How can I uninstall Ubuntu

[floccinaucini]

I have Ubuntu 12.04 installed in a computer. There are no other Operating Systems in this. I need to uninstall ubuntu so that I have a clean empty Hard Disk. There is nothing I need to save there. How can I do this?

Thank you,

[TechnoGeek]

I like Darik's Boot and Nuke - http://dban.org/
Go to the download page, burn the iso file to a blank CD and boot from it. Follow prompts to erase all data on the hard disk. It WILL erase everything, so make sure you're actually ready to do that.

If you plan to just install a new operating system right after erasing the drive, you can skip DBAN and just reformat the hard drive during the installation process.

[floccinaucini]

I like Darik's Boot and Nuke - http://dban.org/
Go to the download page, burn the iso file to a blank CD and boot from it. Follow prompts to erase all data on the hard disk. It WILL erase everything, so make sure you're actually ready to do that.

If you plan to just install a new operating system right after erasing the drive, you can skip DBAN and just reformat the hard drive during the installation process.

(1) When DBAN erases all data, do I lose the disk space of the partition that contained the Opereating system although DBAN erases everything?

(2) I hope to install Windows XP Professional but I know nothing about partitioning. What should I do?

Thank you,

[TechnoGeek]

(1) When DBAN erases all data, do I lose the disk space of the partition that contained the Opereating system although DBAN erases everything?

DBAN restores the drive to a completely blank and unpartitioned state of its full original size, like how it would be when it came out of the factory.

(2) I hope to install Windows XP Professional but I know nothing about partitioning. What should I do?

If you want to install Windows XP Professional and completely remove ubuntu, you don't actually have to use a tool like DBAN to erase the hard drive at all. During windows XP setup, instruct it to erase or delete the partition(s) that already exist and create a new partition to install XP to. This page on Microsoft's site has instructions on how to do this during setup (About halfway down the page, look for the heading "How to partition and format the hard disk by using the Windows XP Setup program")

[floccinaucini]

Thank you very much for all the information.

Kind regards.

[floccinaucini]

DBAN restores the drive to a completely blank and unpartitioned state of its full original size, like how it would be when it came out of the factory.
If you want to install Windows XP Professional and completely remove ubuntu, you don't actually have to use a tool like DBAN to erase the hard drive at all. During windows XP setup, instruct it to erase or delete the partition(s) that already exist and create a new partition to install XP to. This page on Microsoft's site has instructions on how to do this during setup (About halfway down the page, look for the heading "How to partition and format the hard disk by using the Windows XP Setup program")

During installation I am given the choice of two file systems - NTFS AND FAT. What are the pro's and con's of the two systems? Which do you think is the better choice?

Regards,

[TechnoGeek]

During installation I am given the choice of two file systems - NTFS AND FAT. What are the pro's and con's of the two systems? Which do you think is the better choice?

Regards,

From the same page I linked earlier:

You can use either the NTFS or FAT file systems. NTFS is the preferred file system to format the hard disk unless you want to run an earlier version of Windows that cannot read NTFS partitions. For additional information about the differences between the FAT and NTFS file systems, click the following article numbers...

Basically, use NTFS unless you know for some reason that you have to use FAT. You almost certainly don't unless you need to use  Windows 95/98/ME or older.

[floccinaucini]

From the same page I linked earlier:
Basically, use NTFS unless you know for some reason that you have to use FAT. You almost certainly don't unless you need to use  Windows 95/98/ME or older.

Yes, I read this but I wanted to make certain that I understood it properly. Now I know exactly what it means.

Thank you,

[floccinaucini]

DBAN restores the drive to a completely blank and unpartitioned state of its full original size, like how it would be when it came out of the factory.
If you want to install Windows XP Professional and completely remove ubuntu, you don't actually have to use a tool like DBAN to erase the hard drive at all. During windows XP setup, instruct it to erase or delete the partition(s) that already exist and create a new partition to install XP to. This page on Microsoft's site has instructions on how to do this during setup (About halfway down the page, look for the heading "How to partition and format the hard disk by using the Windows XP Setup program")

I booted with DBAN but it failed to erase the disk. Ubuntu is still there. I booted with it three times using only 'autonuke' option because I don't know anything about the other five options given. At the end of the process I got the following message.

"DBAN finished with no fatal errors"
The following was displayed in the log: Error :  dev/sde  (process crash)
                                                              Error :  dev/sdb  (process crash)
                                                              Error :  dev/sdd  (process crash)
                                                              Error :  dev/sdc  (process crash)
                                                              Error :  dev/sda (process crash)
What can I do now? I am really keen on cleaning the disk before installing XP, although it may not be necessary to do so.

Thank you,
                                                             

[TheWaffle]

instead of typing autonuke at the prompt
hit enter and go into interactive mode

if it finds any [] driveyou will have to disable them in your bios

[TheWaffle]

stupid smileys
it should be a [???] unrecognized drive