Removing Linux from dual-booting laptop
 

Hi folks,

Probably not the best way to make myself popular on a Linux forum, but I'd like to ask if anyone has experience of removing Linux from a dual-booting (with XP) laptop.

Reason for asking is that I want to sell the laptop (haven't used it in months) and having Linux on there might scare off potential buyers.

The laptop is a Sony Vaio PCG-GRT785B, with Novell Linux Desktop 9 installed alongside Windows XP and using GRUB as the bootloader for both. I lost the recovery disks ages ago, but I do have a standard XP installation disk around here somewhere, if that would be any help.

If anyone can offer any advice before I start hacking the machine to bits and breaking it completely, that would be great.

Cheers

James.

James,

Maybe you can try one of the solutions suggested in the link below.

http://en.opensuse.org/SDB:Uninstall...B_from_the_MBR

here is what i would do, grab a copy of knoppix, or puppy linux. (I know that puppy 2.02 has fully ntfs support) boot off the live cd, delete and resize the partition. To remove grub, boot off the xp install cd. It will ask pop up something about installing or repairing. push "R" then you want to repair it using the recovery console. Then select your windows partition. and type "fixmbr" push Y then reboot.

On the other hand, if you are selling it, just use the Xp install cd and delete everything and follow the install directions.




P.S. i think that most people who use linux are not linux nazi's we don't care if you fdisk your linux installation. I have linux on some machines and windows running on others.

Is there a way to do this when you can't remember the admin password? I want to repair MBR but can't remember the password.

This is related to my post seen here - Apt-get upgrade caused loss of dual boot ability

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I installed Debian on a external USB drive sometime ago & have had no problems switching between XP & Debian until I just did an apt-get upgrade.

I now don't have the ability to boot into XP. I have very little knowledge of Linux & would just like things to be back where they were.
This is on a HP zv5000 AMD64

Another option
 

I am assuming that you have a boot loader in the Master Boot Record that gives linux as a boot alternative. If you run Fixmbr from Windows it will remove grub http://www.microsoft.com/resources/d....mspx?mfr=true

After that, go into your Computer Managment>Disk Storage>Logical Drives and find your Linux partions. You can reformat them as D:, E:, F: or whatever drives. That way you don't have to re-size your partition, etc. It is probably the fastest way to get the machine in shape to sell.

As an alternate note, you just wipe out Windows and put Ubuntu or Kubuntu on it and sell it as a Linux laptop ready to go.

http://www.petri.co.il/forgot_admini...r_password.htm

read it carefully before you try it, it gives very good information.

Already looked into that site. The problem I'm having is I can't access XP at all. Grub no longer gives the choice of booting into XP.

As swagner7 mentioned above, just boot into Recovery COnsole using your Windows Installation CD and type in 'fixmbr'. If there is an installation of Windows XP this will fix the boot-loader. In most probability you will be asked for a password for Administrator access. No problem : just type in a space(' ') and press enter. This works in almost all cases.

In windows you can then delete the partitions that were erstwhile devoted to your linux install.

Cheers.

I didn't think you needed the password - just try hitting <Enter>

As swagner7 mentioned above, just boot into Recovery Console using your Windows Installation CD and type in 'fixmbr'. If there is an installation of Windows XP this will fix the boot-loader. In most probability you will be asked for a password for Administrator access. No problem : just type in a space(' ') and press enter. This works in almost all cases.

In windows you can then delete the partitions that were erstwhile devoted to your linux install.

Cheers.

Thanks guys, that worked great. I didn't know that password trick :study:

Finally got round to doing something about this! Thanks for all the advice above, very useful. The solution I used was to run FIXMBR from the Windows Recovery Console, delete the Linux partitions using DISKPART (also in the Recovery Console) then boot the laptop using a Knoppix CD and extend the D: partition to use all of the unallocated space (which is how it was set up to start with). Job done.

Thanks to all contributors to this post for your advice. Anyone want to buy a laptop? ;o)

Almost the same thing.... Help please...
 

Hello,
I had a dual boot going... XP-and mepis....
I hadn't sized the mepis partitions right so I erased/deleted the partition holding mepis...
and reformatted it.
No when I power up the pc Grub holds me hostage...
even with the bios setting the cd/dvd to boot first....
When I put in the Acer recovery discs, Grub won't let it be read! Trieds it dozens of times.
But, any mepis or knoppix live cd gets up and running fine...
Please,
Can't I just get rid of grub somehow... and run my recovery discs?
As to Window XP... it came from the factory installed... no extra install discs...
but the recovery discs have worked great in the past. (3 times)
Any ideas please???
Thanks
Stocky

Not the fault (directly) of grub - it is just an option the BIOS uses *after* the CD/DVD.
From Knoppix, try the following from a terminal and post the output;(that's an ell as in list not a one)

Syg... thanks but...
 

I'm a real new to this...
Please,
How do I get to a terminal where I can enter it???
and I'll make note of that "El" not #1... thanks....

I can enter Knoppix no prob....
but then what?
If you can... step by step would be life saving...
I've looked all over knoppix figuring if it's a good recovery live cd then I'd eventually figure it out... which I can't. I'm ready to jump.
Thanks Syg, all and anyone.
Stocky

ps really... I can't find anywhere to enter...
or I'd love to find a dos prompt somewhere.
I'm not abandoning Linux... but I'll have to start later... now I'm panicked... I need my ppc up.
thnx

pps... no xp pro disc... it came installed... and I can't get on recovery which would be easiest... grub won't let me go there.