3 Days Pulling My Hair Out Over This Linux Thing.

Call me an idiot but after a less than wonderful upgrade attempt with
Vista I decided to give this Ubuntu Linux a try.
Well it's 3 days later and I still can't make it work.
I can't even get back to my Windows XP partition because the system
boots to Linux every single time which is ok except that Linux doesn't
work.
My printer won't print
My scanner doesn't scan.
My biometric thumb device won't even light up.
My soundcard is silent.
I can connect to the Internet but the connection is very slow and keeps
dropping.
The fonts are so small that I can't even read them and when I try and
adjust the size the entire picture gets huge and goes off to the left of
the screen.

Can anybody help me extricate this POS Linux from my system, or at least
give me some information on how to get my system to boot back to Windows?
I tried booting the Windows Recovery CD that came with my system but I
think that will erase everything and install a default system like I had
when I purchased the PC last year.

Help please!
Phil Josten

(reply in the group because email (juno) is another thing I can't get
working. The Juno CD won't install.

"Phil Josten" <jostens23phil45@nobody3.org> wrote in message
news:erveaa$laj$1@aioe.org...
> Call me an idiot but after a less than wonderful upgrade attempt with
> Vista I decided to give this Ubuntu Linux a try.
> Well it's 3 days later and I still can't make it work.
> I can't even get back to my Windows XP partition because the system
> boots to Linux every single time which is ok except that Linux doesn't
> work.
> My printer won't print
> My scanner doesn't scan.
> My biometric thumb device won't even light up.
> My soundcard is silent.
> I can connect to the Internet but the connection is very slow and keeps
> dropping.
> The fonts are so small that I can't even read them and when I try and
> adjust the size the entire picture gets huge and goes off to the left of
> the screen.
>
> Can anybody help me extricate this POS Linux from my system, or at least
> give me some information on how to get my system to boot back to Windows?
> I tried booting the Windows Recovery CD that came with my system but I
> think that will erase everything and install a default system like I had
> when I purchased the PC last year.

Providing you still have an active XP partition, do the following:

Insert XP disc and reboot into setup. When you get to setup screen press R
for repair.
Choose the number relating to XP which you wish to repair, enter admin
password. If you have no password leave it blank.
type fixboot then enter and accept the warnings. Then type fixmbr and press
enter and accept the warnings. Once done, remove disc and reboot. You
should now have your XP boot back to normal. This *should* overwrite grub
and reinstall the windows bootloader. Your linux partitions will still be
there, do what you like with those, delete them, format them or whatever
from within XP.

Welcome to the wonderful world of Linux!
Your experience with Linux is very similar to mine.
Sorry, I don't have a fix suggestion other than to bite the
bullet and use the Windows recovery CD.

Gary VanderMolen


"Phil Josten" <jostens23phil45@nobody3.org> wrote in message news:erveaa$laj$1@aioe.org...
> Call me an idiot but after a less than wonderful upgrade attempt with
> Vista I decided to give this Ubuntu Linux a try.
> Well it's 3 days later and I still can't make it work.
> I can't even get back to my Windows XP partition because the system
> boots to Linux every single time which is ok except that Linux doesn't
> work.
> My printer won't print
> My scanner doesn't scan.
> My biometric thumb device won't even light up.
> My soundcard is silent.
> I can connect to the Internet but the connection is very slow and keeps
> dropping.
> The fonts are so small that I can't even read them and when I try and
> adjust the size the entire picture gets huge and goes off to the left of
> the screen.
>
> Can anybody help me extricate this POS Linux from my system, or at least
> give me some information on how to get my system to boot back to Windows?
> I tried booting the Windows Recovery CD that came with my system but I
> think that will erase everything and install a default system like I had
> when I purchased the PC last year.
>
> Help please!

First, we need to establish whether the little Linux Penguin's head is
rotating 360 degrees - If so, then you're out of luck 'cause that means your
PC is now fully posessed. Oh - and one more thing... Be careful when
opening your CD drive, Linux has the tendency to spew bile in the user's
direction!


