How to Uninstall Windows

Uninstall Windows through the Command Prompt.

You can only successfully uninstall a Windows operating system if the current version was upgraded from an earlier version of Windows, such as Windows 98, Windows 95 or Windows Me. If Windows was upgraded, you can uninstall it and the computer will default back to the original operating system.

Instructions

1. Restart the computer and press the "F8" key as the computer boots up. Select "Safe Mode With Command Prompt" from the menu that appears.

2. Wait for the Command Prompt to load, type "cd\" and press the "Enter" key.

3. Type "cd\windows\system32" and press "Enter."

4. Type "osuninst.exe" and press "Enter." This tells the computer to run the operating system's uninstall program.

5. Wait for the uninstall program to load and then follow the directions. The program will walk you through each step involved in the entire uninstall process.

References

• The Elder Geek: Uninstalling Windows from Command Prompt
• Microsoft Support: How to uninstall Windows XP and revert to a previous operating system