This step-by-step guide will show a user how to revert from a computer dual-booting Ubuntu and Vista to the computer's original state: a Vista-only computer.
After experimenting with a dual boot of both Ubuntu and Vista, some users may want to return their computers to their simpler original state. Fortunately, this is at least as easy as installing Ubuntu on Vista, if not easier.
Preparation
First of all, it's always a good idea to back up important files, by transferring them to an independent storage device. If an external hard drive is unavailable, USB drives or SD cards with lots of storage space are great options. Of course, CD-R(W) and DVD-R(W) formats are a good standby.
Preparing a Windows Recovery Disk is also necessary for the uninstall. This can be done with InfraRecorder, as explained in the dual-boot article.
Deleting Ubuntu
Next, a user should delete Ubuntu using Vista's Disk Manager, a function available in Computer Management.
In Vista, clicking on the Windows Icon, then All Programs will bring up the program folders. The Computer Management program is in the Admistrative Tools folder.
After opening Computer Management, a user should click on Disk Management to show the available partitions and hard drives.
At this point, with all important data files (especially if there were any saved in Ubuntu) backed up, a user should right-click on the appropriate Ubuntu drive, then click "Delete Volume..." and "Yes" to continue.
It is very important to select the correct Ubuntu drive for deletion, because deleting any other volume means that all that volume's potentially Vista-essential information is gone.
Restoring the Master Boot Record
In order to stop the computer from looking for the option to boot Ubuntu on startup, the Master Boot Record (MBR) must be reset to its original condition.
A user should restart the computer, booting first from CD. To boot from CD instead of the hard drive, a user needs to access the BIOS settings, in the same way done to first install Ubuntu.
With BIOS settings properly reset, insert the Vista Recovery Disk into the CD drive and press a key, when prompted, to boot the recovery manager.
A user needs to select a language, time, currency, and input method to continue.
On the next screen, rather than clicking the large "Install Now," a user should look below for the option "Repair your computer."
Clicking on the Microsoft Windows Vista drive (most likely drive C) will allow a user to access system recovery options. Then, opening Command Prompt will give a user the opportunity to type in this line:
Bootrec.exe /FixMbr
Once typed, the user should press enter. (More information on Bootrec and MBR options is available on Microsoft's Help and Support site.)
Once Comand Prompt reads, "The operation completed successfully," a user can exit out of Command Prompt and click Restart.
The restart will allow a user the opportunity to reset the BIOS, in order to boot first from the hard drive.
A user should also take this opportunity to remove the Vista Recovery Disk.
The computer should boot directly into Vista, with all traces of Ubuntu removed. Following these steps should allow a user to revert from a computer capable of booting both Ubuntu and Vista to the computer's original state where Vista alone is the bootable operating system.
The copyright of the article Undo Ubuntu Dual-Boot for Vista in Computer Software is owned by Kyle Timmermeyer. Permission to republish Undo Ubuntu Dual-Boot for Vista in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
it doesnt work for me. ive followed these instructions, Ubuntu is not im my
system anymore but it still shows the duel boot sequence for Vista and
Ubuntu. Ive been everywhere on the internet for a solution
Nov 18, 2008 10:35 AM
Kyle Timmermeyer :
Dear Guest,
Thank you for your response. I'm sorry to hear that
you're not getting your desired result. How far through my step-by-step
process did you get? Supposing that you got to Command Prompt, what
happened after you ran (or tried to run) bootrec.exe? Have you tried other
bootrec.exe commands? If you would click on my profile and send me a
private message, I'll do my best to give you some personal assistance.
Sincerely, Kyle Timmermeyer
Nov 22, 2008 9:58 AM
Guest :
I restarted with the Vista installation disk and typed Bootrec.exe /FixMbr
into the command prompt, but when I restarted, it still booted up with the
normal dual-selection option instead of going straight to Vista. Is there
another option? I don't want to uninstall the Ubuntu partition and have my
computer crash.
Nov 24, 2008 11:21 AM
Guest :
what if i have windows XP and cant find my original disk...
