How to remove Ubuntu Linux from dual boot [Tutorial]

[Sai Charan]

Everyone who uses Ubuntu know how to remove Ubuntu when you installed it with wubi. But sometimes it's hard to remove (uninstall) Ubuntu when you installed it in separate partition (without wubi).

Some people may ask "why not just delete Ubuntu partitions?". No we can't do like this because Ubuntu installs a boot loader called GRUB into the Master Boot Record (MBR), if you delete Ubuntu partitions all the data will be deleted but not GRUB! So when your restart your PC, GRUB will look for Ubuntu , when it does not find Ubuntu it show some error and you cannot even boot into windows. So here I'm going to show you two ways to safely remove Linux.

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First (Using MbrFix)

1. Download mbfix from here.
   
2. Extract all files in mbrfix.zip to C:\.
3. Open Command Prompt (start->run-> type cmd -> OK).
4. Type cd \ and press enter.
5. Then type mbrfix /drive 0 fixmbr /yes and press enter.
6. Now you can delete Ubuntu partitions (/, swap etc) using Easeus Partition Manager or Windows Disk Management or other partition editor.
7. Restart your PC.

This will overwrite GRUB with Windows boot loader . So you will see Windows boot loader instead of GRUB.

Second (Using Windows CD)

XP Users:

1. Boot your PC with Windows XP CD and select Repair.
2. Then select the OS, once you are there you'll have a command line.
3. Type Administrator password. If Admin password is blank, just press Enter.
4. Type fixmbr, and then press Enter.
5. Restart PC.
6. Delete Ubuntu Partitions.

Vista Users:

1. Boot PC with Windows Vista installation disc.
2. Select a language, a time, a currency, a keyboard or an input method, and then click Next.
3. Click Repair your computer.
4. Click the operating system that you want to repair, and then click Next.
5. In the System Recovery Options dialog box, click Command Prompt.
6. Type Bootrec.exe, and then press Enter.
7. Delete Ubuntu Partitions.

This will also overwrite GRUB with Windows boot loader.

Notes:

(i) If you have any doubts about using Recovery Console read this and this.

(ii) It's always good to back up MBR. (Raymond had written an excellent article about that.)

[hyena]

I've been using PCLinuxOS 2007 since '07 . I really like the distro but they seem to be in a state of stagnation. Getting off thread sorry, ... Sai Charan thankyou for your excellent Tutorial on deleting the Linux partitions, and keeping the MBR safe, restoring it back to Windows (XP SP3 here) Boot loader.

Kinda just airing some thoughts here .
1. I could test out Ubuntu 8.10 using Wubi, then tackle the Partitioning .
2. PCLinuxOS 2007 is meant to be updating soon, but soon was six months ago . It is very user friendly, but the support is nothing compared to Ubuntu. The commandline is a little different, i.e. I notice to get to Admin Acct. in Ubuntu you write SUDO, whereas in PCLOS it's just SU .
I'm tempted to have a peep at Ubuntu 8.10 using Wubi, I've run the Live Distro, but that is pretty minimalist as far as getting a taste for the thing . Handy for testing your Hardware, connectivity, and the rest but it's gone once you quit and remove your disk.
Decisions, decisions ... LOL
Again, thanks Sai Charan for your Tutorial, such info seems difficult to find for some reason ?

[Sai Charan]

I’m glad you found this tutorial useful

Even Ubuntu updates every six months.

[YuMeng]

before i see this thread, my computer just uninstall that Ubuntu but not the tutorial, every time i reboot my computer, i will see that and i cant internet but now it is solve

[LunarWolf]

How to delete? I don't see any partiton after I done that. Please explain step 1.

[Sai Charan]

You installed it using Wubi?

[LunarWolf]

I just install from my ubuntu cd...

[hellnoire]

Sai's asking you if you installed it while in Windows, Lunar.

[LunarWolf]

No. I use partitions. The MbrFix didn't work. I have no idea how to use it. I type that and all it did was give me a list of choice! Now I don't know how to repair using MbrFix. To use the windows CD, I need the windows xp key right?

Perhaps anyone can give me a step by step way on MbrFix? To type in command prompt, you do not need capitals right? Lower case can work right?

[hellnoire]

Yes lunar, and you can copy and paste into Windows command line.