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Thread: Dual Boot Removal

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2013
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    Worcester
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    Ubuntu 17.10 Artful Aardvark

    Dual Boot Removal

    Hi all. I have a laptop that with your help I set up to dual boot (using Grub) to both Ubuntu & Windows 10. I have now treated myself to a new laptop and I have replicated your instructions and all is well. However, I wish to return the previous laptop to a Windows only machine, to give to my wife, without factory resetting it (I'd really like to avoid setting up Windows again from scratch). How easy is this to do? I guess I need to alter the bootloader to bypass Grub and somehow reclaim the disk space that is currently allocated to Linux. Can this even be done?

    Idiot-proof instructions if possible please.

    jono

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
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    SW Forida
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    Hidden!
    Distro
    Kubuntu

    Re: Dual Boot Removal

    UEFI or BIOS as instructions are different.
    But either way do not delete Ubuntu partitions, until you have reset system to default boot Windows directly from UEFI or BIOS (not thru grub).

    Post this:
    sudo parted -l
    UEFI boot install & repair info - Regularly Updated :
    https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2147295
    Please use Thread Tools above first post to change to [Solved] when/if answered completely.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Worcester
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    61
    Distro
    Ubuntu 17.10 Artful Aardvark

    Re: Dual Boot Removal

    Thank you for your help. As requested.

    Code:
    jono@htl1:~$ sudo parted -l[sudo] password for jono: 
    Model: ATA ST1000LM035-1RK1 (scsi)
    Disk /dev/sda: 1000GB
    Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/4096B
    Partition Table: gpt
    Disk Flags: 
    
    
    Number  Start   End     Size    File system  Name                          Flags
     1      1049kB  274MB   273MB   fat32        EFI system partition          boot, esp
     2      274MB   290MB   16.8MB               Microsoft reserved partition  msftres
     3      290MB   492GB   492GB   ntfs         Basic data partition          msftdata
     6      492GB   984GB   492GB   ext4
     4      984GB   985GB   1028MB  ntfs         Basic data partition          hidden, diag
     5      985GB   1000GB  15.0GB  ntfs         Basic data partition          hidden, msftdata

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
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    SW Forida
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    Kubuntu

    Re: Dual Boot Removal

    You have UEFI system.

    You need to reset UEFI to boot Windows first. You should be able to do that from UEFI directly, or from efibootmgr in Ubuntu.
    And then you can remove the /EFI/ubuntu folder in the ESP - efi system partition, your sda1 and then remove the Ubuntu partition sda6. Best to remove partition with gparted, although you can do it from Windows. Its just Windows does not see the ext4 partition correctly.
    Then use Windows to expand the NTFS partition to use the unallocated space that was the Linux ext4 partition.

    Uninstall Ubuntu from menu, Really UEFI boot menu
    http://askubuntu.com/questions/63610...boot-menu-uefi


    # from liveDVD or flash booted in UEFI mode and use efibootmgr
    sudo efibootmgr -v
    The "-v" option displays all the entries so you can confirm you're deleting the right one, and then you use the combination of "-b ####" (to specify the entry) and "-B" (to delete it). Examples #5 is delete:, with Ubuntu you need sudo, others must be at root. some need all 4 hex chars, others only need significant digits
    sudo efibootmgr -b XXXX -B
    man efibootmgr
    http://linux.die.net/man/8/efibootmgr
    UEFI boot install & repair info - Regularly Updated :
    https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2147295
    Please use Thread Tools above first post to change to [Solved] when/if answered completely.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Worcester
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    61
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    Ubuntu 17.10 Artful Aardvark

    Re: Dual Boot Removal

    OK, I have followed your instructions (which were really clear thank you) and deleted the entry from efibootmgr, I then also deleted the EFI/Ubuntu directory. I have also used gparted to unmount and delete sda6. I am now booting back to Windows automatically. So great stuff and thank you. The last thing I need to do is reclaim the unallocated disk space to add to the Windows C: drive. I'm guessing that is outside the scope of this forum is there any chance you could point me in the right direction?

    Thanks
    jono

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Phelan, Calif.
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    93
    Distro
    Ubuntu Mate

    Re: Dual Boot Removal

    If the space left from the former Ubuntu install is on the same disc as that which is the C: drive, I believe you can use Windows Disk Management feature to expand that as the ntfs partition.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Worcester
    Beans
    61
    Distro
    Ubuntu 17.10 Artful Aardvark

    Re: Dual Boot Removal

    D'oh, of course it can. I've been away from Windows for too long. Thank you both.

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