Completely Removing Linux When Dual Booting with Windows

Completely Removing Linux When Dual Booting with Windows

There may be some cases when you may need to remove your linux system completely, like:

• You find you have allocated too much space to the linux partitions and feel you use it very less frequently

• You are not satisfied with the hardware support for your particular hardware

• You find the current distro less satisfying and want to wait for the next release

• You do not like linux!

• You just want to remove it!!

This is one of the cases when you may be interested in removing it either temporarily or even permanently depending on the circumstances. Though many people say it is impossible, it actually is possible and also extremely easy.

FOR WINDOWS XP AND LINUX COMBO:

You will need:

• One Windows XP installed CD/DVD (Not the recovery disks).

• Access to the Windows Account as an administrator.

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Step 1:

• Backup all the useful data in the linux partitions to another windows partition so that you don't repent later.

Step 2:

• Open the Windows Computer Management Console ( Control Panel->Administrative Tools (In Classic View)->Computer Management. )

• Go To 'Disk Management'

Step 3:

• Identify the partitions where you have installed linux by the size and free space (This may be difficult)

Step 4:

• Right click a linux partition and select 'Format...'

• In The Format Dialog.. Select 'NTFS' as the filesystem so that you can regain it back in linux.

• Repeat for all the Linux partitions, viz., ROOT, HOME, SWAP...

Step 5:

• Now that you have done the above tasks, reboot.

(WARNING: After rebooting, neither your old XP nor linux will start... so dont be alarmed!!! )

Step 6:

• Insert the XP installer CD and boot from it.

• Let the drivers load and wait for the first screen.

• It will scan the current partitions and show a list of current windows installations.

• Select the XP installation and press 'R' so that you enter a DOS-Like console called Recovery Console

Step 7:

• Enter 'FIXMBR' (Without the quotes) on the prompt so that the MBR is reformatted

Step 8:

• Enter 'FIXBOOT' (Again without the quotes)

• This will reset the MBR to boot from the windows partition instead of the linux partition.

• This is virtually the last step as the problem is solved now.

• Reboot via 'REBOOT' command and remove the XP CD.

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BACKUP PLAN:

If the above steps dont work, use this simple, but more time consuming backup plan...

• Boot from XP CD

• When the first screen comes DONT select 'R' for recovery but hit 'ESC' key to install a fresh copy

• Again a list of currently installed Xps is shown

• Select your current Installation to repair

• Hit 'R' to repair

• Wait for approx 45 mins so that the repair process completes..

• Done