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A few days ago I was installing Linux on my laptop, the previous version of my OS was Windows XP. When the process was halfway suddenly the power died and now when I turn on my laptop I see a black screen. I have tried many things but they do not help. The BIOS is working but I can't return to the previous version of Windows XP.

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    Can you try and boot from the installation media, Ubuntu DVD/USB. If that works, just install again. ...we do not support Windows here. Feb 24, 2015 at 22:07

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When you began running the Linux installation, did you choose to install Linux:

  • over Windows, that is to say on the same partition that windows was on, or
  • along side Windows, on a separate [new] partition?

Assuming it was the former option, you will have lost your Windows XP partition if, as you say, the Linux install got halfway. This is because the drive/partition may have been reformatted, and/or partially over written. You will not be able to recover your Windows XP in this scenario. Your best option in this case, is to reattempt the Linux install.

If you chose the second option, then your Windows XP partition may still be there, and maybe recoverable. However, you will need to fix the boot loader (grub/LILO). The easiest way to do this is to reattempt the Linux install. If it is a recent version of Linux, then it should detect that you have a Windows OS already installed and automatically set up your bootloader for you, such that you will have the option to boot into Windows or Linux.

In short, for either of the two installation methods, your best bet is to reinstall the Linux OS again, and hope that you have no further power outages.

As an aside, if you are having continual power interruptions, it may be worth considering investing in an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS).

BTW, in your question, you have omitted a few details:

  • What version of Linux are you using? Was it Ubuntu?
  • You also say that you have tried "many things"... What exactly have you tried?

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