From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Wed Aug 12 14:32:30 2009 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 9042410657C0 for ; Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:32:26 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from chuckop@gmail.com) Received: from qw-out-2122.google.com (qw-out-2122.google.com [74.125.92.27]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 1C4958FC4A for ; Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:32:25 +0000 (UTC) Received: by qw-out-2122.google.com with SMTP id 3so18941qwe.7 for ; Wed, 12 Aug 2009 07:32:25 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=domainkey-signature:received:received:from:to:references :in-reply-to:subject:date:organization:message-id:mime-version :content-type:content-transfer-encoding:x-mailer:thread-index :content-language:x-cr-hashedpuzzle:x-cr-puzzleid; bh=ggYwNYt1AL5JJucnUJ8diT1k0KndixPFJcPf40K9t+o=; b=nM4TWXNaWAx57UqkxzrDW+xF5p6sXN+EihfDWfr6yPt553UQJXMLZoSa1QkAXyM4gs EG8o1O+yUkyajRvyOt8GwevaChwnOC4pcO/zlur1KICg0/PCRQv/HCw0UDcA3Z0Uh9zT zrCF/F36/3pD3d4r1mHmDNE0sLW+QW34l5cUY= DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; c=nofws; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=from:to:references:in-reply-to:subject:date:organization:message-id :mime-version:content-type:content-transfer-encoding:x-mailer :thread-index:content-language:x-cr-hashedpuzzle:x-cr-puzzleid; b=Dz9lO/1kuyra51NSzpxVSJ65dWCbtX6p5y3F89P4HlPdddGKpv8N8V4TC1JSaxEloF YAZHRASXvjC33EEyiWTivVGP3/hWsEvOyKNrwEXU5vZ+lZk+a2NpAWeSqAOyKXox5OB9 wN/spEX0nMkyuTXMKTjlrw1kwrY6lsx3e3RaM= Received: by 10.229.1.83 with SMTP id 19mr158757qce.68.1250087545188; Wed, 12 Aug 2009 07:32:25 -0700 (PDT) Received: from ChuckOp1 (145-115.127-70.tampabay.res.rr.com [70.127.115.145]) by mx.google.com with ESMTPS id 20sm591303ywh.6.2009.08.12.07.32.23 (version=TLSv1/SSLv3 cipher=RC4-MD5); Wed, 12 Aug 2009 07:32:24 -0700 (PDT) From: "Charles Oppermann" To: "'Steve Bertrand'" , References: <980215.56754.qm@web58307.mail.re3.yahoo.com> <20090812130546.GA3672@marge.bs.l> <4A82C3DD.7040209@ibctech.ca> In-Reply-To: <4A82C3DD.7040209@ibctech.ca> Date: Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:32:20 -0400 Organization: Copper Software Message-ID: <002701ca1b59$b3e132c0$1ba39840$@com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook 14.0 Thread-Index: AcobUROuJF5V9RWsSL2cNNjPzdSLCQABnWxg Content-Language: en-us x-cr-hashedpuzzle: CHOD DzyJ GePA HW1H LHXs L8sB MMJp NAUp PNx9 QwwM Q7J3 SDF1 SPIL VYqM VqPi WEHp; 2; ZgByAGUAZQBiAHMAZAAtAHEAdQBlAHMAdABpAG8AbgBzAEAAZgByAGUAZQBiAHMAZAAuAG8AcgBnADsAcwB0AGUAdgBlAEAAaQBiAGMAdABlAGMAaAAuAGMAYQA=; Sosha1_v1; 7; {9F3B9944-217F-45CB-A885-03E6E8FCD33A}; YwBoAHUAYwBrAG8AcABAAGcAbQBhAGkAbAAuAGMAbwBtAA==; Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:32:16 GMT; UgBFADoAIABwAGwAZQBhAHMAZQAgAGgAZQBsAHAAIAB0AG8AIAB1AG4AaQBuAHMAdABhAGwAbAAgAEYAcgBlAGUAQgBTAEQAIQAhACEA x-cr-puzzleid: {9F3B9944-217F-45CB-A885-03E6E8FCD33A} Cc: Subject: RE: please help to uninstall FreeBSD!!! X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:32:30 -0000 > Are you suggesting that continuous reinstalling of a program numerous > times until it works is a Windows-only tactic? Bad software exists on every platform, in proportion to the platform's installed base. > To the Original Poster: The easiest way to remove FreeBSD and get back > to a Windows environment would be to simply boot from a Windows install > CD, and have the installer delete all 'partitions' it finds (including > "unknown"). Correct, and counter to another posters statement that Windows attempts to wipe entire disks when installing. Yes, that's the default choice, which is perfectly reasonable, but no Windows Setup will erase entire disks without plenty of warnings and give users the opportunity to keep existing partitions, including types it does not recognize. Since Windows 2000, the Setup program allows for deletion of partitions, creating one or more new partitions, formatting them, etc. Same as the FreeBSD setup, without the disk slices. > This of course will require having the Windows install CD. Your desktop > may still have a sticker with a license key on it, in which case, you > can simply borrow the Windows CD from someone else if you don't own one. In addition, most laptop companies will provide replacement media on request. Oftentimes, a new laptop ships with a manufacturer-specific recovery CD/DVD that contain OEM version of Windows, customized for that manufacturer. If that disk is not available, check the manufacturers support website on how to get a replacement. Downloading one might be an option. As you said Steve, the important thing is the COA sticker - Certificate of Authenticity/Proof of License. Usually on the bottom of the laptop, but sometimes affixed to printed materials included with the computer. Good luck to the original poster; maybe try out FreeBSD on another machine, or when the laptop is too old to run modern versions of Windows.