Uninstalling Linux

[Smike]

For some time I have had a dual boot with Windows ME and Suse Linux on my PC. However, as I really only use it as a games machine, and would like the HD space back, I'd like to uninstall Linux.

The way it's set up is thatI have two drives, a 20GB and a 40GB. Windows was installed on the 40, then Linux installed with the dual boot thing on the 20.

I don't think that just re-formatting the 20GB drive will work as I tried unplugging it, but the computer didn't boot up at all.

Searching the net I think that I need to do something about the MBR (main boot record?), but I don't know how to do that.

I don't want to have to re-install windows.

Thanks. :)

[LordoftheLeftHand]

Originally posted by Smike

I don't think that just re-formatting the 20GB drive will work as I tried unplugging it, but the computer didn't boot up at all.



I'm suprised that your 40g windows drive did not boot after you removed the 20g linux drive. When you started the computer did it recognized your 40g hard drive (basically did it mention anything in the startup about a fixed disk)? Did you try altering the slave/master/cableselect jumper on the 40g drive to match your current configuration (only one hard drive)? You also might want to check your bios and see what your ide settings are. You might want to change them to "autodetect" if they are not already.

good luck

LLH

[moopet]

Originally posted by Smike

The way it's set up is thatI have two drives, a 20GB and a 40GB. Windows was installed on the 40, then Linux installed with the dual boot thing on the 20.

I'm assuming the 40gb is the primary master IDE drive.


posted by Smike

Searching the net I think that I need to do something about the MBR (main boot record?), but I don't know how to do that.


Yeah. If you've got a boot loader from Linux (grub or lilo usually) which was intalled after windows, you need to boot to a windows command prompt and type:
fdisk /mbr
then reboot. Then if that works you can remove/reformat the 20Gb disk at your leisure.
If you're using Windows NT, 2000 or XP you're going to have to do this from a bootable CD or floppy, because their command prompts just don't cut it for running FDISK.
Get one by formatting a floppy with the "make bootable" option in windows or download one from bootdisk.com

[Smike]

Yep, fdisk/mbr worked.

Thanks.