Deleting a linux partition

[black_magiic]

I just installed mandrake linux 10.1 on a secondary 80GB drive. Im just wondering, if I were to use partition magic and delete the linux partition and the swap partition and then resize the NTFS partition will it return to booting windows XP off the primary 250GB drive. with having to change anything. It wont give me the Mandrake OS chooser thingy anymore

[nukehella]

I think you should sleep on it and not use Partion Magic until you have a good plan.I've lost data a few times messing with PM at the wrong time with the wrong plan.

[mp3MaStA88]

I think you should sleep on it and not use Partion Magic until you have a good plan.I've lost data a few times messing with PM at the wrong time with the wrong plan.

i have had problems as well, messing with my hard drive's on my past computers ( old old computers yet they were up to date)

[ssj4conejo]

About mandrake, that mandrake chooser thingie, is probably either LILO or GRUB and the easiest way to remove is this... (Requires no linux Knowledge)

Go to XP
While in XP insert the XP.
Choose the upgrade function (wont make any changes)
and let it install XP again, it wont delete or modify anything. Even though this takes 40 minutes, its the easiest no-brainer way.
What this does is re write the MBR (Master Boot Record) and lets to comp boot directly to XP.

[black_magiic]

Data loss isnt actually a real concern, I just want to make sure it will boot back up to windows by default

[cpugeniusmv]

use the recovery console on the xp installation cd and run the fixmbr command. it's as simple as that.

introduction to recovery console

[black_magiic]

thanks a lot cpu I will try that,

[ducttapeBigSexy]

Yep, gotta agree with the fixmbr - mostly because (i'm pretty sure on this one) that the boot loader is stored on another partition. The MBR (that is, the Master Boot Record - the thing that boots your computer) points to LILO (or possibly GRUB) on the Linux partition. If you delete the Linux partition, you won't be able to boot your computer anymore. Run the fixmbr command, then delete the Linux partitions. That'll keep your computer booting properly then :)