Thread: How to uninstall grub ?

Hey all,

I want to uninstall grub without uninstalling ubuntu (version 9.04).

Please explain the steps in simple non-technical language.

Help will be appreciated.

Hey all Please help.....!!

I did not got your point as if you uninstall grub then how you are going to access your Ubuntu .As grub provides you the option of choosing the OS you want to boot ,if you any other boot loadder then go ahead ,How to uninstall GRUB try this link as it will guide you to uninstall grub

Originally Posted by dinesh.singh

I did not got your point as if you uninstall grub then how you are going to access your Ubuntu .As grub provides you the option of choosing the OS you want to boot ,if you any other boot loadder then go ahead ,How to uninstall GRUB try this link as it will guide you to uninstall grub

Actually I have installed Linux inside Windows.

There was no such boot loader in ubuntu 8.10.And it is also preventing me to delete a partition.

Try restoring the Vista/XP (whatever you have) bootloader. Install it to your MBR and it will override Grub automatically.
You can use EasyBCD on Vista (dunno if it will work for XP) to restore the vista bootloader. Be careful tho, it will not let you boot into Ubuntu.

I'd recommed you install Ubuntu in a separate partition; Installing it inside windows will cause lots of problems.

Good luck

why you want to uninstall grub, its boot loader and i suggest you not to play like this.

Originally Posted by smoothvibes

why you want to uninstall grub, its boot loader and i suggest you not to play like this.

Well, its a complicated problem and I am unable to explained here.

But I am sure that if I am able to uninstall GRUB, my problem would be solved.

Basically,I want to delete a partition,which I created by mistake. Now if I remove that partition GRUB is not loading properly(Its giving an error) and I am unable to open Windows.

Originally Posted by siddharth

Well, its a complicated problem and I am unable to explained here.

But I am sure that if I am able to uninstall GRUB, my problem would be solved.

Basically,I want to delete a partition,which I created by mistake. Now if I remove that partition GRUB is not loading properly(Its giving an error) and I am unable to open Windows.

You mean you want to uninstall Grub because you can not access your XP. Do one thing i already posted this thing on my blog. You have to add your XP Operating system entry in Grub Loader. Just go through my technical blog, here's the link

I hope this helps!!

Originally Posted by nilact

You mean you want to uninstall Grub because you can not access your XP. Do one thing i already posted this thing on my blog. You have to add your XP Operating system entry in Grub Loader. Just go through my technical blog, here's the link

I hope this helps!!

Well,there is an option for Windows XP in GRUB boot loader.

But the problem is if i uninstall ubuntu Grub doesn't load properly (though it works fine if ubuntu is installed).

So I just want to simply uninstall it.

This is what I understood,

You installed Ubuntu 8.10 using Wubi inside Windows and later installed 9.04 directly. Now you need Ubuntu 9.04 to boot the same was 8.10 used to, by using Windows boot loader.

If that's how it is, then the only way is to reinstall Ubuntu 9.04. Direct installation of Ubuntu and installation using Wubi is totally different methods. There is no way to change that. Linux doesn't support Windows boot loader (or the other way, I am not sure).

What I do in these situations is, boot from Windows CD's and use Recovery Console to get Windows boot loader back using fixmbr and fixboot commands. And then format/delete Ubuntu files. This works for most all Linux distros. And use a free software like Partition Wizard Home Edition to merge/modify partitions created by Ubuntu.

This time install Ubuntu using Wubi. And use the upgrade feature inside Ubuntu to get a newer version.

Yes that is exactly what I want,

Right now I have 2 ubuntu installed on my computer.

1 using Wubi and other as a seperate partition.

I am unable to delete the third partition (ubuntu one) by using EASEUS partition manager.

And if I uninstall wubi one GRUB isn't loading.I am very confused what to do.

Originally Posted by siddharth

Well, its a complicated problem and I am unable to explained here.

But I am sure that if I am able to uninstall GRUB, my problem would be solved.

