XP & Deleting Linux

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bazciscor · #1 Post by **bazciscor** » Sat May 12, 2007 12:38 am

Is there a way to delete the Linux (Debian) partition and GRUB without re-imaging the entire disc?

al7kz · #2 Post by **al7kz** » Sat May 12, 2007 1:24 am

Not sure what you mean by "re-image the disk". Just restore the master boot record and use Disk Management to delete the linux partitions.

bazciscor · #3 Post by **bazciscor** » Sat May 12, 2007 1:54 am

Pardon my newbie-ness, but how do you restore the MBR?

al7kz · #4 Post by **al7kz** » Sat May 12, 2007 2:17 am

You can do that with a floppy and this utility from Lenovo. http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-62978

Or boot the computer with a XP/2000 install CD and at the Welcome screen type R to get the Recovery Console. Log onto XP and type FIXMBR at the prompt. Ignore the warnings and type Y to write a new MBR.

bazciscor · #5 Post by **bazciscor** » Sat May 12, 2007 9:23 pm

Thanks al7kz.

I tried booting into the recovery CDs and and didn't get a welcome screen. So, I couldn't do anything else.

The first suggestions is unworkable because I don't use floppies.

al7kz · #6 Post by **al7kz** » Sat May 12, 2007 10:38 pm

OK, let's see if there is a workaround. Boot up XP and do:
Start > Run >
Enter "c:\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons" and hit OK. Enter "Yes" at the Windows Setup dialog to install Recovery Console. At the next dialog, enter "Skip this step and continue.." & hit Next. This should install the recovery console. Reboot. At grub, select XP, then select Recovery console.
Wait for the console to boot up, then enter "1" and the Administrator password to logon to XP. At the prompt type "fixmbr" then "y" & hit enter. Then type "exit" to reboot.

bazciscor · #7 Post by **bazciscor** » Sun May 13, 2007 1:40 am

al7kz -

Thanks. It worked to perfection.

I'm guessing it's OK to leave the the Recovery Console. Yes?

ConnorBehan · #8 Post by **ConnorBehan** » Fri May 25, 2007 5:01 pm

No offence, but why would you want to delete Linux? The open source community might still need to come along way, but they have developed many free programs that make tasks cheaper (if not easier) than they are on windows. Dual booting can widen your horizons because being familiar with more than one operating system gives someone a sense of how they work, similarities/differences and an appreciation for the huge amount of work needed to write one.

Ok sorry I'm done preaching.

bazciscor · #9 Post by **bazciscor** » Fri May 25, 2007 5:28 pm

I agree with you. It's just became apparent, that two operating systems on a laptop didn't work for me. I'm still into Linux definitely, but as you yourself said, there are still some issues. I had Debian tweaked quite well, but updating ThinkVantage's Rescue & Recovery (4.0) destroyed GRUB. So, I reinstalled it, but decided afterwards, that I just didn't want to allocate the time and energy again to configure it. That's not to say I won't in the future.

XP & Deleting Linux

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