Need help please, Windows machine dead, can't even boot into safe mode

[Seanr]

like the title says... I can't even boot into safe mode.
My cousin brought his desktop to me because it keeps getting similar errors to this

http://i51.tinypic.com/28k2746.jpg

It wont go past this at all, his friend installed ubuntu however on there, but he needs windows.
I've tried everything I can think of and find...my next step (i dont even know if this would work) would be to put his harddrive in my computer and try to install windows on it that way.

[Killgannon]

when does this happen? when you are trying to install windows? when you're in windows?

[GentaiShinigami]

Did the problem start after installing ubuntu? Wasn't very clear in OP.

[Shirai]

Looks like the Ubuntu installation removed the windows partition but left the hidden (100 MB) system file partition intact.
If my suspicion is true your friend might be screwed on any files he may have wanted to save.
The only way to get this working again will be a complete reinstallation of Windows, with most likely the repartitioning of the hard drive.

[GentaiShinigami]

That happened to me one time trying to install Unbuntu my first time lol. Was a hard lesson to learn, but after that I learnt to either keep a backup image of my OS and/or keep all the shit I don't want to lose on a separate HD from the Windows one.

If there is some critical shit he needs to save you could hook it up to a running PC and copy the files off (if they are still there and he didn't destroy them installing ubuntu).

Memory is fuzzy on all of it, but I think it's possible Ubuntu screwed the MBR also, and that might be causing it not to boot? Might be some way to repair that enough to get back into windows. It's been forever since I fried my Windows installation doing that though so probably wrong! ><

[Seanr]

Im sorry for not being more clear, he brought this to me a few weeks ago. Ubuntu was not installed onto the machine until like a few days ago.

Windows vista 64 bit was on there, and somehow got fucked up. It started going to that error screen whenever trying to boot up, no matter what safe mode option I try to pick, it ends up on a screen similar to this. He doesn't really care about saving the files. Just needs a usable computer.

It does whether I just try to start up windows or install it
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

[sruon]

Shirai answer is probably accurate, I think when you're launching Windows Setup it's scanning the HDD and find the remnants of the old installation and just goes kaboom

Follow this tutorial to get Ultimate Boot CD on an USB key (alternatively download and burn it on a CD @ http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html)

Use any tool under HDD > Partition Management to completely reformat the HDD (don't bother making partitions, just let the disk unallocated), then Windows Setup should boot without issue.

Alternative option:

Plug the HDD in your own computer and torrent Partition Magic, it's good at doing that kind of things.

[Franzer]

Ubuntu has wubi installer to prevent retards from formatting your windows partitions, and/or to install ubuntu without having any partitioning knowledge. If you're going to reformat, take the time to set up different partitions so that you can put non system files on it in the event you need to reinstall an operating system. i.e. (movies, music, etc.) Also, if you plan to have a dual boot, make sure to install Windows first, the windows bootloader doesn't like to play nice with the linux bootloader(GRUB, GRUB2).

[Seanr]

I'll try when I get home, thanks guys

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[Seanr]

OK now I'm gettin this message when i try to boot with that UBCD

ISOLINUX 3.86 2010-04-01 ETCDisolinux: Found something at drive = F2
isolinux: Found something at drive = A0
Copyright (C) 1994-2010 H. Peter Anvin et al

[Seanr]

OK I yanked his Hard Drive out of his computer, and going to hook it up to my computer... but it has no jumpers. How do I set it as the slave drive?

NVM... yes, i'm a dumbass... I haven't pulled apart a pc in years...

[sruon]

It's SATA, Master/Slave thing died with P-ATA(IDE)

If it's giving you trouble to boot, change the default HDD in the BIOS.

[Seanr]

I see that now ^^;

Now i'll download partition magic and see where it goes from there, but i got MY computer to boot up now with his Harddrive in there.

[Seanr]

Bleh... w/e Partition Magic wouldn't even work for me... I just used Disk Management in Windows. It's a clean fresh drive now, time to put it back in his computer and try again? I gave it a drive letter in my computer... does that even matter?

[Seanr]

Getting this screen now, i put the drive back into his computer
http://i54.tinypic.com/29mojgm.jpg

Should I have just installed windows on the drive while it was in my computer?

[Cheerios]

At what point does that error screen occur?

[sruon]

Also what version of windows are you trying to install?

[Seanr]

His pc originally had vista on it, i'm tryin to put 7 on there. that screen comes up when trying to load the Windows 7 disc.
Says Windows is loading files... then the blue screen comes up

[sruon]

Ummmmm... what mode is the HDD on in the BIOS? Should say AHCI, Compatible IDE etc somewhere in the BIOS, try switching AHCI to IDE... honestly out of ideas.

[Seanr]

Lol, i went to go try to boot up my computer after removing his hard drive... now IT wont start up.. -_-