Basically,I want to delete a partition,which I created by mistake. Now if I remove that partition GRUB is not loading properly(Its giving an error) and I am unable to open Windows.

fdisk /mbr should restore the windows boot loader. I don't know about the latest version of windows as I am no more a user of windows.

As far as i understood your problem this is what i would suggest ...........

(1).Uninstall Grub using the method already mentioned via the link provided @dinesh.singh
(2).Then fix the Windows MBR using the fix MBR command etc. via the recovery console.
(3).restart your computer and preferrably you would be able to see the Dual Boot option as wubi uses Windows bootloader listing both windows as well as Ubuntu.
(4).even if it turns out to be the other way out ......... don't panic just read the article mentioned underneath and Follow the below mentioned steps {don't go about performing each and every step as you woun't be needing them ..... these are only mentioned in order to make you understand how and what all i did in order to sort out my problem} :-

Here's the link to the below mentioned article :-

http://www.kubuntuway.net/forum/show...=1728#post1728

Since I had installed Kubuntu via Wubi I was almost sure that the Boot MBR being used is Vista's ............. so i needed to create a new entry in windows Vista MBR as Kubuntu and set the Operating System path and drive ........... but then i wasn't sure about the Kubuntu Operating System's path .......... in order to resolve this issue i created a new (Boot entry) kubuntu entry using EasyBCD 1.7.2
{the EasyBCD 1.7.2 utility can be downloaded via the following link :-

Download EasyBCD 1.7.2 - NeoSmart Technologies ............and the Steps needed for making a new enrty using EasyBCD are as follows :-

When you start up EasyBCD, go to Add/Remove entries and click on the Linux tab. Then, you can name the Linux startup option whatever you like. You'll also see a dropdown box that says "Wubi." Don't change this. Now, you will also see another dropdown box that says "Drive." Choose the partition that you installed the Wubi bootloader on. Then, just add entry, and you should be set.}

but since Kubuntu was installed somewhere in C:\(the very same drive as to where Vista was installed) thus i gave the drive path as C:\ to the new entry ...........

then the steps followed for the determination of the exact drive path of the Operating System(Kubuntu) are as follows:-
(1)made a new partition for installing Windows XP on it .
(2).Installed windows XP on the new partition and After the installation was complete tried installing Kubuntu again using the Wubi installer in order to find the correct path of the Operating System(Kubuntu) ...........
(3).after the installation I could clearly see that the path of the Operating System(Kubuntu) was listed as follows:-
{In order to determine the drive path of Kubuntu in Windows XP the Following must be typed in the command prompt :-

C:\windows\system32>bootcfg

(this command would list the Windows XP MBR's Entries which includes the Kubuntu enrty and also the Exact drive path which would be C:\wubildr.mbr)}

C:\Wubildr.mbr

NOTE : thus i needed to make the change in Vista's MBR and change the Kubuntu Operating System path from C:\ to C:\Wubildr.mbr ..............
(4).now i rebooted via the Windows Vista DVD and recovered Windows Vista MBR ........
(5)then after i changed the boot record manually via command line by setting the Kubuntu entry's Operating System Path to C:\Wubildr.mbr ............

this can be done by using the bcdedit command in Windows Vista Command Prompt and typing the following into the command prompt(but you need administrative privileges for performing these action):-


C:\windows\System32>bcdedit
(this command would show you the current entries listed in the windows Vista's MBR along with their specific identifier's,Operating System path etc. ......... now note down the specific identifier of the Kubuntu enrty )
let's say the specific identifier of the Kubuntu entry is {88b266fo-7d49-ndc-89d2-d25c6946223c}


C:\Windows\system32>bcdedit /set {specific identifier of the Kubuntu entry} path \wubildr.mbr

in the above mentioned case( specific identifier of the Kubuntu entry is {88b266fo-7d49-ndc-89d2-d25c6946223c}) the command would be as follows:-

C:\Windows\system32>bcdedit /set {88b266fo-7d49-ndc-89d2-d25c6946223c} path \wubildr.mbr
The operation completed successfully (this message would be displayed if the made changes were successful)

This command would set the Os path of the Kubuntu enrty to \wubildr.mbr ........... thus loading the Wubi's Mbr ...........

though i did all this for Kubuntu but their is no difference between Kubuntu and Ubuntu as both are based on the same architecture the only difference lies in the desktop environment which they use i.e. GNOME or KDE.

