Uninstalling Ubuntu from dual boot / changing bootloader

Question

I have a Win/Ubuntu 11.10 dual-boot setup, where I am running the OSes on separate partitions of my laptop HDD. I assume the best method of uninstalling is 'simply' a matter of deleting the Ubuntu partitions -once I've made sure control is given to the Windows bootloader instead of grub after POST.

The question is: How do I do that?

Stuff I've tried:

I tried the boot-repair CD (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair), but that was a bit beyond my abilities to figure out if I could do it with that tool :/.

I also tried EasyBCD (http://askubuntu.com/questions/66070/how-to-set-windows-bootloader-as-default-bootloader). It couldn't identify my ext3 partitions, let alone change the bootloader.

Lastly, I tried installing startup-manager in Ubuntu, and using that to set the Win7 bootloader as default. But upon restart, it still loads grub.

Solution 1

Step1

1. Boot into Windows and right click on My Computer.
2. Go to Manage > Disk Management.
3. Delete the Ubuntu installed partition and space reserved for swap. (If you want to use the space in Windows, format it and create a new partition. Or you can do it later.)

Step2

1. Reboot the computer.
2. Go to BIOS.
3. Set the boot media to CD/DVD
4. Put the Windows 7 DVD (or recovery disk) into the drive.
5. Boot from the DVD

Step3

1. Start windows repair (if you use windows 7 DVD or if you are using recovery it will automatically show repairing option)
2. Allow the utility to repair startup.
3. If utility found a error and fixed it reboot the machine and enjoy!!

If it failed follow step 4

Step4

1. Open command prompt in recovery mode.
2. Type diskpart and hit enter
3. Then type list disk and hit enter
4. Then select your disk (you can find it by size) - use select disk x to select the disk. Replace x with the relevant number.
5. Then type list part and hit enter.
6. Then select primary disk with mb in size (not in gb) - use select part x to select the part. Hit enter.
7. Then type active and hit enter.
8. Close the command prompt and again run the startup recovery tool.

Enjoy!!!

Solution 2

1. Set the hard drive that has the Windows/Ubuntu dual boot installed on it as the first boot option in the BIOS/UEFI.

2. If it doesn't automatically boot to Windows, use a Windows recovery USB stick to restore the Windows bootloader. If you have an MBR (Legacy) installation:

   bootrec /fixmbr
   bootrec /fixboot
   bootrec /scanos
   bootrec /rebuildbcd
   

   For UEFI use How to repair the EFI bootloader on a GPT HDD for Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and 10.

3. Delete your Linux partition using Windows Disk Management (right-click on your Start menu and select Disk Management).

4. (optional) For EFI installation only, mount the EFI partition by following the instructions in How do I mount the EFI partition on Windows 8.1 so that it is readable and writeable? and delete the Ubuntu folder.

_{Source: Revised from this answer}

Solution 3

I think that you can use Windows Recovery Console from the CD to "fix" the bootloader, i. e. deleting grub and replacing it with Windows' bootloader.

Comments

[MartinDK]

Ah, good idea! Why didn't I think of that >.< I'll try it when I get home.

[CentaurusA]

If the automatic "fix" from the CD/DVD's menu system doesn't work, try navigating to System Recovery - System Repair and use the command bootrec.exe /fixmbr. (This what I have used successfully for Vista. I imagine that Win 7 is the same.)

[MartinDK]

Ah, up and running again. Thanks for the help, guys.