Removing grub?

Discussion in 'all things UNIX' started by Krusty, Oct 4, 2020.

  1. Krusty

    Krusty Registered Member

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2012
    Posts:
    10,209
    Location:
    Among the gum trees
    Hi,

    I'm just about done playing with Solus and Kubuntu and am considering deleting their partitions on my two machines.

    Two machines:
    1. Win10 + Kubuntu - UEFI
    2. Win10 + Solus - MBR
    Is it as easy as just deleting the Linux partitions from within Windows? I would like to boot straight into Windows after without having to choose which OS.

    Thanks.

    PS: My third machine will remain a Linux Mint machine. ;)
     
  2. act8192

    act8192 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2006
    Posts:
    1,789
    Krusty, first thing to do is remove GRUB***. You can use Neosmart EasyBCD for that.
    Before you mess with EasyBCD removal, do save the current BCD just in case.
    Now just delete the linux line.
    You will be rewriting MBR and be able to reboot and see only Windows. You may want to restore the saved BCD items that EasyBCD dropped when it rewrote MBR.

    When all that's done, boot Windows and, if you wish, get rid of the linux partitions.

    ***If you delete linux partitions first, you won't boot because Grub is still controlling your dual boot and the code GRUB needs is gone.
     
  3. Krusty

    Krusty Registered Member

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2012
    Posts:
    10,209
    Location:
    Among the gum trees
  4. act8192

    act8192 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2006
    Posts:
    1,789
    Krusty,
    This is EasyBCD I used:
    https://neosmart.net/EasyBCD/
    Navigate for free version. No, not EasyRE.
    I failed to tell you that my setup was about MBR system.
    If yours is UEFI I can't begin to think how to do it safely or at all.
    So take with a grain of salt what I wrote. Wait for a real expert help.
     
  5. Elwe Singollo

    Elwe Singollo Registered Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2015
    Posts:
    114
    This link is good for removing grub associated with UEFI Ubuntu based systems from within Windows: https://askubuntu.com/questions/429610/uninstall-grub-and-use-windows-bootloader

    Has worked for me on various Kubuntu dual boots. Should work for non Ubuntu also just delete the folder associated with your distro.

    Edit: should also have said if you use Macrium Reflect free the boot media has an option to fix Windows boot issues that works with EUFI. That won't remove the Ubuntu entry like the above solution but will allow you to boot directly to Windows and let you delete the Kububtu partitions without causing boot problems.

    Cheers
     
    Last edited: Oct 4, 2020
  6. Krusty

    Krusty Registered Member

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2012
    Posts:
    10,209
    Location:
    Among the gum trees
    I installed the free version and when I select "Edit Boot Menu" it only shows Windows 10. No entry for Solus shows up.
    Thanks. I will give that a try on my other machine.
     
  7. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2005
    Posts:
    12,113
    Location:
    NSW, Australia
    Krusty, if you have trouble doing this from Windows you could do it from your Macrium boot disk. Or a Windows boot disk or any WinPE.
     
  8. Krusty

    Krusty Registered Member

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2012
    Posts:
    10,209
    Location:
    Among the gum trees
    UEFI machine done!
     
  9. Krusty

    Krusty Registered Member

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2012
    Posts:
    10,209
    Location:
    Among the gum trees
    MBR machine done!
     
  10. wat0114

    wat0114 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2012
    Posts:
    4,063
    Location:
    Canada
    @Krusty

    If I may ask, which method(s) did you use?
     
  11. Krusty

    Krusty Registered Member

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2012
    Posts:
    10,209
    Location:
    Among the gum trees
    You may ask. :)

    On the UEFI machine I followed:
    https://askubuntu.com/questions/429610/uninstall-grub-and-use-windows-bootloader

    For the MBR machine I first tried using Command Prompt and kept running into roadblocks, then when I started getting there HitmanPro.Alert blocked me. After that I just booted to Macrium Reflect Recovery UFD and repaired Windows Boot. Probably not the cleanest option but it did the trick. I don't see the Grub menu now.
     
    Last edited: Oct 6, 2020
  12. wat0114

    wat0114 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2012
    Posts:
    4,063
    Location:
    Canada
    Oh wow! that's more elaborate and involved than I would have thought. Glad it worked for you :thumb: And thanks!
     
  13. Krusty

    Krusty Registered Member

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2012
    Posts:
    10,209
    Location:
    Among the gum trees
    Of course, I had recent images of both machines before I began, just in case.
     
  14. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2005
    Posts:
    12,113
    Location:
    NSW, Australia
    wat0114,

    I think you have BootIt. For UEFI you can directly delete EFI\Ubuntu folder. For MBR you can directly write a new MBR. A few seconds for each procedure.
     
  15. wat0114

    wat0114 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2012
    Posts:
    4,063
    Location:
    Canada
    Only a really old license, so I'm not sure it would even work. I would have thought booting from the Windows DVD, then choosing: Advanced options-> Startup Repair, would work, but I'm not sure in Krusty's case, so ofc I didn't want to to suggest it.
     
  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.