Using FDISK/MBR to remove GRUB

Novell Cool Solutions: Question & Answer

Posted: 23 Apr 2004

Q:
I installed Linux on the second hard drive of my laptop, using GRUB to dual-boot. I want to undo this now, so that I only boot XP. What's the best way to do this? Will FDISK /MBR fix it? If so where can I find FDISK? I don't have an MS-DOS floppy laying around. Does it matter who created the partitions? I created them with a combination of Partition Magic and the Red Hat installer.



A:
Yes, FDISK /MBR will do the job. We heard from a guy who used a DOS boot disk with fdisk copied onto it to remove GRUB from a machine with SUSE on it.

Here's a copy of fdisk and a DOS boot disk. (FWIW: you probably already have a DOS disk laying around -- it's called the Windows XP boot disk. No matter how you look at it, Windows XP is still DOS with a fancy, memory-hogging, blue screening, GUI on top of it.)

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Reader Comments

• Very good information and very helpful. And Yes Windows IS DOS with a fancy, memory-hogging, blue screening, GUI on top of it
• Enlightening, Resourceful, and Entertaining!
• Windows XP is not DOS with a fancy, memory-hogging, blue screening, GUI on top of it
• Quite useful and well linked to necessary tools!
• Very helpful.
• It works Great !!!! Thank you!!!!
• I finally got rid off GRUB from my laptop Geat!!
• Excellent! Huge help, thanks! Also, keep in mind that most Windows OS's are built on DOS, but Windows XP is not.
• Excellent help, thank you! Also, Windows XP, unlike previous Windows versions, has nothing to do with DOS, and is built on a completely new root OS.
• For the record, Windows 3.x / 95 / 98 / ME are DOS shells, but Windows 2000 and Windows XP are not DOS-based.
• excellent, just what i needed
• This article saved the day!!