Taking ubuntu off my computer

Asked by ann

I would like to take ubuntu off my computer

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Tom Haddon (mthaddon) said :
#1

Hi Ann,

I'm not sure what your question is here. You're free to take Ubuntu off your computer at any time. Typically you would do this by replacing it with something else, otherwise you'll have a non-functioning computer. Most likely you'll want to follow the installation instructions of whatever you're planning to replace Ubuntu with.

Thanks, Tom

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Jim Hutchinson (jphutch) said :
#2

Sorry. We only help you put in on :). No, just kidding.

If you want to remove it, you just need to overwrite or delete the partition it is on. There isn't any way to "uninstall" an operating system. You just delete the partition or reformat the drive or reinstall a new OS. You can boot the live CD that you used to install Ubuntu and run the partition editor (system - admin if I remember correctly) and delete the Ubuntu partitions and resize windows (if you are dual booting). Make sure you are removing the right partitions and back up important stuff anyway just in case.

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ann (akinney) said :
#3

I am trying to open .exe files on a PC that my son left behind and am totally unfamilar with ubuntu which will not let me do so, so I thought i would just take it off and reload windows but I am still not sure what you mean.

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ann (akinney) said :
#4

The message I get is "Archive type not supported".

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Vojtěch Trefný (vojtech.trefny) said :
#5

I just complete Jim's answer. If you are using dual boot you have to reinstall Windows loader (when you installed Ubuntu it also installed Grub and by removing Ubuntu you will make Grub not function). Just boot Windows Install CD go to System Recovery (or so) and use "fixmbr" to repair it.

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Jim Hutchinson (jphutch) said :
#6

Ah good catch Vojtěch.

Ann, I'm a bit confused. Are you trying to remove Ubuntu or run .exe files? Removing Ubuntu is one thing and the .exe files are another. To remove Ubuntu do as described above. As for .exe files, you can't run those on Ubuntu as it's not windows. Ubuntu is Linux - totally different from windows. There is a project called Wine that makes it possible to run some windows apps in Linux but I think going into that will just muddy the waters.

Perhaps explaining a bit more about what you are trying to do would help us help you.

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ann (akinney) said :
#7

How do I get to system recovery

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Vojtěch Trefný (vojtech.trefny) said :
#8

"How do I get to system recovery"
→ It is recovery console (I'm sorry for mistake, but my "Windows knowldenges" are not so good) - more info here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recovery_Console

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ann (akinney) said :
#9

I cannot get here because ubunto monopolizes everything and there does not seem to be away around it. Where can I find partions to delete as in Jim's first answer?

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Vojtěch Trefný (vojtech.trefny) said :
#10

Just one question more: do you have ony your computer Windows or only Ubuntu?

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ann (akinney) said :
#11

I seem to have only ubuntu but I have a windows xp disc that I can't
seem to bringup although it is in the drive.I have shut down and
rebooted many times, checked BIOS, even found the startup and recovery
DOS for Ubuntu but can't seem to get past this and make any changes.

Ann

On Jan 21, 2008 5:01 PM, Vojtěch Trefný
<email address hidden> wrote:
> Your question #22726 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/22726
>
> Status: Open => Needs information
>
> Vojtěch Trefný requested for more information:
> Just one question more: do you have ony your computer Windows or only
> Ubuntu?
>
> --
> To answer this request for more information, you can either reply to
> this email or enter your reply at the following page:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/22726
>
>
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>

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marcobra (Marco Braida) (marcobra) said :
#12

Ann, you can use wine to open that exe files...

If you want to do it we help you...

If you dislikes Ubuntu and you want remove the powerful and security of Gnu Linux:
a) - be sure your bios is set to boot from cd
b) - put other operative system install cd into the cd-drive
c) - delete all hard-disk partititions
d) - create new one
c) - install it

d) - please also be sure after installing to set:
1) firewall
2) antivirus
3) more than one antispyware and check your pc regulary
3) please keep all your installed software upgraded ( you must search for upgrade on regular basis searching one by one for all of them )
4) the closed software you will use is untrusted it may spy you

Good luck, thank you

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Jim Hutchinson (jphutch) said :
#13

Does anyone find it odd that we seem to be doing windows support? I guess that just goes to show how great the Ubuntu community is. Good luck getting help installing Ubuntu from the ms crowd.

Okay, back on topic and just a couple follow up responses. First, Ubuntu doesn't monopolize your computer. It is the operating system you have installed and it is just doing its job. If you don't want it to do its job you have to install a different operating system which will also "monopolize" your computer. The reason you can't boot the windows CD has nothing to do with Ubuntu. That is taken care of at the BIOS level which runs your computer until the operating system takes over. If you BIOS is not configured properly then it will hand control to Ubuntu immediately. You have to tell it to try the CD first. Follow Marcobra's list above to install.

