(SOLVED) Removing Manjaro from Dual Boot (CORRECT Way)

General Discussion
#1

Gentleman

I need your support on showing me how to remove correctly Manjaro from a dual boot BIOS computer, the correct way.
Here is my situation. I installed Manjaro on BIOS System using a separate boot partition (not the WIN7 one) on my VM.--->See screenshot with my partitions.

My first try to remove: Start Manjaro Live CD and use Gparted, but here no format of my Manjaro HOME/ROOT/SWAP partitions was possible (some error saying that they are mounted). Din´t work!

My second try to remove: I read a post, that to remove Manjaro all I have to do is log in to Windows, Disk management...delete the partitions. this is what I did, an I got a Grub error (see first Screenshot). Than I got the "grub rescue> screen..so I messed up! :fearful:

The reason I want to know is that I would like to install Manjaro 16.1 XFCE on the computer of a friend (separate boot partition from Win) so he can try it, learn more about Manjaro and if he doesn't like just format the partitions, without the win7 boot being touched.
Everything is momentarily being tested in VirtualBOX, but I don´t want to install for real till we don´t know to test a correct removal of Manjaro without loosing windows.
Your support is appreciated in advance...

[Solved][GRUB Problem] grub rescue but the installation done on external drive
#2

ok so if i get this right you want to delete manjaro and keep win 7

#3

Login to Windows & reset the bootloader.

I would tell you how, but I don't run Windows.

Regards

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#4

That's a question for Windows user support anyway. They get paid for it, don't want to take away their job. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

#5

Whenever you want to work with Gparted on partition that is mounted, you need to un-mount it first. How? Right click on it and pick unmount (or something in this regard, speaking per memory) And then you will be able to delete or format it.

For the rest I wouldn't be able to help you, with my limited knowledge I can't follow you. You mention Virtual Machine. You can just directly delete every installed OS in VM, you shouldn't need no Gparted. Like I said, I don't understand, so disregard this second part.

#6

Hi C00ter

Does anyone know how to reset the Windows boot loader correctly?
Is this method right?
Once i reset it, what then? If I understand right, that will put Windows as the only OS on my pc, but the partitions of Manjaro are still there...and I still cant delete/format them even if I unmount them in LiveManjaro..

#7

YES!! This is why I made a separate boot partition for Manjaro (sda5)....I just need the correct steps how to do it and test it in VM.:yum:
Deleting the partitions in Windows was wrong, so I got the Grub error screen (see third screenshot)....and I don´t know any other method.

#8

Rough and from memory ..
Most likely you can just boot your LiveUSB .. open up gparted ... delete the partitions manjaro took up, and extend the windows partitions back to full size [this is warned against since windoze doesnt handle file structures logically.. but owell] ... then IIRC .. you just need to run windows boot repair or whatever to restore [as cooter said] your windows boot loader (wipe out grub).

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#9

Yep the method you found is right. Just make sure that your windows are indeed booting in UEFI mode with some of these methods http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/29504-bios-mode-see-if-windows-boot-uefi-legacy-mode.html. After you restore the bootloader make a reboot to make sure it worked (you should boot directly into windows without any grub menu). Then, it is safe to delete the linux partitions by right clicking on Computer-> Manage-> Disk Management, or you can install some free partition manager in order to be able to expand windows in the whole disk.

#10

Mine might not be the best advice, but a quick and dirty way to do it is to use EasyBCD (https://neosmart.net/EasyBCD/) to restore the Windows boot loader over GRUB and then you can just delete the Linux partitions. You can remove any other entries (that aren't Windows related) in the boot menu so that it boots directly into Windows. Just be careful about what you press in EasyBCD, it can be a bit quirky.

But in general, like the others told you - first restore the Windows boot loader, then wipe Linux. I think it can be done with a Windows DVD too, or by restarting into recovery mode from the Windows itself but I never tried that.

#11

you can also use the windows boot loader as primary boot loader in the following way:

  1. install win7 on sda1 (win7 boot loader will be installed on sda)
  2. use one of the following 2 methods:
  3. 2 hard drive method: install manjaro on sdb1 and install manjaro's boot loader (=grub) on sdb1. it might also work, if you install manjaro's boot loader on sdb. but if you do the latter, please make sure that the 2 hard drives are connected in a way that the system looks for the boot loader on sda!
  4. 1 hard drive method: it might also work, if you install manjaro on sda2 and grub on sda2, too. but i am not sure, whether calamares allows you to install grub to a partition rather than a hard drive... the old CLI installer and "thus" installer could do that!
  5. use EasyBCD (as linked by @HarmanK) and add sdb1 or sdb to the win7 boot loader.
  6. when you boot manjaro manjaro it will look like this:
    win7 boot loader --> grub --> manjaro
    this system will boot by default always to win7 no matter what you do.
  7. simply remove manjaro (including grub) and win7 will still boot. then, use EasyBCD to remove manjaro/grub from win7 boot loader.

this setup has multiple disadvantages:

  • win7 will always boot by default
  • if you want to do the same with win8/win10 your boot process will need MUCH longer, because the win8/win10 boot loader will first boot win8/win10 before it offers you a choice to boot manjaro/grub
  • you have to use EasyBCD to edit the win7 boot menu
  • if you want to boot manjaro, your boot process takes longer, because 2 boot loaders have to be loaded
  • when you use the 2 hard disk method, never disconnect the 2 hard drives from your system and switch their position. this will result in a non-booting system!

advantages:

  • good for linux beginners, who do not know anything about the boot process of computers in general and want to learn only a little bit about it.
  • good for linux beginners, who are not interested in learning how to boot manjaro liveCD and chroot into the installed system in order to fix stuff e.g. the boot loader.
  • good for windows people, who never want their system "broken" (well, maybe they manage to brake it with EasyBCD...), because of weird "linux"...
#12

SOLVED

Booted from Windows DVD and using Troubleshooting getting the Command Prompt:

Used Commands:
bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /rebuildbcd

Than you have to list the partions to select the Windows FAT32 boot partition. Use following commands:
diskpart
select disk X (X is here the Disk where your Windows is installed)
list partition (list of partitons on your X disk)
selec partition X (X is there the no. of the FAT32 boot partition of Windows)
active (activate the selected FAT32 partition
exit

reboot, and if you did everything right, that your PC shoudl boot in Windows and it is safe to delete all your Manjaro partitions (using dismanagement or a separate software like EasuUS Parition software).
Hope that helped...

P.S. My feeling is that my friend will never delete Manjaro from his PC, he feels very positive about it for now..I just summerized the steps for other forum members , in case they need it..

#13

YES! this is also a good solution, as loog as you made a backup before installing Manjaro. Works just fine, after restoring...but I used the booting Win DVD and worked. Listed my solution below, and how it will help other people (Booting Windows media or BCD).
Thank you guys for the support!!!!

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#14

Hello, I have the opposite problem.. I'd like to safely remove my windows partition from within Manjaro and Keep Manjaro. I'd like the space there to be added to my Manjaro Partition. How do I go about doing it safely without damaging my current Manjaro?

I'm aware I can't do this whilst using the Manjaro partition, I've read somewhere that I need to do a live boot and run gparted or something like that. I'd like a step by step guide on how to do that... and if I've been keeping my Manjaro up to date regularly will that have an effect on which DVD version I choose to use to do the live boot with?

Thanks in advance!

#15

I would suggest that, instead of posting to the wrong topic, you do a forum search (click the magnifying glass icon :mag: ) on "remove windows" and research the results (there are plenty).

regards

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