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Thread: How to remove MS Windows 10 totally?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2024
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    How to remove MS Windows 10 totally?

    I have dualboot Windows 10 and Ubuntu 22.04, and now I try to remove Windows 10, deleting its installed partition and the partition with label Microsoft Reserved can make it loss all functions, but there are some files left in ESP partition, which files of them are used by Windows 10 only?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2008
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    4,509
    Distro
    Ubuntu 24.04 Noble Numbat

    Re: How to remove MS Windows 10 totally?

    Can you see a Microsoft folder in your ESP?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
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    2,073

    Re: How to remove MS Windows 10 totally?

    There might also be a backup of the Widnows Bootloader tucked away in EFI/Boot, with a name change adding "sav" or "bkp" -- check the size against files in EFI/Microsoft to confirm. It gets renamed from the device fallback bootloader, rootx64.efi, when grub gets installed and takes over rootx64.efi (now probably a copy of shimx64.efi or grux64.efi).

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    SW Forida
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    Hidden!
    Distro
    Kubuntu

    Re: How to remove MS Windows 10 totally?

    In addition to the /EFI/Microsoft folder in the ESP - efi system partition you have an entry in UEFI boot menu.
    To see UEFI boot entries:
    sudo efibootmgr
    or sudo efibootmgr -v
    Older versions need -v to see details, but new version shows too much detail.

    man efibootmgr
    To remove UEFI entries
    sudo efibootmgr -b XXXX -B

    A few systems do not like not having a Windows entry. But if yours is that way we can add a "Windows" description entry that boots Ubuntu.
    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
    Sep 2024
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    14

    Re: How to remove MS Windows 10 totally?

    Quote Originally Posted by oldfred View Post
    In addition to the /EFI/Microsoft folder in the ESP - efi system partition you have an entry in UEFI boot menu.
    To see UEFI boot entries:
    sudo efibootmgr
    or sudo efibootmgr -v
    Older versions need -v to see details, but new version shows too much detail.

    man efibootmgr
    To remove UEFI entries
    sudo efibootmgr -b XXXX -B

    A few systems do not like not having a Windows entry. But if yours is that way we can add a "Windows" description entry that boots Ubuntu.
    Entering sudo efibootmgr will get the BootOrder entey like Boot00999*, if this is the correct entry, sudo efibootmgr -b 00999 -B to delete it.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2024
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    14

    Re: How to remove MS Windows 10 totally?

    There are three folders in ESP partition: Microsoft, PEBoot, Boot, ubuntu, are the Windows related folders are Microsoft, PEBoot, Boot? And files naming bootmgr, bootmgfw.efi, bootmgr.efi in the root of ESP partition, are they (their timestamp is too earlier than Ubuntu) only used by Windows boot not Ubuntu?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2008
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    4,509
    Distro
    Ubuntu 24.04 Noble Numbat

    Re: How to remove MS Windows 10 totally?

    Here are the folders and contents for Ubuntu 24.04
    Only two folders present
    The files are located within the folders
    Code:
    redact@gmktec:~$ ls /boot/efi/EFI/
    BOOT  ubuntu
    Code:
    redact@gmktec:~$ ls /boot/efi/EFI/ubuntu
    BOOTX64.CSV  grub.cfg  grubx64.efi  mmx64.efi  shimx64.efi
    Code:
    redact@gmktec:~$ ls /boot/efi/EFI/BOOT/
    BOOTX64.EFI  fbx64.efi  mmx64.efi
    redact@gmktec:~$

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2024
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    14

    Re: How to remove MS Windows 10 totally?

    What is /boot/efi/EFI/ubuntu/fwupx64.efi? What's the output of ls /boot/efi/? I search and find bootmgr is Windows file, fwupx64.efi is a linux file (from old linux?). It is say that some Windows files are used by Linux during secure boot, can I delete bootmgr?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2024
    Beans
    14

    Re: How to remove MS Windows 10 totally?

    Quote Originally Posted by tea for one View Post
    Here are the folders and contents for Ubuntu 24.04
    Only two folders present
    The files are located within the folders
    Code:
    redact@gmktec:~$ ls /boot/efi/EFI/
    BOOT  ubuntu
    Code:
    redact@gmktec:~$ ls /boot/efi/EFI/ubuntu
    BOOTX64.CSV  grub.cfg  grubx64.efi  mmx64.efi  shimx64.efi
    Code:
    redact@gmktec:~$ ls /boot/efi/EFI/BOOT/
    BOOTX64.EFI  fbx64.efi  mmx64.efi
    redact@gmktec:~$
    What is /boot/efi/EFI/ubuntu/fwupx64.efi? What's the output of ls /boot/efi/? I search and find bootmgr is Windows file, fwupx64.efi is a linux file (from old linux?). It is say that some Windows files are used by Linux during secure boot, can I delete bootmgr?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Beans
    4,509
    Distro
    Ubuntu 24.04 Noble Numbat

    Re: How to remove MS Windows 10 totally?

    Quote Originally Posted by hmomcm View Post
    What is /boot/efi/EFI/ubuntu/fwupx64.efi?
    An EFI utility to upgrade the firmware when a new one is released by the manufacturer. It only works for some computer brands
    Quote Originally Posted by hmomcm View Post
    What's the output of ls /boot/efi/?
    For my PC, it is the EFI folder - see post 7
    Quote Originally Posted by hmomcm View Post
    I search and find bootmgr is Windows file, fwupx64.efi is a linux file (from old linux?)
    bootmgr is probably Windows and fwupx64.efi may be distro agnostic.
    Have a look at your PC manual
    Quote Originally Posted by hmomcm View Post
    It is say that some Windows files are used by Linux during secure boot
    Unlikely, because Linux distributions can use secure boot without Windows being present.
    Secure boot is enabled/disabled by your UEFI settings i.e. before any OS boots.
    Windows 10/11 and and Ubuntu 24.04 will boot with secure boot either on or off.
    Quote Originally Posted by hmomcm View Post
    can I delete bootmgr?
    Of course you can, you are the owner of the PC.
    Now, if you have doubts:-
    Back up the files/folders to an external device before deleting them.

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