One more question about my last problem -- (I couldn't reinstall Windows after an install of SUSE Linux).
I finally got into BIOS and booted from my Toshiba recovery discs, which deletes all partitions (there were none) and reformatted the drive. But after the clean Windows installation, it rebooted and showed a black screen with nothing but the words "GRUB" -- which sounds like something from Linux. Do you know how to get rid of that and get back to a normal system with nothing left from Linux? I have tried re-installing Windows twice, but I still get the blank screen with "GRUB".
I want to put the linux on a desktop, but I need Windows back on my laptop ASAP and I can't seem to get the SUSE Linux out of the system.
Grub is the bootloader used by SuSE Linux and many others. The problem you have is that this has been installed in the MBR - the master boot record - which a fresh Windows installation won't overwrite. This is one of the areas where having custom recovery disks provided by the computer manufacturer can be a real pain! With an ordinary Windows installation cd you have the option to boot to a recovery console: some proprietary installation discs do have that option, so you need to check if yours do. If so, get to the recovery console (you have to enter the admin password and select the appropriate installation) and enter the command "fixmbr" Then you should be sorted. If your installations discs don't have that option, see if you can get hold of a standard one from a friend. Another option, if you have an old Windows 98/95/Me cd lying around, is to boot from that, and then run the command "fdisk /mbr" This will wipe the master boot record and your Windows installation should just boot normally thereafter. Failing all of these, there are recovery disks that you can download from the internet - can't remember the specifics but google will lead you there. Sounds complicated but if you let us know what you have available we'll "talk" you through it! To the others on the list - have I missed some other tool for wiping the mbr? David