[terryxp]

Hey all-

I am dual booting winxp pro and ubuntu linix. When I installed ubuntu I did the grub boot loader. My question is, if I delete the ubuntu partition, will xp rewrite the mbr? What do I need to do if not? I am wanting to get rid of the ubuntu install on the drive and redo it on a second drive when 5.10 comes in the mail...

Thanks

[beginnertech]

Just delete the Ubuntu partition(s) through the Windows disk management (control panel--->Computer Management--->Disk Management), then when you restart, you need to have the XP cd in the the cd drive and get into the recovery console. Type..

fixmbr

That will wipe the mbr and put the Windows boot loader back on it.

[terryxp]

Ha! No offence, but with the nick "beginnertech" I will wait for a second opinion

[terryxp]

BTW, that was a joke .... I know the fixmbr routine, just not shure wtf the grub loader does to the windoze mbr... Im a linux noob

[beginnertech]

That name is over 2 yr old, I really should change it.

[gyrgrls]

Originally Posted by beginnertech

Just delete the Ubuntu partition(s) through the Windows disk management (control panel--->Computer Management--->Disk Management), then when you restart, you need to have the XP cd in the the cd drive and get into the recovery console. Type..

fixmbr

That will wipe the mbr and put the Windows boot loader back on it.

DON'T DO THIS if you are still multibooting, or wish to.
This will cause the MBR to call ntldr by default.
You indicated you are using GRUB as your bootloader.
If you plan on reinstalling Linux later, leave GRUB alone.
You can boot to Windows from GRUB, easily enough.

But it's not how I do it.

What I do, is I chainload grub off of ntldr, to load Linux.
It's not that hard to do. How I do it, is I make a small FAT16 partition,
which is Drive C: in Windows and DOS. I start linux, mount the C drive,
then copy the linux boot record, off of the other hard drive, onto drive C:
with the dd command. I give it a filename, like "bolin" (without the quotes).
Then I add an entry into my boot.ini file.

Of course, if you go my route, then FIXMBR will suit you just fine.

Here's a sample boot.ini, from my Windows 2000 workstation.
Why, I can even call up DOS 6.22 from the ntldr menu!
None of that "hit F4 real quick" bull####.
Of course, you must also separately install MS-DOS 6.22.
____

[boot loader]
timeout=13
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(4)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(4)\WINNT="Win2k" /fastdetect
c:\bolin="Valhalla"
c:\bodos="DOS622" /WIN95DOS
c:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Recovery Console" /CMDCONS
c:\="Win 98"
____