How to uninstall Kubuntu from a duel-boot system.

Nived87 · 02-08-2007, 01:23 AM

I have a duel-boot system with Kubuntu and Windows XP. I had XP installed first and then I let the Kubuntu installer set up the boot loader or whatever it's called. I'm a real newb, if you can't tell already. When I boot my computer I get a screen that gives me 10 seconds to pick an OS or it starts Kubuntu by default. I want to remove Kubuntu and have my computer boot windows as if Kubuntu was never installed. Can someone please tell me how to do this?

puntjuh · 02-08-2007, 07:01 AM

To remove grub, insert your XP CD .. Go to the recovery console and type:

Code:

fixmbr

To uninstall kubuntu, boot into windows, go to the Disk Management tools in Windows (right-click My Computer & select Manage).
And select the linux partition (look for a disk about the size you created for your linux partition because it might show up as unknown) and click DELETE. You can then repartition it for windows usage.

Lordandmaker · 02-09-2007, 01:25 PM

If you want to keep the Kubuntu install, and have the option to boot into it, but have the option as hidden as possible, you want to use 'hiddenmenu' in grub:

Open your /boot/grub/menu.lst file. (you'll need root privilidges so sudo [favourite text editor] /boot/grub/menu.lst will work)

Scroll to the line

Code:

#hiddenmenu

(it's on line 23 of mine, which is probably where it is on yours) and remove the # from the beginning.

Then edit the number after the word 'timeout' a few lines up above to however long you want in seconds.

You'll probably end up with something like this:

Code:

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 4

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
hiddenmenu

What this does is make it so that on boot you get an option to hit <esc> to open the grub menu for however long you've set the timeout value to. Setting timeout to 1s is about as close to completely transparent as you'll get. Setting it to zero is the equvalent of infinity.
For my example, you get 4 seconds to hit escape before booting the default OS.

jymmi · 02-09-2007, 01:26 PM

Win XP will most of the time refix your MBR, however you still need a backup, in case it does not.
When I was trying the dual boot thing, I would always make sure I had recovery options available to me. One of these was the use of a Disk Partitioning Program, stay away from Acronis Software, the only one that was benficial to me was Partition Magic 8.
Or of coarse make a startup recovery disk for WinXP.

I now stay away from dual boot systems, I have a dedicated Ubuntu system, which I am learning and using periodically. The purpose is to get away from Windows XP, all together.

Good luck, and plan your uninstall carefully