"Beck" <beck@none> wrote in message
news:ebheuQeWHHA.3500@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>
> "Phil Josten" <jostens23phil45@nobody3.org> wrote in message
> news:erveaa$laj$1@aioe.org...
>> Call me an idiot but after a less than wonderful upgrade attempt with
>> Vista I decided to give this Ubuntu Linux a try.
>> Well it's 3 days later and I still can't make it work.
>> I can't even get back to my Windows XP partition because the system
>> boots to Linux every single time which is ok except that Linux doesn't
>> work.
>> My printer won't print
>> My scanner doesn't scan.
>> My biometric thumb device won't even light up.
>> My soundcard is silent.
>> I can connect to the Internet but the connection is very slow and keeps
>> dropping.
>> The fonts are so small that I can't even read them and when I try and
>> adjust the size the entire picture gets huge and goes off to the left of
>> the screen.
>>
>> Can anybody help me extricate this POS Linux from my system, or at least
>> give me some information on how to get my system to boot back to Windows?
>> I tried booting the Windows Recovery CD that came with my system but I
>> think that will erase everything and install a default system like I had
>> when I purchased the PC last year.
>
> Providing you still have an active XP partition, do the following:
>
> Insert XP disc and reboot into setup. When you get to setup screen press
> R for repair.
> Choose the number relating to XP which you wish to repair, enter admin
> password. If you have no password leave it blank.
> type fixboot then enter and accept the warnings. Then type fixmbr and
> press enter and accept the warnings. Once done, remove disc and reboot.
> You should now have your XP boot back to normal. This *should* overwrite
> grub and reinstall the windows bootloader. Your linux partitions will
> still be there, do what you like with those, delete them, format them or
> whatever from within XP.

I installed Linux on a test box and it booted up, I was able to attach to my
printer, but when accessing the Internet, I can't play WMA files. I then
posted a message to the Ubuntu community group, received some help, but
nothing worked. 7 days later, I still can't play the WMA files. I think
the learning curve is a lot higher than Windows, and trying to figure out
how to deal with rights, navigate directories, install programs, do the
normal stuff that you would do with Windows, takes alot of reading, becuase
alot of it is command line driven, and I just don't have the time to mess
with it.

The shortcomings of Windows are annoying, but not as annoying as Linux at
the current time. If I had more time to spend learning Linux, maybe it
wouldn't be so bad, but I will blow off Linux also on the test box for now.
Maybe in a few years, I'll pick it up again.


"Phil Josten" <jostens23phil45@nobody3.org> wrote in message
news:erveaa$laj$1@aioe.org...
> Call me an idiot but after a less than wonderful upgrade attempt with
> Vista I decided to give this Ubuntu Linux a try.
> Well it's 3 days later and I still can't make it work.
> I can't even get back to my Windows XP partition because the system
> boots to Linux every single time which is ok except that Linux doesn't
> work.
> My printer won't print
> My scanner doesn't scan.
> My biometric thumb device won't even light up.
> My soundcard is silent.
> I can connect to the Internet but the connection is very slow and keeps
> dropping.
> The fonts are so small that I can't even read them and when I try and
> adjust the size the entire picture gets huge and goes off to the left of
> the screen.
>
> Can anybody help me extricate this POS Linux from my system, or at least
> give me some information on how to get my system to boot back to Windows?
> I tried booting the Windows Recovery CD that came with my system but I
> think that will erase everything and install a default system like I had
> when I purchased the PC last year.
>
> Help please!
> Phil Josten
>
> (reply in the group because email (juno) is another thing I can't get
> working. The Juno CD won't install.
>

If you remember the password you established for root, you can
edit grub.conf - location: /boot/grub/grub.conf - to default Windows.
Sounds like your timeout is too short. You can change that too.

