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When I installed Ubuntu, I encrypted everything for security reasons but now I need to switch back to Windows and I cannot boot from CD. When I boot the CD in Wine it says:

Windows Setup cannot find a location to store temporary installation files. To install Windows, make sure that partition on your boot disk has at least 683 megabytes (MB) of free space. Error code: 0x80070490

How to go back to using Windows?

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  • Also i cannot get into the BIOS.... so anything telling me to boot from cd within BIOS will not work
    – Alex G
    Nov 17, 2013 at 0:13
  • So... How did you install Ubuntu in the first place? Nov 17, 2013 at 0:17
  • I installed the ubuntu boot from CD helper @DoktoroReichard
    – Alex G
    Nov 17, 2013 at 0:21
  • Is the entire disk formatted in a version of ext? My guess is that Windows is looking for either NTFS or FAT...
    – Ben Plont
    Nov 17, 2013 at 0:31
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    Entering BIOS setup to alter the boot order doesn't depend on what OS is on the disk (or if there is any disk at all). Your computer HAS to have a way to enter in it. If you tell us what laptop it is we may have a chance to help you. Some of them are a little tricky... Toshiba for example, you need to press ESC while turning the laptop on. Booting the windows install CD in wine won't work... that's sure.
    – laurent
    Nov 17, 2013 at 2:23

2 Answers 2

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It sounds to me like you might have installed Wubi or a similar Windows-based Ubuntu install application.

Wubi is an downloadable Windows executable that will allow you to download and install Ubuntu from a Windows desktop environment. It will act just like you're installing another program or application, but it will actually setup and put in place the boot records you will need to dual-boot into Ubuntu. It's a nifty bit of kit.

If the above sounds familiar to you then you have a fully functional Ubuntu installation. If you wanted to revert from this installation to Windows, there is currently no way to reverse the process (ie, start a program in Ubuntu that would install Windows). It sounds like this is what you are trying to do (boot the Windows install CD from Wine) and that simply won't work; because of the way Wine runs applications, it would not be able to see the raw partition information that is required to repartition/install Windows to your hard disk. Unlike Wubi, which runs natively as a Windows application, Wine emulates a Windows environment - hard disk inclusive - so you won't be able to make changes to the partition table or the wider Ubuntu operating system whilst in Wine.

Instead, you would have to completely erase Ubuntu and install Windows. This could mean loosing all your data. The method I am suggesting below is indeed just that - so backup and documents, photos or likewise you have installed as it will be lost.

Insert your Windows install CD and reboot the computer. Go into the BIOS and look for a "boot device order". Following the on-screen key prompts, ensure that the CD drive is at the top of that list. Save the settings and exit the BIOS. Your computer should boot into a Windows installer environment. Follow the prompts and when it asks where to install Windows, delete all existing partitions. Once they are all deleted and all that remains is one big chunk of unallocated space, choose that as the destination and proceed. Windows will erase Ubuntu and replace it with itself; again, you will loose all your data by doing this - so backup!!!

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  • I cant boot into the BIOS... i've tried every way and nothing so that would not work... @runtime05
    – Alex G
    Nov 17, 2013 at 0:43
  • You should be able to do so - every computer has a method of booting into the BIOS. Maybe if you give us your motherboard make/model we can provide a more detailed description to help you. Normally the BIOS key at boot is F5, F7 or F11.
    – runtime05
    Nov 17, 2013 at 0:45
  • ive tried them all there is no bios boot screen or anything... @runtime05
    – Alex G
    Nov 17, 2013 at 0:50
  • That is not possible. BIOS setup is an internal feature of the machine, not from the OS and doesn't depend on anything you installed on the disk. What is your laptop model?
    – laurent
    Nov 17, 2013 at 2:32
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Is it a Desktop or Laptop?

  • If you can't boot in to the BIOS why don't you remove your BIOS battery to reset your BIOS in the first place.
  • Windows can't read EXT file system so you should have a NTFS or FAT32 partition with enough space.
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  • Laptop @Maduka Jayalath
    – Alex G
    Nov 17, 2013 at 2:01
  • Which option did you choose in "installation type" when you are installing Ubuntu? Erase the entire disk and use all of it for installation -- Ubuntu will automatically partition your disk and proceed with installation. or Select "something else" and manually create your partitions (which is covered in detail in step 7-C). Nov 17, 2013 at 2:08
  • its a laptop @MadukaJayalath
    – Alex G
    Nov 17, 2013 at 2:08
  • Erase entire disk @MadukaJayalath
    – Alex G
    Nov 17, 2013 at 2:08
  • Then I guess you don't have any free space to install Windows, So you have to repartition your disk but you will lost your all data, is it ok? Nov 17, 2013 at 2:11

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