partition/uninstall question

i have a dual boot set up on another computer between Win98 and Mandrake 8.1 using LILO. i want to delete the linux partition. is it as simple as clicking delete partition in Partition Magic? or is it more involved? will i need to use the "fdisk/mbr" command? im just worried that once i delete the partition or use the fdisk command windows wont boot at start up.

 

It may be a little more involved, depending on how you installed LILO. If LILO is installed in the MBR, then removing the Linux partition still leaves LILO active (which you may not want, since it refers to a partition that no longer exists). LILO is often installed in the MBR in multi-boot configurations because it knows how to boot other O/Ses (which Windoze does not). You will need to do two things:

(1) remove the LInux partition; you can do this from within Linux (using the Linux fdisk command) or by using third-party software such as Partition Magic.

(2) use fdisk /MBR to re-write the MBR in order to boot Windoze.

Suggestion: make sure you have a working boot floppy for Windoze before making any modifications.

Hope this helps.

 

what if LILO isnt installed on the MBR? i dont know where it is installed...mandrake installation did it automatically. i have a boot disk for win98. if i just put that in the floppy drive and reboot, windows will load?

 

You should verify your Windoze boot disk before doing anything else. Make sure your floppy is before the hard drive in the boot sequence (see your BIOS screens to configure this). Put your boot floppy in the drive, reboot the system, and see if you can access your C: drive (note that you will not be running Windoze; you will be at a command prompt). You should also verify that your boot floppy has a copy of fdisk on it, since you will need that in order to re-write the MBR (I'm assuming Mandrake didn't make a copy of the MBR if it installed LILO there).

If you can access your Windoze installation and you have a copy of fdisk on your boot floppy, you can go ahead and delete the Linux partition. After deletion, insert your Windoze boot floppy. Reboot, and run fdisk /MBR to re-write your MBR (and remove LILO). If LILO has been installed in the root filesystem of your Linux partition, that's OK -- you don't have to worry, because LILO was deleted when you deleted your Linux partition.

Hope this helps.

 

why get rid of linux?