Hi! I'm triple booting with xp, mandriva, and server 2003. I want to remove the xp and mandriva, and install vista and ubuntu, or reinstall xp if I don't like vista. I thought I could use partition magic to remove the mandriva partitions, but it doesn't recognize ext3 files or partition. I tried booting from the xp disk, figuring I could remove the partitions from there, but it starts up, then checks the disk and locks up. I figure that has something to do with the GRUB, and I would have to fix the mbr in windows. Am I right, and if I am, how do I solve this problem? Thanks. Any and all responses will be greatly appreciated.

Found this explanation on some windows site:

I believe you need a full installation CD, not just a recovery CD for this to work. Never used xp so haven't tried it.

If you plan to install Ubuntu and vista, install vista first. You should be able to use GParted (partition manager in Ubuntu) from the Ubuntu CD to do the partitioninng. You could also download and use Parted Magic to do the same.

Windows usually has problems if non-windows info in mbr.

Thanks for the response. The xp cd is the full installation cd. It boots, then goes to the first screen---I believe it said it would check the disk, then the screen goes black and locks up. If I remove the cd, and reboot, the computer goes to GRUB, and gives me the boot options.

As yancek suggested, I would use GParted. I recommend using the GParted live cd, available from their website. It is very good, they use a stripped down version of linux to boot into, and it works similar to Partition Magic. It works with ext3 and NTFS partitions, and won't cost you any money.

I don't believe that the problem you're having with installing XP has anything to do with the MBR. If anything, the XP installation should be able to fix that as part of the installation. There's a way to repair an XP's MBR by booting into it using rescue mode and using the "fixmbr" command, however, I don't think you'll be able to use this because it probably requires that XP be installed already.

Thanks for the response. Xp is already installed, and I can't access the recovery console because the install locks up on the first page---Setup will now check your hardware configuration... I've tried two different xp installation disks, and they both do the same, so there's nothing wrong with the install disks. If I use GParted, and remove both the mandriva and the xp partitions, am I correct in assuming that the Grub will be removed as well? Then I should have3 no problem booting with the xp media? Thanks.

You can't remove a boot loader. You overwrite one with another.

If you break up an OS its boot loader will be left in the MBR. The XP and Vista have junks too but you just don't see them.

You should be able to use the Recovery Console to "fixmbr". It is under the "repair" section. If you are into setup then you have already passed the Recovery Console.

You can download any Dos, FreeDos or Win9x floppy and do a
It has the same effect of Xp's "fixmbr".

Since you have Vista the equivalent to Xp Recovery Console in Vista is "Command Prompt". This command in Vista Command prompt also overwrites Grub

Also, I was under the understanding that when you install vista, it will automatically overwrite the mbr with its bootloader

Thanks for the responses. As I couldn't boot windows from disk, at least not past the first screen, somebody told me to use Supergrub to fix the mbr, and then I could boot the disc and install the os. It worked like a charm. Thanks for the help.