Problem uninstalling Xubuntu from Windows XP

[Unto Darkness]

I decided to install Xubuntu 8.04 inside my Windows installation from the ISO file I downloaded [Wubi]. After having some fun, I decided to uninstall it, and this where the problem arises.

When I clicked the uninstall button in my Add/Remove Window in XP, nothing happens, there is no activity related to the uninstallation of Xubuntu. I had a similar problem a few days back, so I decided to remove all related files and mistakenly deleted ntldr file which resulted in a terrible mess.

Anyways, help me out guys!

[ElliottLan]

you could try deleting the ubuntu partition manually making sure to do it AFTER having removed grub.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=uninstall+ubuntu shows various ways to do it

[markwolfe Veteran]

Yeah, ntldr is a Windows file. Very important, and has nothing to do with Linux. Don't know why you deleted it, but I think you can pop in the XP CD and boot into "recovery console" and do a fixboot to have it repair itself.

Also, since Linux isn't a Windows app, you won't see it under the Windows "add/remove programs" button.

I'm not very familiar with wubi, but it is a virtual filesystem creator, so you don't have to repartition, and then Ubuntu gets "installed" onto some filesystem images that exist on your NTFS partition. I would think that merely removing these filesystem images would "remove" Ubuntu quite well. :yes:

If wubi installs GRUB as your boot loader, then you can also do a fixmbr at your XP CD boot "repair console" to set the Microsoft boot loader into the MBR.

That should be about it, really. Remove the filesystem images, and restore Microsoft boot from the recovery console (if wubi installed GRUB).

[Wilhelmus]

NTLDR is Missing:

  Quote

1. Insert the Windows XP bootable CD into the computer.

2. When prompted to press any key to boot from the CD, press any key.

3. Once in the Windows XP setup menu press the "R" key to repair Windows.

4. Log into your Windows installation by pressing the "1" key and pressing enter.

5. You will then be prompted for your administrator password, enter that password.

6. Copy the below two files to the root directory of the primary hard disk.

In the below example we are copying these files from the CD-ROM drive letter, which in this case is "e." This letter may be different on your computer.

copy e:\i386\ntldr c:\

copy e:\i386\ntdetect.com c:\

7. Once both of these files have been successfully copied, remove the CD from the computer and reboot.

Try that.

[markwolfe Veteran]

^^^ Why use a solution (logging in and copying files to a specific drive letter) that is more complex than it has to be?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315233 <== Perform "Resolution" item #1, and you are done. (Y)

[Fish]

There was a bug in earlier versions of Wubi which left its entry behind in Add/Remove, despite having uninstalled Ubuntu. You can delete the entry by editing the registry. Remove the Wubi entry at the following address:

HKeyLocalMachine\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\

[Unto Darkness]

  markjensen said:

Yeah, ntldr is a Windows file. Very important, and has nothing to do with Linux. Don't know why you deleted it, but I think you can pop in the XP CD and boot into "recovery console" and do a fixboot to have it repair itself.

Also, since Linux isn't a Windows app, you won't see it under the Windows "add/remove programs" button.

I'm not very familiar with wubi, but it is a virtual filesystem creator, so you don't have to repartition, and then Ubuntu gets "installed" onto some filesystem images that exist on your NTFS partition. I would think that merely removing these filesystem images would "remove" Ubuntu quite well. :yes:

If wubi installs GRUB as your boot loader, then you can also do a fixmbr at your XP CD boot "repair console" to set the Microsoft boot loader into the MBR.

That should be about it, really. Remove the filesystem images, and restore Microsoft boot from the recovery console (if wubi installed GRUB).

Oh don't worry about the ntldr, I managed to download the file and place it in the C: using the Ubuntu LiveCD. Easy as that.

  Wilhelmus said:

NTLDR is Missing:

Try that.

I solved that. I just mentioned it in my post to demonstrate that I have done something about removing Xubuntu.

  Mr Fish said:

There was a bug in earlier versions of Wubi which left its entry behind in Add/Remove, despite having uninstalled Ubuntu. You can delete the entry by editing the registry. Remove the Wubi entry at the following address:

HKeyLocalMachine\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\

All my Linux files are intact. So it is not the entry problem. Besides, I see it every time in the boot menu.

[Unto Darkness]

Finally got the problem solved. Here is how I did it:

1) Microsoft Support [Click]

2) Backup your boot.ini

3) Edit your boot.ini

4) In the boot.ini file, delete the line c:/wubildr = "Xubuntu" or something similar to that. Click Ok and close. With that you have removed the boot entry and you will no longer be shown a choice of Xubuntu or Windows XP during boot.

5) Remove the related Xubuntu files manually by deleting them:

(i) C:/wubildr and wubildr.mbr

(ii) [The drive in which you installed Xubuntu]:/ubuntu,wubildr and wubildr.mbr

You re done.

To remove the entry in Add/Remove, use Mr Fish's method:

  Quote

There was a bug in earlier versions of Wubi which left its entry behind in Add/Remove, despite having uninstalled Ubuntu. You can delete the entry by editing the registry. Remove the Wubi entry at the following address:

HKeyLocalMachine\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\

Thanks for your help guys!

[darren89]

;) great help guys! this also happened in ubuntu with wubi too! in my windows vista..

[Elv13]

  Quote

Also, since Linux isn't a Windows app, you won't see it under the Windows "add/remove programs" button.

Yes it is, he used wubi, so yes, it IS a windows apps. It just require a reboot to use it, but it is in C:/Program Files/ and got an entry in add ans remove program.

[markwolfe Veteran]

^^^ Linux is not a Windows app.

wubi does, however, place a sort of entry to "uninstall" that resets the MBR and removes the imaged filesystem. So, I guess to the user it does appear this way.

In the end, reset the MBR and you are free to remove the image file.