How to restore Hard Drive to factory that is dial booted with Win7/Ubuntu?

[jeremy forrest]

Quick version...

I built a PC awhile back, Dual booted with Win 7 and Ubuntu. Had some problems (couldnt get my usb recovery drive to boot), so I reinstalled windows7. In the process I lost my GRUB loader, so Linux is not able to be loaded.

After some research I decided I just want to format the whole drive, all partitions, so I can do a better setup with a partition set aside to share files between Linux and Win 7.

Is there a good "FREE" bootable tool I can easily burn to CD to just format the whole hard drive back to factory default? Then proceed to reinstall Win7 then Linux fresh.

I am aware of GParted on the Ubuntu Live install CD, but from my understanding that wont work.

 

[jeremy forrest]

also, the title should read "Dual Booted" obviously.

 

[USAFRet]

Do you have a valid Windows 7 install media? DVD or USB?
And a valid Win 7 license?

 

[jeremy forrest]

Do you have a valid Windows 7 install media? DVD or USB?
And a valid Win 7 license?

Yes I do have both. From my research today I thought that partition tool wasn't good enough on the OEM Windows 7 disc. Will that let me just delete all the partitions and merge them? And would that be done via the same tool I originally used to partition my drive?

 

[USAFRet]

Do you have a valid Windows 7 install media? DVD or USB?
And a valid Win 7 license?

Yes I do have both. From my research today I thought that partition tool wasn't good enough on the OEM Windows 7 disc. Will that let me just delete all the partitions and merge them? And would that be done via the same tool I originally used to partition my drive?

Boot from the Windows install media.
It WILL allow you to delete all partitions, and resize as necessary.


Create partitions, sized as you see fit.
Install Windows to one of them.

Later, boot from your Linux install media.
Install to that other partition.

 

[jeremy forrest]

I think I can handle it from here. Thanks for the help.