I don't know what you mean by recovery DOS for Ubuntu.

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ann (akinney) said :
#14

As I am sure you can see, I am not computer literate and my intention
was not to insult Ubuntu. I just wanted to run one program off my
son's old computer and have been incredibly frustrated. I do want to
thank all of you for all your time and help.

Ann

On Jan 21, 2008 7:56 PM, Jim Hutchinson
<email address hidden> wrote:
> Your question #22726 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/22726
>
> Jim Hutchinson proposed the following answer:
> Does anyone find it odd that we seem to be doing windows support? I
> guess that just goes to show how great the Ubuntu community is. Good
> luck getting help installing Ubuntu from the ms crowd.
>
> Okay, back on topic and just a couple follow up responses. First, Ubuntu
> doesn't monopolize your computer. It is the operating system you have
> installed and it is just doing its job. If you don't want it to do its
> job you have to install a different operating system which will also
> "monopolize" your computer. The reason you can't boot the windows CD has
> nothing to do with Ubuntu. That is taken care of at the BIOS level which
> runs your computer until the operating system takes over. If you BIOS is
> not configured properly then it will hand control to Ubuntu immediately.
> You have to tell it to try the CD first. Follow Marcobra's list above to
> install.
>
> I don't know what you mean by recovery DOS for Ubuntu.
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/22726/+confirm?answer_id=12
>
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/22726
>
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>

Revision history for this message
Jim Hutchinson (jphutch) said :
#15

No insult was perceived (at least by me). I was trying to help you understand how it works. For what it's worth, reinstalling a whole new operating system (especially one with less freedom) just to run one program seems a step backwards. Maybe a better approach would be to determine if the one program can be made to work in Ubuntu or if there is a suitable Linux alternative. Can you provide any more info on what you would like to do or what the one program you want to run is or does?

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marcobra (Marco Braida) (marcobra) said :
#16

Ann
absolutely no insult for me too, we can help you...
Please tell us what the exe file do
We are glad to find Ubuntu valid alternative, if there are any.

Thank you

Revision history for this message
ann (akinney) said :
#17

I am actually trying to download Quicken 2008. I generally use a MAC,
which in notoriously bad with Quicken. I am not sure what Wine is but
do you think that would work and where can I get it? Again thanks for
your help, it's 11:30 PM and I up at 4AM...will check back after work
tomorrow. Thanks again.

Ann

On 1/21/08, marcobra <email address hidden> wrote:
> Your question #22726 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/22726
>
> Status: Needs information => Answered
>
> marcobra proposed the following answer:
> Ann
> absolutely no insult for me too, we can help you...
> Please tell us what the exe file do
> We are glad to find Ubuntu valid alternative, if there are any.
>
> Thank you
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/22726/+confirm?answer_id=15
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/22726
>
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>

Revision history for this message
Jim Hutchinson (jphutch) said :
#18

I'm not sure if quicken will run in wine. I'll look into it. Wine is a tool that lets "some" windows apps run in Linux. It's pretty cool but to be honest I think a native application would be best if there is one that meets your needs. In this case, gnucash is a similar program but I don't think it's as robust as quicken. If your needs are not too complex it may be a great alternative. If not, wine may be your only hope (short of going back to windows). You can install gnucash from the package manager. Click on system-admin-synaptic package manager. Enter your password when requested. Then use the search button to search for gnucash. When it shows up, right click and choose mark for installation. It will say it needs a bunch of other things. Just click okay to that and then hit apply. When it finishes run it from applications-office-GnuCash. Even if it isn't a solution for you, you will have just experienced one of the great things about Ubuntu and Linux in general - easy and safe application installation.

GnuCash is not the most straightforward tool but then neither was quicken (from what I remember). There was a nice starter tutorial in a recent Linux magazine but not sure where I saw it. I'll look around for it.

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Omegamormegil (omegamormegil) said :
#19

I understand that you are not trying to be insulting - it is obvious that you are frustrated because you can't do what you want to do on your computer. I think everyone here would recommend you keep Ubuntu and leave Windows behind, but if it's Windows you want, just follow the instructions under Method 4 on this page: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=316941#

This will wipe your hard drive clean, and put Windows XP back on.

Please note, any files you or your son may have stored on the computer will be gone. I would really recommend running this by your son before wiping the computer clean, in case he has some important stuff on there that you don't know about. And of course, it would probably be easier to get him to do this for you, than it is for you to follow our instructions.

