Removing Debian from my system

[robokoder]

I recently installed the 2.6 kernel on my laptop. I have one 60gb hd, which was already partitioned into 2 30gb drives. I reformatted one into ext2 via the Debian installer, and installed grub to manage my OS's.

However, I have now purchased an old computer which will run Linux, so I can use windows on my laptop. I wish to remove Debian from the laptop (should be as easy as reformatting the disk in windows), but need to know how to remove grub. Please reply asap.

Thanks!

[edit] Just to mention that as I have a VAIO laptop, I DO NOT have the original windows XP disk, so I need another way of removing grub. Damn Sony.

[ajdlinux]

You can wipe the MBR off with a DOS boot disk - fdisk /mbr
Then you just remove the partitions using GParted on Knoppix or similar.

[robokoder]

I'm using XP and my laptop doesn't have a floppy drive, so I don't think I can do that.

UPDATE: I used mbrfix to restore the Microsoft mbr, however I now need a freeware partition manager that runs on windows so I can reformat my ext2 partition to fat32.

Thanks for the help ajdlinux

[Absent Minded]

1. Load WinXP up.
2. After entering an Administrator privilaged user account
a. Right click on the my computer icon (either on the desktop or in the menu)
b. Select Manage from the list.
3. The Microsoft Management Concole will come up after which ...
a. Select "Disk Management"
b. find the partition in question and .....
c. right click on it and select delete.
4. Now do what ever you would like to do with the free space like ....
a. create a new partition by right clicking in the availible space and selecting "Creat new partition"
b. Fallow the wizards' instructions and ...
c. use your new space how you see fit (since if you fallowed the Wizards' inst. you already formated things.
5. Repeate as nessary section 4 to creat more partitions.

Oh... Mabe you would like to try out some NON propriatary software gotohttp://www.freedos.org
There you can pick up a FREE, OPEN-SOURCE version of fdisk
Or you could just tell XP to creat a "Startup Disk" which it will gladly do using WindowsME files.
That is assuming you can find the backup or format programs.

[robokoder]

Thanks so much! I really appreciate your detailed help- just what I was looking for. I always get kinda edgy when dealing with disk partitions- if I screw up my hard disk...

I'm currently on dial-up whilst my broadband connection is transferred, so Id rather not download anything. I'll go through the steps you suggest, and if I have any more problems I'll reply here.

Just to say, I just read a magazine article slagging off freeware, and support for free software. I somehow think you'd be hard-pressed to get this kind of friendly, swift and comprehensive support with any microsoft product.

Anyway, my incessant thank-you's are over- I'll be back on the forum in the future, giving any advice I can!

[Absent Minded]

You are welcome. Hope all went well for you.
There are ways to do what you needed from your recovery console as well but MS gives very poor info for it.

[robokoder]

Well it was just perfect... if a little slow, but thats MS for ya!

Is there any way for me to install or use the MS recovery console without the official XP disk (i.e. I only have the VAIO one which doesn't have the console). I googled it and it seems you can put it on floppies, but as I don't have a floppy drive, is there any way you can create a bootable CD with it?

thanks

[Absent Minded]

Yes, however .. to respect this Forum please send me a private/personal message with your e-mail and I will send you the info. This space is needed for questions related to Debian and I don't want to abuse it.

Thanks for your understanding.