How to Format a Linux Hard Disk to Windows

Last Updated: July 28, 2015

Windows operating system and Linux execute best on their specific file systems. It is a known fact that Linux executes better on hard disks that are formatted using the ext3 file format system, whereas Windows executes well in a disk that has been formatted on NTFS file system. If you are running Linux as your default operating system and would like to switch to Windows, there are two simple ways in which you can reformat a hard disk that has been formatted for Linux operating system to enable you to install Windows operating system. For the procedure, you will need the installation disc for each of the operating system, i.e. Linux and Windows.

Steps

1
Insert the Windows installation disc into the CD-ROM and reboot the PC.
2
Give it sometime as Windows goes through the boot-up sequence. Press “Enter” to boot the system from the CD-ROM

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3
Press “F8” to accept the terms and conditions for using Windows.
4
If the installation identifies the presence of another copy of Windows, press the “Esc” key to exit the installation process.
5
Using the arrow keys, scroll through the existing partitions and select the one that you want to delete. Press ‘D’ to delete and ‘L’ thereafter to confirm the process. Thereafter, the installation will display the current partition and “Unknown”. Repeat the entire procedure until all partitions have been erased.
6
To create a new partition to install Windows in, select the partition labeled “Unpartitioned space” and press “Enter” to create a new partition you will use to install Windows in.
7
When prompted for file system to use, choose NTFS if you want only Windows operating system. To install both Windows and Linux, select FAT32 file system.
8
Proceed to install Windows on the new partition.

Method 1

Method 1 of 1:

How to use the Ubuntu installation disc

1
Insert the Ubuntu installation disc into the CD-ROM and boot the PC with it. During the boot-up process, select “Try Ubuntu without……” this will enable you to install Linux without affecting the current status of your system.
2
Load the Partition Editor application, this can be found by clicking the menu “System” then selecting “Administration” on the drop down menu.
3
Choose the partition in which Linux has been installed in and select “Delete”. Thereafter, select “New” to create a new partition to install Windows in. choose NTFS as the preferred file format system.
4
Click “Apply” to accept the changes and proceed to install Windows in the new partition that you have just created..

Community Q&A

Question

Why not just use the Ubuntu disk to delete Ubuntu, reformat the drive to NTFS, then load Windows 7 on the new NTFS drive?

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Top Answerer

Using Ubuntu to reformat the drive is unnecessary if you're going to install Windows 7. The Windows 7 install disk is perfectly capable of wiping the drive and reformatting to NTFS.

Warnings

Formatting a hard disk will erase any data that exist therein. Ensure that you have created backup of all data stored in the hard disk.

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