors will go away.

If that fails repartition again to NTFS and try XP, once the drive is wiped, and your starting clean you have nothing to lose.

I'd even recommend doing a dual partition so he can have access to either/both OS's.

[Spikes]

Yeah Ghosth I was going to do a dual boot.
If I repartition, I don't get far enough to select where to install ubuntu or SUSE...All I can do is select English when it first loads, then it unpacks some stuff and seems like it readies the comp for install, then it goes with all the command prompt looking errors. It's looking like I'm going to have to wipe the C drive.

The comp does have a recovery drive which I can use to restore the comp to factory settings, but won't the fresh install make the comp faster since the recovery doesn't wipe everything?

[Ghosth]

In my opinion, yes. Personally I still believe that if you want a really clean lean sweet running machine it needs to be repartitioned, reinstall OS yearly. Helps of course if you have all the drivers you need, along with a few other things.

For example I prefer Western Digital drives, so I keep a couple of copys of WD utilities around. They let me boot from the CD, install the drive, copy or mirror it, repartition it, reformat it, etc.

Then reboot with the XP cd, rock and roll through that, install mboard drivers, then video card, and all thats left is software. Firefox & Thunderbird, Glary Utilities for managing startup menu and processes, threatfire, then AH, and any other games.

If you take the time to backup ahead of time, and have drivers downloaded, or the original disks it only takes me about 4 - 5 hours to do a full clean and reinstall, and get back to where I was.

[RTHolmes]

you have run a disk check on it right?

[Spikes]

In my opinion, yes. Personally I still believe that if you want a really clean lean sweet running machine it needs to be repartitioned, reinstall OS yearly. Helps of course if you have all the drivers you need, along with a few other things.

For example I prefer Western Digital drives, so I keep a couple of copys of WD utilities around. They let me boot from the CD, install the drive, copy or mirror it, repartition it, reformat it, etc.

Then reboot with the XP cd, rock and roll through that, install mboard drivers, then video card, and all thats left is software. Firefox & Thunderbird, Glary Utilities for managing startup menu and processes, threatfire, then AH, and any other games.

If you take the time to backup ahead of time, and have drivers downloaded, or the original disks it only takes me about 4 - 5 hours to do a full clean and reinstall, and get back to where I was.

Thing is, for instance, I have two CD's for XP Pro, and 3 different CD keys. I've tried all possible combo's and none work, all say invalid CD key. Im really wanting to put linux on it since it's 10 times faster and better for what he uses it for. My dad told me the recovery tool says you can wipe it "like the day it came off the assembly line" but something tells me it's not completely fresh.

RTHolmes I'll try running it now.

[Mar]

The recovery tool will bring every setting back to factory. This includes the registry, system drivers, look and layout, and anything els that has a setting. However, it will not delete any data currently there, for example nothing in program files will be touched.

I don't know if it's better than a reinstall. I used it once and I don't recollect a difference in performance.

[Spikes]

The recovery tool will bring every setting back to factory. This includes the registry, system drivers, look and layout, and anything els that has a setting. However, it will not delete any data currently there, for example nothing in program files will be touched.

I don't know if it's better than a reinstall. I used it once and I don't recollect a difference in performance.

So it does keep program files, that's what I thought. Looks like I'm going to have to wipe it clean. Ghosth, I did do a little research and I guess Ubuntu needs FAT32 to run the best, and the HDD as it is is NTFS. So, if I wipe the HDD clean and do a fresh install on an unused harddrive, Ubuntu may be able to install.

[pervert]

I just got ubuntu installed there today only problem I encountered was trying to set up my wireless usb dongle  but I got it sorted after an hour or so  Its ridiculously fast compared to XP it takes less than a minute to boot and be ready to go and about 10 seconds to shut down 
Only bummer is Aces High doesn't work with wine  I think it would be perfect to have a Linux version of the game I simply cannot afford to keep upgrading and don't have the time to constantly fix windows anymore 
The best thing of all is my hard drive no longer sounds like its having a heart attack that used to drive me nuts with XP

[Spikes]

I just got ubuntu installed there today only problem I encountered was trying to set up my wireless usb dongle  but I got it sorted after an hour or so  Its ridiculously fast compared to XP it takes less than a minute to boot and be ready to go and about 10 seconds to shut down 
Only bummer is Aces High doesn't work with wine  I think it would be perfect to have a Linux version of the game I simply cannot afford to keep upgrading and don't have the time to constantly fix windows anymore 
The best thing of all is my hard drive no longer sounds like its having a heart attack that used to drive me nuts with XP

Same here...what XP on my old laptop can't do performance wise, Ubuntu on my old laptop can! Takes probably 1:30 to start up and 20 seconds to shut down...something that took XP 5 mins each. pervert I had the same problem with my wireless...took me two days to finally get it setup right.

[pervert]

The wireless can be a bit of a pain I do confess I threw a few tantrums trying to set it up everywhere I looked people had different ways of doing the damn thing  Its because we are so used to windows I guess, But at the end of the day thats just it its a different way of thinking isn't it? Once your used to it, its a breeze 
I would advise anyone with a 'past it' computer like we had to give it ago you'll be shocked at what that old thing can do with the right OS on it 
No paying for expense upgrades to accommodate crappy windows and best of all ubuntu is completely free.