uninstall bootloader

hi, i once tried archlinux on my laptop and it seems that this bootloader (i think it was called gnur or smth?) is still on the laptop? i dont know how this is possible (both harddisks are formated, and the os-hd is a new ssd). so i guess its written in the bios or smth?

how to i reconize the bootloader?

your bios screen is loading, after that u have a black screen with w white underline blinking. normally it blinked there in the first line 2-3 times and then it loaded windows. when i installed archlinux it started to blink longer and also it stops, goes to second line and blinks there again 5-6 times.. this takes all in all around 10 seconds :x

so i thnik its smth from archlinux.. which was great but i dont use it anymore.

thx bb

 

It's installed in the MBR of the HDD.

Follow these instructions:
http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_...talled_first__the_stepbystep_guide.htm?page=4

 

does that work on win7 ?

also i dont have same hdd anymore :x
i had one hdd with vista, one with archlinux. Now i have on of those old hdd´s left (formated it) + a new ssd with win7

 

Formating it doesn't format the MBR.

look, there is other software out there that will put a windows MBR onto it.

A simple way to fix it is to install windows on that HDD, then reformat it.

 

can i boot with win98 go into dos and write fdisk /mbr ?
just read about it..

it should re-install the bootloader on my c: and remove the old bootloader (grub) from the other hd (d ?

or will it destroy all my bootloaders and nothing will work anymore?

 

you can use a win98 boot floppy.

Just put the HDD into your main HDD slot, remove the SSD.
The boot with the floppy, I think the command you need is "fdisk /mbr".

 

hm good idea to remove the ssd and then do it.. nothing can happen then

will try it tomorrow

thanks

 

i just tried it and got a problem:

before running the command i need to switch to the hdd right?
when going into dos u are at A:

it could only switch to A: (floppy) and b cd).


normalyl my hdd should be d: but i couldnt switch to it (doesnt exist). Anyway i can list all drives in dos?

thanks

 

maybe the old 98 floppy just can't recognise the new SSD tech?

Simple thing to do is to install windows onto the SSD, this should format the MBR in the process.

 

the mbr is not on the ssd.. its on the 2nd hdd (sata).

I got a old hdd with vista + archlinux on it. i formated it, use it now as 2nd hdd for data and as primary disk i have my new ssd.

what i did:
remove ssd, boot win98 ms-dos, couldnt find anything else than a: or b:

:/

 

So right now you just have a normal HDD and the 98 boot floppy can't detect it?

I would still try to install win onto the HDD.

 

The problem you're having is that after having removed Linux from your computer's HDD, the OS boot loader you were using, GRUB, left it's boot code on the master boot record ( MBR) of the HDD. This can't be corrected by just repartitioning, or reformatting the HDD, but it is very easy to reinstall the Windows boot code to the MBR. Using the Windows XP installation CD, this can be done by performing the following steps;

1) Boot from the Windows XP CD
2) Press the "R" key during the setup in order to start the Recovery Console
3) Select your Windows XP installation from the list and enter the administrator password
4) At the input prompt, enter the command "fixmbr" and then confirm by pressing y
5) Next enter the command "fixboot", and then confirm by pressing y
6) Lastly, enter in "exit" to reboot the computer.

(BTW, you enter the fixmbr and fixboot commands WITHOUT the quote " characters) The MBR will be rewritten and GRUB will at that point be fully uninstalled.

If you don't have an ability to get to the XP Recovery Console to repair the MBR, there is a way to update an MBR in order to remove the GRUB code, and reinstall the Windows code, using a Linux LiveCD. It just takes a bit of command line work. It's covered for an Ubuntu (or Mint) LiveCD boot, at this post, of this thread, over at the Ubuntu Users forum. Here's another explanation of the same process, but with a bit more detail added.

Another method, (which requires a Windows PC, the Windows XP installation files, an internet connection, and a CD burner), is to visit The Ultimate Boot CD for Windows website, download the latest UBCD4WinVxxx.exe program to that computer, and create a bootable UBCD4Win CD. (Unfortunately due to licensing issues, you need to provide the UBCD4Win installation program with the actual Windows installation files, in order to build a Windows bootable CD). You can now boot the problem computer with the newly created UBCD4Win CD, and run the MBR Fix utility, which will restore the HDD's MBR.

FYI. It's always a great idea to have some form of bootable OS repair and recovery CD available, and up to date, for moments like this. In addition to the aforementioned UBCD4Win, specifically for Windows system, the following CDs are very useful to have on hand, (for Linux, Windows, and/or barebone systems);

The Ultimate Boot CD (UBCD)
System Rescue CD

Finally, one of the best solutions to fixing MBR and boot issues, is to use the Super Grub Disk to fix them. It's easy to use, and in this case to restore a Windows MBR with Super Grub Disk you would need to simply;

1. Boot your SGD (floppy disk, USB disk or CD)
2. Select English Super Grub Disk
3. Select Windows
4. Select Fix Boot of Windows

Well worth checking out.

Good Luck..

 

guys: in the hdd where i have the grub boot loader i dont have windows installed and dont want it to be installed.

its just a data hdd.. the ssd got windows 7 and not the hdd with the grub on it.. also i dont want to install windowso n the data hdd :/

and i dont want to re-install it.. i want to remove it

well i have a complet ebackup of the data hdd.. so i could install windows on it, fix it somehow and format , put backup on it. but your windows-installing-solutions only repair the mbr ? i want to remove the mbr

thanks

 

The MBR (512 byte sector) contains both a small boot code area and the primary partition table. It is easy to zero the MBR sector, but you will lose everything on that hdd and unfortunately it is also very easy to make a mistake and zero out the wrong device.