Drive problem after unintalling via Wubi

[wvcadle]

I'm almost to the point at which I'm comfortable enough with Ubuntu to use it as my main OS. I've got it running my laptop, so I decided to uninstall it from my desktop so I can prepare my desktop for a full Ubuntu installation.

My problem: after uninstalling from within Windows, I still have two partitions on my 2nd hard drive that are 'unformatted', which I'm assuming are the locations of the former Ubuntu installation and swap file. I thought that installing and uninstalling via Wubi would return my Windows machine to its former state?

Also, even though I installed via Wubi, I'm pretty sure Grub got installed as well, because when I boot my computer, I get a list of options, with 3 or 4 Ubuntu options at the top and a Windows option at the bottom. Once I choose the Windows option, it then takes me to another prompt asking me if I want to boot into Windows or Ubuntu (only 2 options).

1. Why are the two unformatted partitions (or pieces of a partition) still there?
2. Does it sound like Grub is installed? If so, how can I return my machine to its previous state, with only Windows 7 installed, with a Windows bootloader?

[Mark Phelps]

1. Why are the two unformatted partitions (or pieces of a partition) still there?
Answer ... don't know. Wubi does NOT create partitions; instead, it creates a file (root.disk) inside an existing MS Windows (NTFS) partition. Removing Wubi is like uninstalling an existing Windows app -- it has no effect on partitions.

To see your partition info, boot into an Ubuntu desktop CD, choose Try Ubuntu, open a terminal, and enter "sudo fdisk -lu" (lowercase L, not a one). That will list out the partitions on your drive. Post the results back here.

2. Does it sound like Grub is installed? If so, how can I return my machine to its previous state, with only Windows 7 installed, with a Windows bootloader?
Wubi does NOT install GRUB -- which is one of the reasons that it is recommended for use in TRYING Ubuntu -- it does not mess with the Windows MBR in any way. If GRUB is there, you may have done an Update from inside Ubuntu -- and IT installed GRUB.

To remove GRUB, you need to restore your Windows MBR. The Boot-Repair CD claims to be able to do that. Read the details at the link below:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair

[wvcadle]

Well, apparently, even though I uninstall Ubuntu (Wubi), it's still there. Here are the results:

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xb04fb04f

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 2055 155076607 77537276+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2 155076608 976771071 410847232 f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5 155078656 976771071 410846208 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT

Disk /dev/sdb: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders, total 1953525168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x4480ac6b

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 2048 1397051339 698524646 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sdb2 1638402048 1953519615 157558784 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sdb3 1397051390 1638402047 120675329 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 1397051392 1630015487 116482048 83 Linux
/dev/sdb6 1630017536 1638402047 4192256 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Partition table entries are not in disk order

Disk /dev/sdc: 250.1 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders, total 488397168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x5c74ae42

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdc1 2048 488394751 244196352 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT

Disk /dev/sdd: 18 MB, 18612224 bytes
1 heads, 36 sectors/track, 1009 cylinders, total 36352 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x6f20736b

Disk /dev/sdd doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/mapper/cryptswap1: 4292 MB, 4292870144 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 521 cylinders, total 8384512 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x531fc535

Disk /dev/mapper/cryptswap1 doesn't contain a valid partition table

[bcbc]

That's not a wubi install - it's a real dual boot. Since you are already booting with Grub, if you remove those partitions it will stop your computer booting.

[wvcadle]

So how do I get it back to a Windows only system until I'm ready?

[bcbc]

Step 1:
Reinstall the windows boot loader

Step 2:
Make sure your computer boots straight into Windows - no grub menu, no sign of Ubuntu.

Step 3:
Remove the partitions. To see what they look like in Windows, check out the screenshot at this link: http://askubuntu.com/questions/79086/remove-failed-ubuntu-installation/79237#79237

To do step 1, you can boot a Windows 7 repair CD to a repair command prompt and run (you can create a win 7 repair CD from within Win 7):

bootrec /fixboot

[Mark Phelps]

If you don't have a Win7 Repair CD, look at the last step in my post #2. You can use that to rewrite the Windows MBR.

[wvcadle]

Thanks all. I'll try to be a good steward and mark my posts as solved. All is well again.

I'm not sure it's comfortably possible to complete go without a Windows partition, without knowing more Linux than I do. There are certain things I use (MagicJack for instance) that just doesn't have a Linux counterpart or driver. But, I'll get my disks where I want them, then reinstall Ubuntu again, and use it for everything but a handful of Windows programs (or tasks that are just easier in Windows).