How to Delete Linux Off of a Computer

A computer's hard drive must be departitioned when removing Linux.

Typically, you can uninstall an operating system by deleting all of the system's files or by overwriting them with the files of a new operating system. Linux, however, can be difficult to uninstall because of the unique way the operating system partitions the computer's hard drive. A successful Linux uninstall requires removing both the Linux system files and the hard drive partitions that were created by Linux.

Things You'll Need

• Computer running the Linux operating system
• Bootable DOS disk that contains the FDISK and MBR utilities
• Boot disk that contains the new operating system

Instructions

1. Insert a bootable DOS disk into the computer that contains the "Fdisk" and "MBR" utilities and boot the computer.

2. At the command prompt, type "Lock C:" and press "Enter."

3. When the command prompt reappears, type "fdisk /mbr" and hit "Enter."

4. Type "p" and press "Enter." The computer should now be showing a list of the partitions that were created on your hard drive. Note the number of partitions.

5. Type "d" and press "Enter." When prompted, type in the number of the partition you wish to delete and press "Enter." Repeat this step until you have deleted all of the partitions on the hard drive.

6. Type "w" and press "Enter." Do not be alarmed if you see error messages after doing this.

7. Type "q" and press "Enter."

8. Insert a boot disk or the disk that contains the operating system that you want to install on the computer and reboot it.

Tips & Warnings

• Removing the computer's operating system may make it impossible to boot the computer without a boot disk. Do not uninstall your operating system until you are certain that you have a bootable installation disk for another operating system.

References

• Microsoft Support: How to Remove Linux and Install Windows XP
• Debain Help: Uninstalling Linux