Log in as root. Click on Computer. Click on file system. Click on boot.
Click on Grub. Click on grub.conf. A text file will open up. Examine it.
There is default= and timeout= with a number after the equals sign.
The timeout number is seconds. Increase it to at least 5. The default
number corresponds to the operating systems listed below, starting
at zero (0) and then going 1, 2, etc. Determine which in the list is
Windows, then change default= to it's position, likely default=1.

This ought to default Windows with a long enough pause for you
to explore the "wonders" of Linux, should you care to do so.

"Phil Josten" <jostens23phil45@nobody3.org> wrote in message news:erveaa$laj$1@aioe.org...
> Call me an idiot but after a less than wonderful upgrade attempt with
> Vista I decided to give this Ubuntu Linux a try.
> Well it's 3 days later and I still can't make it work.
> I can't even get back to my Windows XP partition because the system
> boots to Linux every single time which is ok except that Linux doesn't
> work.
> My printer won't print
> My scanner doesn't scan.
> My biometric thumb device won't even light up.
> My soundcard is silent.
> I can connect to the Internet but the connection is very slow and keeps
> dropping.
> The fonts are so small that I can't even read them and when I try and
> adjust the size the entire picture gets huge and goes off to the left of
> the screen.
>
> Can anybody help me extricate this POS Linux from my system, or at least
> give me some information on how to get my system to boot back to Windows?
> I tried booting the Windows Recovery CD that came with my system but I
> think that will erase everything and install a default system like I had
> when I purchased the PC last year.
>
> Help please!
> Phil Josten
>
> (reply in the group because email (juno) is another thing I can't get
> working. The Juno CD won't install.
>

Try this:
http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Ubuntu_Edgy

It may answer many of your questions.




On Mon, 26 Feb 2007 12:46:19 -0800, Zim Babwe wrote:

> I installed Linux on a test box and it booted up, I was able to attach to my
> printer, but when accessing the Internet, I can't play WMA files. I then
> posted a message to the Ubuntu community group, received some help, but
> nothing worked. 7 days later, I still can't play the WMA files. I think
> the learning curve is a lot higher than Windows, and trying to figure out
> how to deal with rights, navigate directories, install programs, do the
> normal stuff that you would do with Windows, takes alot of reading, becuase
> alot of it is command line driven, and I just don't have the time to mess
> with it.
>
> The shortcomings of Windows are annoying, but not as annoying as Linux at
> the current time. If I had more time to spend learning Linux, maybe it
> wouldn't be so bad, but I will blow off Linux also on the test box for now.
> Maybe in a few years, I'll pick it up again.
>
>
> "Phil Josten" <jostens23phil45@nobody3.org> wrote in message
> news:erveaa$laj$1@aioe.org...
>> Call me an idiot but after a less than wonderful upgrade attempt with
>> Vista I decided to give this Ubuntu Linux a try.
>> Well it's 3 days later and I still can't make it work.
>> I can't even get back to my Windows XP partition because the system
>> boots to Linux every single time which is ok except that Linux doesn't
>> work.
>> My printer won't print
>> My scanner doesn't scan.
>> My biometric thumb device won't even light up.
>> My soundcard is silent.
>> I can connect to the Internet but the connection is very slow and keeps
>> dropping.
>> The fonts are so small that I can't even read them and when I try and
>> adjust the size the entire picture gets huge and goes off to the left of
>> the screen.
>>
>> Can anybody help me extricate this POS Linux from my system, or at least
>> give me some information on how to get my system to boot back to Windows?
>> I tried booting the Windows Recovery CD that came with my system but I
>> think that will erase everything and install a default system like I had
>> when I purchased the PC last year.
>>
>> Help please!
>> Phil Josten
>>
>> (reply in the group because email (juno) is another thing I can't get
>> working. The Juno CD won't install.
>>


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On Mon, 26 Feb 2007 12:46:19 -0800, Zim Babwe wrote:

> I installed Linux on a test box and it booted up, I was able to attach to my
> printer, but when accessing the Internet, I can't play WMA files. I then
> posted a message to the Ubuntu community group, received some help, but
> nothing worked. 7 days later, I still can't play the WMA files. I think
> the learning curve is a lot higher than Windows, and trying to figure out
> how to deal with rights, navigate directories, install programs, do the
> normal stuff that you would do with Windows, takes alot of reading, becuase
> alot of it is command line driven, and I just don't have the time to mess
> with it.
>
> The shortcomings of Windows are annoying, but not as annoying as Linux at
> the current time. If I had more time to spend learning Linux, maybe it
> wouldn't be so bad, but I will blow off Linux also on the test box for now.
> Maybe in a few years, I'll pick it up again.

