currently running: windows xp pro
wants to: remove xp pro and install mandrake 9.2

incase mandrake is not for me, i need to go back to windows xp pro.
how to: completely remove mandrake linux and reinstall xp pro.

specs: athlon 1.4ghz, 256ram, a single 30gig HDD

the reason i'm asking is because i've read so many horror stories of how the mbr gets messed up, and several pages full of advice in most cases doesn't solve anything. messed up mbr, fdisk doesn't see partitions, linux can't either, need to boot with mandrake cd and go to recovery console, etc etc..

so if anyone could take the time to respond with precise, accurate, fail-safe steps on how to completely remove mandrake linux (or any other distro for that matter) and reinstall xp pro, that would be extremely helpful to myself and other beginners! thanks in advance!

If you really want to go back to windows, I can understand. However, if you haven't installed mandrake yet, try using MandrakMove since it doesn't install on your hard drive. It runs off of CD real-time. That would be your best bet if you don't want to go through the hassle. However, if you already have it installed and would like to go back do the following:

get a DOS boot disk
I recommend win 98 if you can get it
Boot to DOS
type the following at your C:\
fdisk /mbr

This should put your MBR back to windows

Then run fdisk and adjust your partition back to FAT32

wow that was a qucik response, thanks!

i have used mandrakemove and thats why i'm so interested in removing windows xp pro completely and use only linux! i want to see if i can use it do everything i do in windows.

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get a DOS boot disk I recommend win 98 if you can get it Boot to DOS type the following at your C:\ fdisk /mbr This should put your MBR back to windows Then run fdisk and adjust your partition back to FAT32

why are there tonnes of threads with people utterly frustrated at how this doesn't work? it truly worries me to even attempt the switch to linux if it'll leave me stuck without being able to install and boot into windows xp if i choose not to use linux.

It depends on their setup. Some systems like Compaq have their own version [a partition] of the MBR. Some installs don't use the MBR and instead change the bootable partition.

If you have enough room on your hard drive, I recommend to do a dual boot install so that you can use either Windows or Linux until you are comfortable with your system. Just create two partitions one about 4gig for windows and one about 4gig for linux. Make sure you install windows first! If you rather, you can get a partition manager and "resize" your windows partition.

to answer your second question TOTALLY honestly , there is tons of treads of people utterly frustrated at how "it doesn't work" because there is tons of people who shouldn't be allowed within 10 feet of PCs. Thats the sad truth. Microsoft made it way too easy for any uneducated shmuck to buy a PC and to point and click and to think "Hey, I'm COMPUTING here!" when in fact they are doing nothing of that sort. Now we got tons of people who have heard of this Linux thing and wanna check it out WITHOUT first even knowing basic computers. Then they run into problems.
to answer your first question, to expect Linux "to do everything" Microsoft's WIndows does is ridicilous. Linux doesn't do desktop as easy as Windows. For example, installing programs is a ...well a nightmare still. Speaking honestly yet again, I am expecting to see you here back in a week or so later, creating posts and saying how Linux doesnt measure up to WIndows. Well, as I said, a lot depends on your computer knowledge and what you expect from your PC to do. It would be interesting to see how far you get. Make sure you read up on your manuals and more imortaint, load up on patience. Good luck. Keep us informed if you please.

To tell you the truth, I'm not sure what all those peoples problem is with uninstalling linux. It is very simple. I'll bet I have done it 30 times without any trouble. I will be here to help you if run your head against a wall with uninstalling linux.
Noah

Quote:

It depends on their setup. Some systems like Compaq have their own version [a partition] of the MBR. Some installs don't use the MBR and instead change the bootable partition.

that makes perfect sense, thanks!

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I recommend to do a dual boot install so that you can use either Windows or Linux until you are comfortable with your system.

my 30gig hdd is just barely enough running 1 operating system, i dont want to think about how it will be with 2, haha! thats why i want just linux, or just windows!

Quote:

To tell you the truth, I'm not sure what all those peoples problem is with uninstalling linux. It is very simple. I'll bet I have done it 30 times without any trouble. I will be here to help you if run your head against a wall with uninstalling linux.

my question is specifically about uninstalling linux and reinstalling windows...

what do you mean "it doesn't work" ? i'm talking specifically about the partitions and mbr. having the mbr mysteriously locked after using linux, unable to see, read, or delete partitions using fdisk or linux recovery console, and spending weeks following the exact instructions posted here with no results is something i wish to avoid. are you calling everyone who posted advice in those threads "dumbasses" since the problem was never solved (in most cases)? however, i totally agree with you that the majority of those types of posts are people seriously lacking basic computer skills to begin with! but you have to agree with me about the mbr and partition problem, and how fdisk /mbr never solved the problem and how they had to resort to 3rd party software to somewhat get things right, goes well beyond basic computer skills.

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to answer your first question, to expect Linux "to do everything" Microsoft's WIndows does is ridicilous. Linux doesn't do desktop as easy as Windows. For example, installing programs is a ...well a nightmare still. Speaking honestly yet again, I am expecting to see you here back in a week or so later, creating posts and saying how Linux doesnt measure up to WIndows. Well, as I said, a lot depends on your computer knowledge and what you expect from your PC to do. It would be interesting to see how far you get. Make sure you read up on your manuals and more imortaint, load up on patience. Good luck. Keep us informed if you please.

why is my statement ridiculous? are you saying that my expectations are too high? i can't expect mandrake (or any other distro) linux to do simple and basic tasks that i can do in windows? like surfing the net? using a good bt client to download stuff? watch various video formats, listen to music? watch dvds? instant messaging (with basic features like file transfers, which i sure hope licq has)? making cd's? printing documents? i sure hope expecting these things is not ridiculous.

i am also mature and knowledgable enough to understand that linux distro's are not windows clones, so i'm not expecting the same experience. i want a better experience, while still being able to do the same very basic and normal tasks i do in windows. so dont worry, you'll never see me posting about the inferiority of linux compared to windows because of some dumb reason like i couldn't follow instructions to install nvidia drivers!

ok so basically this is all i have to do if one day i wish to uninstall linux and install windows xp pro.

- boot with a win98 floppy
- fdisk /mbr
- fdisk and delete and re-create partitions
- then reboot with windows xp pro cd, and let it delete and recreate partitions and format to ntfs

can fdisk view, modify, and remove linux partitions?

yes, fdisk can view, modify, and remove linux partitions.

Sounds like you got it, however, line 2 and 3 could be interchangeable

excellent! thanks for all the very quick responses!

No problem...

Welcome ...!

Ryeman - I am loving your sig

like I said, keep us informed on all your progress with ALL the things you listed that you wanna do and how far you got with them. It would be interestin'...
FIY, there IS two version of fdisk.