Deleting Partitions

(PlantPerson) #1

If you can’t stomach the idea of someone using Windows instead of Linux, click your “back” button now.

Here’s the thing. I installed SuSE and it partitioned my hard drive for me. I’ve finally decided that Linux, as of this time, is not for me. I will continue working toward it, but I’m not ready yet. So now I want to get rid of these Linux partitions, as they’re hogging my hard drive. I discovered this in the Computer Management utility:
http://s01.imagehost.org/0462/parts.jpg

Is this a safe way to remove partitions?
The other problem is, I don’t know how to get rid of the GRUB boot loader and switch it back so it will automatically boot windows.

(Duoas) #2

I can’t tell you about the program you’re looking at (I’ve never seen it before, but that means nothing… Are you using Windows 95/98?

I’d imagine that if it gives you the option to reclaim that space it can. I’d be wary of doing anything that touches the C: drive though; instead I’d create a D: and maybe an E: drive…

To get your Windows MBR back, open a command prompt or use Run Program from the start menu and type:
fdisk /mbr

(knellotron) #3

Windows should be able to initalize, then reformat those partitions. If not, use a Knoppix disk and run qtparted.

(ajc158) #4

Select partition, right click, delete, repeat for all desired partitions.

Action -> New Partition, max size

Format that partition (right click, format)

That’s round about it as far as I can remember.

Duoas: It’s part of XP, and possibly 2000 as well.

Alex

(PlantPerson) #5

What exactly would this do?

Also, when windows starts up, it says something like this:
“Checking file structure on C:/. One of your disks needs to be checked for consistency. You may cancel the disk check, but it is strongly recommended to continue.”
I’ve never allowed this to proceed because I’m not sure what it would do.

And I’m still not sure what to do about the boot loader.

(chimpoid) #6

fdisk /mbr will format the master boot record. This is based on the idea that grub is installed there. It will remove grub.

(PlantPerson) #7

And afterwards, what would be booted upon startup?

(SamAdam) #8

windows

(Alltaken) #9

Stick your windows disk in it will offer you the option to rebuild your MBR.

it will then boot only to windows.

also partitioning and deleting partitions is easy in windows. just (on the right two) right click and choose the appropriate one from the drop down menu.

its all very simple. the computer managment console is AWSOME, better than any GUI i have ever used in linux for computer managment :stuck_out_tongue:

Alltaken

(mzungu) #10

Keep in mind that (AFAIK) Computer Manager won’t allow you to resize your existing partitions. It only lets you delete existing ones, create new ones and format existing ones. Thus, unless you employ a more sophisticated partition manager, or completely re-do your win install, you’ll be “stuck” with at least 2 partitions. However, IMO, this is a good thing. You can keep your existing C: drive for OS and Software and use the other partition for your data. Much easier BU’s that way.

(PlantPerson) #11

I guess it’s time for a massive backup, and then I’ll do it!

(ascotan) #12

I use partition magic to do this stuff and grub as the boot loader. If you want to nix your *nix you’ll not only need to delete the partition you need to resize your ntfs partition unless you like unused freespace sitting on your drive.
Get a copy of Ghost and partition magic. Use ghost to copy an image of your harddrive and use PM to delete the partiiton and resize the ntfs partition.

(argunda) #13

I once had XP and Ubuntu dual boot and deicded i didnt want Ubuntu anymore. SO… liekk a stuped n0Ob, i deleted the linux partition w/ partition magic and then restarted pc. and all these error messages came up and i couldnt boot at all. so i reinstalled xp and lost all my files. im sure there cud have been away out of it but i was too stupid to realise it back then

(PlantPerson) #14

So… help me formulate a plan.
First I should change the boot record, right? Should I use the command or the Windows disk like Alltaken said?
Then I delete the partitions. Should I do this with Windows or qtparted?
Then I resize the NTFS partition. I guess I need qtparted for this since windows can’t do it. Ultimately I’d like to make a small FAT32 partition so I can share files between Windows and Knoppix sessions.

Please, can someone make a step-by-step plan?

(benstabler) #15

Or, you could format the mbr (remove grub), use the program you got the screenshot from to delete the old partitions, and just add another one to fill the space. Then, you have 2 windows partitions. It is a bit of an annoyance, but it means you dont lose any data. You could just use the 2nd one for installations / random junk.

(Alltaken) #16

sorry, the windows disk you need to go into recovery console and find the MBR rebuild comand.

fixmbr is the comand you will use.

that is all you need to do LOL. start it up, enter recovery console type fixmbr, then type exit, and viola.

no data lost. don’t follow others who say you need to do all sorts of fancy stuff.

you can infact do this BEFORE deleting the linux partition.

Alltaken

(PlantPerson) #17

This would be a recovery floppy? Hmmm… I’ve had a lot of trouble with my floppy drive lately. might the fdisk /mbr command be a better option?

I’m still looking for someone to help me plan this out, especially for the NTFS resizing part.

(mzungu) #18

Alltaken’s advice is right, except the Windows “recovery console” is not always available by default (via a menu during bootup), but AFAIK you can get into it by booting from your WinXP install disk (there’s an option to recover vs install). Once you get in that way, use the fixmbr command like Alltaken said. Type “help” at the command prompt in recovery console to get a list of available commands. Use “help [command]” to get specific info on the various commands (replace “[command]” with the name of the one you want to know more about, of course…)

I would highly recommend taking lightning’s (and my earlier) advice and just leave your “C:” partition as is (don’t resize it) and make a “D:” partition in the available space of your drive (after deleting the *nix partition(s))

I would then move your “My Documents” folder to that D: partition. Simply right-click on the “My Documents” icon on your desktop, select “Properties”, select the “Move…” button, select your D: partition, click “New Folder” and type “My Documents” in the box. Okay out of everything - allow your documents to be moved to the new location - and you’ve successfully circumvented Microsoft’s insane use of the “C:\Documents and Settings” folder tree to store all of your data.

All this to say, its very wise to keep all of your data separate from all of your OS and Program files. True, its even better to keep them on a separate physical HDD, but a separate partition is a step in the right direction. The reason: in the event of a system failure, your data is the only thing that cannot be reinstalled from original media (or downloadable installation packages)! Keeping it all on a separate drive or partition allows for much simpler backup of what is most important: your data. (It also helps keep defragmentation-related performance issues to a minimum, but that’s a whole other discussion there…)

As to using a linux solution (the only free partition utilities out there, AFAIK) to resize an NTFS (read: Microsoft Proprietary) partition is dodgy at best and not recommended. I’ve done it myself in the past, but I would advise buying a Windows-specific solution (like Partition Magic or similar.)

(osxrules) #19

You still have a floppy drive? I think you can make a boot disk out of a flash card these days. Or just a CD would do:

http://www.nu2.nu/bootcd/
http://ucsu.colorado.edu/~shaher/Bootable_USB.html
http://www.weethet.nl/english/hardware_bootfromusbstick.php

In a situation like this, what I would do is get an external HD (they are about £70-80) and clone the partition you want to keep to the drive. Then format the whole HD how you want in whatever partitions and then clone it back.

I never do drive operations especially partitioning on a disk that hasn’t been backed up.

(PlantPerson) #20

I feel really stupid. I’m just getting more and more confused. osxrules, I wouldn’t do this without backing up, either. But I haven’t backed up yet, as I haven’t even taken action yet.

mzungu should know that most of my files aren’t in the “my documents:” folder, rather, they are on either the desktop or in the top C:\ directory (example: C:\blenderfiles) If I do create a new partition for data only, wouldn’t a lot of file paths be messed up?