Yea, I spent two hours searching for info on why my TV Tuner wouldn't work
in Ubuntu and it still doesn't work. Took five minutes to get it running
in XP.

On Mon, 26 Feb 2007 15:01:20 -0500, Phil Josten
<jostens23phil45@nobody3.org> spake thusly:

>Call me an idiot but after a less than wonderful upgrade attempt with
>Vista I decided to give this Ubuntu Linux a try.
>Well it's 3 days later and I still can't make it work.
>I can't even get back to my Windows XP partition because the system
>boots to Linux every single time which is ok except that Linux doesn't
>work.

You don't see a menu at boot time showing you options (including
booting into Ubuntu or into Windows)?

It works just fine for me.

>My printer won't print
>My scanner doesn't scan.

Admittedly these things can be a PITA in Linux but more often than
not, you can get them running, but not nearly as easily you can in
Windows.

Ya gotta do some research. :-)

>My biometric thumb device won't even light up.

Never used one. No comment.

>My soundcard is silent.

As was mine in Vista till I downloaded drivers for it. :0)

In the case of Ubuntu that's often ca sued by the volume set to near
off by default.

>I can connect to the Internet but the connection is very slow and keeps
>dropping.

I've never had that problem.

>The fonts are so small that I can't even read them and when I try and
>adjust the size the entire picture gets huge and goes off to the left of
>the screen.

I've never had that problem either.

>
>Can anybody help me extricate this POS Linux from my system, or at least
>give me some information on how to get my system to boot back to Windows?
>I tried booting the Windows Recovery CD that came with my system but I
>think that will erase everything and install a default system like I had
>when I purchased the PC last year.

You don't have a Vista recovery CD? That should do it for you. It
worked for me when I messed up my partition table.

Not that I expect you'll change your mind about Ubuntu, but just in
case check out:

The Ubuntu Users mailing list.
https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users

And/or Ubuntu Forums:

http://ubuntuforums.org

I've had EXCELLENT help from both places.

There's also....

http://help.ubuntu.com

&

http://wiki.ubuntu.com
--
Scott http://angrykeyboarder.com

A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?
NOTICE: In-Newsgroup (and therefore off-topic) comments on my sig will
be cheerfully ignored, so don't waste our time.

OK... you're an idiot.

;-P Sorry, couldn't resist...

Lang

"Phil Josten" <jostens23phil45@nobody3.org> wrote in message
news:erveaa$laj$1@aioe.org...
> Call me an idiot but after a less than wonderful upgrade attempt with
> Vista I decided to give this Ubuntu Linux a try.
> Well it's 3 days later and I still can't make it work.
> I can't even get back to my Windows XP partition because the system
> boots to Linux every single time which is ok except that Linux doesn't
> work.
> My printer won't print
> My scanner doesn't scan.
> My biometric thumb device won't even light up.
> My soundcard is silent.
> I can connect to the Internet but the connection is very slow and keeps
> dropping.
> The fonts are so small that I can't even read them and when I try and
> adjust the size the entire picture gets huge and goes off to the left of
> the screen.
>
> Can anybody help me extricate this POS Linux from my system, or at least
> give me some information on how to get my system to boot back to Windows?
> I tried booting the Windows Recovery CD that came with my system but I
> think that will erase everything and install a default system like I had
> when I purchased the PC last year.
>
> Help please!
> Phil Josten
>
> (reply in the group because email (juno) is another thing I can't get
> working. The Juno CD won't install.
>