One of my friends, Karen has an Asus Eee PC. She told me that she tried dual booting Linux with Windows 7 (via Wubi), and overwrote the master boot record with grub, and wants me to reinstall Windows 7 for her.

I know I could write the contents from the CD to a flash drive, and use the command prompt to make it a bootable install (example), however my optical drive is undetected, and all I need to do there is get a new one, but I use my 4GB flash drive as a CD for Linux using the "Universal USB Installer".

Now I'm currently saving my money for a MacBook. So I was wondering as an alternative way instead of getting an external dvd drive; could I use my 16GB flash drive to install Windows 7 for her, and if so how would I accomplish that???

Are you sure the restore partition is overwritten too?
Does she still have the booklets that came with the eeepc? They tell you exactly how to restore from the restore partition. Otherwise check the eeepc website. It should have the instructions too.

I can't even boot into windows each time I try booting into it, I see.

error: no such device: 8c35181b-d6d0-476f-a1b2-7503d2915da7.
grub rescue>

She never got an installation disk (not a surprise to me with Asus) as windows 7 came "preloaded" which I think is a stupid thing for a company to do. If I can't find any installation software for windows 7 for a flash drive, I'll be forced to use my installation dvd and write the contents of that to my flash drive, and use that as an installer, and then haft to put linux back on the flash drive I'll be using to install windows 7 on her comp.

I do give her props for backing up her data, but it's stupid to dual boot on a netbook, especially one with small capacity.

Wow she is Crazy!
I wonder if you could just use a USB to USB plug and hook two computers together like that?
Not really sure if that would be possible and would love to know

Flash Drive would probably be the best, and is there no CD Reader? Or does it just not work?
Confused about the whole Optical Drive thing.

What you mean like dual monitors, or what???


She has no cd/dvd drive what so ever, most netbooks don't come with them, some do now a days, but not many do, cause their so small. I think all computers, and even tablets should come with an optical drive, it's not that big, and can fit, but I guess the manufacturer's have thoughts of their own.

No as in to like Sync Files or something, Transfer like that (sounds too good to be true)

And oh sorry I didn't understand,
Flash Drive sounds like the only way to do it,

I would try contacting Microsoft saying that you are having problems with a NetBook without a CD Drive, and see if they can give you an Installer for 7 that would go on your flash drive without having to take it off the 7 CD as that might be quite a bit larger.
If they have one let me know I would love to get one
*I wouldn't want yours I would get my own*
**Not Illegal Like that**

You don't have to boot into windows Mike. You need to change something in the bios. Disable boot loader. If that's turned on on her eeepc and then (and that's where my memory deserts me.) You have to press f9 or f12 (something like that) Before you start windows and you'll get in the restore section. It's there for when you can't boot into windows anymore.

Go to the Asus website to look up the manual of her particular model. It should be explained there.
Just noticed Asus changed their website. I'm having a hard time navigating.

Oh found it. http://support.asus.com/download/ModelL ... 0pc&type=1

Try finding the model and the manual from there.

I tried talking to Microsoft yesterday on the phone, and the dude told me I'd haft to buy some program from them to do this, and I'd only be doing it one time, so I said screw it, I'd rather just buy an external optical drive if that'd be the case.


The bios is fine it's the OS it'self. I'm gonna call an Asus rep and see if they know how to do this, cause this is getting to be to much of a hassle. (I bookmarked the link encase I need to revert back)

Save yourself the call Mike. You don't need to get into the operating system. Do this:

From a random model's manual.

Press f2 repeatedly during start up to get in the bios.
Disable boot booster in the bios.

Start up again and press f9 during start up.
You'll get into the restore section.

Hope that works on her eeepc too.

I know about getting into the startup screen, that usually works with all new computers that came with Vista+ however cause of grub this won't work.

My sister just told me I can use her computer, and her copy of windows 7 installation disk to fix this comp. Hopefully I can find a program to install it to a usb stick for the future, but I'll be doing this instead.

I hear this time and time again about dual boot-ups.In my honest opinion you are better off using one platform per machine.Just too many unforeseen problems.Especially with 2 completely different OS's.

Not really I've never had a problem with dual booting (except a couple times, but I was an idiot). There's no problems unless the user does something, like overwrite their master boot record with grub, delete main partition, etc: you know dumb moves people have done without paying attention.

However I do agree with the statement that their better off using one platform per machine, say multiple computers, or a cheaper way have one computer, and multiple internal hard drives, so you have windows on one, linux on another, or however you wanna do it. It just takes like 2-3 minutes to switch hard drives, and then you're back to booting, it's very simple.

I virtualize myself because I do not want to mess with dual booting. Anyway, netbooks don't have CDs (as already mentioned). Microsoft actually have thumbdrive versions of Win7 for sale in order to upgrade non-Win7 netbooks to Win7 so that is the way to go. I've only run across programs that allow creating thumb-bootable drives but never created one personally. Anyway, good luck on your sister's system Mike.

Thanks!

NickMiller from LockerGnome told me about WinToFlash, and it worked just the way I wanted, so if anybody else has a problem like this, well here you go.

maybe a bit off topic but i never had problems with dual boot

Happy you solved Mike

There is a more geeky way to reinstall the OS too. Most BIOSs support network install, so you could create a network install version of the OS on another platform and then boot the netbook from that location, but I don't have experience in doing this either. Best to use your flash utility as mentioned, but just mentioning other possibilities.

edit:

As a side note, cool to see another Gnomie here. I've been getting Pirillo's Lockergnome newsletter around a decade now.

I didn't even think of that

Yep I'm on lockergnome.net as well as geeks.pirillo.com unfortunately I feel lonely there, no friends