Remove Linux Reinstall Windows

[ramprasad]

Hi all
I use a P4, 40GB, 128MB RAM machine. I have installed PCQ Linux 7 on a 5GB partition and in the rest is with Win2k. Now I wanted to delete all partitions and install only WinXP....
Can anyone give me suggestion like which tool to use to delete the partitions...etc....

Regards,
Ramprasad

[shyam911]

Is it a dual boot. do you have windows installed along with linux or is it just linux?. Coz if you have windows installed then install partition magic and remove all linux partitions and finally edit your boot.ini.

[legolas]

if u have the windows working then the best thing would be to use "partition magic". very user friendly environment. you could never have them messed up. u couild get it from download.com i think. incase u need to retain the windows partitio alone, then boot 2 dos using start up flopy and type in fixboot /mbr which ll get u into windows directly withour loading linux. u could very well delete all linux partitions using the software and convert to NTFS or fat32 after taht.


hope that helped.

/legolas

[ramprasad]

Hi
Yes I have a perfectly working Windows(sorry for the oxymoron) environment, so u suggest me to use Parition Magic ok.. After deleting the Linux partitions, i shud boot with a boot floppy anf fix mbr... Is it right...?

Regards,
Ramprasad

[futuristically_ancient]

yea....norton partition magic is a very gud disk management s/w. it creats, deletes, resizes, etc; ur hard disk. simply use this s/w to delete the linux partiton. then restart ur comp with the help of ur bootable winxp cd. select the "repair" or "recover" option from the menu. this will fix the mbr to its original shape!
but donot forget to backup ur imp software. if nething goes wrong, u MAY need to perform a complete sweep on ur hard-disk!
but no need to wry, because norton partition magic comes with a comprehensive guide which helps u to perform all possible tasks in a step by step fashion!

chiao! 8)

[santosh_sa]

here is the best way out to have win Xp .

1> go to dos mode. (it depends on you how you reach there.)
2> type "fdisk/mbr" (without quotes)
restart
3> now install Win Xp.
restart
4> now use pariton magic or any other software you know to convert your linux patition back to fat32 or NTFS.

[enoonmai]

Might I recommend the freeware, Ranish Partition Manager, instead of the commercial Partition Magic software, to reconvert your partitions. It's faster, simpler and a great tool to get the job done in the fastest time possible.

[ramprasad]

Hi all
I do have a copy of Partition Magic 7. Will this be enough for the task?
1. First I will boot into Windows and use Partition Magic to convert the Linux partition to FAT32.

2. I will use the DOS boot floppy and issue fdisk/mbr.

3. Format c: which has Win2k installed.

4. Install a fresh version of WIN XP.


Regards,
Ramprasad

[kiran_k]

Ramprasad a some time back digit had given a small digest on "worst of QnA solved"
ur queiry is solved there.
first remove linux in the way mentioned there and then booting into win2k perform upgrade install to winXP.
To remove linux go to "controlpanel/administrative tools/computermanagement/disk management/
delete linux partiton.
if system dosent boot due to corrupted grub, dont worry, put XP bootable CD and perform a fresh install.

[vasanth_12345]

if u plan to clean install xp(i.e remove 2000 and install xp) jus pop in the xp cd and in the drive selection page jus delete those linux partitions and create a new fat32 or ntfs partition.Much easier way

[ramprasad]

Hi kiran_k
I think I dont have that book. So if u dont mind, could you please post that article here. It would be of great help to me...

Thanx in advance...

Regards,
Ramprasad

[tuxfan]

Originally Posted by ramprasad

Hi all
I use a P4, 40GB, 128MB RAM machine. I have installed PCQ Linux 7 on a 5GB partition and in the rest is with Win2k. Now I wanted to delete all partitions and install only WinXP....
Can anyone give me suggestion like which tool to use to delete the partitions...etc....

Regards,
Ramprasad

Here's something from the May 2005 issue of PCQuest, page 141. Hope this helps. Although it isn't the exactly same scenario, this should guide you enough to get your work done.

Originally Posted by PCQ May 2005 issue, page 141

Q. I have installed PCQLinux 2005 on my notebook, which has two separate drives (it is not partitioned). The C Drive (60GB) has WinXP on it, while D Drive (80GB) has Linux.

Please tell me the exact procedure to uninstall Linux without disturbing the existing Windows installation.

A. Boot from the PCQLinux CD 1 and after the graphical installer starts, which has the 'Next>>' button, press Ctrl+Alt+F2. This will drop you into a 'bash' prompt.

You will need to determine the device name of your second hard disk. in Linux, the hard disks are names as follows:
hda: primary master
hdb: primary slave
hdc : secondary master
hdd: secondary slave

Then issue:
fdisk /dev/<hard-disk-name>

The fdisk command line will appear. Press 'p'. This will display all partitions on the hard disk. Now, very carefully, delete only the partitions whose 'system' (file system) is Linux or Linux swap. For this, note down the name of the partition which will be in the form:

/dev/hdd<number>

Note that in place of hdd, you can be shown hdb, hdc or hda depending on the hard disk you selected on the previous screen. Once you have noted down the name of the partitions whose system is 'Linux' or 'Linux swap', press 'd'.

This will prompt you for the partition number. Supply the <number> suffix for the name of the one of the partitions you noted down. Press 'p' again, you will see that the partition - whose number you supplied - is not displayed. That is, it is deleted. Again press 'd' to delete other Linux partitions, if any.

Finally press 'p' again. If you see no Linux partitions, press 'w' to write the changes to disk.

Note that after this step, you cannot undo any deletions you had done. So press 'w' only when you are sure that you haven't deleted any useful partitions such as Windows. Reboot the machine. If you have installed grub/lilo in MBR (Master Boot Record) then to remove it boot from a Windows bootable disk or floppy and issue the command:

fdisk /mbr

[tuxfan]

BTW, if you want to delete all the partitions (including WinXP) I have a DOS based software that does that. It is called ZTEST. Pretty small one, I can even email it to you. Running this one will give a clean unpartitioned hard disk. You will have to re-partition and re-format the partitions.

[ramprasad]

Hi tuxfan
Please mail it to vrprasad@gmail.com It can use that as a last resort because I have some important data in the windows partition.

Regards,
Ramprasad

[tuxfan]

If you have some important data in Win partition, then you better not use this software. After using this, data will become inaccesible. So please be careful.

I will mail it to you. But here's one more suggestion. Please never post your mail address in the forum. If you need to give it to someone, then give by a private message.