If you put the Windows XP disk in the drive, and after restarting the computer the Windows XP installer doesn't start, there is probably a problem with the boot device sequence set in your BIOS (or possibly a problem with your Windows CD or CD-ROM drive). Ubuntu being on your computer would not prevent this from working. To get into the BIOS, start by TURNING OFF your computer. You need to enter your BIOS setup, which is done by pressing a key or key combination as soon as you turn on your computer. Sometimes, you will see a quick message at the top or bottom of the screen saying something like "Press <F2> to enter Setup". It is different on every computer. Some commonly used combinations are ESC, DELETE, F1, F2, CTRL-ESC, or CTRL-ALT-ESC. Once you get into the BIOS, look for instructions on which keys to use to navigate. You will need to look for a reference to the Boot Sequence, or something similar. Make sure it is set to check your CD-ROM for boot instructions before the Primary Hard Disk.

I personally don't mind if people decide that they want Windows instead of Ubuntu, as long as they are making an educated decision. Ubuntu is new to you, but it is actually much easier to use than Windows, except for the fact that it will be unfamiliar to you in the beginning. It is faster, virus and spyware immune, doesn't need to be defragmented or scandisked, more secure, more stable, costs no dollars, provides access to thousands of free software applications, and gives you true and complete ownership of your computer. If you are interested in learning more about the difference between Ubuntu and Windows, and why we are so passionate about not going back to Windows ourselves, please, don't hesitate to ask!

Revision history for this message
Jim Hutchinson (jphutch) said :
#20

Okay, found some info. It looks like quicken 2008 is much too new to work well in wine. Some older versions seem to work fine so I suspect it's only a matter of time before 2008 works as well. You can read more about quicken on wine at http://appdb.winehq.org/appview.php?iAppId=107.

The GnuCash article is in the Jan 08 issue of Linux Magazine. The article does not seem to be online yet but probably will be before long. You can watch their site for it. http://www.linux-mag.com/. A local library or book store might have a copy your can thumb through if you are interested or I can copy mine and email it to you. It's only a 3 page intro to the program but gives you a place to start if you want to try and use it. Let me know.

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brsoxman (owner-webbeginning) said :
#21

Fuck ubunto i want to take this crap off my computer but you piece of shits wont let me i had a very nice computer windows xp but i wanted to just try ubonta but u r-tards wont let us take it of. It is all a Scam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You dickhead

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brsoxman (owner-webbeginning) said :
#22

Well i am sorry but i just want to take it off i tried everything and i am very frustrated i also think u r a very unreilable company

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brsoxman (owner-webbeginning) said :
#23

i was also looking at all the times people said stuff and its not right all of this could not have happened in one day and if it did than i should have an answer back

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brsoxman (owner-webbeginning) said :
#24

lets go lets go lets go!!!!!! i am very mad at u guys and will never get ubonta again!!!!!!!!!!!! now you listen to me and please answer
Thankyou

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brsoxman (owner-webbeginning) said :
#25

i will tell everyone how bad you guys are i want my old computer back and if you have to come up her and fix it than you should what is ubonta anyways the program is horrible it looks like it is a 1995 computer it also didn't save any of my programs

Revision history for this message
brsoxman (owner-webbeginning) said :
#26

i will tell everyone how bad you guys are i want my old computer back and if you have to come up her and fix it than you should what is ubonta anyways the program is horrible it looks like it is a 1995 computer it also didn't save any of my programs

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brsoxman (owner-webbeginning) said :
#27

Answerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

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brsoxman (owner-webbeginning) said :
#28

I learned how to take this crapy ubunta off my computer with no help from YOU!!!!!!
YES i have windows XP now HA HA i will never use ubunta again

Revision history for this message
cecelia101 (myhflisally) said :
#29

brsoxman can you help me? im not very computer smart..
my brother who put ubuntu on my coputer. i don't like it at all.
can you please help me get it off? it would be greatly appriciated!
-god bless-
cecelia

Revision history for this message
cecelia101 (myhflisally) said :
#30

brsoxman can you help me? im not very computer smart..
my brother who put ubuntu on my coputer. i don't like it at all.
can you please help me get it off? it would be greatly appriciated!
-god bless-
cecelia

Revision history for this message
cecelia101 (myhflisally) said :
#31

brsoxman can you help me? im not very computer smart..
my brother who put ubuntu on my coputer. i don't like it at all.
can you please help me get it off? it would be greatly appriciated!
-god bless-
cecelia

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