How to Remove Dual Boot from Your System Completely

Many users find themselves in a dual boot setup, whether it’s Windows 10 alongside Windows 11, or Windows with a Linux distribution or Chrome OS. If you’ve decided to streamline your system and remove that dual boot configuration, you’re in the right place. This guide will walk you step-by-step on how to completely remove dual boot options from your machine.

Understanding the Dual Boot Setup

A dual boot setup allows users to have multiple operating systems installed on a single machine. However, as time goes on, you may find that you no longer need the second operating system. Removing it can free up space and simplify your boot process. This guide will cover how to remove dual boot configurations for Windows, Linux, and Chrome OS.

Removing Dual Boot Between Windows Versions

If you’re dual booting between two versions of Windows, such as Windows 10 and Windows 11, the removal process is quite simple. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Log into Your Primary Operating System

Begin by logging into your primary operating system. In this case, we’ll assume it’s Windows 11. Once logged in, follow the next steps.

Step 2: Access Disk Management

Right-click on the Windows icon in the taskbar and select Disk Management from the menu. Here, you’ll see the different partitions on your system.

Step 3: Delete the Secondary Volume

Find the partition that corresponds to your secondary operating system (Windows 10 in this case). Right-click on this partition and select Delete Volume. Confirm the action when prompted.

Once the volume is deleted, you will see unallocated space on your disk. To make use of this space, you can extend your primary partition.

Step 4: Extend Your Primary Partition

Right-click on your primary partition (Windows C) and select Extend Volume. Follow the prompts to merge the unallocated space into your primary partition. If you encounter any issues, consider using third-party tools like MiniTool Partition Wizard.

Step 5: Restart Your Computer

Restart your computer to see the changes take effect. Your machine should boot directly into Windows 11 without showing the dual boot menu.

Removing Dual Boot with Linux or Chrome OS

If your setup includes a dual boot with a Linux distribution like Ubuntu or Chrome OS, the process is slightly different. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Log into Windows

Log out of your Linux or Chrome OS and log into your primary operating system, which should be Windows. Restart the computer if necessary.

Step 2: Access Disk Management Again

Just like before, right-click the Windows icon and select Disk Management. Here, you will see your Windows partition and the partition where you installed Ubuntu or Chrome OS.

Step 3: Delete the Linux/Chrome OS Volume

Right-click on the partition associated with Ubuntu or Chrome OS and select Delete Volume. Confirm the deletion. You will again see unallocated space on your disk.

Step 4: Extend Your Primary Partition

As in the previous steps, right-click on your primary partition (Windows C) and select Extend Volume. Follow the prompts to use the unallocated space.

Step 5: Remove the Boot Configuration

To ensure that the dual boot option does not appear again, you need to remove the Linux or Chrome OS entry from the boot configuration. Open the command prompt with administrative privileges by searching for CMD, right-clicking it, and selecting Run as administrator.

Step 6: Use the BCD Edit Command

In the command prompt, type the following command:

bcdedit /enum firmware

This command will list all firmware applications. Look for the entry that corresponds to Ubuntu or Chrome OS. Note the identifier associated with it.

Step 7: Delete the Boot Entry

To delete the entry, type:

bcdedit /delete {identifier}

Replace {identifier} with the actual identifier you noted earlier. Press Enter to execute the command. You should see a message indicating the operation was successful.

Finalizing the Removal Process

The last step is to clean up any remaining files related to the removed operating system. You can do this by accessing the disk partition through the command prompt.

Step 1: Open DiskPart

In the command prompt, type:

diskpart

Once in DiskPart, type the following command to list all disks:

list disk

Step 2: Select Your Disk

Select the disk where your operating system is installed (usually Disk 0) by typing:

select disk 0

Step 3: List Volumes

Now, list all volumes by typing:

list volume

Identify the EFI partition, which is usually around 100 MB in size.

Step 4: Remove the EFI Entry

Select the EFI partition by typing:

select volume {number}

Replace {number} with the volume number of the EFI partition. Next, assign a letter to this partition:

assign letter=Z

Step 5: Navigate to the EFI Directory

Now type:

Z:

Then navigate to the EFI directory:

cd EFI

Once inside, list the directories:

dir

You should see a directory for Ubuntu or your Linux distribution. Delete it using:

rmdir /s Ubuntu

Replace Ubuntu with the name of the directory if you’re using a different distribution.

Step 6: Restart Your Computer

After completing these steps, close all windows and restart your computer. Your system should boot directly into your primary operating system without any dual boot options.

Conclusion

Removing a dual boot configuration may seem daunting, but by following these steps, you can easily streamline your system. Whether you’re removing Windows, Linux, or Chrome OS, the process is straightforward. If you found this guide helpful, consider checking out more tips on Crown GEEK – YouTube for additional tutorials and troubleshooting tips.

Remember to backup your data before making changes to your partitions, and happy computing!