How to Safely Remove Ubuntu from a Dual Boot Setup with Windows

In this tutorial, we’ll guide you step by step on how to remove Ubuntu Linux from a dual boot setup with Windows, freeing up space and ensuring that your system boots smoothly into Windows. Let’s dive in!

Step 1: Boot into Windows

First, when you power on your computer, you’ll see the GRUB boot menu, which lets you choose between Ubuntu and Windows. Select Windows Boot Manager to boot into Windows.

Step 2: Open Disk Management

Once Windows has loaded, press Windows + X and choose Disk Management from the menu. This tool allows you to manage all your system’s storage partitions.

Step 3: Identify and Delete the Ubuntu Partition

In Disk Management, look for the partition that doesn’t have a drive letter. This partition is typically the one used by Ubuntu.

Right-click on the Ubuntu partition and select Delete Volume.
Confirm the deletion. After this step, the space previously occupied by Ubuntu will be marked as Unallocated.

Step 4: Extend Your Windows Partition

Now that you have unallocated space, you can merge it back into your Windows partition.

Right-click on the C: Drive (your Windows partition) and select Extend Volume.
Follow the wizard to add the unallocated space to your Windows partition. This will give you the extra storage space that was previously used by Ubuntu.

Step 5: Restore the Windows Boot Loader

The next crucial step is to restore the Windows boot loader to ensure that your system boots directly into Windows without encountering any issues.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator. You can do this by searching for “cmd” in the Start menu, right-clicking on it, and selecting “Run as administrator.”
Type the following command to launch the DiskPart utility:
```
diskpart
```
Press Enter.
To list all the disks connected to your system, type:
```
list disk
```
Press Enter. This will display all the disks connected to your system.
Identify the disk where both Windows and Ubuntu were installed (usually Disk 0) and select it by typing:
```
select disk 0
```
Press Enter.
Next, list all the partitions on the selected disk:
```
list partition
```
Press Enter.
Look for the EFI System Partition (usually around 100 MB in size) and note its label, which should be marked as System. This is the partition that holds the boot information for both operating systems.
Select the EFI partition:
```
select partition X
```
(Replace X with the partition number of the EFI system partition.)
Now, assign a drive letter to this partition to access its contents:
```
assign letter=Z
```
Press Enter.

Step 6: Remove Ubuntu Boot Files

Now that the EFI partition has a drive letter, navigate to it:

Open File Explorer, and in the address bar, type Z: to access the EFI partition.
Navigate to the EFI folder and look for a folder named ubuntu or something similar. This folder contains the GRUB boot loader, which you need to delete.
Right-click the ubuntu folder and select Delete.

Step 7: Remove the Drive Letter

After deleting the Ubuntu boot loader, it’s time to clean up:

Go back to Command Prompt and type:
```
remove letter=Z
```
Press Enter to remove the drive letter from the EFI partition.
Type exit to close the DiskPart utility.

Step 8: Restart Your Computer

Now, restart your computer to check that everything is working properly.

If your system boots directly into Windows without showing the GRUB menu, congratulations! You have successfully removed Ubuntu from your dual-boot setup, and your Windows system is now free from any remnants of the Ubuntu installation.

Conclusion

Removing Ubuntu from a dual boot setup with Windows may seem like a daunting task, but following these steps will ensure a smooth transition. By freeing up the disk space and restoring the Windows boot loader, your system will boot directly into Windows without any issues. Enjoy the newly recovered space and the simplicity of a single OS setup!

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