I currently dual-boot into Windows XP Home edition and Mandrake 9.1 using LILO. Now I want to use my Windows system's system restore disk/CD to restore everything to factory settings. But before doing this, I think I will have to remove LILO and then expand the current Windows partition to cover the existing Linux partitions using Partition Magic.

From a lot of googling around, it seems thatboot into Mandrake, remove LILO, expand the Windows partition to cover the Mandrake partition (using PartitionMagic?), and *then* do a system restore. Is this right?

And another question...if the above *is* right, how do I remove LILO?

[And of course, if the above is *not* right, what's the right procedure? Or perhaps there is an easier or better procedure...]

It's not that I don't like Mandrake. I just installed Mandrake on my new computer so that it has only Linux; this one will have only Windows

-Thanks

You can remove lilo and put the windows bootloader up by running fdisk /mbr on a DOS command line.. this means you will probably have to boot up from a floppy(or CD) and make sure the bootable media has the fdisk utility... i'm sure there are other ways.. but that's how i do it..

See the Microsoft guide How to Remove Linux and Install Windows XP

You can remove lilo from the mbr in Linux with
/sbin/lilo -u

FYI:

If lilo -u leaves your computer un-bootable, you can boot the Windows XP CD and choose to run the Recovery Console and execute "fixmbr" to fix it.

i think i can help out here i had to do this a few times and it is very simple.
NOTE: i am running slackware.

1) insert the mandrake cd boot and go into cfdisk or fdisk witch either you prefere.
2) where you can select linux as boot choose not to boot linux and choose write. it will ask you are you sure click yes.
3) where it gives you the option to boot make windows the boot partition. so click on windows select it as the boot and then hit write. that will make windows the main boot.

Please no one ask me how i know this. it was from some frustrating hours that i spent banging my head on my glass table.

You can also do this using the Mandrake install discs and graphical setup:

Boot from disc 1, go through the language, mouse selection and security level sections until it gets to the disc partitioning stage. Select "custom partitioning", in "expert" mode. Delete all Linux partitions. In "More" select "save partition table", which writes it to the hard disc(s).

You have now removed all Linux partitions from the system. Depending on your setup, you may need to do a few more things:

*) If your copy of Windows is on the first primary partition of the primary master HD (you can have 2), then you will need to remove LILO with an "fdisk /mbr" from dosprompt or a suitable boot disc. Windows will now boot: its own tools in "control panel - administrative tools" or partition magic will do the partition sizing for you.

*) If your copy of Windows is on the first primary partition of the primary slave, you can change the boot sequency in BIOS and Windows will boot with no further modifications.

*) If your copy of Windows is on any other partition, you will need to create a primary partition at the start of the disc of at least 30MB, formatted to vfat, then run a system recovery from the WinXP boot disc. It will write the WinXP boot loader to this new partition so you can boot Windows. If you have to go to that sort of length, you might almost be better off Ghosting the entire Windows space and restoring it following a complete nuke-n-pave.

I've tried all of these before and they work... at least with Win2k