Nov 25, 2008 12:51 PM
Kyle Timmermeyer :
Second-most-recent Guest,
It sounds like you might have skipped
the first steps. It's my understanding that if you don't uninstall (or
delete) Ubuntu from your computer before trying to fix the boot record,
Ubuntu will still be there, lying at the base of Vista, and will keep the
boot record from being altered. I know that wiping out the Ubuntu hard
drive outright is a little scary--and that's why I highly suggest backing
up all your important information--but as far as I know, you have to delete
Ubuntu before restoring the boot record, and going in the opposite order
doesn't work.
Kyle
Nov 25, 2008 12:59 PM
Kyle Timmermeyer :
Dear Most Recent Guest, You may be able to borrow an XP disk from a
friend for the purpose of copying specific information... but this article
is specifically about a Vista uninstall of Ubuntu. I have never installed
Ubuntu on XP, or uninstalled it from XP, for that matter, so I'm sorry to
say that this article is not going to be able to help you. Kyle
Nov 30, 2008 7:05 PM
Guest :
ive done everything you said here, still have the option of vista and
ubuntu... ive already deleted ubuntu... any other options??? thanx...
Dec 2, 2008 12:57 PM
Kyle Timmermeyer :
Dear Most-Recent (XP?) Guest,
I wrote this article with a very
specific goal in mind, partly because I know the difficulty of trying to
anticipate and catch all problems across different systems. Without
knowing more about your specific setup, I don't feel I have the information
to help you. Especially if you are the XP user from before, you're
probably better doing your own XP-specific research, because you're the one
who knows your system best. I appreciate your comments, but again, I'm
sorry that I don't think I'm going to be able to help you.
Jan 10, 2009 11:14 AM
Guest :
hello.
Don't you still need to delete the ubuntu partition? This
method works, but the ubuntu files are still there. What this does is only
reorganize the priority of booting, not the partition itself.
Jan 10, 2009 11:53 AM
Kyle Timmermeyer :
Dear Guest,
I'm glad this works for you. In my experience it is
true that if Ubuntu was installed on the same physical drive as Vista, then
the partition will still remain, blank, at the end of the process I
outlined in this article. I initially chose to avoid (discussing) the
dual-boot-from-a-single-physical-drive complication by urging users to
install Ubuntu on a separate physical drive in the first place (see the
original Vista/Ubuntu dual-boot article). However, I have installed and
uninstalled Ubuntu on my Vista laptop, using a single physical drive, and
was able to delete the partition using Computer Management.
Kyle
Feb 18, 2009 9:16 AM
Guest :
Sir i have deleted the partation and reset the BIOS And all other things
but i am not able to make that drive again. There a message appears that
there is not enough memory to perform the function but i have around 60 gb
free space in the hard disk which i have deleted ,i have around 20 gb in c
drive also. What i do please suggest
Feb 19, 2009 12:41 PM
Guest :
Thinking about setting up a dual boot with Vista Home Premium x64, and
Ubuntu 8.10 x64, on a single drive.
You said you've done it on
your own laptop: is the "undo" process for a single drive
identical to the process described above? And when finished do you have to
"extend" the C drive back to it's original size? Or is this done
automatically when the Ubuntu partition is deleted?
Thanks,
FHS
Mar 1, 2009 4:18 AM
Kyle Timmermeyer :
Dear 6:19 Guest,
I'm sorry to say that I'm not familiar with
your lack-of-memory error message issue. My initial reaction is that too
many programs/processes are running on your computer and eating your
memory. I would begin by approaching the lack of memory issue as separate
from and not essentially related to the dual boot undo process.
Kyle
Mar 1, 2009 4:33 AM
Kyle Timmermeyer :
Dear FHS,
In my experience, the process is identical for a
single drive. After resetting the BIOS, the main volume has to be
re-extended manually, but it should be a simple and straightforward process
from Computer Management: deleting the formerly-Ubuntu volume and then
extending the main volume with a couple of right clicks.
Oct 15, 2008
