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OK, I'm a total newbie here. I have no idea what I have done. So far, I have installed Linux (Mandrake 9.2) by following my teacher's instructions. He suggestd we install it because it's a C programing/unix class. All went well, I did the partitions and everthing..However, now that I boot up my computer, it automatically goes to Linux. How do I get it to load windows by default or how do I get it to ask me what OS I want to run? I tried loading in my recovery disks..that didn't help..still got linux on there. I just realized that it probably reformatted my C drive, but not the partition that Mandrake is on. ;( Also, how do I get rid of Linux all together, and get my hard drive back into one piece..instead of having the partitions? Please explain step by step. I tried looking at other forums. All they said was to run fdisk, etc etc..I need a detailed explanation. An explanation for newbies ;(

OK, I got rid of Mandrake using fdisk and all of that..but I still have partitions ;( I have a C drive that's only showing up as 47 gigs, and a D drive that's 0 bytes. How do I get my C drive back to 60 gigs?

Quote: Ok I'll try explain iit simpler. 1. Boot with Mandrake Install cd 1 2. Follow installation up and till the Disk Drake. (drakX partition wizard 9.1) 3. Choose "Custom partitioning" 4. Your windows partition will most probably be hda1 (DO NOT TOUCH IT!) 5. You at minimum will have 2 other partitions hda5 / and hda6 swap (Example) 6. You need to delete these partitions, Click on the partitions you wish to change > delete, you will be left with an un partitioned block. 7. You now click on the empty block "Create partition" set the Size slider to max. set Fliesystem type FAT32. set mount point /mnt/win_d 8. Then click on done it should ask you to format go ahead.(ONLY FORMAT THE NEW PARTITION!) 9. The Mandrake install will now complain that you have not made a root partition. Simply Power down by hitting you P.C. power switch. 10. Insert Windows boot media (win98 boot floppy winXP install Disk or winXP rescue floppy) 11.Boot up to a dos Terminal. 12 type > fdir /mbr 13. Reboot you are done no more lilo or Mandrake. Will that get rid of the Linux partition all together and have the hard drive back into one piece? If so, How would I go about doing so? I want to get rid of Linux AND the partition and want my C drive back to 60 gigs. Id appreciate ANY help.

Thanks a lot. I'll try it out. If I'm able to get a hold of Partition Magic, how hard would it be to get rid of the Linux partition? I mean, I'm not computer iliterate..but is it easy to figure out? Or will I have to be some "computer nerd" just to run the thing?

Oh yea..I figured out how to get windows running. Press Esc while Linux is booting, then type in windows after the boot: thing..But still, that is pretty annoying and I just wanna get rid of it (linux)! AND now that I figured out how to start Windows, I found out I have NOTHING on my computer..since earlier I used my Hewlett Packard recover disks..thinking it would format EVERYTHING, but it didnt..just the partition Windows was on. SO, I'm stuck with Linux and Win 98 now... ;(

Yes, I used the Mandrake DrakX Partitioning. First I resized the C drive and created free space. Linux is on that new partition. Now that it is installed, Linux always boots up. I want it to either ask me which OS I want to boot up, or I want windows to be the default OS to boot up. Also, I'm getting sick of the Linux thing. Can anyone tell me how to get rid of it all together and help me get my hard drive back into one piece.