Uninstall Linux Mandrake 10
 

I run both Windows Xp and Linux Mandrake 10 on one hard drive.
My Linux Os have become corrupted and wont load.I have installed a second hard drive. What I want to do is uninstall Linux on the first hard drive and realocate the partitian used back to Windows without disturbing any of my existing windows and files. Then I can reinstall Linux on my second hard drive. How do I do this?

boot into Win XP, right click 'My computer' and click on 'Manage'
now, go to 'Disk Management' and you'll see all your linux partitions labeled as unallocated or unknown, right click on them to delete and format.
Even though you've formated the linux partitions, LILO will still be there; to get rid of it, you could:

a) boot from your mandrake installation cd 1. When prompted for a boot option type 'rescue' and there, search for an option called 'restore windows bootloader'

b) boot from you win xp installation cd, press 'R' when prompted for an installation option to be able to enter to the recovery console. Once you get to the DOS prompt (C:\) type 'FIXMBR'

Regards

I don't have the windows XP installation CDs, the system came with the machine when bought, anything I cn do? :(

Just leave the boot loader in place for now since you're going to reinstall linux and thus a bootloader again anyway. Use XP's disk management to get rid of the linux partitions and reformat them to ntfs or fat32, then reinstall your linux onto the other drive and you're all set.

*EDIT* I didn't realize the original post was so old. My post was directed at the original poster. As for RayQ, are you trying to do the same? Reinstalling linux? Or do you want to get rid of it and the bootloader completely?

I'm having this problem as well. I have a Windows XP Pro & Mandrake 10 dual boot system and i now find myself using Windows more and more to the point where Linux can go. I'm dual booting on a single 160Gb (154ish actual) hard drive, which is set up as follow:

C: Windows 20Gb
D: Programs 40Gb
*: Linux ext3 5.8Gb
*: Linux Swap 0.5Gb
*: Linux ext3 3.6Gb
E: Storage 80Gb

I've tried booting from the Windows XP CD and using the FIXMBR but then nothing boots. The computer fails to be able to find the Windows C partition to boot into apparently. So i reinstalled Mandrake 10 and it all went back to normal with the bootloader in place. I'm going to try the recommended information below:

a) boot from your mandrake installation cd 1. When prompted for a boot option type 'rescue' and there, search for an option called 'restore windows bootloader'

But from experience i wouldn't recommend anyone use the FIXMBR option. Although i have heard from many sources that this works, maybe i have a strange set-up, but i doubt it.

Ray, I can't delete the post - I can split it out of this thread,
though. What would you like it to be called?


Cheers,
Tink

This is really starting to annoy me now. Mandrake 10 is harder to get rid of than the most stubborn virus. To add to my post above, I gave the following advice a go:
I still got the same unbootable computer. After POST presumably no bootloader or bootable partition could be found, but upon restoring the linux bootloader hey presto we're back to where we started from again. After removing the linux bootloader and restoring the windows one i got the following after POST.

Verifying DMI Pool Data
No Active
Any key to reboot

I really can't see any way to solve this other than a fresh install of Windows on C

Assuming you've already re-formatted the drives you've already got rid of Mandrakelinux. What you're having problems with is that Windows can't even restore its own boot loader. I've never, ever been able to get Windows to properly fix its boot loader in any kind of situation, but this is a Windows problem, not a Mandrake or Linux problem.

You can just boot the mandrake install CD in rescue mode (type 'linux rescue' at the boot splash screen I believe) and restore the linux boot loader without having to install Mandrake. Assuming it lets you boot Windows then you're right to go, so I wouldn't waste anymore time on this.

BTW if you want help configuring the Linux boot loader so it just boots Windows straight away or something like that then post back here.

I haven't actually re-formatted the partitions yet. I assume removing the boot loader first will cause the computer to simply "lose" where linux is on the hard drive. Then i'd boot into Windows and use the manage hard drive function, or Partition Magic to play with the partitions. I gathered it would be a Windows problem, useless, inefficient but popular and easier to use. I already utilized the restore linux boot loader option to be able to post my reply earlier, so i'm back to sqaure one for now. Dual Boot Mandrake and XP Pro on one hard drive. I mean come on, surely i can restore the hard drive to it's original Windows only state somehow.

Yes exactly.

Yes or you could even boot off the Mandrake install CD, go up to the repartitioning step and use Mandrake's nice GUI repartitioner to delete the Linux partitions and/or reformat them as Fat32 or NTFS for Windows. Then just reboot the machine without going any further with the install.

Reinstall Windows? ;)

Seriously though this is the point where it becomes a Windows problem - you might need to post to some Windows forums about 'restoring Windows bootloader to MBR'. Your computer should work fine though with using the Linux bootloader to boot Windows, even if you've already removed Linux.

BTW If you do find a working way to restore the Windows bootloader post back here, its something I've always wondered how to do :confused:

Yes, you simply have to delete the linux partitions and reformat them to ntfs/fat32 using fdisk/cfdisk in linux, or use XP's disk management. If you really hate having the extra partitions, buy partition magic and you can merge them with your existing ntfs partition. Even if you can't get rid of lilo, reconfigure it so that it boots XP as default, and set the delay to 0, then you won't even notice it's there.

There are easier (ie. GUI ways) on Linux such as the Mandrake partitioning thing or Qtparted. fdisk isn't a very user friendly program, nor does it provide safe resizing or merging of partitions AFAIK.

Yep that's why I mentioned Partition Magic for merging. I'm not aware of any other method for doing that, although there probably is a way to do it.