[SOLVED] can't reinstall

Please don't ask why, but last night I inserted the install disc and reformatted the entire hdd as fat

I was dual booting Zorin 8 & Windows 7. So today I tried to reinstall Windows, and it went through post, then gave me a blank screen with a flashing curser, and was totally unresponsive. After trying 4 times I gave up and tried reinstalling Zorin, with the same results.

I know this board is really for the OS, but ya'll are probably some of the smartest pc people I know of, and definitely the nicest, and I don't really know where else to go.

OK, can you boot off the Live DVD at all? If you can, enter 'GParted' in the Windows 7 menu search bar to bring up the Partition Editor.

1. Highlight your drive - assuming you are putting Windows and Zorin on the same drive - that you formatted as FAT and delete it - then apply to ensure that takes place.

2. Create a Primary Partition and formate to NTFS - use the whole drive to begin with then do a resize - I don't know the size of your drive and don't know if you intend to have a separate 'Data' Partition - if 'Windows for everything, then just shrink to half your drive's size - Apply the changes.

3. Next Install your Windows DVD and install Windows 7.

4. After you have set up Windows 7 - reboot with Zorin DVD again and commence install using 'something else' method. Create another 'Primary' partition of 15 Gb and format to 'ext4' and mark as '/.

5. Create an 'Extended partition' - create a 'swap area/linux swap' of 4 Gb at the start of the logical partition and then format the remainder to 'ext4' and mark as '/home'.

Keep us posted!

Thanks for the reply, however I can't even boot to the DVD. It's the same thing, I even tried using an usb DVD drive. It goes through post, and just stops. Just a blank screen with a flashing cursor.

Hi Acer, it could be hard drive failure?

http://www.justanswer.com/computer/62x1 ... ss-f2.html

Hi Acer, it could be hard drive failure?

http://www.justanswer.com/computer/62x1 ... ss-f2.html

I am so friggen embarrassed, that's why it took me so long to respond, I tried to forget I had asked the question here Turns out somehow while reformatting to fat (still don't know what possessed me to do that, or how I could screw up that bad ), but when reformatting, the "Bootable Flag" got turned off. And I did not notice it. Until I get desperate and starting going through all the settings one by one, I felt like such a horses ___.

Mark as Solved thanks again guys.

Hi Acer, "We all make mistakes" - as the Dalek said sliding off the Trashcan! Have marked as [SOLVED] friend!

Hi Acer, "We all make mistakes" - as the Dalek said sliding off the Trashcan! Have marked as [SOLVED] friend!

Even the good Doctor makes mistakes sometimes. LOL

Hi, Can this be marked as [SOLVED]?

Hi, Can this be marked as [SOLVED]?

Yes, thank you.