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Thread ID: 34254 2003-06-08 07:25:00 Removing a Linux dual Boot program from the system. Waltzzz (3972) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
150882 2003-06-08 07:25:00 Hi,

I have a Dell Laptop with a 30G hard disc. I configured it originally to Dual Boot to linux. Sadly I have not managed to fulfil my Linux hopes and I have managed to reformat all these partitions to regain space.

However Upon Booting up I still get the Lilo or was it grubb interface to the dual boot.

Just for the sake of elegance how can I make it back to a windows looking machine?
Waltzzz (3972)
150883 2003-06-08 07:32:00 You could try fdisk/ mbr after using a startup floppy. I have done this successfully in the past, but you should do a backup first. Jen C (20)
150884 2003-06-08 07:35:00 although if you put the / in the right place, it might work better :8}

try fdisk /mbr
Jen C (20)
150885 2003-06-08 12:00:00 Great, thanks .

When You say backup - do you mean a backup of the MBR? How would one do that? The rest of the disk I will definitely have thoroughly backed up .
Waltzzz (3972)
150886 2003-06-08 12:21:00 Not much help to you now but if you are dual booting using Lilo you can use the uninstall option which grub does not have. mikebartnz (21)
150887 2003-06-09 07:48:00 > When You say backup - do you mean a backup of the
> MBR? How would one do that? The rest of the disk I
> will definitely have thoroughly backed up.

I just meant that you should backup your data (as you have already done) as a precaution prior to using fdisk.

Jen
Jen C (20)
150888 2003-06-09 08:17:00 If you installed Linux from CD's and have the CD's for Linux around, you should be able to pop the CD into your machine, reboot - (you may need a Linux Boot Disk), and then at the installer prompt type "rescue" (without the quotes) - one of the options given is to restore the Windows Boot Loader


CyberChuck
cyberchuck (173)
150889 2003-06-09 10:50:00 The Linux "rescue" sounds good. I do have an old Mandrake disc that will have the rescue option on it.

I am scared that if I were just to fdisk the mbr that there would be no Windows Boot Loader at all! But maybe it is not like that - I dont really get it.

OK rescue is on the way.

I'll keep you posted, great help here people. Thanks.
Waltzzz (3972)
150890 2003-06-09 16:22:00 > If you installed Linux from CD's and have the CD's for Linux
> around, you should be able to pop the CD into your machine,
> reboot - (you may need a Linux Boot Disk), and then at the
> installer prompt type "rescue" (without the quotes) - one of
> the options given is to restore the Windows Boot Loader

The trouble was I could not see that option in the process I followed on the Red Hat or on the Mandrake disks. I then tried the Start-up disc option. The disc formatted in XP did not have fdisk on it. I could not move to the C drive... I found a Win98 disk and it had fdisk - but it informed me it was the wrong version of DOS...

Any ideas?
Waltzzz (3972)
150891 2003-06-09 19:43:00 Hey
If you use FDISK /mbr your going to loose the Windows Boot Loader entirely - Fdisk will wipe the Boot Loader off your system. Therefore, when/if you use FDISK you will need a Windows Boot disk (or the XP Installation disk assuming your OS is XP). From there, you will be required to restore the Windows Boot Loader - I don't know if Win98 has the ability to do this from in Windows, but with XP you should be able to use the recovery console


CyberChuck
cyberchuck (173)
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