uninstall debian

[alex2319]

Just start playing with Debian. Install into an old computer with XP in the same hard drive, now I want to remove Debian and put it by itself in another hard drive. What is the proper way to uninstall it and reclaim the partition back to XP? Thanks.

[antidrugue]

You can do it in 2 steps:

1) Remove GRUB by fixing the MBR:
http://www.tech-recipes.com/windows_...n_tips483.html
2) Reclaim back the partition by using a partitionning tool (inside XP) or just with "Manage My Computer" (right click on My Computer, choose Manage and go in Disk Management, then format the partition to FAT32/NTFS)

[techieMoe]

Did you install it as a dual-boot system, or by itself? I assume since you asked how to "reclaim" it you have two partitions: one for XP and one for Debian. There are several ways to do this.

From MS Windows:

1) Go to Start->Control Panel-> Administrative Tools->Computer Management

2) Click on "Disk Management" from the panel on the left.

3) Select the partition upon which you have Debian (it's probably the one that says "Unknown Healthy Paritition", or at the very least the one that does NOT say "NTFS").

4) Right click on that partition and choose "Delete Partition".

Next we'll need to clean out the Master Boot Record so Windows XP will boot automatically again. Pull out your Windows XP install CD and boot from it like you're going to reinstall. Wait for it to ask you to press "R" to go to a Recovery Console. Do it.

From the Recovery Console, type this:

FIXMBR

Answer yes to any questions it asks you, then reboot.

[alex2319]

Got it, will try it tonight. Thanks.

[gg234]

check this link for uninstalling linux from your machine Check here

[towy71]

check this link for uninstalling linux from your machine Check here

That was written with windows98 in mind, I believe that in XP the command to recover the MBR is either fixboot or fixmbr

[alex2319]

I was using the supermoderator's procedure, it worked like a charm. The only thing I did differently is I installed the XP recovery console as a boot up option. The way I see it, I wil start playing with Linux and I will probably mess up quite a few times.
By the way, where can I find source/s to understand Debian better, especially wireless network issue. I am 3 days into Linux only, the only thing I can do so far is login and check directories!!!!

[towy71]

The way I see it, I wil start playing with Linux and I will probably mess up quite a few times.

good thing too, the more you play the better you'll get

By the way, where can I find source/s to understand Debian better, especially wireless network issue. I am 3 days into Linux only, the only thing I can do so far is login and check directories!!!!

Wireless is a dark art as far as I'm concerned give us a clue to what hardware you're using so we don't spend too much time scratching our heads.
Apart from that The Linux Documentation Project have lots of helpful stuff and you should also look at rute and of course come back here and ask so that we can all learn more

[brokndodge]

By the way, where can I find source/s to understand Debian better, especially wireless network issue.

I've found Linux Forums to be the best for learning my way around. Responses are quick and very understanding of my problems and I check daily just to see what problems others are having and how techieMoe and antidrugue try to fix them... those two are real Debian geniuses. Anyway, I just haunt the forums.

[Admiral Norton]

Does fixing the master boot record (FIXMBR at recovery console) format the disk?