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So, I ran out of space on my main partition for windows 10, disk C:, so I took some of the space from my Ubuntu partition and added it to my Windows 10 partition. I ended up taking all the space dedicated to Ubuntu because I used to use it but no longer do. I don't know why but I figured it would just be fine and windows would boot as if nothing ever happened and Linux was never on the computer. When I shut down my computer after the re-partioning and it started up I was given a screen on my second monitor saying grub rescue in a command prompt layout. I don't have any clue what to do with this or how to fix any of it as I don't know exactly what partition Linux is on and I only know the windows partition plus I don't have my original windows installs and everything to reinstall windows, nor do I have a CD drive on this computer. My goal is to just get rid if Linux and use only windows since I no longer need to have linux on my main desktop because I have it on my laptop. Please help!

Trenton Balliger
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    Possible duplicate of How to remove Ubuntu and put Windows back on? – Byte Commander Aug 04 '16 at 11:10
  • I looked over that post and it doesn't have much relevance to my situation because I used the method of removing the Ubuntu partition but now I load into grub rescue and don't know how to get from there to anything else. That and I already have Windows 10 installed but don't have the means to re-install it. – Trenton Balliger Aug 04 '16 at 11:59
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    What about http://askubuntu.com/q/149674/367990 or http://askubuntu.com/q/429610/367990 ? – Byte Commander Aug 04 '16 at 12:07
  • Is system UEFI or BIOS. If Windows 10 is upgrade from Windows 7 it probably is BIOS and you need to install a Windows boot loader to MBR. But if UEFI or Windows 10 originally install, you just need to go into UEFI and choose to boot Windows as new default. While other links install the mbr, you can also use Boot-Repair or manually install syslinux which is another BIOS type boot loader. – oldfred Aug 04 '16 at 19:21

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You can create a bootable version of gparted live on your laptop and use this to boot your desktop (remember to alter the forward to boot from USB or optical drive). Sorry from USB as you don't have an optical drive. This is normally done by pressing a key say del or F12 or something similar. The MB firmware normally displays the key to press on boot up but this is not always the case. When you see the gparted info you should delete the Ubuntu partitions. They will be recognised as having a meaningful label such as Ubuntu xx.x or alternatively you can delete any partitions which are format as ext2 or ext4. You can also delete any swap partitions. To repair windows without an install disk is more problematic. Try to get a boot image from the windows website - good luck with this! You could try the windows10 forums for help on this aspect. Once you have a boot able media for the correct version of Windows XP/win7/win8/win10 and the correct type home/pro or whatever. Remember there will be a 32 bit and 64 bit version so select whatever is appropriate to your system. Now try to effect a boot repair using the repair tools the windows 10 forum will provide details. You may need to reinstall windows completely in which case you will need the windows key this is usually on a sticker on the desktop case.it will be something like xxxx- xxxx-xxxx-xxxx. If you do not have this key then you will probably have to purchase a new license from Microsoft. Unlike Ubuntu you have to pay for Windows!

Good luck - especially with the MS license.

When you eventually get into a Windows system use the windows disk management tool in control panel to extend the windows NTFS partition to use the unallocated space freed up from the Ubuntu partitions. If this free space is in front of the windows partition. Do not extend the partition until you have been given guidance on a Windows forum as moving the start boundary of a partition can often cause problems. Also be aware that the windows forum is free but some help sites will charge you for the privilege.

OldJim
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  • BEFORE you get too involved in trying to get a Windows boot media have a look at your disk in gparted and see if there is a system recovery partition. Some vendors include this a a hidden partition that can be accessed by special keys at boot and this automatically recovers the system to its factory default state. You will need to look at the vendors support site on how to use this if it exists. I know that Dell used to include a 'Dell Recovery Partition' and other manufacturers often had something similar. The will be far easier than the manual method above. Good luck. – OldJim Aug 04 '16 at 18:33