HELP!! I can't boot win xp on Acer aspire 5520 G

hi, i have the same laptop acer 5520G,

This is a hard machine for linux.
I tested various other distros but with very bad results.
Absolute was loaded and started immediately.
please dont expect everything is running, but for this machine, even if a little is running its a good thing.
I still have to work a little bit on it, but at the moment, the basic graphic is running, the net works.
There is no way to use the wireless net (and I think, but not tested yet,that the same will be for the internal modem, the card reader, webcam etc.).
I used Absolute boot on its partition, while working on Vista with EasyBcd.
About other distro:
Mandriva 2007.1 free : starts in graphic then switch in text mode, then stops
SuSe 10.0: boots from CD or DVD but after that is not able to recognize the CD device again.
Fedora 7 : it doesn`t boot at all
Ubuntu 7.04: switch to text mode only, it crashes on graphics

Please beware that while booting Absolute, and while installing too, you have to press gently the On/Off key of the PC while it seems locked.

other then that about your xp cd not booting, you must know that if u put linux as ur primary operating system it locks the system and lets only linux cds boot as a security measure so i found out that the ONLY and should stress that the "ONLY" way for you to boot up from a diffrent cd like xp you must use ur backup VISTA dvds that u shouldve backedup before formating install them and then do whatever u want.

I have a very similar problem- except my Aspire 5520 that I bought two days ago won't boot even the original OS installed which is Linux. It starts and then it stops at the same command (root/localhost) and doesn't move from there.. I'd be very grateful for ANY help I can get since I 'm a notebook n00b & I'm currently in a foreign country so I can't use my local service center.

the linux that acer uses is called linpus. It's not really a full blown version of linux with KDE, or Gnome or any other X-Window manager installed. It's just really a placeholder OS. Sure, if you know how to use linux from the command line then all you need is the basic version installed, but for most people they like Ubuntu or Knoppix or whatever other distro is out there. If you want windows, you might want to fdisk the drive as the drive will be using grub of lilo for a boot manager.

Try that, or best yet take it to someone with some experience.

i have the same problem with toggy...I recently installed windows7 in my pc (Acer aspire 5520 g) and then the linux boot loader was disabled so i could select only windows ...THen when i boot from cd in my computer to fix the problem from linux live cd it always tell me ErroR...Operating system not found ...can i do something ?
fist it tells me something like the mac address of the pc ..

If you want to replace your operating system and install Windows, the best thing to do is reformat your hard drive and wipe all the data off it.

I do not remember what make of hard drive the 5520 uses, so open the hard drive cover and look at the tag. After finding out the manufacture, go to there website and download their installation tools (they all have different names for this). You can then download commands into your computer to reformat your hard drive and it will then accept any new operating system.
If you do not have a working computer ask a friend to download the program for you. Have them put it on a bootable CD.

I want to boot from cd to restore my ubuntu ..I will restore the grub system so then it could find my my linux and my windows too... But i can't boot from cd...The cd is ok ...I have inserted many cds..Ubuntu live cd , system restore cd , windows cd... Nothing ...It can't recorgnise that there is an operating system in the cd.. Yesterday i was trying to do something from live cd in my linux..It could recorgise me that there is an operating system in the cd and i run it normally..After an hour it could't.. My computer is working normally...But the error is that it can't boot from cd.. It is ok..I can load the hard disk and run windows 7 ....If it finally boot from cd i will then put the linux live cd and change the operating system loader ,so i could see the ubuntu in the startup too...Anything that can help ?

To make a tool disk for the hard drive, you must make a DOS-Startup disk with the hard drive tools (commands) on it.
Also if you are trying to run Windows 7 you have a Beta disk and depending what build (version) you have, you may not have all of the drivers you need to run the hardware. The Windows 7 Beta system was released to developers and programmers to try and make trials, suggestions and improvements, that Microsoft can implement on the public version.
They put the program (Windows 7 Beta) on a separate partition on their hard drive!

The Microsoft Windows 7 full program will not be for sale for about another 2 months.