how do i uninstall the GRUB boot app?

[minofifa]

Hello

I have my hard drive split up into three partitions:
1. windows XP home
2. windows XP home
3. linux - Fedora core 4

I recently uninstalled Fedora Core 4 by reformatting the partition that it was on. Now when i boot my computer the GRUB boot app (that lets you select what OS you want to install) comes up. I have to quickly press enter, then select windows XP to boot, or else it will try to boot the non-existant fedora core OS. How can i remove this boot loader program so that when my computer starts it has the old boot loader (the black and white screen where it used to let me choose what os i wanted to boot?).

 

[Mesix]

Just change grub's default to your desired OS. It's much prettier.

 

[daniel49]

this is what I found googling...

Uninstalling the Boot Manager GRUB from the MBR


Using Windows XP
In Windows XP, you can uninstall GRUB as follows:
Boot from the Windows XP CD and press the "R" key during the setup in order to start the Recovery Console.
Select your Windows XP installation from the list and enter the administrator password.
At the input prompt, enter the command "FIXMBR" and confirm the query with "y".
The MBR will be rewritten and GRUB will be uninstalled.
Press "exit" to reboot the computer

 

[minofifa]

thanks for your effort daniel, i really appreciate it. and thanks mesix for the alternative. when i installed XP, i don't ever remember setting up an administrator passord. is it possible that i don't have one, and if so, will the procedure go forward if i just hit enter when it prompts me for one?

thanks fellas

 

[Mesix]

To elabortate on my suggestion, just get a live linux cd like knoppix. Mount whatever partition /boot is on (/dev/hda1, possibly) and go in and edit grub.conf. There are a few guides on adding in Windows on google, but since I have my gentoo handbook right next to me, I'll save you some searching.

Add in to the end:

title:Windows XP (Or something else if you feel creative)
root(hd0,5) (Thats an example, looking up the drive naming scheme for grub, but if you only have one ahrd drive and windows is on your first partition, then it'll be (hd0,0))
makeactive
chainloader +1


Then you can change "default 0" at the top of your .conf file to whatever. If Windows is your second entry, then it'll be "default 1"

 

[TGS]

Originally posted by: minofifa
thanks for your effort daniel, i really appreciate it. and thanks mesix for the alternative. when i installed XP, i don't ever remember setting up an administrator passord. is it possible that i don't have one, and if so, will the procedure go forward if i just hit enter when it prompts me for one?

thanks fellas

Booting up to the windows side will not require a admin password until you log on. The default is blank so if you didn't set it you should be set. If you forgot it, you can do a repair without the fixmbr if you want to keep grub, and you can reset the admin password to blank that way as well.

 

[Bozo]

Boot from a Win98 boot floppy. When it's done loading type in ' fdisk /mbr' (no quotes) and press enter.

Bozo

 

[randalee]

Linux installs its boot loader in the first 446 bytes of the MBR, just like standards dictate. Microsoft can't get their boot loader to fit within 446 bytes, so what they do is WIPE out that 1st 446 bytes. What happens, is when the BIOS can't find a bootable record in the 1st 446 bytes, it then goes on in search of the boot loader somewhere else. (I forget what the name is of the 2nd place it looks, but you get the general idea.)

Linux does it the CORRECT way. Microsoft can't, so they "hack" things in order to boot. Hence, why loading a Microsoft OS _AFTER_ Linux kills your boot loader.

 

[bjc112]

Originally posted by: Bozo
Boot from a Win98 boot floppy. When it's done loading type in ' fdisk /mbr' (no quotes) and press enter.

Bozo

 

[minofifa]

hmmm dont' know where i can find a win 98 boot floppy. sounds like a good idea though, very simple, the way i like it

 

[sciencewhiz]

http://bootdisk.com/

 

[QueZart]

If you can Bot into XP and have An Administrator "Type" User you can login with then simply

Right-Click On My Computer goto Manage

Users and Groups, Users, - Select Administrator, Select Action from the menu "Set Password" and then use Recovery Console as Directed b4

Edit: Actually Not Entirely sure this works in Home I know it does in Pro

If you never Set a password chances are It may be Blank or sum sort of Defualt password use ctrl-alt-del at login screen and try Logging In as "Administrator" try coupel things chances are You knopw what it is Just dont know that you know

 

[QueZart]

BTW I doubt the 98 Disc will work 98 uses an Entirely different Loader then NT/2000/XP

 

[Bozo]

I use the 98 disc all the time. Hasn't fail yet, even with Server 2003.

Bozo

 

[minofifa]

Originally posted by: daniel49
this is what I found googling...

Uninstalling the Boot Manager GRUB from the MBR


Using Windows XP
In Windows XP, you can uninstall GRUB as follows:
Boot from the Windows XP CD and press the "R" key during the setup in order to start the Recovery Console.
Select your Windows XP installation from the list and enter the administrator password.
At the input prompt, enter the command "FIXMBR" and confirm the query with "y".
The MBR will be rewritten and GRUB will be uninstalled.
Press "exit" to reboot the computer

hey everybody
well i just tried to do this tonight but i am having a problem. When i restart my computer and boot from my windows XP CD, it says something like "checking your hardware configuration...", then the screen goes blank and it hangs there. I have to restart to do anything. i have tried 3 times, all with the same result. i even tried unhooking everything that isn't important (printer, second monitor, USB crap etc). What's goin on here, how come i can't boot from the windows disk?

 

[SoundTheSurrender]

Boot into xp and get to the recovery cmd line.

type Fixmbr

it will ask to override

type "y" than hit enter.

Vola, its done. [/end thread]

 

[minofifa]

Originally posted by: djmihow
Boot into xp and get to the recovery cmd line.

type Fixmbr

it will ask to override

type "y" than hit enter.

Vola, its done. [/end thread]

what is the recovery comand line (sorry)

 

[sourceninja]

I've had this problem before when using a Logical volume and trying to boot the windows xp pro cd to fix my windows install (on a partiton not the logical volume). It looks like windows xp sp1 install disks will not work if you are using a logical volume (more then 4 partitions on a drive).

 

[pcgeek11]

Originally posted by: QueZart
BTW I doubt the 98 Disc will work 98 uses an Entirely different Loader then NT/2000/XP

It works fine, the MBR and boot loader are two different things. The 98 disk using " fdisk /mbr writes the same data to the mbr as the XP recovery fixmbr does.

pcgeek11