i have just tried to install linux mint 8 alongside windows vista on my laptop.
when installing (the first time) i forgot to uncheck install bootloader on advanced options (i guess thats grub)
how do i uninstall the grub and use the default bootloader to choose which OS to boot.
i do not mindd re-installing linux mint
i do mind even touching the vista bits because i am getting an upgrade pack
i am using a dell studio 1555 with ati mobility radeon 512mb, core 2 t4200, and 3 gb ram
i have used linux mint 8, and i do not know what the grub is, the one that comes with linux mint at the mo anyhow, i remember it as beta

please give some simple step by step answers for a complete noob, preferably not damaging my laptop!

By "default bootloader", do you mean the windows loader? This will not boot Linux without some trickery. Why not use GRUB?

During installation, did it recognize Windows and set up the boot menu? Can you boot into Linux and Windows?

my first post was a complete begginer question about how to stop my pc from asking to boot into a non functioning mint. the answer was to use Bsd or bcd or something to edit entries in the bootloader could i use that i wonder?

anyway, for better people yes i can boot into mint everytime quickly, however the first couple of times windows did not start, it showed bootscreen then went back to grub (which i should mention looks mint like) and auto loaded mint. i havent shut down since, but it took a long time this last boot into windows.

thanks for the speedy response

When you are in Linux Mint, use a text editor to open the file /boot/grub/menu.lst (Unless it is using GRUB-II. If you have GRUB-II, then search here or on Google for the equivalent configuration file).

If I understand correctly you are able to get into either Windows or Linux. Keep in mind that GRUB is set to boot one of them by default---this can be changed in the configuration file.

im sorry, maybe i confused you, but is it possible to ditch the grub altogether, as i do not like messing with things like that, i really want to use what i guess is the windows bootloader for various reasons.
is it possible, and if so, how is it possible to use easyBCD to make windows bootloader point to the linux, then get rid of grub, leaving the windows bootloader.
i am nervous because i had installed mint badly the first time so i thought the best way to start again would be to delete the linux partitions altogether with a live disk of partedmagic i have. when i did this, i wanted to go into windows to search the web on how to do it properly, but all i got was grub giving the following message if i remember,
grub loading
then
grub cannot find files or something similar.
i then installed mint again to get grub back so i could get onto windows (i have only just worked out how to set up internet in mint)
how can i solve this problem, and get the windows bootloader to be the one that is used (easier to configure for me with easyBCD)

i apologize for any confusion, but i am trying to be absolutely clear as i need this computer and cannot afford a new one

never mind, i need to uninstall it anyway now. turns out the special wifi card does not work with linux (very slow)
i just need to work out how to get rid of grub and mint alltogether now

You CAN use the windows bootloader---search here or on Google for "boot linux with ntldr"

To just go back to Windows, boot up from your Windows CD--rescue mode--and run "fixmbr"

it doesnt matter, i have sorted the problem out
thanks anyhow, as you pointed me to the solution