Hello Im very new to Linux and mistakingly loaded it onto a Laptop, I used a free standing hard drive and now when open my Laptop I am asked which O/S I want to use. to try to make what I want more understandable please read below, the important part is to clear Ubunto from my Laptop

I would like to remove all traces of Ubunto from my Laptop and leave it just with Vista, I would like to remove all traces from my standalone hard drive. I want to Install Umbunto onto a spare computer tower and remove XP from this.

Oh and please be patient with me Im very much a greybeard
Paulyboy

1. Put the Windows Vista installation disc in the disc drive, and then start the computer.
2. Press a key when you are prompted.
3. Select a language, a time, a currency, a keyboard or an input method, and then click Next.
4. Click Repair your computer.
5. Click the operating system that you want to repair, and then click Next.
6. In the System Recovery Options dialog box, click Command Prompt.
7. Type Bootrec.exe /FixMbr, and then press ENTER.

reboot
Then you can use fdisk or another partition manager to reformat the linux drive.

Just boot from the ubuntu CD, and let it use the entire disk.

After you fix the MBR, you can use Vista's disk manager to delete the Ubuntu partition, and then resize the Vista partition so it covers the entire drive (unless you want to use two partitions in Vista).

1 BACK UP ALL IMPORTANT FILES. ESPECIALLY ALL THEM FAMILY PICTURES
2 boot into windows with a live cd make your emergency boot disk.
3 make sure it works. now put in your ubuntu live cd open a terminal type sudo gparted.
4 delete the ubuntu partitions then resize your windows partion back to one big partition .
5 if vista used a partition to keep it.s back up operating system on do not delete that or mess with it. windows drive c will be /sda1 and now just resize to full size. you will apply all this and it may take a while.
6 do not cancel or reboot till it is done. when done. now reboot and put the windows emergency boot disk in boot it up. at the prompt type fdisk mbr. now do a fixmbr now reboot your machine and make sure you take the disk out all is back to normal

greybeard.....hmmm......My beard is so gray, it fell out.
If I read you correctly, the only "trace" on your harddrive is the boot code installed by the Ubuntu installer. So just restore the Windows bootloader as already described.

Many thanks to you all, I will have a go at some of your suggestions in due course but I was wondering if I used the Vista restore facility and went back to a point where there was no Ubunto would that work ? nothing to lose I will try it and as I said Im not that bothered about the free standing hard drive with the full programme on I caqn sort that anytime