How do I download a boot disc?

cat_lover_4113 · 07-29-2008, 04:07 AM

(If this has been answered before, sorry. The search function wasn't working.)

My brother got a desktop computer from a friend of mine, because they all have laptops and don't use the desktop. Before he stopped using it, my friend had Linux installed on it, and remembered after I got the problem.

I start the computer, get one black screen which has a logo and stuff about the computer, and then a second black screen which tells about the hard drives and things like that. At the bottom, it had an L and then an endless stream of 99 99 99 99 to the bottom of the screen.

I looked up the problem and found that I had to download a boot disc, and have tried to download one from different sites, but haven't been able to.

Does anyone have good sites to download a boot disc for Linux and how to?

The computer has 512MB RAM, a CD drive, a floppy drive which doesn't work. I don't know anything else about the computer in question.\

Thank you

**K-B** · 07-29-2008, 04:18 AM

What would you like to do with it? If I were you, I would just wipe the whole drive and start over fresh. Do you want to use Linux?

cat_lover_4113 · 07-29-2008, 04:32 AM

I do not want to use Linux, I want to get rid of it and install Windows, so yes, I want to clear the hard drive.

How do I do that please?

**K-B** · 07-29-2008, 05:48 AM

If you already have software like Norton Partition Magic, you can use that. If not, you can download gParted from http://gparted.sourceforge.net/ (it's free). Burn it to a CD, and you can boot from the CD and once it's loaded, with the provided tools you can delete all the partitions, then format the hard drive to ready it for your Windows installation.

cat_lover_4113 · 08-01-2008, 07:31 PM

Okay, thank you K-B.

I will have to visit the public library Monday to get it (it is Saturday my way) as I have dialup, and I would not be able to download the 90MB file in the four hours my ISP gives me.

fredobrien · 08-02-2008, 07:21 AM

Use DBAN to wipe the HD. Then load XP will be like a new HD. It's slow but will clean up HD. Fred

cat_lover_4113 · 08-03-2008, 06:46 AM

What is DBAN?

**simpswr** · 08-03-2008, 07:17 AM

http://www.dban.org/

shuuhen · 08-03-2008, 07:46 AM

Darik's Boot And Nuke (DBAN) - Bootable disk utility that's designed for destroying data on your hard drive. Should be the first result if you Google "DBAN".

EDIT: Hooray for not clicking post until a good long while after simpswr beats me to the info.

07-29-2008, 04:07 AM	#1 (permalink)
cat_lover_4113 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 6 OS: XP SP2	How do I download a boot disc? (If this has been answered before, sorry. The search function wasn't working.) My brother got a desktop computer from a friend of mine, because they all have laptops and don't use the desktop. Before he stopped using it, my friend had Linux installed on it, and remembered after I got the problem. I start the computer, get one black screen which has a logo and stuff about the computer, and then a second black screen which tells about the hard drives and things like that. At the bottom, it had an L and then an endless stream of 99 99 99 99 to the bottom of the screen. I looked up the problem and found that I had to download a boot disc, and have tried to download one from different sites, but haven't been able to. Does anyone have good sites to download a boot disc for Linux and how to? The computer has 512MB RAM, a CD drive, a floppy drive which doesn't work. I don't know anything else about the computer in question.\ Thank you Last edited by cat_lover_4113; 07-29-2008 at 04:09 AM.

07-29-2008, 04:18 AM	#2 (permalink)
K-B Mod. Linux, Wrench Turner Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NY Posts: 2,885 OS: Vista, Ubuntu My System	Re: How do I download a boot disc? What would you like to do with it? If I were you, I would just wipe the whole drive and start over fresh. Do you want to use Linux? __________________

07-29-2008, 04:32 AM	#3 (permalink)
cat_lover_4113 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 6 OS: XP SP2	Re: How do I download a boot disc? I do not want to use Linux, I want to get rid of it and install Windows, so yes, I want to clear the hard drive. How do I do that please?

07-29-2008, 05:48 AM	#4 (permalink)
K-B Mod. Linux, Wrench Turner Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NY Posts: 2,885 OS: Vista, Ubuntu My System	Re: How do I download a boot disc? If you already have software like Norton Partition Magic, you can use that. If not, you can download gParted from http://gparted.sourceforge.net/ (it's free). Burn it to a CD, and you can boot from the CD and once it's loaded, with the provided tools you can delete all the partitions, then format the hard drive to ready it for your Windows installation. __________________

08-01-2008, 07:31 PM	#5 (permalink)
cat_lover_4113 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 6 OS: XP SP2	Re: How do I download a boot disc? Okay, thank you K-B. I will have to visit the public library Monday to get it (it is Saturday my way) as I have dialup, and I would not be able to download the 90MB file in the four hours my ISP gives me.

08-02-2008, 07:21 AM	#6 (permalink)
fredobrien Registered User Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Clarks Hill, Indiana Posts: 216 OS: XP pro, PCLINUXOS Ubuntu	Re: How do I download a boot disc? Use DBAN to wipe the HD. Then load XP will be like a new HD. It's slow but will clean up HD. Fred

08-03-2008, 06:46 AM	#7 (permalink)
cat_lover_4113 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 6 OS: XP SP2	Re: How do I download a boot disc? What is DBAN?

08-03-2008, 07:17 AM	#8 (permalink)
simpswr Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: May 2007 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 12,315 OS: XP, Vista, Win 7	Re: How do I download a boot disc? http://www.dban.org/ __________________ Rich MemTest86 \| BenchTest \| Virus/Trojan/Spyware Help How to post a Screen Shot \| PC running slow?

08-03-2008, 07:46 AM	#9 (permalink)
shuuhen Manager Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Colorado Posts: 990 OS: Mac OS 9.1, Mac OS X 10.5.8, WinXP Pro, FreeBSD 6.0, Gentoo Linux My System	Re: How do I download a boot disc? Darik's Boot And Nuke (DBAN) - Bootable disk utility that's designed for destroying data on your hard drive. Should be the first result if you Google "DBAN". EDIT: Hooray for not clicking post until a good long while after simpswr beats me to the info. __________________ Has it been a few days since I replied to your thread? Don't panic! I'm a busy college student and may forget a post if I'm extra busy (or it might just take me a while to be able to do a decent reply). If you still need help and are awaiting my reply after a few days, PM me about it. When posting what errors you get, please give the full message. It makes helping you much easier. Last edited by shuuhen; 08-03-2008 at 07:49 AM.