Okay, in Partition Magic (I'm using 7.0) lets me either pick from the graphic or a list of partition in the window below.

My apologies is my post was confusing. I didn't mean to boot from the PM CD (I think it gives you different options), but to boot Windows and from within it lauch PM. Since you reinstalled Windows, you may need to reinstall PM.

If this is too much of a pain, let me know and I'll figure out how to do it through fdisk.

Hope this helps

Go into fdisk. Say set active partition (or something like that) to set only your windows partition active, then check to make sure no other partitions are set active (I think option 4 on the fdisk menu to see the partitions). Close it. Run fdisk/mbr and reboot. Voila.

I think I am going to have to do this from console screen after windows is up and running and I insert PM disk and double click on fdisk. This presents me with the following options:

1. Create partitions
2. Delete partition
3. Select bootable partition
4. Re-write Master Boot Record

DumpsterMouth, I am happy to hear suggestions as long as you understand what I've been through so far....It's been a long journey. You should be aware, I do NOT have a windows OS CD.

Comments?

Deadbug? You still with me, man? (lmao. That sounded like I was in an ambulance with deadbug holding my hand)

Sincerely,
Thomas

In that case, just make your windows partition bootable (option 3) and then re write the MBR (option 4)

I'm back--yep, Option 3, then 4 should do it.

firemoth, did what you suggested.

I then rebooted and was presented with grub as usual.

My ultimate goal is to remove Linux from this machine. Is the next step to go into DOS prompt and type fdisk /MBR ?

Thomas, yes, we're going to want to do that. My concern in my original post was that Grub was activating the first partition.

By the way, what version of PM were you using? Did it give you an option other than going into fdisk? I was hoping that PM would do the work so you didn't have to mess with fdisk--oh, well.

Anyway, I assume you set the partition to be the bootable one. Try the fdisk /mbr (i've always seen it with lowercase letters). The only pitfall I see is if fdisk didn't hide the first partition when it made the second bootable.

Let's see what it does.

Deadbug,

Don't know version of PM, but I can get it if necessary.

Regarding 'Did it give you an option other than fdisk': I booted windows and then put the PM disk 1 into floppy drive. Then I opened floppy and I saw a number of icons, one of them being fdisk. The properties of which says it is Type: MS-DOS and the MS-DOS name is FDISK.COM

Regarding your assumption that I "set the partition to be the bootable one" don't have too much confidence in me. I did option 1 and then 4. But when I double click on that fdisk file on the floppy drive now, I notice that nothing seems to have changed.

Hey guys and gals! I got it!

Even though nothing seemed to havbe changed in the fdisk (double clicking on it in floppy disk PM) I tried a reboot and the grub loader did not present itself. I assume that I can now sh*t can the Linux partitions. Yes? Comments?

All this being said, I should reaffirm my loyaly to Linux. The purpose behind this whole thread was to rededicate the family machine to Windows, but only after I had built my own machine, which is excusively LINUX.

Kind regards to you all. You're the best of the internet community and an example of peace.

Sincerely,
Thomas

Option 1? Did you mean Option 3?

I think I assumed too much about your version of PM--if it is on a floppy, it isn't going to help much. Let's let Grub fix this. Start up Linux, log on as root and open grub.conf in a text editor. From the Run Program command, you should be able to enter: gedit /etc/grub.conf.

Go down to the line where you find title Windows (or title DOS)--the one that starts Windows. After the title line, add these lines:

hide hd0,0
unhide hd0,1

Save it and boot Windows through Grub. On its way in, Grub will set the partitions the way we want them. Once in Windows, go to an MS-DOS prompt (window) and issue the fdisk /mbr command.

Not quite as elegant as what I had hoped PM would do for you, but it still should accomplish what we want.

I'll keep checking back until 10:30 EST.

true... that's just what I would do, then again, I don't care about fixing windows... I gave that up long ago. :lol

Okay, for my 200th post on the forum, let me congratulate you! I'm glad it worked. Although we are still quite far from being the longest thread going (in this area, one has over 350 posts).

Dave: You're turn to declare your victory!

I'm going for a beer.

Firemoth, Dumpstermouth, esp DeadBug (for sticking with me), et al,

Thank you all! I think that I am in good shape. Now when I boot this machine it comes into Windows automatically. I THINK that my next steps are:
1. Boot with Partition Magic
2. Delete Linux partitions
3. Reboot to make sure all is well
4. Reboot with PM again and resize the Windows partition (give it all to Windows)

Sound like a plan?

I have to go to bed now....

Thanks everyone. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate this site and the people who comprise it.

Sincerely,
Thomas

Deadbug, our timing sucks. LOL. Should I do what you have suggested or do what I was planning regaring the linux partitions?

I couldn't have written it better myself--that should do it

Good Night, Irene