If you find any difficulties just reply back with your querie's .

Where is TS?

TS=Thread Starter

I am here.

Sorry for late replies.

Actally, I am a bit busy so will try these steps tomm.

Try the method gastly suggested. EasyBCD has an option for that. I haven't tried it myself. But if you have Windows CD, then you can give it try.

EasyBCD Boot Loader.jpg

Originally Posted by Archer

Try the method gastly suggested.

What do you mean by this ??

Originally Posted by eruptionjoojo01

What do you mean by this ??

I mean try the software (EasyBCD), suggested by the member gastly in this post.

Originally Posted by Archer

I mean try the software (EasyBCD), suggested by the member gastly in this post.

Oh!ok ......

I am Getting the following error message when I use Easy BCD

Originally Posted by siddharth

I am Getting the following error message when I use Easy BCD

ok!i just saw that pic which you posted ........

i'm listing as to what i understood from the whole thread ..... you kindly verify what all i understood is correct .

You had windows XP professional on your system but in order to try Ubunu you installed Ubuntu 8.10 inside windows via Wubi installer.

But then you installed a completely fresh copy of Ubuntu 9.04 under a separate drive.

now i'm a bit confused as to which version do you want to keep i mean the one which you installed under windows Ubuntu 8.10 or the separate drive one Ubuntu 9.04???


Please correct me if i have mis-understood your replies ..........

Originally Posted by eruptionjoojo

ok!i just saw that pic which you posted ........

i'm listing as to what i understood from the whole thread ..... you kindly verify what all i understood is correct .

You had windows XP professional on your system but in order to try Ubunu you installed Ubuntu 8.10 inside windows via Wubi installer.

But then you installed a completely fresh copy of Ubuntu 9.04 under a separate drive.

now i'm a bit confused as to which version do you want to keep i mean the one which you installed under windows Ubuntu 8.10 or the separate drive one Ubuntu 9.04???


Please correct me if i have mis-understood your replies ..........

I installed ubuntu 8.10 earlier but before shifting to ubuntu 9.04 i uninstalled ubuntu 8.10.

Now I have 2 copies of ubuntu (both 9.04) in my hard drive. One is installed using wubi and other as a separate partition. Now if I delete anyone of them GRUB is not loading.

And, I want to keep the one which I installed using Wubi.

Originally Posted by siddharth

I installed ubuntu 8.10 earlier but before shifting to ubuntu 9.04 i uninstalled ubuntu 8.10.

Now I have 2 copies of ubuntu (both 9.04) in my hard drive. One is installed using wubi and other as a separate partition. Now if I delete anyone of them GRUB is not loading.

ok fine ........... now i understood as to where you are stuck ....

I'm attaching the pic of the Boot loader changing section available in the Easy BCD just follow the pic and click on Write MBR

this can be found under the manage bootloader option .


you may question as to what this would do ........ ??

this would over-write GRUB and re-install windows bootloader which in turn would have two booting options one would be Windows and the other would be Wubi installed Ubuntu 9.04 ..........

After performing the listed action you may delete the Ubuntu 9.04 installation done on the separate drive ..........

Originally Posted by eruptionjoojo

After performing the listed action you may delete the Ubuntu 9.04 installation done on the separate drive ..........

Which actions

Originally Posted by siddharth

Which actions

areeee ........... I already replied as to how to change the boot-loader to windows bootloader (Post no. - 22)just perform that and you are done ............