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I would like install Ubuntu on a laptop in a way that if I was to remove it, there would be no trace that I had installed it. I would dual boot it with Windows 7. Please could someone provide details of how I would go about removing it.

Lucio
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superbriggs
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    that's impossible I guess, you should fix the boot loader as Web-E pointed you to the right direction. Besides, you have to format your hard drive 8 times to remove any trace of the Ubuntu installation. :D – Soroosh129 Mar 01 '13 at 16:36
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    Wouldn't a live CD or other bootable USB media be the better option here? – 0xC0000022L Mar 01 '13 at 16:43
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    @Soroosh "have to format your hard drive 8 times to remove any trace of the Ubuntu". Where did that come from? Just curious! – stephenmyall Mar 01 '13 at 16:43
  • Experience! There are lots of recovery softwares out there, and they are quite good! I think I read that in one of the help files in one of these softwares(?) – Soroosh129 Mar 01 '13 at 16:53

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I think the other 2 answers are incorrect. Because when you install Ubuntu, a bootloader called GRUB (offers which OS to boot) is written to the MBR of your hard-drive. And even if you wipe the ubuntu partition, GRUB will remain as a clear sign of that you installed another OS!

  1. best option: Using usb-flash-drive-boot (almost as fast as from hard-drive, silent, help here: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/help/create-a-usb-stick-on-windows) or a liveCD (slow and noisy).
  2. 2nd best option: Backup the whole hard drive as it is, or at least the 2 system partitions of windows 7 (windows 7 has a 100MB reserved partition hidden from you), and restore it bit-by-bit. But for that you need an external storage drive possibly as large as the one in your laptop. (you can ask another question about the details of this)

  3. bad option: The answer you actually seek is very complicated, error-prone, and I am not sure I could do it right the 1st time, and I AM POSSIBLY WRONG ABOUT THIS, so I do not recommend such, but here it is:

    1. if you do not already have a 3rd partition available for ubuntu, than you must shrink the one windows 7 is on
    2. back up the MasterBootRecord (MBR) of your hard-drive
    3. install ubuntu on that new partition, which installs a boot-loader (called GRUB) onto the MBR (thats why backup is needed)
    4. use it
    5. recovery1: delete ubuntu partition from windows7
    6. recovery2: re-grow the windows7 partition to "eat-up" ubuntu's (if you did step-1)
    7. recovery3: restore the MBR (dangerous, expert needed)
nlognfan
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  • There are boot loader editors available for Windows that allow one to manage booting different Windows versions, including Ubuntu/Linux. It's kinda tricky so read up first before doing anything. Also, I believe during Ubuntu installation, you can let the GRUB not write to the MBR. – Marky Mar 02 '13 at 06:25
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If you delete the partition where Ubuntu was installed (from windows) Ubuntu would be deleted without a trace.

Seth
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Augusto
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  • Actually, it could likely be recovered, at least in part. Files from the OS could be discovered. It all comes down to what "without a trace" means. Furthermore, and more importantly, as nlognfan says, this doesn't address at all how to restore the Windows boot loader. Just deleting Ubuntu's partitions in Windows would make Windows unbootable too, until the Windows boot loader is reinstalled to the MBR! Finally, when Ubuntu is installed alongside Windows typically it shrinks the Windows partition--this answer doesn't say anything about expanding it back. – Eliah Kagan Mar 01 '13 at 22:44
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Find/buy a Windows application that can "shred" the partition where you installed Ubuntu. Proceed to shredding it how many times over. Have Windows re-claim those partitions afterwards. Oh, have Windows manage bootloading instead of Grub when you install Ubuntu.

Marky
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