Want to remove Linux from dual boot with XP? Read here. (Ubuntu Wubi)

[rado84]

I'm posting this topic as a reply to an untrue information which I found in a topic in this forum and is misguiding. The topic was about how to remove any linux dustributions from the boot selecting screen and make XP to start automatic. That topic said that you must put your XP CD, go to the repair screen and enter the command fixmbr. This is a lie - this command doesn't work and more - XP doesn't recognize it as its own. So, I decided to post this topic because I saw in google how many people have such a problem and they can't fix it. Hopefully, mine topic will help somebody else too.
I had ubuntu on my pc but when I found out what a piece of crap it is, I decided to uninstall it. But the name "ubuntu" in the bios boot screen remained. And I did a very simple task to remove it from there - edited the boot.ini file while Windows was running:

Right click on "My Computer" icon, then select "Properties". Under the "Advanced" tab click "Settings" in the "Startup and Recovery" sector. Click edit and the boot.ini file will open in notepad (you better make a backup of it before editing). Find the line of Ubuntu (or the operating system you'd like to remove from the boot screen), delete the line which contains its data (in my file the line contained "C:\wubildr.ldr" or something like that, don't remember the exact text) and save the file (you can do this by simply pressing Ctrl+S). Then reboot Windows. If you've done exactly as I said you shouldn't have any problems and your XP should start by itself (no boot selection screen).
If you want to remove all other OS from boot screen and leave only XP this is how should look like your boot.ini file:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

My XP is PRO version, so boot.ini looks like the same way. If you have Home Edition it will be Home Edition's name in the text.

Note that this operation must be done when you've already uninstalled ubuntu (or other OS) by formatting their partitions.

 

[Bobbye]

My XP is PRO version,

And this would be the pirated OS you bragged about?

 

[Bluemouse]

Er, rewriting the MBR (fixmbr) of your disk should reinstall the windows boot manager, not that it's actually better. You could just leave GRUB on there and set it to boot windows automatically.

This is a lie - this command doesn't work and more - XP doesn't recognize it as its own.

I have no idea what that means. Perhaps you are using a broken, pirated version of XP? Obviously if you can't get the command to work then it won't do anything.

You need to go into the xp boot disk, go to the repair section and tell it to fix the MBR (its an option in the menu).

 

[rado84]

What makes you think the original versions are more different than the pirated? Have you ever worked on pirated versions or you're just speak rote? There's no difference between the copied disk and the original one. I have both but I prefer the copied one because the original doesn't allow using free antivirus - unclear why. The original OS is at my office. And I can tell you this - both OS say something like "XP doesn't recognize command" when input the command to fix MBR. And there are no such options in the menu. If there are in yours you're probably using modified versions.

 

[Bluemouse]

You're correct, there isn't an option in the menu to fixmbr, you select the option to repair windows and then type fixmbr. So...what's the message you get?

 

[rado84]

I know I must select the option to repair, I'm not an ***** as you're trying to make me look like! I tried to enter this command in two ways. First one - just fixmbr and a message "uknown command" appeared. The second way was "/fixmbr" and I saw a message something like "this command is not contained in XP source code".

 

[SNGX1275]

This whole thread is about to get locked. There are a bunch of things wrong with it.

1. You titled it so it seems general, but then in your text you are talking about the specific Wubi installer of Ubuntu which is quite different from any "typical" install of any of the many varieties of linux.
2. You said there was stuff wrong in another thread, well if that is the case, it would have been much better to quote what was wrong and address why it was wrong, and cite your sources in that thread. Not making a new thread that is all sorts of wrong.
3. Talking about seeing Ubuntu in your BIOS? wtf is that all about, if you see it there like you described, that is a specific trait to your setup and not a general across the board thing that people are going to be looking for if they attempted to use this thread as a guide.
4. Normal linux installations don't touch your boot.ini, boot.ini is only used if you are using Windows's bootloader not Grub that a typical linux installation will do, so again you are giving advice for a specific type of install that only Ubuntu supports right now (maybe another distro does now too, but by far not a majority of them).
5. You get defensive when people post something you don't like, but in reality everything you've posted indicates how little you know about what you are talking about. Everything you've talked about is such a specific thing that absolutely none of it would work for the more typical install that is being discussed in the Alternative OS forum currently, which I'm guessing was the inspiration for the disaster of a thread this is.
6. You are advertising that you are using a pirated XP, normally they are fine for things, but in recent years they've been customized a lot for whatever reasons. You said you saw a lot of things about fixmbr online, and it didn't work for you. Did you ever think that its all over the internet because it does work and your hacked up version of XP just doesn't have that in there?

 

[DelJo63]

why are you waiting ....... :blackeye:

 

[rado84]

Did you ever think that its all over the internet because it does work

Then why this option is not included in the microsoft's article in their website, mr. "professor"? Hm? And also, I've searched micfosoft's site about this fake "fixmbr" and guess what - there's not such a command. But there IS this command: "bootcfg /rebuild". I suggest you first checkout a thing or two before writing another bullshit.
If you want - lock the damn topic. I don't care. I tried to help people who might be tricked and misguided by the other false topic. But it looks like that somebody's ego and wish to show his virtual power is stronger than the purpose of this forum which is to help people.
I could explain why I've wrote about ubuntu and I could write about all other operating systems

EDIT By Mods; Childish personal attack removed

 

[Per Hansson]

The fixmbr command is very much part of the Windows XP Recovery console, I've used it many times myself
Continue your childish comments which are against the forum TOS and really are personal attacks and you will be banned rado84
And finally talk about pirated software is not allowed on techspot

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058

 

[SNGX1275]

From Per's Link

Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console for Advanced Users

FIXMBR
fixmbr device name

Use this command to repair the MBR of the boot partition. In the command syntax, device name is an optional device name that specifies the device that requires a new MBR. Use this command if a virus has damaged the MBR and Windows cannot start.

Warning This command can damage your partition tables if a virus is present or if a hardware problem exists. If you use this command, you may create inaccessible partitions. We recommend that you run antivirus software before you use this command.

You can obtain the device name from the output of the map command. If you do not specify a device name, the MBR of the boot device is repaired, for example:
fixmbr \device\harddisk2

If the fixmbr command detects an invalid or non-standard partition table signature, fixmbr command prompts you for permission before it rewrites the MBR. The fixmbr command is supported only on x86-based computers.

 

[Rick]

both OS say something like "XP doesn't recognize command" when input the command to fix MBR

That's because you have to boot from a Windows XP CD and type this in recovery console, not a Start > Run > cmd prompt, you twit.