0

I installed Ubuntu in Legacy mode (BIOS mode) with Windows previously installed in UEFI mode. Turns out this wasn't the best way to do it. Anyway, I couldn't get either of my USB WiFi adapters to work in Ubuntu so I simply deleted the partition it was installed on. On my other computers that only had a BIOS I would just boot up a Windows recovery disk and run a few commands to fix the MBR. If I understand it correctly, doing so would erase GRUB and install the Windows bootloader.

In my current situation I'm not sure what to do. I want to nuke grub. I don't need it as I don't have any flavor of Linux installed. I don't think I want to install MBR either. But maybe I do? I want to continue booting Windows in UEFI mode as that is how I originally installed it.

Will booting my Windows repair USB in legacy mode and fixing the MBR mess with my current installation of Windows? Will it get rid of GRUB?

Picture of the BIOS

Windows boots fine in UEFI mode. There is no way to boot Ubuntu in UEFI mode only (as opposed to LEGACY + UEFI mode).

Boot options

Windows also boots fine in LEGACY + UEFI mode when it is set as Boot Option #1.

Ubuntu boot option

Ubuntu fails to boot as expected since I deleted the partition it was on.

Any help would be appreciated.

Stephen Rauch
  • 1,156
PIousInquisitor
  • 1
  • I understand you want to delete grub. You can do it in two ways. 1. Windows commad line. 2. Access the system with live usb. – PRATAP Jun 13 '18 at 18:15
  • @PRATAP Can you clarify please? 1. By Windows command line do you mean simply removing the Ubuntu folder from the EFT folder? Or something else? Does that actually remove GRUB? 2. ? – PIousInquisitor Jun 13 '18 at 18:33
  • Your windows installed in MBR or GPT partition style? Yes removing "Ubuntu" folder from EFI folder removes completely Ubuntu. After deleting Ubuntu partition that is the final step.. Deleting Ubuntu folder from EFI via windows command line. – PRATAP Jun 13 '18 at 18:43
  • via Ubuntu live session, you can access windows EFI folder and delete the same Ubuntu folder which lies in the EFI folder.
    • – PRATAP Jun 13 '18 at 18:48
  • @PRATAP Windows was installed using the GPT partition type. So deleting the aforementioned folder will delete GRUB? Even if Ubuntu was installed in legacy (BIOS) mode? – PIousInquisitor Jun 13 '18 at 18:59
  • I am not confident. So while discussing with you, I just deleted my Ubuntu partition and then went to windows command line and deleted the Ubuntu partition in EFI folder. My system is now completely free of Ubuntu. But my windows 10 and Ubuntu both are in UEFI mode and installed on GPT. Now I am trying to install Ubuntu in BIOS mode but for that I need to use MBR Partition. Let me check and get back to you. – PRATAP Jun 13 '18 at 19:05
  • Hi, may I know.. From which software you created Ubuntu bootable USB? If it's Rufus, which mode you used "MBR Partition for Bios or UEFI" "MBR for UEFI" or "GPT for UEFI"? – PRATAP Jun 13 '18 at 19:08
  • @PRATP I honestly don't remember what method I used to make the bootable USB. I actually installed Ubuntu on this computer a year ago. I was hoping some progress would be made with getting the USB adapters to work. There wasn't any so I decided to reclaim the space on my hard drive. – PIousInquisitor Jun 13 '18 at 19:15
  • OK I am installing Ubuntu in BIOS mode now to see whether Ubuntu file sits in EFI folder or not? – PRATAP Jun 13 '18 at 19:20
  • Hi, I have installed Ubuntu in BIOS mode and then went to windows system folder, there is no Ubuntu folder in the EFI folder. Later I deleted Ubuntu partition and system directly boots to windows. You Check if in EFI folder Ubuntu folder exists or not. If exists delete it. But you need not to worry about it as you always boots in UEFI mode. – PRATAP Jun 13 '18 at 19:43
  • You installed windows in GPT partition style.. Means no way to install Ubuntu in MBR partitioning type..i created my Ubuntu bootable USB as "MBR partitioning scheme for BIOS or UEFI" but it successfully installed in GPT with out disturbing GPT. So you don't need to worry about it. Your disk is in GPT style only. – PRATAP Jun 13 '18 at 19:48
  • @PRATAP Thank you. You are correct Ubuntu did install under UEFI. I was able to usd CMD do remove the entry from the available boot options and things seem fine now. Not sure why I though it was installed under legacy. Anyway, thanks again. – PIousInquisitor Jun 13 '18 at 22:35
  • 2
    "In my current situation I'm not sure what to do. I want to nuke grub. I don't need it as I don't have any flavor of Linux installed. " Then why ask this on an Ubuntu related forum? You have a problem that is solved through Windows. Ask windows users about how to do that. Even the sheer amount of comments here is proof this is not for us. Find the equivalent of the old fixmbr for uefi. In Windows. – Rinzwind Jun 15 '18 at 07:37