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How do I remove Windows XP from my toshiba portege 2000 and restart with Linux?

I need a little step by step. The Windows XP crashes upon start. I have made a Ubuntu boot disc. What steps do I need to take to erase the Windows and boot with ubuntu. It won't boot on its own. I even set the bios to start from the CD rom (iomega zip 650). OR is there any way to repair XP without paying Microsoft a ton of money. Personally, I just want to escape to DOS, delete windows altogether and boot from the CD if I can. But I can't get past the 'dead' Windows XP. Thank you.

Public Comments

1. I've seen some laptops ignore the bios if the hard drive has a bootable os. During the startup, there's occasionally a message stating, "press F12 for boot menu" ... that boot menu is were you would find the option to force the computer to boot from CD. However, depending on how the CD was burned, it might not even recognize it as a bootable option either. Maybe download and burn an iso again, or try getting a hold of a windows 98 boot floppy, boot from floppy and see if you can repair the system from there.
2. Your Linux boot disk should provide the option to do that. It will warn you several times that you are writing over the old os but it will replace windows. good luck!
3. Since linux is fat 32 I would say, go to Best Buy and get a win me or win 98 startup floppy and use that to format. Just stick the floppy in and restart the computer. When it comes to a place in what you call as DOSS, there will be 4.....1,2,3,4 selections for win me and 1,2,3 for win 98. Pick #2 of the 4 or pick #1 of the 3 all for cdrom support. And then click "Enter" and let it go for its thing. In about 2-3 minutes, it'll be looking like this A:\......When it's like that type in fdisk.....then it will look like this.....A:\fdisk and click "Enter" When you get to the partition area, delete existing partition. and setup for fat32 Follow instructions there as you go. I'm not too talented to give complete directions there. When its all done it'll return to A:\......then you get to type in the format c: so it looks like this, A:\format c: and click enter. follow instructions and you'll be formatting in no time. After reading more of your question, Its not winxp at fault, Its you powersupply or your videocard or both as it was for my computer. Or its hot and you may have to clean out the dust.
4. The internet is a wondeful resource. www.google.com will get you all kinds of guidance. www.google.com "toshiba protage 2000 linux" will get you a ton of articles (most on the first page of hits are in languages other than English, but for those who persevere) and buried in them is some bits of gold. Including the apparent fact that the portage will NOT boot from the USB CD-ROM! Seek and ye shall find, ask and it takes a while! Here is one answer: http://portege.qiken.org/boot.html